Paul & Linda McCartney 'Ram' songbook proof cover photograph 1971

An original pre-press proof for the Ram songbook, showing the cover image of the album Ram by Paul and Linda McCartney, circa 1971.

The proof reproduces the album's cover photograph of Paul holding a ram by the horns on the McCartneys' farm, printed in black and white against a hand-painted background. The "RAM" title and the multicoloured zigzag frame bordering the image were both hand-drawn by Paul in felt-tip pen, with Paul acting as art director and Linda as photographer. Worked into the doodles on the right-hand border are the tiny letters "L.I.L.Y.", standing for "Linda I Love You".

Ram was released in May 1971 and remains the only album credited to Paul and Linda McCartney together, and the first to give Linda a full artist credit. The cover photograph was taken on the McCartneys' farm in Kintyre, Scotland, where Paul and Linda had settled following the break-up of The Beatles, while the artwork was completed in Los Angeles as the album was being finished. Ram reached number one in the United Kingdom and produced the US number one single "Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey".

A printer's grayscale calibration strip, reading from .00 to 1.90, runs across the top edge, and a pencil notation appears in the upper right corner. 

This proof comes from the collection of Gary Burden, the designer who worked with Paul and Linda McCartney on the Ram songbook. Of the collaboration, Burden recalled:

“Well, I never did get to make a cover for the Beatles, though I did collaborate with Paul and Linda McCartney on a songbook. We used lots of Linda's photos, and it was cool working with the two of them. It was lots of fun and laughs in clouds of smoke.”

The proof measures 51 x 41 cm.

The condition is good.