Written by: McCartney
Recorded: October 1970 – April 1971
Producer: Paul and Linda McCartney
Released: 21 May 1971 (UK), 17 May 1971 (US)
Available on:
Ram
Thrillington
Personnel
Paul McCartney: vocals, keyboards, bass guitar
Linda McCartney: backing vocals
David Spinozza/Hugh McCracken: guitar
Denny Seiwell: drums
The longest track on Paul and Linda McCartney’s 1971 album Ram, ‘Long Haired Lady’ was a love song pieced together from two song fragments.
Juxtaposing disparate song ideas had been used as a songwriting method by McCartney a number of times before, particularly in the few years leading up to Ram. 1969’s Abbey Road combined various unfinished pieces to make the celebrated long medley, and Ram’s ‘Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey’ was made up of 12 separate musical sections.
‘Long Haired Lady’ is very period piece, [fey Californian accent] ‘My long-haired lady.’ Very ’70s.
Mojo, July 2001
The ‘love is long’ section which closes the song recalls The Beatles’ extended ending for ‘Hey Jude’, although without much of the emotional weight and passion of the earlier song.
My love is long for this song. Another gem in the McCartney treasure chest.
Thanks Paul.