10 Things You Didn't Know About The Beatles
6. Hey Ringo: George Harrison's Lost Song For Ringo Starr
If there was a member of The Beatles who was the unsung hero, it was Ringo Starr. The endearing and constantly smiling drummer was loved by all, but never shared the adulation heaped on the other band members for their creative abilities.
It's become something of a fad to rip on Ringo's drumming. Famously, he never played drum solos or had the ferocity of some of his contemporaries, but his skill lay in reading the vibe of the room. He was ever able to augment the songs, written by his bandmates, with a solid and unwavering rhythm section.
Ringo's ability wasn't lost on George Harrison, either. The two of them had been closest with one another, and Ringo often referred to him as his best friend. Harrison had also been the one to help Ringo figure out the chord changes to Octopus's Garden (perhaps the most joyous Beatles song).
After Harrison died, his widow Olivia found some unrecorded lyrics for a song dedicated to his former drummer. Written sometime after 1970, the track expressed the admiration George had for his friend's playing and his sadness about the split. The song included the lines, “Hey Ringo, now I want you to know, that without you my guitar plays far too slow” and “I’ve heard no drummer who can play it quite like you“.