When one goes through the annals of rock and roll history in search of a life well led, it would be hard to find a better example than Ringo Starr. Like all the Beatles, the erstwhile Richard Starkey was born to a working class family in Liverpool. Unlike John Lennon and Paul McCartney — both of whom lost their mothers early in life— young Richie had a good relationship with his Mum. But his father left the family when he was four years old, never to return. Moreover, his childhood was filled with a series of illnesses ranging from peritonitis to tuberculosis.
By his teens, things had improved. Young Richie fell in love with music after discovering skiffle, took up the drums and eventually joined the group Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. A few years later, The Beatles hired him to replace drummer Pete Best — which alienated many of their fans. But with his steady drumming and self-deprecating personality, Richie — now known as Ringo — won them over.
After The Beatles broke up in 1970, Ringo’s career got off to a low-key start with Sentimental Journey, a collection of covers that didn’t exactly set the charts on fire. But a year later, he scored his first big hit with “It Don’t Come Easy.” And in 1973, he released the album Ringo, which took his career to a whole new level. A star-studded affair, Ringo featured appearances from the other three Beatles, produced three big hits (“Photograph,” “Oh My My” and a cover of “You’re 16”) and reached number two on the US charts.
A year later, Ringo released the album Goodnight Vienna, which did nearly as well as Ringo. And if subsequent albums didn’t scale those heights, they’ve sold respectably and produced periodic hits. But in the 1980s, Ringo’s life changed in other, equally positive ways. He married actress Barbara Bach in 1981 (and they’re still together!). In 1988, he got sober. And a year later, he formed Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. That combo — which tours to this day — has included everyone from Joe Walsh to Colin Hay and from Todd Rundgren to Sheila E. Ringo has also dabbled in acting over the years, published three books and been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame both with The Beatles and as a solo artist. Beyond all this, he celebrates his birthday with an annual Peace & Love event in Los Angeles.
Which brings us to the present. Incredibly, Ringo turns 83 today! To mark the occasion, we’ve assembled a list of 20 of his essential songs. You’ll find Beatles favorites and solo material on this list, deep cuts and big hits, originals and covers. All told, this is the soundtrack to a life well lived.
Happy Birthday, Ringo!
20 Goodnight (1968)
Let’s begin with an ending! “Good Night” was the final track on The Beatles’ self-titled 1968 two-record set (better known as The White Album!). It was one of two songs that Ringo sang lead on and a lovely, fitting way to end the band’s magnum opus.
19 (It’s All Down To) Goodnight Vienna (1974)
Keeping the “good night” theme going for a bit… This was the title track of Ringo’s fourth solo album. Written by John Lennon, it was a minor hit.
18 What Goes On (1965)
“What Goes On” — from The Beatles’ Rubber Soul album — has the distinction of being the only song in the band’s catalog credited to Lennon—McCartney—Starkey. A midtempo tune with a slight country feel, it was released as the B-side to “Nowhere Man.”
17 The No No Song (1974)
Another one from the Goodnight Vienna disc. “The No No Song,” written by Hoyt Axton, was a humorous ditty about addiction. It went all the way to number three on the Billboard charts.
16 Wrack My Brain (1981)
Ringo scored a minor hit at the end of 1981 with the catchy “Wrack My Brain.” It was the second track and first single from his album Stop and Smell the Roses. And it was written and produced by George Harrison!
15 Only You (1974)
Yet another song from Goodnight Vienna, the ballad “Only You” was actually a remake of a ‘50s song by The Platters. Ringo’s version gave him another big hit, climbing to number six.
14 Don’t Pass Me By (1968)
The first song Ringo ever wrote, “Don’t Pass Me By” was included on disc one of The White Album. A jaunty tune, it was later covered by The Georgia Satellites.
13 Vertical Man (1998)
“Vertical Man” was the title track and centerpiece of Ringo’s star-studded 1998 release. It’s a catchy, midtempo ode to resilience.
12 I’m the Greatest (1973)
Ringo’s 1973 album (which was simply called Ringo) was a critical and commercial pinnacle. It hit number two on the album charts (only kept from the top spot by Elton John’s Goodbye Yellow Brick Road) and produced three big hits. “I’m the Greatest” was not one of these — but it was a popular album cut that has an interesting story.
John Lennon wrote “I’m the Greatest” based on his own experiences, but he got the title from the boxer Muhammad Ali (who was the greatest in the early ‘70s!). Lennon was smart enough to know that if he recorded the song himself, it could be taken literally and cause controversy. So he gave it to Ringo, who he loved and who had a much more down-to-Earth persona.
11 Octopus’s Garden (1968)
“Octopus’s Garden” was the second (and final) song that Ringo wrote while with The Beatles. A decidedly light tune, it appeared on the band’s 1969 album Abbey Road. “Octopus’s Garden” inspired Ringo to write a book of the same name many years later and has the distinction of being covered by The Muppets!
10 I Wanna Be Your Man (1963)
“I Wanna Be Your Man” was an early Beatles rocker written by Lennon and McCartney and initially waxed by The Rolling Stones. In the UK, it appeared on 1963’s With the Beatles; it was included on their US debut, Meet the Beatles, a few months later.
20 Essential George Harrison Songs
09 Early 1970 (1971)
The B-side of “It Don’t Come Easy,” “Early 1970” was a very good song in its own right. It’s heavily autobiographical — but not heavy! The song addresses Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison (respectively) only one year after The Beatles’ breakup. Boasting a slight country feel, “Early 1970” is a casually moving account of Ringo’s feelings for his former bandmates.
08 In Liverpool (2012)
The most recent entry on our list, “In Liverpool” was an infectious, autobiographical song from the Ringo 2012 album. Cowritten with the ubiquitous Dave Stewart, it contains the great opening line, “In Liverpool, the rain never stopped/But the sun always shone in my mind.”
07 You’re 16 (1973)
Originally a hit for rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette, Ringo’s cover of “You’re 16” appeared on the 1973 Ringo effort. Not only did it out-perform the original, it scored Ringo his first number one hit!
06 Never Without You (2003)
“Never Without You” is one of Ringo’s lesser known songs but also one of his loveliest. A heartwarming tribute to George Harrison (who passed away in 2001), it appeared on the Ringo Rama album two years later. The song also features a guitar solo from Eric Clapton.
05 Yellow Submarine (1966)
Like “Octopus’s Garden,” “Yellow Submarine” was basically a children’s song with a nautical theme. Unlike “Octopus,” however, this one was written by Lennon and McCartney and became a massive hit. It topped the charts in several countries and went to number two here in the States.
“Yellow Submarine” also has the distinction of being included on two different Beatles albums: Revolver and the Yellow Submarine movie soundtrack.
04 Weight of the World (1992)
Though it got some airplay on album rock stations back in the day, “Weight of the World” should have been a bigger hit in this writer’s opinion. Written by Brian O’Doherty and Fred Velez, it featured great lyrics and a catchy melody.
“Weight of the World” was featured on 1992’s Time Takes Time, Ringo’s first disc in nearly a decade (and his first after getting sober).
03 With A Little Help from My Friends (1967)
“With A Little Help from My Friends” is the second song on The Beatles’ 1967 masterpiece Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (following the title track). In one of the few instances where an artist actually covered The Fabs and made their song his own, Joe Cocker later scored a hit with it.
02 Photograph (1973)
The great, dramatic ballad “Photograph” was cowritten with George Harrison and produced (in Spectorian fashion) by Richard Perry. Yet another song from the Ringo album, it became his first number one hit.
01 It Don’t Come Easy (1971)
Ringo’s first big hit, “It Don’t Come Easy” was actually released as a standalone single in 1971. Ringo wrote it himself, but George Harrison produced and played guitar on it. Climbing to number four both here and in the UK, it got Ringo’s solo career off to a cracking start!
