Ringo Starr – Early 1970

This song is not one of Ringo’s best songs but it probably is my secret favorite of his because of what it’s about. The song is about the status of the Beatles in early 1970.

I usually don’t describe what a song is about because I like the back stories to songs much more…and everyone interprets songs a different way…but this one is known to be about the other Beatles.  This was the B side to It Don’t Come Easy…it’s a very basic simple song…no great work of art but it has a charm about it because it’s Ringo.

The first verse is about Paul… he talks about his farm, and his new wife Linda, and Paul was very quiet around this time and he stopped coming to Apple. He also told Ringo to get out of his house when Ringo delivered a message from the 3 Beatles for McCartney to delay releasing his debut album because of Let It Be releasing at the same time. They finally gave in to Paul.  Ringo was wondering if Paul would play music with him when he came by again. And when he comes to town, I wonder if he’ll play with me.

The second verse is about John. Ringo sings about John and Yoko doing the bed in and what I thought was “Cocaine” as a kid was really a lesser drug…”Cookies.” He also references Yoko with “With his mama by his side, she’s Japanese.” At the end of the verse…unlike Paul he knows John will play music with him. And when he comes to town, I know he’s gonna play with me.

The third verse is about George. Ringo and George were extremely close in the Beatles and afterward. Things did pop up between them through the years but they remained friends. He describes George in the first line, Pattie Boyd Harrison in the second, and George’s famous mansion Friar Park in the 3rd. Ringo and George wrote together and George hung out with Ringo more than the other Beatles. He’s a long-haired, cross-legged guitar picker, um-um.
With his long-legged lady in the garden picking daisies for his soup. A forty acre house he doesn’t see, ‘Cause he’s always in town playing for you with me.

The last verse was pretty much true…Ringo knew a little piano and guitar but that is about it other than drums. It’s the last verse that had to make Beatle fans happy at the time. “And when I go to town I wanna see all three.”

Early 1970

Lives on a farm, got plenty of charm, beep, beep.
He’s got no cows but he’s sure got a whole lotta sheep.
And brand new wife and a family,
And when he comes to town,
I wonder if he’ll play with me.

Laying in bed, watching tv, cookies!
With his mama by his side, she’s japanese.
They scream and they cried, now they’re free,
And when he comes to town,
I know he’s gonna play with me.

He’s a long-haired, cross-legged guitar picker, um-um.
With his long-legged lady in the garden picking daisies for his soup.
A forty acre house he doesn’t see,
‘Cause he’s always in town
Playing for you with me.

I play guitar, a – d – e.
I don’t play bass ’cause that’s too hard for me.
I play the piano if it’s in c.
And when I go to town I wanna see all three,
And when I go to town I wanna see all three,
And when I go to town I wanna see all three.

…

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

23 thoughts on “Ringo Starr – Early 1970”

  3. Musically, not the greatest though sort of likably listenable – and it showed a bit of Ringo’s love of country which I guess would soon come through on that one album he did in Nashville – but lyrically, great. Isn’t that just what we’ve said about Ringo before – he got along with everyone. While John and Paul were slagging each other and writing nasty songs not so cryptically doing that, and George was sort of off in his own world, there’s Ringo writing a song about friendship to all of them. And I just read it was indeed George playing guitar on there.
    The way he sings ‘cookies’ sounds like the Cookie Monster, pointing to John’s comment I guess

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    1. I always thought that was “Cocaine”…even as a youngster I did…lol.
      When I flipped the single over…this was like finding a small amount of gold…it would not have worked for John, Paul, or George…but it works for Ringo.

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    1. Yes he is…I’ve never heard their reaction…I’m sure John was happy. I saw John on a Tom Snyder interiew from 74-75. He said that he was worried about Ringo when the Beatles split. What he would do and how he would make out? Of course after a year or so of Ringo hits John said he didn’t need to worry anymore. John felt a responsibility for all of them because he formed The Beatles so they meant a lot to him….no matter the arguing.

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  7. Just as a random aside, it shows how Ringo was a great fit for the Beatles- and replacing Pete on drums was for the… wait for it…… Best. (Sorry, sort of- but Ringo being there was meant to be.)

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