Heart of the Country

"Heart of the Country" is a song written by Paul and Linda McCartney from their album Ram released in 1971.

For the film, see Heart of the Country (film).
"Heart of the Country"
Single by Paul and Linda McCartney
from the album Ram
A-side"The Back Seat of My Car"
Released13 August 1971
Recorded16 November 1970
GenreFolk rock, country folk
Length2:21
LabelApple
Songwriter(s)Paul and Linda McCartney
Producer(s)Paul and Linda McCartney
Paul and Linda McCartney singles chronology
"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"
(1971)		 "Heart of the Country"
(1971)		 "Eat at Home"
(1971)
Ram track listing
12 tracks
Side one
  1. "Too Many People"
  2. "3 Legs"
  3. "Ram On"
  4. "Dear Boy"
  5. "Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey"
  6. "Smile Away"
Side two
  1. "Heart of the Country"
  2. "Monkberry Moon Delight"
  3. "Eat at Home"
  4. "Long Haired Lady"
  5. "Ram On"
  6. "The Back Seat of My Car"
Music video
"Heart of the Country" on YouTube

Origins

The song has simple acoustic tune with a heavy bass chorus, and an unusually mellow sound to the acoustic guitar that was achieved by tuning all of the strings a full step lower than standard pitch. The song is about a man searching for a farm in the middle of nowhere. The song reflects Paul's heading for the Scottish countryside to escape the headaches associated with the Beatles' break-up at the time.[1]

Personnel

Reception

In a contemporary review for Ram, Jon Landau of Rolling Stone gave "Heart of the Country" a negative review, calling it the album's "lowest point", and the song that "most clearly indicates [Ram's] failures".[2] Landau described the song as "an evenly paced, finger-picking styled tune, with very light jazz overtones, obviously intended as Paul's idea of "mellow."".[2] However, Landau believed McCartney's lyrics about the country "ring false".[2]

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described the song as "an effortless folk-pop tune that ranks among [McCartney's] very best songs".[3] Erlewine also praises its "imaginative and gorgeous arrangement".[4] In 2013, Rolling Stone rated "Heart of the Country" at number 26 in its list of Paul McCartney's best post-Beatles songs.[1]

Aftermath

McCartney and Elvis Costello re-recorded the song, with Mark Ronson producing, in 2013 for a commercial featuring his late wife Linda's vegetarian recipe book.[5]

References
  1. "Paul's 40 Greatest Solo Songs". Special Collector's Edition: Paul McCartney. Rolling Stone. 2013. p. 89.
  2. Landau, Jon (8 July 1971). "Ram". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 July 2017.
  3. Erlewine, S.T. "Wingspan". AllMusic. Retrieved 2011-10-15.
  4. Erlewine, S.T. "Ram". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-12-25.
  5. "Paul McCartney tunes up with song for Linda's vegetarian food range". The Guardian. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2020.


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