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Paul McCartney — Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
Album: Ram
Avg rating:
7.2

Your rating:
Total ratings: 1205









Released: 1971
Length: 4:54
Plays (last 30 days): 0
We're so sorry Uncle Albert
We're so sorry if we caused you any pain
We're so sorry Uncle Albert
But there's no one left at home
And I believe I'm gonna rain

We're so sorry but we haven't heard a thing all day
We're so Sorry Uncle Albert
But if anything should happen we'll be sure to give a ring

We're so sorry Uncle Albert
But we haven't done a bloody thing all day
We're so sorry Uncle Albert
But the kettle's on the boil and we're so easily called away

Hand across the water (water)
Heads across the sky
Hand across the water (water)
Heads across the sky
Admiral Halsey notified me
He had to have a berth or he couldn't get to sea
I had another look and i had a cup of tea and butter pie
(the butter wouldn't melt so i put it in the pie)

Hand across the water (water)
Heads across the sky
Hand across the water (water)
Heads across the sky

Live a little be a gypsy, get around(get around)
Get your feet up off the ground
Live a little, get around
Live a little be a gypsy, get around(get around)
Get your feet up off the ground
Live a little, get around

Hand across the water (water)
Heads across the sky
Hand across the water (water)
Heads across the sky
Ooo------------Ooo-------------
Comments (148)add comment
 michaelmuller wrote:
Good lord, people. Lighten up. It's a silly track, yes, but one that shot up the charts and you could not get away from the summer it was released. You cannot deny this song.
 
For me? It's one of my top three favorite McCartney tracks, hands down. 


me too. me too. as a very young child of 4 yrs old, i always felt joy when this came on the AM radio station in pittsburgh.
Seven again, hearing this, cruising up El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego in my Mom's boyfriends cherry red 1966 GTO with wood-trimmed dash and hot wheel mags. 
Imagine came out a few months after Ram, and contained this pic of John holding a pig by the ears. Was John taking a shot at Paul, or was it just coincidence?
For the record, I am a fan of both albums.
Very sentimental. I was 11 and was seriously into Pop music. We had this on a 45 in our 6th grade classroom and played it on one of those old portable record players.
 jmkate wrote:

I love this, but then, I remember being a little kid, running around and playing with the rest of the kids while this was on the oldies radio station, and stopping and wondering what the hell they were talking about. We more or less shrugged and kept on playing. Good times. 


Ha!  I remember the week it was released my brother and me getting a super-crappy recording of it off AM radio using a Lloyd's cassette recorder, with its POS microphone held up to one speaker of our parents' "Hi-Fi" (what a joke -- a single-unit console with record player [not a turntable] and AM/FM, made in maybe 1962?)

"Oldies" ain't just in reference to radio stations....
 maxvonevil wrote:
McCartney is beginning to look more like this guy ...

But let's be fair, this guy is only 68 so one can only guess what he might look like when he turns 80 ...


Don't confuse these creeps with giants of music history, even if it was supposed to be funny.
Paul McCartney get an honourable 10 for being who he is.
McCartney is beginning to look more like this guy ...

But let's be fair, this guy is only 68 so one can only guess what he might look like when he turns 80 ...
 jmkate wrote:

I love this, but then, I remember being a little kid, running around and playing with the rest of the kids while this was on the oldies radio station, and stopping and wondering what the hell they were talking about. We more or less shrugged and kept on playing. Good times. 


Kids being kids... a good thing.
Oh come on, this is a fun song. The call/response, the tempo changes, the multi-layered instruments and vocals, the eminently enjoyable hook, and yes the silly lyrics all make it a fun little ditty.
Wow what happy memories hearing this.
This McCartney stuff is awful. It sounded dated even back then. Paul's "granny crap" at its worst
 Shaken_Bake wrote:

Finally, old lyrics cleared up:  I always thought that Admiral Halsey notified me that "he had to have a bath or he couldn't get to sleep..."  Does that make more sense anyway?




I thought the same... ;-)
 Zep wrote:

I don't think I've heard this song in 50 years, and I still remember every note, every word. 

Live a little, be a gypsy, get around! (get around)




 Butter pie?  
Musically Paul was a genius. Otherwise he was (still is) deeply ridiculous, in the way of the worst of English autocracy. So his lyrics and antics drive me mad.
I wonder what they did to Uncle Albert that was so bad.  I'm guessing maybe they jacked up his car and it rolled down the hill.
 michaelmuller wrote:
Good lord, people. Lighten up. It's a silly track, yes, but one that shot up the charts and you could not get away from the summer it was released. You cannot deny this song.
 
For me? It's one of my top three favorite McCartney tracks, hands down. Best listened to after a puff and with headphones on. Follow it up with ELO's Mr Blue Sky or Telephone Line. Enjoy.

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Damn! Call me a dope, but I always thought this was the Beatles.
I realize this might be my favorite song ever.

Melodic, fun, complicated like prog rock. And I can never EVER pass up the telephone purring noise.

But, BillG, I petition to have it paired with Smile Away. They belong together!
 ...along the same lines as ..scaramouche scaramouche, can you do the fandango ?  {#Smile}BonzoWiltsUK wrote:
Quite painful listening. A lot of old Beatles sound gimmicks fitted to a trivial melodic line and with some vocal struggling.

 

 apd wrote:
used to think this was late Beatles but theres no way Lennon would have let Paul away with this, is there?
 
"I thought it [Ram] was awful! McCartney was better because at least there were some tunes on it, like Junk. I liked the beginning of Ram On, the beginning of Uncle Albert and I liked some of My Dog's Got Three Legs. I liked the little bit about 'Hands across the water', but it just tripped off all the time. I didn't like that a bit!"
-John Lennon
I love this, but then, I remember being a little kid, running around and playing with the rest of the kids while this was on the oldies radio station, and stopping and wondering what the hell they were talking about. We more or less shrugged and kept on playing. Good times. 
Good lord, people. Lighten up. It's a silly track, yes, but one that shot up the charts and you could not get away from the summer it was released. You cannot deny this song.
 
For me? It's one of my top three favorite McCartney tracks, hands down. Best listened to after a puff and with headphones on. Follow it up with ELO's Mr Blue Sky or Telephone Line. Enjoy.
Simply, absolutely excellent. 
This is what Paul was doing while John was doing Plastic Ono. Imagine?
I never expected to hear this pulp on RP.
Equally surprised at the respectable ratings from my fellow RP listeners...
I give it a '1' because '0' isn't an option.
 Alastair wrote:
Hard to believe that the man who wrote Eleanor Rigby and Yesterday came up with this dross.

 
...he says, with pinky finger extended.
Just started to re-listed to this album as well as Wild Life -  both have some great tracks - take a listen to 'Dear Friend'
This song is so bad that all the clues from Abbey Road are unnecessary.  Clearly the real Paul died.
Hard to believe that the man who wrote Eleanor Rigby and Yesterday came up with this dross.
 justin4kick wrote:
You mean Linda, don't you?
 
Let's hope so.  ; )
It is painful and frustrating to PSD an obnoxious recording, then have the great 'play something different' song cut short, just in time, to return to the first song's most irritating segment.

Oops, sounds like a first world problem...



I would have swore this is a different mix/version than what I remember from the original RAM album.
-John
Finally, old lyrics cleared up:  I always thought that Admiral Halsey notified me that "he had to have a bath or he couldn't get to sleep..."  Does that make more sense anyway?
Quite painful listening. A lot of old Beatles sound gimmicks fitted to a trivial melodic line and with some vocal struggling.
 BCarn wrote:
Another amazing song from an amazing album. It is clear why he was, and still is,  the bigger force than his former musical partner.
Should be at least an 8.

 
You mean Linda, don't you?
 BCarn wrote:
Another amazing song from an amazing album. It is clear why he was, and still is,  the bigger force than his former musical partner.
Should be at least an 8.

 
 GeorgeMWoods wrote:
Clear evidence of how essential John Lennon was. 

  

I love the dichotomy of these two posts. It's all subjective people!
 

Catalytic wrote:
Something I heard growing up. It fascinated me then. Now it grips me in nostalgia.
 

                         

                                  I was 11.
                                You nailed it for me, Catalytic. Thanx. 
.

 
                    


.
Another amazing song from an amazing album. It is clear why he was, and still is,  the bigger force than his former musical partner.
Should be at least an 8.
Clear evidence of how essential John Lennon was. 
 Catalytic wrote:
Something I heard growing up. It fascinated me then. Now it grips me in nostalgia.
 
me too,
An embarrassment. 
I'm hearing all sorts of sounds and instruments here that did not come across in my little am transistor radio in the early 70's, and it all sounds great.
 gjr wrote:
Jack Black from "High Fidelity":

Barry
: Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?
I still can't believe that the same guy that brought us hey jude, let it be and the golden slumbers medley, brought us the shit that he trolled out in the '70s and '80s - yes including this, silly love songs and every atrocity he committed with michael jackson and/or stevie wonder

this song (and most of his solo stuff) sucks ass.....im sorry  

 
wow - I've found you. after all these years. You, you're, you're... MAX!!!!!
{#Money-mouth} 
 oldsaxon wrote:

Lesser than the sum of the parts that were Lennon and McCartney, but this song still resonates a bit with the magic dust of their colaborations. 

 
More blue meanies, blue meanies everywhere {#Beat}
 mardisoninnc wrote:


 
NOOOO - it's Bill Gates {#Stupid}
 thewiseking wrote:
utterly passe

 
you are MAX ... M
For those of you who just have to critique this little ditty with negative brain waves, well...you've missed the point, the boat, and ya' all need to move back in with the Blue Meanies{#Yes}  
There was nothing else quite like this on the radio in those days, & when this came along, we danced and sang to it with gusto and joy!
Never really liked much of what Paul McCartney did after the Beatles, but this is a very nice, underrated album.
This hurts my throat.
Something I heard growing up. It fascinated me then. Now it grips me in nostalgia.
 Smile away.. {#Smile}  thewiseking wrote:
utterly passe

 


 teleskialaska wrote:
Is that Warren Buffett sitting on the bench next to Sir Paul?  Strange indeed.

 


utterly passe
I suppose bonzo dog doodah band came later, good friends with the Beatles, and Viv Stanshell of corse went on to record Tubular bells.
an unlikely hit single
"deliciously silly" indeed! {#Bananapiano}
 teleskialaska wrote:




 
{#Notworthy}
1971: Sticky Fingers, Who's Next, etc., etc., 
used to think this was late Beatles but theres no way Lennon would have let Paul away with this, is there?
 Grammarcop wrote:

Is that Paul sitting next to Warren Buffett? You have one helluva spaceship!

 
Yup, that is Warren alright!
 teleskialaska wrote:
I did not think Lazaus was a pre-pubecent boy, but look who he is hanging with.....
 
I just assumed that was Laz sittin' beside Sir Paul.
 Lazarus wrote:
Everybody in my alien space craft loves this song...

Paul McCartney and Warren Buffett selfie photo PaulMcCartneyandWarrenBuffettselfie_zpsf34267b9.jpg 
I did not think Lazaus was a pre-pubecent boy, but look who he is hanging with.....
 


Wow, what memories this stirs up.{#Roflol}
The wildest poetry possible, set to the funnest celebration of musicality ~ the expression of a level and depth of creative brilliance I dig!
The genius of songs like this is their infectiousness - I know I, at least, can't help but sing along.  This is one earworm I'm pleased to have.  {#Good-vibes}
How on earth did this 'song' manage to scramble out of the rejected bin and on to the playlist??
What next, 'Frog Chorus'? 'Jumping Waterfalls'? or some of Maccas other best work? please please me not!
just my tupence worth as usual . . .
 Grammarcop wrote:

Is that Paul sitting next to Warren Buffett? You have one helluva spaceship!

  Is the young fellow in the photo Laz? {#Cheesygrin}
 Lazarus wrote:
Everybody in my alien space craft loves this song...

Paul McCartney and Warren Buffett selfie photo PaulMcCartneyandWarrenBuffettselfie_zpsf34267b9.jpg 

 
Is that Paul sitting next to Warren Buffett? You have one helluva spaceship!
Everybody in my alien space craft loves this song...

Paul McCartney and Warren Buffett selfie photo PaulMcCartneyandWarrenBuffettselfie_zpsf34267b9.jpg 
To me, this is the sound of musical genius going to waste. A mind that couldn't stop making music, but didn't know what music to make.
Just so very good.
Deliciously silly song
10 
boring circus Music :-(
{#Good-vibes} {#Jump}
This whole album is genius. Put aside his Eddie Haskell too-eager-to-please persona and listen to the music.
<Hits the PSD button>...

OH Belly... much more interesting!


love this quirky song {#Smile}
The guy on the phone sounds like John Cleese.
 Shimmer wrote:




 

You know what's weird...they've probably each had multiple "cosmetic procedures" performed on them from the time that photo was taken in the early 80's until Mike checked out in 2009, but Paul went the "just a touch" route each time, while Jacko went "full transformation" to a completely different (and frightening) person.

“I had another look and I had a cup of tea
and a butter pie
the butter wouldn't melt so I put it in the pie
Well Alright . . .”

Enjoyed his first solo album and Ram, after that he really went commercial and leaned toward John and George’s solo work.


1971, 18 years old, driving through the desert in a '61 Chevy.. road trip from Minnesota with a buddy - to see our older brothers, who just happened to both be stationed at the air base in Clovis, New Mexico...   What a great memory!
 gjr wrote:


nuf' ced

 

Wow!!  Thanks for posting that photo, as I've seen a gazillion John Lennon photos, BUT NEVER THAT ONE!  That guy's still cracking me up in new ways 33+ years after he unfortunately left us.
impediguy wrote:
I'm sorry, but Paul McCartney never corroborated with Michael Jackson.
 
They worked on "The Girl is Mine" and "Say Say Say" together.


I'm sorry, but Paul McCartney never corroborated with Michael Jackson, but instead Michael bought the Beatles catalog and a lawsuit ensued. Paul even denounced Michael at halftime during one of the superbowls. I like Paul's post-Beatles stuff, such as this song, much better than John Lenon's. Yet both will never add up to the sum of their corroboration. So any discussion about former members of the Beatles is just water under the bridge.

 
gjr wrote:
Jack Black from "High Fidelity":

Barry
: Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?


I still can't believe that the same guy that brought us hey jude, let it be and the golden slumbers medley, brought us the shit that he trolled out in the '70s and '80s - yes including this, silly love songs and every atrocity he committed with michael jackson and/or stevie wonder

this song (and most of his solo stuff) sucks ass.....im sorry  

 

Esoteric or in-joke stuff, or a wink wink joke on the audience? Because I never understood wtf he was singing about. And having heard this a gazillion times on Flatulent Mess radio it got tiresome kinda quick. 
Wonder if this was inspired by his cultivation of certain herbs on his farm?


nuf' ced

Everybody in my mushrooming multitude of churches loves this song...  what a great classic album...

here's something much more recent...  the music is cheesy, but the lyrics and the video make up for it—


 

 
Never much cared for Admiral Halsey: he got completely snookered by Kurita at the battle of Leyte GulfSpruance and Fletcher were far better carrier commanders.
 bachbeet wrote:
Never liked this album or this song.  Never liked Paul's solo stuff much.

 
Lesser than the sum of the parts that were Lennon and McCartney, but this song still resonates a bit with the magic dust of their colaborations. 
Jack Black from "High Fidelity":

Barry
: Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?


I still can't believe that the same guy that brought us hey jude, let it be and the golden slumbers medley, brought us the shit that he trolled out in the '70s and '80s - yes including this, silly love songs and every atrocity he committed with michael jackson and/or stevie wonder

this song (and most of his solo stuff) sucks ass.....im sorry  
Does anyone know what this song is about??
An amusing little ditty!
I heard that he's been playing this on his current tour.
Hands across the water...don't we all need more of this?
A little too poppy for some but great transitions.
Nicely done Paul!
{#Bananapiano} 
I grew up listening to "oldies," and we used to yell this goofily at the top of our lungs to one another. In fact, I'm tempted to holler along with the song right now....I suppose this means my little guy will be yelling REM lyrics at someone in due time.
Never liked this album or this song.  Never liked Paul's solo stuff much.
 renostve999 wrote:
I bought this album when it first came out in '72.  (yep, I am THAT old{#Eek})

Even back then, at the tender age of 16, I thought this song was tripe! 

Just to be perfectly clear, I still think it's shallow.  But I sure do like it, too.  My life is full of contradictions like that.

 
Renostve:  "My life is full of contradictions like that."

Ha!  And here I was thinking that's the very definition of life.  Heh!  And about the time you get it all figured out, and then resolve all the contradictions you.....die?  As Kurt Vonnegut would say....so it goes. 

Highlow
American Net'Zen
 emiliano wrote:
I find this song too lame. I even think that Paul it´s out of tune at the beginning. Don´t like it at all sorry.

 
We're so sorry, Unlce Emiliano. It's a shame that you have to feel that way.
Great memories of listening to this as a kid - loved it then and still do.
While not a fan of McCartney and Wings, I've always liked this  and the Band on the Run albums.
I bought this album when it first came out in '72.  (yep, I am THAT old{#Eek})

Even back then, at the tender age of 16, I thought this song was tripe! 

Just to be perfectly clear, I still think it's shallow.  But I sure do like it, too.  My life is full of contradictions like that.
 shellbella wrote:
What is this song about? 
 

What was Seinfeld about?  Ziakut has it right re: the lyrics, but I still love it.  I also love Bowie and many of his lyrics defy any sense of logic.
What is this song about? 
Wonderful song.  Amongst my favorite McCartney tune.  As a young'in when it came out I said, great Beatle tune, and assumed it was John with the "funny radio announcer" "kettles on the boil" voice.  I soon learned the truth and was quite dismayed at the breakup of the greatest band ever.
Interesting concept to me that any artist especially one as popular as PM is able to assemble lyrics which really seem to mean absolutely nothing in the context of a song...put some jangly disjointed musical arrangements around it and call it a song and even better...have an average score of 7. Wow! Just wow! As a sentimental memory...I like it. As a song...don't.
The novelty has worn off. I am officially old.
"We're so sorry, Uncle Albert."
     — Paul McCartney

"Yeah, well, 'sorry' don't feed the bulldog."
     — Uncle Albert
 Grayson wrote:
Only McCartney-post-Beatles song I ever liked.
 
bump
Definite earworm material.... fun, though, singing the gypsy part while running down the halls at school. Butter-pie?
 
Wheeeeeee! This is getting me in the mood for his concert this Sunday! Can't wait!!!
 orquidea wrote:
me encanta ... Hey to cross the sky...{#Daisy}
 
 

Well it´s up to you what to sing but actually it is:
Hands across the water. Heads across the sky.
Only McCartney-post-Beatles song I ever liked.
Oh man — what a flashback!  And I learned something new today — always thought this was a Beatles song.  To me it sounds like something off of Yellow Submarine, or at least a B-side.  I enjoy their goofy side — and as a kid liked watching the animated feature.
Outstanding

Love the sonic qualities — they sure knew how to make recordings back-in-the-day...
Barry: Rob, top five musical crimes perpetuated by Stevie Wonder in the '80s and '90s. Go. Sub-question: is it in fact unfair to criticize a formerly great artist for his latter day sins, is it better to burn out or fade away?  

Jack Black in "High Fidelity"
most of mccartney's solo stuff is as john lennon said "granny shit"
How can I forget how, in 5th Grade, maybe autumn of 1973 or early '74, on a gray and cold day at school, Kathy D. brought this record in for Sister Roberta to decide whether to play or not during Music class...?  To her credit, she not only put it on, but taught us to sing and dance to it!  "Live a little, be a gypsy, get around, pick your feet up off the ground, live a little, get around!" and there we were, swinging and flinging each other around like it was an Irish jig or square-dance... Fabulous memories, then, now and forever, bound up in the timeless energy of MUSIC...