Paul McCartney – Monkberry Moon Delight
1971
1.1K Likes
Best comments
1.“He doesn't do it often, but when he goes rogue, it's always 'interesting.' This, however, is genius.”
More comments
- 2.“The man pulled out all the stops for this ear-pounding screamer.”
- 3.“50 years ago today, McCartney released an album so good... it went right over the pompous critics' heads!”
The story
Monk was the McCartney kids' word for milk. That's the whole origin story. Paul spun it into Monkberry Moon Delight, a fantasy milkshake, and then sang about it like a man possessed – one of the rawest vocals he ever cut, which he said was inspired by Screamin' Jay Hawkins and I Put a Spell on You. He was very into surrealism at the time, he said, and working hard to dodge Beatles clichés. Mission accomplished.
It's the hardest rocker on Ram, the 1971 album credited to Paul and Linda McCartney. They cut it at CBS Studios in New York in late 1970 with drummer Denny Seiwell and guitarist Hugh McCracken, then finished it in Los Angeles the next spring. Linda sings backing vocals, and so does young Heather McCartney. Family band, fever dream.
At least one critic in 1971 shrugged it off as a waste of space on an otherwise excellent album. Time disagreed. Screamin' Jay Hawkins himself released a cover as a single in 1973, Ultimate Classic Rock named it McCartney's most underrated song, and Rolling Stone put it at number 22 among his 40 greatest solo songs. This one's a fan upload of the album track: five-plus minutes of gloriously unhinged milk worship.
