In the early 1970s, with The Beatles about to break up, Ringo Starr visited Paul McCartney’s home at the request of his three bandmates at Apple headquarters. Would Paul delay the release of his debut solo album until after the arrival of Let it be album and movie?
In short, Paul’s response to Ringo was: “No.” But he did not stop there. In addition to his resounding rejection of Ringo’s request, Paul threw Ringo off his property and threatened to “terminate” him. It goes without saying that Ringo and Paul would not have tea and cut records together in the short term.
However, Ringo maintained strong relationships with John Lennon and George Harrison. In John’s solo debut in 1970, you’ll find Ringo in the drummer’s seat. That same year, you found Ringo playing on tracks for George’s triple-disc blockbuster, All things must pass.
When it came time for Ringo to test the waters with his own solo work, George was more than ready to help. And the song he produced and helped Ringo write in 1970 became a huge hit for the former Beatles drummer the following year.
George Harrison produced and co-wrote Ringo’s ‘It Don’t Come Easy’
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In March 1970, music fans first tried out Ringo’s solo work on Sentimental journey, a pop standards album that sold quite well. Later that year, audiences listened to their first post-Beatles work with the single “Beaucoup of Blues” recorded in Nashville (and an album of the same name).
That release did not set the charts on fire. (The album peaked at number 65 on the Billboard 200 in the late 1970s.) But Ringo easily overcame that effort with his next single, “It Don’t Come Easy.” Featuring George Harrison as producer and unaccredited co-author, the song launched Ringo’s solo career.
I thought the single didn’t hit the airwaves until April ’71, the recording started during the Sentimental journey sessions from the previous year. It was then that George helped Ringo write and organize the track. From the opening notes, it sounds like a clue that might have appeared on All things must pass.
The identity of the guitarist (George) did not need investigation, and old friend Klaus Voormann played bass with Stephen Stills contributing a part of the piano. It was successful after the first 30 seconds, and George’s guitar solo pushed him over the top.
‘It Don’t Come Easy’ reached number 4 on both sides of the Atlantic
It’s hard to listen to “It Don’t Come Easy” and minimize the influence of George Harrison. His stamp is on all aspects of the track, but he also made sure to bring out the best in Ringo. Music fans around the world agreed, and Ringo had his biggest hit to date.
“It Don’t Come Easy” reached number 1 in Canada and reached number 4 in the United States and the United Kingdom. Meanwhile, it had the same kind of success in Europe, Africa, and Australia. In short, Ringo came as a soloist with this song. And he kept the momentum going with “Back Off Boogaloo” (also co-written with George) the following year.
So why didn’t George take a composition credit? A compelling theory argues that George wanted to give his friend’s solo career a boost, so in fact he donated it to him. In the late 1990s, a few years before George’s death, Ringo presented a presentation of “It Don’t Come Easy” by revealing that he had indeed written it with his old friend Beatle.
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