RINGO STARR AT AGE 80
Posted on 07/07/2023 7:34:47 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Happy birthday to Ringo Starr (Richard Starkey) who was born on this day in 1940 and turns 83 today. Ringo is one of the two surviving members of what we used to call “The Fab Four.“ The band stopped recording 50-plus years ago and we are still talking about it. I guess that's impressive.
Ringo will probably go down in history as one of the luckiest men ever born. Talk about “being in the right place at the right time” or winning the biggest lottery of all time. "The luck of Ringo" or something like that.
In the summer of 1962, The Beatles, new producer George Martin, walked into a studio to record their first single. Martin settled on “Love Me Do,” a Lennon-McCartney tune, and it did reach the top 20 in the UK. It did not chart in the US. The B-side was “P.S. I Love You”, one of their most underrated songs!
The rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say, is that Martin replaced drummer Pete Best, an original member of the band and lifelong friend from Liverpool. Martin replaced Pete with Ringo. Martin's decision was all business. Pete just wasn't up to the task of being the drummer in a recording. I recall Martin in a documentary saying that they could keep Pete but that he'd use a studio musician to play drums on the record. Martin understood the friendship dynamics of the band but he had a job to do and a record to make and subsequently play.
Pete Best was out. Ringo Starr was in. Pete ended up with 9 to 5 job and sadly no one will write an article about his birthday. Ringo has a big mansion and everyone remembers his birthday.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
In a few months, Ringo went from being a Liverpool drummer to playing behind John Lennon and Paul McCartney. We call that a promotion or better, "the luck of Ringo."
He had a great sense of humor and the media loved him. Ringo had critical roles in the Beatles’ movies, such as his “ring” in Help and that funny walk to “This Boy: Ringo’s theme,” in A Hard Day’s Night.
Ringo did a couple of “lead vocals”, such as the # 1 song: “Yellow Submarine.” However, his greatest contribution was being a professional drummer, exactly what George Martin had in mind back then.
We remember Ringo’s birthday and I hope that he is doing well. By the way, Pete Best will turn 82 in November and you can send him a card if you are a charitable mood.
Can anyone imagine Pete Best singing "Yellow Submarine" or "Act Naturally" or "With a Little Help From My Friends" ? I can't.
As my late parents commented when they missed a big lottery ticket by one number, it wasn't meant to be. It was not. I told my parents on the phone that they didn't have the luck of Ringo. They had no idea of what I was talking about. A few days later, I told them the story of Ringo and they understood my reference.
Ringo looks phenomenal for his age. And he’s still out performing.
And to think back in the 70s he used to hang out with Keith Moon.
Can anyone imagine Peter Best singing.....
It’s like saying, imagine Tom Sellect as Indiana Jones (as Selleck was supposedly offered the role, but could not do it because of other commitments). If he had been able to do it, I guess we’d just associate him with that character without thinking about it.
“Ringo, are you a Mod or a Rocker?”
“I’m a mocker!”
Ringo isn’t a great singer, but his voice is distinctive.
Andy White, a local professional drummer, was hired to play on “Love Me Do” (single release).
IIRC, Ringo was “playing” tambourine on that version.
Another take has Ringo playing drums sans tambourine.
So if you hear “Love Me Do” with a tambourine in background, that’s Andy White on drums.
His unique voice was also used for narration on Thomas and Friends.
They cut all of Clarence’s parts out of “Love Me Do.”
There’s a video of Ringo Starr narrating THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE here:
https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/ringo-starr-thomas-the-tank-engine/
Ringo colors his beard and his hair which keeps him looking much younger than his chroni.ogical age,
That’s true, but at least he doesn’t look ridiculous, like others who dye their hair at that age.
Spend some time listening to drums on some of the best Beatles songs: Ticket to Ride,
Come Together,
Rain,
and many others!
Singing? Not so much, IMHO.
I think they used his voice on the right songs.
Octopus’s Garden, wouldn’t have worked with Paul, John or George singing it.
Doppleganger
True. With Paul’s melodic bass playing, it’s hard to drum without stepping all over the bass lines.
Yes... I agree.
...and I do not like that particular song.
???
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