Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Truly a Greatest Hits Album, June 1, 2000
From 1971 to 1975, Ringo Starr cut a string of seven consecutive Top 10 records, including back-to-back number ones in 1973, and they're all right here!Led by the twin front-runners, "Photograph" and "You're Sixteen", this collection is Ringo at his post-Beatles height. Don't get into a discussion of which of his song's is the best; you'll be in for an argument. Despite the top placement of the two previously mentioned hits, many people will vote for "The No No Song", others for "Oh My My" or "Only You", and still others for my personal favorite "It Don't Come Easy", the first of the solo chart busters. It really doesn't matter which anyone thinks is best; they're all great. The album itself was released on the Apple/Parlophone label, which makes it sort of a musical historical curiosity. The mastering is excellent and the sound crystal clear. Ringo's solo success only lasted a brief four years in the early 70s, but it doesn't matter. Thirty years later, these songs still rock the house. This album is truly a "Blast from the Past!" Don't miss it.
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16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Oh my my! Boogaloo with Ringo!, January 3, 2005
Ringo Starr has probably been the most overlooked of the Beatles following the band's breakup in 1969. He has been eclipsed by Sir Paul McCartney, who's arguably had the best solo career and most renown of the Fabs, and that of the politically active John Lennon, whose ascent to immortality was cemented by his 8 December 1980 murder.
What many don't realize is that the 1970's also bestowed some sunshine on the former Beatles drummer. It was only on his third album, Ringo, that he finally got into gear. He went back to his roots by covering Johnny Burnette's "You're Sixteen (And You're Mine)," done in a rolling piano boogie style on his 1973 album Ringo, which is probably his best solo album. It's great for a leadoff track. The mid-paced and sad "Photograph," also from Ringo, was a charttopper, and was co-written between him and Harrison. There's a definite Beatles-ish feel to it, in the "Rain" and Abbey Road era, but with a backwash of Phil Spector-like strings, that would have no doubt pleased Paul. With the upbeat piano and horns, and female backup singers in the other Top Ten hit from Ringo, "Oh My My" and the vocal stylings, I can definitely see the influence behind Gene Simmons' "True Confessions" from his first solo album.
From Goodnight To Vienna, his 1974 followup, there was his cover of Hoyt Axton's "The No No Song." One of the aspects of the Sgt Pepper era was drugs, and in the song, Ringo puts aside that part of him, refusing offers of moonshine, coke, and marijuana from various people from different parts of the world. Also from that album was another cover, the Platters' "Only You." Its pop-like arrangement makes it something Paul might cover. "Back Off Boogaloo" with a backing chorus, has a slow churning sound akin to Harrison's "Wah Wah," and the eeriness of "I Am The Walrus."
The jamming "It Don't Come Easy", co-written with George Harrison, was his first chart-topper, while having definite Beatles influences, shows Ringo moving into a sphere of his own. Even the phrases "come together" and "and we will make it better" shows a nod to "Come Together" and "Hey Jude."
"Beaucoups of Blues" is the title song from his 1970 album, which veered more on the country side. It's a laid back forlorn harmonica-laced number longing for yesterday, when one has foolishly thrown away precious things for what was to have been a better today.
Two of the songs tell of his time with the Beatles. The country-tinged amiably humorous "Early 1970" is about John, that "long hair cross legged guitar player", as one can see in the Let It Be film,"with his wife by his side-she's Japanese." Even this soon from the Fabs breakup, there's no ill feeling between he and his ex-bandmates, "and when I go to town I wanna see all three."
The John Lennon-penned "I'm the Greatest" is no, not a song about Muhammad Ali, but about himself in 1972, looking back on his Liverpool days and his time with the Beatles, with a reference to Billy Shears-remember, he sang "With A Little Help From My Friends." With George Harrison on guitars, it was clear that there wasn't a clean break from his bandmates. Like "It Don't Come Easy," this was included on the remaster of the Ringo album.
I've seen Ringo in the two Terry Southern movie adaptations, Candy and Magic Christian, as well in Caveman and Give My Regards to Broad Street, where he starred opposite Paul. But being the Beatles fan that I am, I do feel guilty in not paying due attention to Ringo. A closer look at Mr. Starkey OBE is definitely in the works, not only the albums mentioned here, but his latest album Ringorama with his ode to George, "Never Without You." A must for Beatles fans and those of the other solo Beatles as well.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Got to pay your dues if you want to sing the blues., July 8, 2005
This is a fine collection of Ringo Starr's Capitol Records hits. It features all seven of his Top Ten hits, plus the flop single "Beaucoups of Blues", the b-side "Early 1970" and the album track "I'm the Greatest". All the songs here are great, but the album is on the short side. It would have been nice if they had thrown in a few bonus tracks, like the minor hit "It's All Down to Goodnight Vienna". You are almost better off getting Ringo's third album (titled Ringo), which has six of the ten songs here. On second thought, get Ringo and this CD, too.
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~ George Harrison & Friends
~ Paul McCartney
~ John Lennon
~ Paul McCartney
~ Ringo Starr
by Ringo Starr 
