My Favorite Ringo Starr songs

Well this finishes up my solo Beatles favorite songs. We had George, John, and Paul, and now last but not least…Mr Richard Starkey or Ringo Starr, whichever way you want to go. John Lennon was initially worried about Ringo when the Beatles broke up. He wondered how Ringo would make his way…he needed not to worry. In the early seventies, he had more hits than John or Paul did at that time. Plus, Ringo found a career in acting. 

Lennon jokingly sent a telegram to Ringo after the success of the Ringo album and said, “Congratulations. How dare you? And please write me a hit song.”

Before I get on with the list. Ringo has had some really good songs on albums since the 1980s, but these I grew up with and are forever linked to him. Also now drummers and many other people are coming around to see just how great a drummer Ringo is. 

  1. Back Off Boogaloo – Many think a few of the verses are about Paul, and at this time, I can see that. Paul was suing the other Beatles, which turned out to be a good thing for all parties except Allen Klein. It was inspired by Marc Bolan because he frequently used the word “Boogaloo,” which stuck with Ringo. 

2. Oh My My -This is an overlooked Ringo song that is really good. I had this single as a kid from a cousin. The song was on the 1973 Ringo album, which was his most successful album. Three of his former bandmates helped contribute to this album. It contained Photograph, You’re Sixteen, and this one, which were hits. Ringo and Vini Poncia wrote this one. 

3. It Don’t Come Easy – A great pop single that fits Ringo’s voice perfectly. If you dig on YouTube, you can hear a version in which George Harrison sings. George Harrison is on guitar, Gary Wright on piano, Mal Evans on tambourine, and Pete Ham and Tom Evans from Badfinger on backup vocals.  Klaus Voormann, a Hamburg fan, plays bass. It was credited to Ringo and George Harrison.

4. Photograph – Photograph and It Don’t Come Easy were probably the best straight-out pop singles Ringo released, and they are both excellent AM radio hits. George Harrison and Ringo wrote this one. 

5. Early 1970 – Why is this song so high on my list? It’s a Ringo written song, and he has verses about each of the Beatles. Is it technically a great song? No, but it has a lot of meaning behind it, and it shows where Ringo was with the other Beatles at this time. He was really close to George, a friend to John, and with Paul, it was up in the air. 

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.

6. No No Song – Ok…it’s a pure novelty song but…it’s Ringo. If John, Paul, or George had done this, it wouldn’t be in my top 100…but…again…it’s Ringo. He can get by with it. This was the last of his big hits in America. This one was by Hoyt Axton. 

7. Your Sixteen – I had his single as a kid…another one off of the Ringo album. The Ringo album is almost Ringo’s Greatest Hits. 

8. Only You – Ringo did a nice cover of this song. 

9. I’m The Greatest – Lennon wrote this one for Ringo as well. It was on the huge Ringo album. Lennon knew he could not get by with singing this. 

10. Grow Old With Me – John Lennon wrote this song for Ringo, but Ringo waited until 2019 to do it because John gave it to him right before he was murdered. 

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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.

54 thoughts on “My Favorite Ringo Starr songs”

  1. A fine list! A bit more difficult to compile a top 10 by him than the other 3 but this shows he still made some excellent music post-Beatles. I think ‘Photograph’ is the standout that could’ve made any of the other’s top 10s had they done it

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  2. Nice list! And thanks for including “Oh My My,” which has not been on my radar screen – neat! Another song by Ringo I’ve come to like is “Postcards From Paradise,” the title track from his 2015 album, largely because of the clever lyrics. It was co-written by Ringo and Todd Rundgren.

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    1. I remember that song! There are others I like…like Wrack My Brain and the album Liverpool 8….but I just stuck with the older ones for this one like I did Paul…

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  4. My favourites from Ringo that I’ve heard so far are ‘It Don’t Come Easy’, ‘Photograph’, ‘Time on my Hands’, ‘Early 1970’, ‘Liverpool’ and ‘February Sky’.
    Well done on finishing your Fab 4 Solo career picks. Quite a segment!

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    1. Thank you Matt…it was a lot of fun and rediscovery songs that weren’t even on the lists. That video of John Lennon I linked is awesome…it’s probably one if not the last taped video interview on Tom Snyder show in 75.

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    1. Good point…I’ve seen drummers discount Ringo until they start playing what he did…they soon change their minds.
      Love the sound of Spooner…I’ve hear of Garbage before.

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    2. Off topic…but have you ever heard of The Shivvers? They are from Milwaukee and were together in the late 70s and early to mid 80s…I really like them…Jill Kossoris was the lead singer and I think she had some success since they broke up.

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      1. No, I didn’t know the Shivvers. My Milwaukee knowledge includes Sigmund Snopek and Paul Cebar and the Milwaukeeans (later Paul Cebar and Tomorrow Sound). I just watched a bit of the Shivvers. If you couldn’t tell it was the 80s by the sound, the popped collar on the white shirt was a dead giveaway.

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  8. Can’t argue with your list. Had to listen to “Grow Old With Me”, because I didn’t know it. Only other ones I might mention would be “Goodnight Vienna” and maybe “Beaucoups Of Blues”. I’d probably put “It Don’t Come Easy” at the top, but all good songs.

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    1. I did think of Beaucoups Of Blues, Wrack My Brain, and yea I did like Goodnight Vienna. Unlike John, Paul, and George…I think I covered his really big ones. I still think Photograph and It Dont Come Easy were the two best pop songs….

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    1. Thank you …that was really awesome! I don’t think anyone would have ever guessed this in the 60s…or even later. He is the one that showed the other Beatles Merle Haggard…he was a huge fan of country and western music before The Beatles. I’m glad he played Act Naturally…if I was including Beatles….it would have been on this list.
      I like It Don’t Come Easy as well…I like George’s version also.

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      1. You are welcome. I guess I didn’t realize he was 85 years old. He looks and sounds great. Did not realize he was a huge fan of C&W. Not even sure I’ve heard George’s version as this is my go-to for it. Thank you for covering each of the Fab 4 separately. I remember that song he did about each of his buddies and love how he characterized each one.

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      2. Yea George has a version on YouTube…I linked it also…it pretty good! I’m sure George wrote 99 percent of it. Ringo tried to get a Visa to go to Texas before he was a Beatle…he wanted to work on a ranch and be a cowboy…thank goodness he didn’t go.
        Yea I have a soft spot for that song (Early 1970) that he sings about each one.

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    2. Ringo’s roots go way back. He was in a 1971 spaghetti western called “Blindman”. (I remember when Lorne Greene released the single “Ringo”, I initially thought it was about Ringo Starr, since I’d heard he was making a western movie. It didn’t hit the screen for several years. I was way wrong, as it was a fictionalized account of a 19th century outlaw namd Johnny Ringo.)

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    1. The Sherman Brothers, who wrote it, and Johnny Burnette, who first recorded it, might have to be his cellmates. Could get crowded in there. I think it was Jeffrey Epstein’s theme song. Not sure about his former best friend.

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  15. It seemed that through the Beatles days you had the Angry Young Man, the Cute Pop Star Looking Guy, the Quiet Feller, and then, half-hidden behind the drums the sad-eyed keeping-the-beat-and-the peace guy. Time has proved that on to his solo stuff and then the ever-evolving ongoing ever-running All Star Good Time Band he has remained the Genuine Good Guy. No, he is no musical genius, his voice is no soaring all over the octaves gift, but… he’s Ringo, and we’re grateful.

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  16. I’ll always remember the first time I heard It Don’t Come Easy….the song, the opening notes…I have to say I hadn’t paid much attention to Ringo beyond the Ringo album which I loved from start to finish, and seemed to demo what Ringo has done best since, and that’s to getting by with a lot of help from his friends…his all-star band in it’s various forms has never made it this far north, I thought when the Guess Who’s Burton Cummings joined in that maybe…..a great list……I’m busy digging through everything I have and know about Clapton to come up with a list…talk about a challenge…

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    1. Warren…if you ever get a chance do go and see him with his All Star Band… I saw him in 2012 with Gregg Rolie and Todd Rundgren….it’s a pure hits show…everyone gets a chance…it’s a cool concept he has going. Also…Ringo got around that stage like a young man…he was 72 at the time.

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      1. finger’s crossed…something I’ve loved watching on YouTube is the things Daryl Hall has put up from I guess is his bed a breakfast or club, and his guests….like Todd R and others…my fave has got to be thos acts I’ve never heard of before like Diane Birch….but with the guys from the band Train as great, and Cheap Tricks Zander and Nielson is pretty special too

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      2. Oh I’ve seen a few of his shows! I love the atmosphere of it when the guests come over and play. I need to start watching it again. I liked it as well.

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