This New Ringo Starr Song Is More Country Than 95% of the Crap on the Radio
For years I’ve wanted to write an in-depth look into the country influences of the Fab Four. On the surface they may not be that obvious, but going back and listening to the twangy approach of songs such as “What Goes On” from Rubber Soul (sung by Ringo Starr), or “I’ll Cry Instead” from A Hard Day’s Night, you can definitely hear the twangy juices inferred in the music.
The Beatles’ Ring Starr is getting ready to release a new record called Give More Love on September 15th, and ahead of the album he’s released a new song called “So Wrong For So Long.” Though you can’t mistake Ringo’s Liverpool accent, the steel guitar is laid on thick, and the answer portion of the chorus is indicative of Countrypolitan. If you ever wanted to hear one of The Beatles do a straight ahead country song, this would be it.
Apparently Ringo was planning to record an entire country album, and “So Wrong For So Long” was the first song he wrote with Dave Stewart before heading to Nashville to record. But then Ringo was offered a deal by a big promoter to do another one of his famous All-Star tours, and the new album turned out to be more broader encompassing. “It was an offer I couldn’t resist,” Ringo told Billboard. “That’s how I ended up making another album at home and writing all kinds of songs with all kinds of friends.”
It’s not that “So Wrong For So Long” is some lights-out amazing country song, but it is cool to hear the iconic voice of Ringo Starr sing a country-style tune drenched in twang. That’s the well-respected pedal steel guitar player Greg Leisz performing on the track (listen below).
Ringo’s recording engineer Bruce Sugar says, “It’s a good country song. It’s a little more traditional than what they’re doing now on the radio, but it’d be interesting to see if they’d play Ringo on country radio. They should. It’d be great if they did.”
It would be great, but country radio wouldn’t touch Ringo Starr or “So Wrong For So Long” with a ten foot poll. If they wouldn’t play Cash back in the 90’s when he was winning Grammy Awards, or even Chris Stapleton today, they certainly won’t play Ringo. But they could if they actually adhered to the country format, and they probably should since it’s more country than 95% of the crap they play.
Garrett Roe
August 19, 2017 @ 9:25 am
Damn! This ain’t bad
Nancy Sellars
August 19, 2017 @ 2:32 pm
This is really good. The great steel guitar makes up for the lack of emotion in Ringo’s voice. Good country song.
Bertox
August 19, 2017 @ 9:28 am
I believe he cut “Act Naturally” back in the day, and made a guest appearance on Ray Wylie Hubbard’s latest record, so he’s got great taste.
Scotty J
August 19, 2017 @ 9:35 am
The Beatles and Ringo especially loved Buck Owens.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHeRq6DdxHE
Cody
August 19, 2017 @ 10:10 am
I thought I had even read somewhere they had a deal that five copies, one for Martin too?, of any new Owens album would be delivered to them before it was released, that they enjoyed him so much. Now I have to dig up where I saw that…
Mule
August 19, 2017 @ 2:45 pm
Edit: I replied before I saw your link! Ha! 1989 it was! The old mind plays tricks on me at times.
Erik North
August 19, 2017 @ 3:43 pm
And the feeling was mutual. Buck was a big Beatles fan too.
But here are a couple of other instances where the Beatles went C&W:
“I’ve Just Seen A Face”, on the soundtrack to HELP!
“Crippled Inside”–John Lennon (a track on his 1971 album IMAGINE, with George Harrison on Dobro)
“Sally G”–Paul McCartney and Wings (on their 1974 album JUNIOR’S FARM, recorded in Nashville)
“I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party” (the flip side to “Eight Days A Week”; Rosanne Cash had a #1 country hit with it in 1989)
“Don’t Pass Me By”, on THE WHITE ALBUM.
And furthermore, Ringo recorded his second solo album, 1970’s BEAUCOUPS OF BLUES, in Nashville with legendary pedal steel master Pete Drake producing.
Jack Williams
August 19, 2017 @ 4:01 pm
I’m a Loser feels a bit country to me, too. And of course, there’s Rocky Raccoon.
Mule
August 19, 2017 @ 2:43 pm
Yes, the Beatles famously loved Buck. In fact, Ringo sang a DUET with Buck Owens in the early 90s on a remake of “Act Naturally” while Buck was on Capitol riding the wave of renewed popularity he received by way of Dwight resurrecting “Streets of Bakersfield.”
Jack Williams
August 19, 2017 @ 3:53 pm
Yes, he did. Also, “Honey, Don’t” by Carl Perkins. I think he was the biggest country fan of the bunch.
Mo Crawford
August 19, 2017 @ 9:30 am
Beatles and the Stones have some of the best country songs ever
Scotty J
August 19, 2017 @ 9:41 am
Wild Horses.
the pistolero
August 19, 2017 @ 5:18 pm
Yep, and “Country Honk.”
Jack Williams
August 19, 2017 @ 5:38 pm
Dear Doctor
Dead Flowers
Sweet Virginia
HayesCarll23
August 19, 2017 @ 9:30 am
I hope this guy really doesn’t think that they are going to play him on country radio. Not that they shouldn’t , but this is totally opposite of what is on the radio. Also, it is kinda “meh.”
Phil
August 19, 2017 @ 10:42 am
Nobody who listens to country radio has enough taste to appreciate the Beatles anyway
JB-Chicago
August 20, 2017 @ 12:42 pm
What a ludicrous statement Phil.
Cool Lester Smooth
August 20, 2017 @ 11:28 pm
Haha, what?
The Beatles are, literally, the single most accessible band in the history of recorded music.
Ask someone who loves Sam Hunt, Luke and FGL to name their favorite band, and it will almost certainly be the Beatles.
(Possibly because they don’t know any other bands, but that’s neither here nor there.)
None of this should be taken as any attempt to impugn their talent — they’re not my cup of tea, but their execution of a wide variety of genres is *literally perfect*.
Scott S.
August 19, 2017 @ 9:42 am
Take away the steel guitar and this song is horrible. Nice try though.
Jack Williams
August 20, 2017 @ 5:37 am
Yeah, not a particularly noteworthy song. Kind of by the numbers, like that Kiefer Sutherland song. No poetry in the lyrics. The love of the narrator’s life cheats on him. No problem. He’ll get over her, and wishes her and her lover well. Was hoping for something a little more fun from Ringo.
Ags Connolly
August 19, 2017 @ 10:01 am
Nice. This reminds me of Jonathan Richman’s excellent ‘Jonathan Goes Country’ album.
Janice Brooks
August 19, 2017 @ 10:56 am
Ags this makes me think of your last album.
Andrew
August 19, 2017 @ 10:47 am
Never been crazy about Ringo’s voice, but aside from that not bad.
Janice Brooks
August 19, 2017 @ 10:57 am
I’ll play it. I think about Ringo doing Hoyt Axton’s No No Song.
albert
August 19, 2017 @ 11:24 am
If Ringo and the Beatles aren’t the definitive example of ” WE DON’T GIVE A FUCK WHETHER YOU LIKE THIS , WHETHER YOU BUY THIS , IF WE GET PLAYED OR PANNED ,” I don’t know who is .
You KNOW folks at his shows will be singing this with him midway through and whoever gets to be his touring steel guy will be in HEAVEN for at least three minutes every night .
Beauty Ringo .
Tony Pete
August 19, 2017 @ 12:55 pm
Super star got talent still today
Helen Sullivan
August 19, 2017 @ 1:08 pm
Good song
Sir Adam the Great
August 19, 2017 @ 2:15 pm
Ringo has always been a big fan of country music. His second solo record, ‘Beaucoups of Blues’, was recorded in Nashville with Pete Drake and Charlie Daniels on the sessions. Pretty good record IMHO.
Jack Casey
August 20, 2017 @ 8:38 am
Yes. Good show. Glad somebody pointed all that out!
Mark
August 20, 2017 @ 3:09 pm
Good point and also a really good song (Beaucoups of Blues). I wish someone else had covered the song to hear what it sounded like without the English accent.
Flying J
August 19, 2017 @ 2:37 pm
I like it fine. Its Ringo! Never been a stellar singer, but he’s always had fine taste in music. Reminds me of Warren Zevon’s Heartache Spoken Here that Dwight guested on.
Cowboyal
August 19, 2017 @ 3:59 pm
Beatles have Minimal Connection to Country:
I am not trying to be argumentative but the Beatles are really not connected to Country Music. Yes, if you go through all their back catalogue you will find some songs that will have some ‘country’ leanings.
But remember this was in the 1960s – dance, rap, hiphop, grunge, metal, EDM, etc… all these genres of music were not in existence.
You basically had (in the UK) pop, rock & roll and blues as the main popular genres. And with the explosion of artists such as Elvis just a few years earlier, most up and coming rock & roll bands would have some country influence in them.
To try and make an argument that the Beatles music has some form of basis in country music is really not valid. They may have had occasional brushes with country but that is about it.
jessie with the long hair
August 19, 2017 @ 5:35 pm
Finally, someone on here that know what the hell they’re talking about. Thank you.
Jack Williams
August 20, 2017 @ 5:46 am
In their early years, the Beatles covered early Elvis, Car Perkins, Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry, all of whom had country components in their music. So yes, maybe the country influence was second hand, sort of like how Merle Haggard was influenced by the blues through people like Jimmie Rodgers and Bob Wills.
glendel
August 19, 2017 @ 4:38 pm
“They may have had occasional brushes with country but that is about it.” Assuming that is true for the purposes of this comment, then one can say that they are more country than Sam Hunt or FGL, who never have had any brushes with country.
the pistolero
August 19, 2017 @ 5:21 pm
Not surprising in the least. RS was saying in the mid-1990s that there wasn’t much new country that he could stand, with the exception of maybe George Strait.
RD
August 19, 2017 @ 5:30 pm
There is an interesting concert in 1985 at the Capitol Theater with Ringo, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and a bunch of other stars, playing with Carl Perkins. I’m not a fan of Brit music, but it was cool to see them all together playing rockabilly.
Desperado Destry
August 19, 2017 @ 6:14 pm
Wow! Is this the freaking Twilight Zone? Were the hell is Rod Sterling when you need him? This is the most pure country song I’ve heard since Johnny Cash’s posthumous realease album Out Among the Stars. I’m speechless here, I really don’t know what to say except it’s a shame that Ringo Star has more country in his soul than all of Nashville does today. God bless him. Keep up the good work Ringo!
Fuzzy TwoShirts
August 19, 2017 @ 8:31 pm
I wasn’t going to listen… then I did.
this is kinda… sappy.
I mean, in a world without Luke Bryan Blake Shelton and Jason Aldean we probably wouldn’t even notice a song like this.
but the production is nice, the steel score is really refreshing. it sure is prominent.
Maybe the reason this is a bit empty is that Ringo is not the best singer?
would anybody maybe listen to it more if say… Ray Charles or George Jones had sung this song?
just saying I feel like the problem here is not that the song is sub-par but that Ringo’s not the right type of singer for this kind of song.
sort of like Axl Rose singing Love Me Tender. it just ain’t the right fit.
DJ
August 19, 2017 @ 8:52 pm
Ringo was always my favorite Beatle, regardless of what inspired him or what he played. I just liked him. He seemed more down to earth and not so caught up in the fame whereas, to me, the rest seemed a bit arrogant. I’ll admit I had stopped listening to them in their hey-day. I had joined the Navy, and being from a small town in west Texas I was country, not what was passing for R&R at the time (65). My R&R was typical kid rebelling stuff, but when I ‘met’ people from other places that followed R&R I realized what I was, and R&R wasn’t it. That said, for a foreigner Ringo’s taste in country ain’t bad.
Michael
August 19, 2017 @ 9:15 pm
I have on several occasions tried to listen to country music recently. The music was so bad I lasted about 2 songs before i couldn’t stand it anymore. It sounded nothing even close to traditional country music.
This to be is truly country music and if
Nashville can’t play it they shouldn’t consider themselves country anymore.
Nashville needs Ringo much more than Ringo needs Nashville
Justin C
August 19, 2017 @ 11:46 pm
So you are telling me they will play John Mayer but not ringo?
MOE
August 20, 2017 @ 6:31 am
I think its a catchy song and the steel guitar is what makes it above average.
Bear
August 20, 2017 @ 9:52 am
Hey Trigger, I know you have a shite ton on your plate but this “article” came up on the RS page and I immediately wondered what you thought since you have mentioned ZERO of these names that I can recall. I listen to a few cuts it is all VERY pop-country bordering on a straight up pop (especially some of the women). And if this is how major media outlets are educating people on what country is… Houston, we have a problem.
http://www.rollingstone.com/country/lists/10-new-country-artists-you-need-to-know-august-2017-w496530
Bear
August 20, 2017 @ 9:53 am
And I posted it here because Ringo sounds more country than any of these to my ears. Holding a guitar does not make you country.
DJ
August 20, 2017 @ 12:01 pm
Said Ringo *sounds* more country to his ears, I didn’t see anything about making him country.
That said, country is more about attitude than where somebody’s from. The lyrics and the music qualify as country more so than the crap on guitar holding makes me country radio.
Trigger
August 20, 2017 @ 6:40 pm
I have a dedicated article on these Rolling Stone “10 New Artists” articles coming, if I can ever find the time to write it. Basically, there are not 10 New Country artists every single month, so you call things country that aren’t. It’s a media outlet’s version of trolling.
Erica
August 20, 2017 @ 3:38 pm
Ringo’s voice doesn’t work for this song – he is best when he sticks to upbeat and avant garde. Otherwise, it’s a decent filler tune.
Biscuit
August 20, 2017 @ 7:50 pm
I have long enjoyed the “Beaucoup of Blues” album by Ringo and his duet of “Act Naturally” with Buck. This is a much welcomed return to Ringo doing country and wished we had a full album sequel to “Beaucoup”.
Everett
August 20, 2017 @ 8:34 pm
They weren’t the only English men in love with Country. Elton John occasionally played Country, and his main lyricist, Bernie Taupin, grew up listening to Marty Robbins. I’ve always thought “Going to California” by Led Zeppelin was a good Country song. I also read an interview with Keith Richards that, at least one time, in the studio with Gram Parsons, they jammed to Hank Sr. in between takes. That was in Rolling Stone magazine.
And that’s just to start…
Jack Williams
August 21, 2017 @ 12:25 pm
Going to California is sort of hippy folk to me. Bron Yr Aur is quite the shitkicker, as is the outro to Gallows Pole. Down By The Seaside feels like country rock. And of course, there’s Hot Dog.
Johnyboy Gomez
August 21, 2017 @ 2:16 am
Really really wanted to like this song but sadly put me in the “meh” camp. Even the steel playing doesn’t work…. it’s almost TOO good. Like it’s trying desperately to save the song. Pity.
Dave
August 21, 2017 @ 11:06 am
Ringo doesn’t have a Liverpudlian accent anymore. He hasn’t lived there for over fifty years. In interviews, he sounds more American.
mike
August 24, 2017 @ 1:28 pm
vocally this is horrendous. steel guitars are good and the arrangements definitely have some decent country sensibility, but he simply cannot and never will be able to sing. there are two tracks on the new kesha album that actually could end up getting some fringe airplay like musgraves if they get released to country radio – one is a duet with dolly.
Indy
February 7, 2018 @ 6:08 pm
Country music has been dead for a long time. Rock and roll has been dead even longer. It’s sad to see the real American culture being wiped out.