Ringo (W/3 Bonus Tracks)

You want some great songs with incredible arrangements? You want songs you can listen to 500 times a week and never get sick of them? How about the rousing rocker "Have You Seen My Baby?" How about the Starr-Harrison ballad, "Photograph," an enormously under-rated song. Why not listen to Ringo's version of "You're Sixteen" (with Paul on the kazoo!) Or "Oh My My" which was a mega-hit back in '73. Sample "Devil Woman" which contains one of Ringo's best drum solos ever, nearly as good as the one he pulled off on the classic "Abbey Road."

This CD version contains "It Don't Come Easy" which was not on the original LP. This song is the second-best Beatles solo recording, after "Imagine." Admittedly many will laugh at that pick, but the song is brilliant, with an exciting and original arrangement. Ringo never sounded better. This is a *great* album, with wonderful and exuberant singing, an awesome backup band and the closest thing you'll ever get to hearing the Beatles again. On two songs John, George and Ringo perform together - not bad.

I have had this record since I was nine years old and I still listen to it regularly and it always brings a smile to my face. A brilliant album. Buy it and it will be a staple in your collection.

When The Beatles split up in early 1970, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and John Lennon had no trouble reinventing themselves as solo artists. Unfortunately, Ringo Starr didn't have the same kind of luck that his ex-band comrades had. His first album, Sentimental Journey, was a collection of covers of songs from the mid-twentieth century. Fans didn't care much for this album. His second album, Beaucoups Of Blues, was nothing but country songs! It was a step in the right direction, but he still wasn't quite there. They say the third time is the charm, but with Ringo Starr, is that quote accurate? Read on for my review of Ringo.

Finally, Ringo goes back to the genre that made him a living legend - pop rock. And he brings all of his former Beatles comrades along for the ride, as well as Mark Bolan (T. Rex!) The album doesn't waste any time getting off to a good start. John Lennon's composition, I'm The Greatest, kicks things off. Lennon does backing vocals and guitar here, and he does a damn good job of it. Combine this with Ringo's (surprisingly good) singing voice, and you've got a version of this song considerably better than Lennon could ever have accomplished on his own. George Harrison, probably the former Beatle that Ringo got along with best following the band's break-up, wrote a number of songs on here. He and Ringo worked together on Photograph, which became one of Ringo's biggest solo hits. This is melodic pop rock at its very best. Sunshine Life For Me (Sail Away Raymond) is another Harrison composition, which implements elements of eastern-world music (something Harrison became infamous for.) Surprisingly, this works well! And, of course, Paul McCartney couldn't be left out of this project! He wrote Six O'Clock, an excellent melodic pop rocker featuring him and his wife Linda on backing vocals. Because they feature his former Beatles comrades, these tracks are the album's main highlights. But, they are far from being the only good songs on the album! Have You Seen My Baby?, a tune written by Randy Newman, is performed exceptionally well by Ringo. Oh My My is a pop-rocker that fuses pop-rock with country, unlike the songs on Beaucoups Of Blues which were PURE country. This song puts all of the songs on that album to shame! Another classic is the highly underrated Devil Woman. Chances are you've never heard of this song, but take my advice - DO NOT skip it! I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Capitol's reissue of the album didn't just remaster and reissue the album - it also added three bonus tracks. One of them is It Don't Come Easy, Ringo Starr's biggest solo hit. It was ONLY released as a single back in the day, and now, at long last, you can get it on one of his albums! You also get the It Don't Come Easy single's B-Side, Early 1970. Both of these tracks are also available on Ringo's first solo hits compilation, Blast From Your Past, but greatest hits albums are for housewives, so it's great that these are finally included on an album! There's one more bonus track to mention - Down And Out. This particular song was the B-Side to the Photograph single, and up until the reissue of this album, was unavailable on compact disc! The album alone without bonus tracks is worthy of five stars, but still, these bonus tracks are an excellent touch!

Many reviewers will call this Ringo Starr's best solo album, and I'm afraid I have no choice but to agree with that. This album is the one that truly established Ringo as a solo artist, and it's worthy in every way of the high reputation fans give it. If you're a Ringo Starr fan, die-hard or casual, this is a MUST OWN. I actually recommend buying this album more than I do his hits compilation, Blast From Your Past, because seven of the ten songs from it are on here. Whoever you are, don't be caught without this album!