Ringo Starr's Contributions to The Beatles: More Than Just Drums

While best known for his exceptional rhythm section and unique drumming style, Ringo Starr was also a significant contributor to The Beatles' body of work behind the scenes. He got credits on a handful of songs, and his contributions extended beyond just his role in the band.

Writing Credits and Collaborations

Throughout his time with The Beatles, Ringo was involved in writing and collaborating on several tracks. He co-wrote two of his most notable songs:

Octopuses' Garden: This song originated from a vacation Ringo and his family spent in Sardinia. Ringo's encounter with a boat captain sharing stories about octopuses inspired the unique and whimsical lyrics. Don't Pass Me By: This song was another collaboration, showcasing Ringo's ability to contribute meaningful verses to the band's work.

Moreover, Ringo contributed to the song titled Flying, which appeared on the Magical Mystery Tour album. All four Beatles were credited for this track, highlighting Ringo's involvement in the songwriting process.

Instrumentals and Incidental Tunes

Beyond his written contributions, Ringo was also credited on several instrumentals and incidental tunes, such as:

Dig It: A track from the Let It Be album, not credited exclusively to any individual but written collectively by the four Beatles. Christmastime is Here Again: One of many holiday fan club releases. Anthology 12 Bar Original Los Paranoias: Another shared composition reflecting the collaborative nature of the Beatles' songwriting.

Additional Contributions and Credit Conflicts

In addition to songwriting, Ringo's ideas were often used by other Beatles. For instance, What Goes On is one of the few times an additional writer received a credit besides Lennon-McCartney, with Ringo contributing a line or two to the song.

Some of Ringo's contributions were unique but uncredited. For example, he used his ideas as titles for songs like A Hard Day's Night and Tomorrow Never Knows. Ringo also added a line to Eleanor Rigby.

The song Birthday presents an interesting case. Although Ringo and John Lennon co-wrote the song, there are conflicting views on its authorship. Both Paul McCartney and John Lennon claim to have contributed equally, while others believe it was predominantly a Paul McCartney song.

Unreleased Tunes and Career Evolution

Some of Ringo's compositions during his tenure with The Beatles never saw the light of day. One such song, titled Carolina, was started but never released, only surfacing as a solo release after the band's breakup.

during his post-Beatles career, Ringo's songwriting evolved significantly. He co-wrote several chart-topping hits like It's Not in a Day, Boogaloo, and Beautiful Night. His prolific output includes co-writing several songs with other Beatles and releasing around 100 solo tunes over the years.

Although his recent album doesn't include any new songwriting contributions, Ringo continues to be a dynamic and contributing artist, long after The Beatles disbanded.