When Ringo’s Starr shone brightest: ranking Beatles songs sung by Ringo.
Time to show some love to Ringo (well, sort of).
photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.
John, Paul, George, and Ringo. The Fab Four. The Beatles. Whatever you want to call them, it’s undeniable that they are one of the most successful and influential acts in the history of modern music. One of them often comes up last when their names are listed, though: Ringo Starr has often been the butt of jokes for decades, even if the jokes are mostly tongue-in-cheek. He’s often viewed as the least talented vocalist and songwriter, and as a non-exceptional drummer. There may be some truth in these sentiments, but his contributions were still essential to the band, and although his drumming wasn’t the most flashy, it’s recognizable and lent itself well to the Beatles’ music. But, more importantly, how did he fare when he was put front and center? Here’s my ranking of all of the Beatles songs on which Ringo sang lead vocals.
11. “Boys” (Please Please Me)
“Boys,” a cover of a song by R&B group The Shirelles, is a fairly standard rock and roll cut for its time and doesn’t stand out amongst other early Beatles songs. For the most part, Ringo’s voice just can't give off the energy and passion needed for the greatest songs in this style. To give him some credit, Ringo does sing with some rasp and expressiveness in the final minute of the song, but it still falls flat, and pales in comparison to John Lennon’s iconic vocal eruption on “Twist and Shout” later on the same album. This song also features one of George Harrison’s weakest guitar performances and a solo that is truly grating on the ears. Overall, “Boys” is one of the most forgettable early Beatles songs.
10. “I Wanna Be Your Man” (With the Beatles)
“I Wanna Be Your Man” is another one of the forgettable songs from the early stages of the Beatles’ catalog. The lyrics are as simple as they come, repeating the lines “I wanna be your lover baby, I wanna be your man” and “Love you like no other baby, like no other can” to the same melody. Over and over. Ringo’s vocals once again fall flat as he has a hard time hitting all of the notes. He also very noticeably comes in late on the drums around the 50 second mark. The majority of the song is worse than “Boys,” but at least there’s not an unlistenable guitar solo. Many of the Beatles’ greatest songs are simple, but “I Wanna Be Your Man” takes this simplicity way too far.
9. “Matchbox” (Long Tall Sally)
A cover of a 1957 track by rockabilly singer Carl Perkins, a lot of the same criticisms of the previous songs on this list apply to “Matchbox” too. The great rockabilly and early rock and roll songs overcome lyrical and musical simplicity with energetic and dynamic vocal performances, which Ringo simply can’t provide, even though he does sing with a bit of passion in the final 30 seconds. Nothing really stands out about the instrumental in a good or bad way, other than the piano being mixed a bit too quietly throughout the song, and the guitar solo that is messy but listenable. Not a terrible song, but again, not a good song either.
8. “Honey Don’t” (The Beatles For Sale)
Another cover of Carl Perkins, and yet again Ringo’s vocals don’t match Perkins’ animated rockabilly performance. In fact, this is one of his weaker vocal performances—his voice even cracks at one point. The instrumental is fairly bare with acoustic guitar, and a simple bassline and drum part. An instrumental like this would’ve given a more exciting vocalist plenty of room to shine, but it’s wasted on Ringo. The song features two fairly boring guitar solos from George, and I’ve always found it funny when Ringo says “woo!” very unenthusiastically during the second one as if he’s not even excited by it. This song is still alright, thanks in large part to Carl Perkins’ ability to write a catchy rock tune, but Ringo’s lack of charisma as a vocalist severely hurts the overall quality.
7. “Yellow Submarine” (Revolver)
Despite being one of the most widely beloved Beatles songs, I much prefer some of their other Ringo-led tracks to “Yellow Submarine.” That’s not to say that it’s a bad song, in fact it's far from it. Many of Ringo’s greatest songs with the Beatles, as you will see further up on the list, have a whimsical quality to them. The lyrics reflect a carefree, joyous attitude, and Ringo’s voice somehow lends itself well to these types of songs. “Yellow Submarine” is probably his first song tapping into this aesthetic and it mostly works well. They do a great job of depicting this sense of happiness, and the submarine sound effects are a nice touch. My main issue with this song lies in the vocal performance. Ringo comes off as if he doesn’t even want to be there. Also the chorus, although catchy, can get annoying and repetitive after a while. Overall, a song deserving of its classic status.
6. “Act Naturally” (Help!)
Yet another cover. This time of a country classic by Buck Owens & His Buckaroos, with the Beatles being able to do the song justice. The Beatles version has a slightly faster tempo and makes greater use of electric instrumentation. George’s guitar tone sounds amazing, and he capitalizes with some of his best work in this early stage in their career. The biggest issue, once again, is Ringo’s vocals. While not as bad as some of the lower songs on this list, this song has its rough spots, most notably on the opening note and at some points in the chorus. With that being said, the overall jaunty sound is nicely juxtaposed with the song's rather sad lyrics. Personally, the concept of the song is a little corny: It’s about a man who’s so sad and lonely that he could win awards for being in a movie about a man who’s sad and lonely. However, the band's performance makes up for this bit of cheesiness. Although I prefer the Buck Owens original, I think that the Beatles do a fine job with their cover.
5. “What Goes On” (Rubber Soul)
“What Goes On,” a song that Ringo co-wrote with Lennon and McCartney, is a straightforward yet snappy rock tune with some country influence. This might be the first song where Ringo’s vocals are a plus. While his singing still isn’t impressive from a technical standpoint, he sounds confident in his performance. The melodies keep Ringo in his comfort zone, and John and Paul back him up with their seamless vocal harmonies. George once again shines through with his guitar work, and provides a solid but somewhat sloppy solo in the back half of the track. Although not one of the Beatles’ most memorable songs, “What Goes On” still holds up when compared to a lot of songs on Rubber Soul.
4. “Good Night” (The Beatles [The White Album])
Being the closing track on The White Album, “Good Night” is a lullaby, and a very beautiful one at that. The track starts off as the instrumental slowly fades in with an orchestra, harp, and flute. The female group’s backup singing sounds amazing. The strings build and withdraw around Ringo’s vocals throughout the song, as flourishes of harp, flute, and horns pop in on occasion. The song feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket, on a soft bed (of strings), all cozy and tucked in. However, this song is held back from being higher on the list in part due to its simplicity, but mainly due to the very end where Ringo whispers “Good night, everybody, everybody everywhere.” It simply sounds awkward. “Good Night” is a very pleasant and pretty song, but lacks replay value.
3. “Don’t Pass Me By” (The Beatles [The White Album])
Written exclusively by the man himself, “Don’t Pass Me By” features a bit of dark humor on the part of Ringo. On the song Ringo sings about waiting for his significant other as she's late in coming home and wonders if he’s losing her. As it turns out, it was unfair of him to doubt her as she was in a car crash, losing her hair. It's one of the Beatles’ most successful attempts at a country song, with its lumbering bassline, organ chords, and bluegrass violin. Despite this being a song written solely by Ringo, his drumming, which is clunky in a way that suits this particular song, is not featured very prominently in the mix. “Don’t Pass Me By” is a truly unique song in the Beatles discography, and one of the many highlights on The White Album.
2. “Octopus’s Garden” (Abbey Road)
“Octopus’s Garden” evokes pure bliss. On this song, Ringo invites us to join him in a world free from troubles, and the vivid lyrics, lively instrumental, and brilliant production capture this world perfectly. George’s guitarwork is top notch, and his opening lick welcomes us into the pleasant atmosphere of the song. The bright chords on the pre-chorus add to this already-merry song. The band’s performance is tight, and Ringo comes through with some solid drum fills. John and George sound like they're on cloud nine as they sing backup. The bridge features bubble sounds, and effects over John’s falsetto to make him sound like he’s singing underwater. Whenever I listen to this song, I too would like to be “under the sea, in an octopus’s garden in the shade.” “Octopus’s Garden” is truly delightful.
1. “With a Little Help From My Friends” (Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band)
When I first envisioned this list, my number one pick was a no-brainer. The track works so well because it leans into the qualities that make for a great Ringo song. The melody is infectious, but not very vocally demanding. The instrumental is vibrant and colorful, with a staple jaunty bassline featuring a classic McCartney tone, and simple yet intoxicating progressions on piano and guitar. The call-and-response dynamic between the other band members singing questions and Ringo singing in response is unique and fun. These elements come together beautifully with Ringo’s steady drumwork. The joy which this song emanates is palpable, and these qualities come together beautifully to make it one of my favorite Beatles songs, let alone my favorite that Ringo sang for them.
edited by Anant Dhingra.
cover photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.
album artwork believed to belong to either the publisher of the work or the artist.