Which Beatles songs did Ringo write?
Ringo never aspired to be a principal songwriter for The Beatles but he does have two sole writing credits: Don’t Pass Me By (The Beatles) and Octopus’s Garden (Abbey Road. The former was also released as a single in northern Europe, reaching number Denmark in April 1969.
He also has these joint writing credits:
- What Goes On Rubber Soul (Lennon-McCartney-Starr)
- Flying Magical Mystery Tour (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr)
- Dig It Let It Be (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr)
- Maggie May” (Let It Be) (traditional: adaptation by Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr)
Anthology, remasters & limited editions
- Free As a Bird Anthology 1 (1995) Original composition by Lennon; remixed by Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starkey)
- Christmas Time Is Here Again Anthology 1 (Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr)
- 12-Bar Original Anthology 2 (1996) Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr)
- Los Paranoias Anthology 3 Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr)
- Now and Then (2023) Original composition by Lennon remixed by Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starkey - see here
'Ringoisms'
Sometimes Ringo contributed to a lyric without a formal credit. Lennon and McCartney borrowed 'Ringoisms' - unusual and original phrases he would use in conversation:- The best known of these is A Hard Day's Night.
- Eight Days a Week is also sometimes attributed to Ringo, though he has said that he overheard this from an overworked driver
- He used the phrase Tomorrow Never Knows in an early interview see here.
- The working title for Don't Pass Me By was an impromptu phrase he used at the end of one of the sessions That's Some Friendly.
Uncredited musical input
On numerous occasions Ringo added unusual musical features. One example is the striking drum fill on She Loves You. George Martin liked this so much that he used it as the intro in the arrangement.
Paul McCartney has also credited Ringo's contribution to the defining rhythm of Get Back.
The Story Behind Octopus' Garden - Medium 4 free minute read
The Story Behind Don't Pass Me By Medium 4 free minute read
Ringo's Childhood 'A chronicle of Dickensian misfortune'
