The moniker Paul & Linda McCartney was used just once for the album Ram in … Read Full Bio ↴The moniker Paul & Linda McCartney was used just once for the album Ram in 1971. Set against the backdrop of the legal action taking place in Britain's High Court with the dissolution of The Beatles partnership, following their break-up the year before, Ram was the second of two albums McCartney released between quitting The Beatles and forming Wings, whose future drummer Denny Seiwell played on the record, alongside the McCartneys and session musicians.

Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE (born 18 June 1942 - Liverpool, England) is a British singer, musician and songwriter, who first came to prominence as a member of The Beatles. Linda McCartney established herself as a professional photographer in the rock and roll scene, and met her second husband, Paul McCartney, while photographing groups for a book titled Rock and Other Four Letter Words in 1967. They met at a night club called the Bag o' Nails in May of 1967 and married in 1969. After the breakup of the The Beatles in 1970, Paul began teaching Linda to play keyboards, and included her in the lineup for his new band, Wings. Although Linda was shunned by music critics for her amateur singing and playing skills, Wings garnered several Grammy Awards for their music, and became one of the most successful bands of the 1970s.

Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey
Paul & Linda McCartney Lyrics

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

Hands across the water (water)
Heads across the sky
Hands 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 (butter pie)
The butter wouldn't melt so I put it in the pie

Hands across the water (water)
Heads across the sky
Hands 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

Hands across the water (water)
Heads across the sky

Hands across the water (water)
Heads across the sky

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to the song Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey by Paul & Linda McCartney are a mixture of personal anecdotes and nonsense lyrics, reflecting McCartney’s love for experimentation with his music. The first part of the song is an apology to Uncle Albert for not being in touch, promising to call him if anything happens. But then comes the interesting part where McCartney sings, “But there's no one left at home, And I believe I'm gonna rain”. This part of the song is interpreted as a reference to the divorce of McCartney’s parents when he was a child, and his association of rain with sadness.

In the second half of the song, McCartney sings about Admiral Halsey, who apparently notified him that he needs to find a berth in order to get to the sea. McCartney humorously adds that he had a cup of tea and a butter pie while figuring out the problem. The song is full of playful and whimsical lyrics, and the chorus repeating “Hands across the water, heads across the sky” is a nod to McCartney’s love for all humanity.

Overall, the song’s lyrics are a perfect reflection of McCartney’s unique, offbeat approach to music, and the song itself is a timeless classic, blending together many different elements and styles.

Line by Line Meaning

We're so sorry, Uncle Albert
We apologize to you, Uncle Albert

We're so sorry if we caused you any pain
We apologize if we have caused you distress

But there's no one left at home
We are alone at home

And I believe I'm gonna rain
I feel like it's going to rain

We're so sorry but we haven't heard a thing all day
We apologize for not hearing anything all day

But if anything should happen we'll be sure to give a ring
If anything happens, we will notify you

We're so sorry, Uncle Albert (Albert)
We apologize, Uncle Albert (Albert)

But we haven't done a bloody thing all day (all day)
We have not done anything all day

But the kettle's on the boil and we're so easily called away
We are easily distracted by the boiling kettle

Hands across the water (water)
People holding hands across the sea

Heads across the sky
People looking up to the sky