34th Anniversary of John Lennon's Death

[westen44]

Lyrics NSFW

[uwe]

Beautifully sung by Ringo, this "schmaltzy" song is often miscredited to Macca, but it is in fact one of Lennon's most touching, yet regularly forgotten compositions:



Only Ringo could have sung it as well. Paul would have overdone it, with Lennon everyone would have viewed it as caustic, George would have felt awkward with it.

[westen44]

When you're in fourth in singing in a band with 4 people, you're operating at an obvious disadvantage.  Still, Ringo did well on a few songs.  Like that one and like on "It Don't Come Easy" which George helped him write.  I'm inclined to believe that George wrote almost all of it, but I've never looked this up.  The problem with the Beatles is that so much that has been written is inaccurate.  You can rarely be sure of anything.  Nevertheless, that's neither here nor there.  Anyway, there used to be a video on YouTube of George singing the song as a vocal guide for Ringo, but the last time I checked, it was gone.  Ringo probably sang the song better than any of the other Beatles could have, though, strangely enough.  It fits him very well. 

[uwe]

Ringo is at his best when he's laconic. For instance, Joe Cocker's emotional outpouring on his version of "With a little help from my friends" never came close (in my view) to Ringo's laconic, yet touching delivery. Ringo sang it like he was resigned to his fate yet not unhappy about it, Cocker as if it was this huge, gaping, never healing wound in his life.

Thinking about it, "It Don't Come Easy" sounds a little harrisonish, it wouldn't have been out of place on All Things Must Pass.

[godofthunder]

 A sadder day I can't remember. Johns last effort for me was much better than expected. Though I never liked Tony Levin's playing or more precisely his tone (MM Sting Ray) on Double Fantasy. I would have much preferred say Klaus Voorman.

[copacetic]

Total agree with GOT. Klaus knew how to work with John and that subliminal tone he got on the Working Class Hero (all songs included, cant remember the name of the LP) was...sublime.

[westen44]

Ringo is at his best when he's laconic. For instance, Joe Cocker's emotional outpouring on his version of "With a little help from my friends" never came close (in my view) to Ringo's laconic, yet touching delivery. Ringo sang it like he was resigned to his fate yet not unhappy about it, Cocker as if it was this huge, gaping, never healing wound in his life.

Thinking about it, "It Don't Come Easy" sounds a little harrisonish, it wouldn't have been out of place on All Things Must Pass.

I agree about "With A  Little Help From My Friends."  Ringo's vocals were perfect for that, despite the fact that what really draws me to the song the most is Paul's bass. 

As for "It Don't Come Easy," it appears there is no definitive version to exactly what happened.  Most think George wrote the song and simply gave it to Ringo, though.  This is from "Songfacts."----

Ringo is the only songwriter credited on this, but he had a lot of help from George Harrison, who was very generous by giving his buddy full writing credit. The track (less Ringo's vocal & horn parts) was already completed when Harrison gave it to him, and it included a scratch vocal by George.