Line #16 Music/RingoStarr


1	[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Ringo_Starr_Double_Peace_459.jpg]]
2	[[caption-width-right:300:PEACE and LOVE!]]
3
4	->''"To be or not to be, I don't care,''\
5	''The question is, are you alive out there?''\
6	''It don't take brains, just heart and soul,''\
7	''I think therefore I rock and roll"''
8
9	[[WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends Wake up lazybones!]] Why don't you [[JustForFun/DescribeTopicHere describe Ringo Starr like me?]]
10
11	[[UsefulNotes/KnightFever Sir]] Richard Starkey [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever KBE]] (born 7 July 1940), better known as [[StageNames Ringo Starr]], was the more notable drummer for Music/TheBeatles, replacing [[ThePeteBest Pete Best]], and he is awesome. Following his career with the Fab Four, he has had a mildly successful solo career.
12
13	Some see Ringo as the Beatles' LesserStar, having only been credited for writing two songs[[note]]"Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden"[[/note]] out of the over 200 in their catalogue (although he does have several co-writing credits). (Ringo himself has been [[SelfDeprecation self-deprecating]] about this.) The other Beatles tried to avoid this, however, by giving him at least one song to sing on most of their albums[[note]]''Music/AHardDaysNight'', ''Music/MagicalMysteryTour'', and ''Music/LetItBe'' being the only exceptions[[/note]], and repeatedly declared his importance for the band in interviews. Music/JohnLennon, who often hired Ringo as his drummer after the break-up because he had gotten used to his groove, noted in an interview, "Ringo's a damn good drummer. He always was a good drummer. He's not technically good, but I think Ringo's drumming is underrated the same way as [[Music/PaulMcCartney Paul]]'s bass playing is underrated." In addition, Music/PaulMcCartney and Music/GeorgeHarrison would often have him drum for their solo work as well.
14
15	Aside from his musical career, Starr is also a pretty accomplished actor, having starred in such films as ''Film/TheMagicChristian'' (alongside Creator/PeterSellers) and ''Film/{{Caveman}}'' ([[RomanceOnTheSet where he met his wife]], Creator/BarbaraBach), and has appeared in many other films over the years. He sang the theme song for a 2013 revival special of ''WesternAnimation/ThePowerpuffGirls''.
16
17	Oh, did we mention he was the first of the three surviving Beatles to appear on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' (in "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS2E18BrushWithGreatness Brush With Greatness]]")? He also provided narration for the first two seasons of ''WesternAnimation/ThomasAndFriends'', and also played the Conductor. Not only did he originate the role on ''Series/ShiningTimeStation,'' but later got [[TheOtherDarrin replaced]] by ''Creator/GeorgeCarlin'' [[QuestionableCasting of all people]].
18
19	Ringo was inducted in the 2015 Rock and Roll of Fame class, the final member of the Fab Four to be inducted as a solo artist. In December 2017, it was announced that he would receive a knighthood, which took place on March 20, 2018.
20
21	----
22	!!Studio Discography:
23
24	* 1970 - ''Sentimental Journey''
25	* 1970 - ''Beaucoups Of Blues''
26	* 1973 - ''Music/{{Ringo}}''
27	* 1974 - ''Goodnight Vienna''
28	* 1976 - ''Ringo's Rotogravure''
29	* 1977 - ''Ringo The 4th''
30	* 1978 - ''Bad Boy''
31	* 1981 - ''Stop And Smell The Roses''
32	* 1983 - ''Old Wave''
33	* 1992 - ''Time Takes Time''
34	* 1998 - ''Vertical Man''
35	* 1999 - ''I Wanna Be Santa Claus''
36	* 2003 - ''Ringo Rama''
37	* 2005 - ''Choose Love''
38	* 2008 - ''Liverpool 8''
39	* 2010 - ''Y Not''
40	* 2012 - ''Ringo 2012''
41	* 2015 - ''Postcards From Paradise''
42	* 2017 - ''Give More Love''
43	* 2019 - ''What's My Name''
44
45	----
46	!!Live Discography:
47
48	* 1990 - ''Ringo Starr And His All-Starr Band''
49	* 1993 - ''Ringo Starr And His All-Starr Band Volume 2: Live From Montreux''
50	* 1995 - ''4-Starr Collection''
51	* 1997 - ''Ringo Starr And His Third All-Starr Band-Volume 1''
52	* 1998 - ''Creator/VH1 Storytellers''
53	* 2002 - ''King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Ringo & His New All-Starr Band''
54	* 2003 - ''Extended Versions''
55	* 2004 - ''Tour 2003''
56	* 2006 - ''Ringo Starr And Friends''
57	* 2007 - ''Ringo Starr: Live At Soundstage''
58	* 2008 - ''Ringo Starr & His All Starr Band Live 2006''
59	* 2010 - ''Live At The Greek Theatre 2008''
60
61	----
62	!!Tropes and Love, Tropes and Love:
63
64	* AllDrummersAreAnimals: Generally averted; while he ''was'' often seen as the most offbeat Beatle, he also had the most laid-back and everyday personality, which carried over to his solo career.
65	* ArtifactAlias: His stage name was originally intended to evoke TheWildWest; when he was with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, the band decided to do a bit of Wild West-inspired ThemeNaming for all its members. Ringo's stuck even after he became a Beatle, and continued to stick after the Beatles broke up. "Ringo" also references the many rings he wears on his fingers.
66	* ArtistAndTheBand: He created his own live band called Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, comprised of artists who were former members of 1970/1980s rock bands, making it also a {{Supergroup}}.
67	* AudienceSurrogate: In a lot of ways he functioned as one for the Beatles, being TheEveryman alongside three geniuses, which made him relatable. As critic Robert Christgau put it, "He's our representative on The Beatles."
68	* BoringButPractical: Ringo's drumming skills are often dismissed by lay audiences because of his lack of flair (he only had one drum solo with the Beatles and had to be talked into it), but professional musicians are far more likely to praise him as one of rock's greatest percussionists. This is owed to the fact that Ringo's drumming style is very precise and technical, resulting in him being highly skilled at keeping time and adapting to whatever material he was given; case in point, he only fluffed a grand total of ''twelve'' takes during his time with the Beatles.
69	* CallBack: Ringo's solo works are super-overloaded with this trope, referencing his personal and professional history on a regular basis, musically and lyrically, often with SelfDeprecation or affection. Every line from the title track to ''Postcards From Paradise'' deliberately references a Beatles or solo hit (or Beatles-era composition), while "Rory and the Hurricanes" from the same album references the band he was in before the Beatles.
70	* CatchPhrase: [[NewAgeRetroHippie "PEACE and LOVE!"]] He says it so much that it veers into VerbalTic territory.
71	* ChickMagnet: People tend to forget that he had as many devoted fan-girls as the others, if not more; his girlfriend in Liverpool was getting threatened by numerous crazy types before Beatlemania proper even ''started''. That gag in ''Film/AHardDaysNight'' about him getting the most fan-mail was actually [[RealLifeWritesThePlot true]].
72	* ClassicallyTrainedExtra: "You're Sixteen" features a guest appearance by Music/PaulMcCartney... ''on kazoo!'' (or kazoo-like noises)
73	* CoolShades: Ringo hasn't been seen without his sunglasses since the 1980s, never taking them off even at night.
74	* TheCoverChangesTheGender: "Boys".
75	* CulturalTranslation: "$15 Draw" on ''Beaucoups of Blues'' was written by Nashville-based singer-songwriter Sorrells Pickard[[note]]who oddly became better known later on as a maker of peanut butter[[/note]], and to make the lyrics more authentic for an Englishman to sing, a couple of changes were made: "Trunk of his old car" became "Boot of his old car", and a line about playing a show in Bossier City (Louisiana) was switched to "Bolton city".
76	* DullSurprise: During the Beatles performances, when not smiling (or singing) he had a "barely caring" scowl.
77	* [[LesserStar The Garfunkel]]: When it comes to song-writing, Ringo doesn't get as much credit compared with the other Beatles. Understandable, as while the Beatles were together, he wrote only two songs by himself. But to be fair, he was a great drummer.
78	* GenerationXerox: His son Zak is also a drummer, most famously with Music/TheWho and Music/{{Oasis}}.
79	* GriefSong: "Never Without You" for Music/GeorgeHarrison. "Photograph", which George himself helped Ringo record, also became this after George's death.
80	* TheHeart:
81	** Many fans and critics considered him the most expendable Beatle, but the other Beatles recognised Ringo as helping keep them together during the most tense of times. He once walked out of the band during the sessions for ''Music/TheWhiteAlbum'' and went on holiday in Italy; when he was finally convinced to return he found his drum kit decorated with flowers. After they broke up, he was the only one to get all three of the others to contribute to an album. ''Twice''. And he returned the favour for all of them.
82	** It also indicated that he was the first to sense something wasn't right with the band and they weren't as close as they used to be:
83	--->"I left because I felt two things: I felt I wasn't playing great, and I also felt that the other three were really happy and I was an outsider. I went to see John, who had been living in my apartment in Montagu Square with [[Music/YokoOno Yoko]] since he moved out of Kenwood. I said, 'I'm leaving the group because I'm not playing well and I feel unloved and out of it, and you three are really close.' And John said, 'I thought it was you three!' So then I went over to Paul's and knocked on his door. I said the same thing: 'I'm leaving the band. I feel you three guys are really close and I'm out of it.' And Paul said, 'I thought it was you three!'"
84	** Post-Beatles he showed [[TrueCompanions True Companion]] tendencies with George. George apologetically called to warn Ringo that he was about to sue Ringo because he was displeased with the final mix of a song they worked on together. Ringo [[EasilyForgiven said it was alright and said he would still love him even after he sued him.]] They later joked about it at a talk show appearance.
85	* HiddenDepths: He's a highly talented photographer, and in 2015 he published a book of his work.
86	* InnocentBlueEyes: Generally played and/or perceived as the innocent Beatle, due to his PluckyComicRelief status in the films.
87	* {{Japandering}}: There's [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZj3dOm9muA this]], but in Ringo's defence the ad is [[PunnyName actually quite clever]].[[note]]For those who don't get it, "ringo" is Japanese for apple and "sutta" means squeezed.[[/note]]
88	* LiveAlbum: Several, most notably the series of ''Ringo Starr and His [[PunnyName All-Starr Band]]'' releases.
89	* {{Malaproper}}: The other three Beatles called them "Ringoisms": he's credited with coining the phrases "[[Film/AHardDaysNight a hard]] [[Music/AHardDaysNight day's night]]" and "[[Music/RevolverBeatlesAlbum tomorrow never knows]]".
90	* MeaningfulName: His nickname, which dates back to his pre-Beatle days with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, comes from his affinity for rings.
91	* MetaphorIsMyMiddleName: "Drumming Is My Madness".
92	--> ''Drumming is my middle name''
93	* NewSoundAlbum: After experimenting with GenreThrowback (''Sentimental Journey'') and CountryMusic (''Beaucoups of Blues'') on his first two albums, ''Ringo'' established the template he's mostly stuck to in his solo career: basic, good-natured rock with some GenreRoulette, and an AllStarCast[[invoked]] to back him up.
94	* OddNameOut: John, Paul, George, and... Ringo.
95	* OdeToSobriety: Played for laughs with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZN_8M4OpMo The No No Song]], in which he turns down offers of marijuana, cocaine, and moonshine.[[note]]The last one seems like ArsonMurderAndJaywalking until you find out he entered rehab to treat alcoholism in 1988.[[/note]]
96	* OlderThanTheyLook: He's aged quite well. With his perpetual sunglasses, beard and largely intact hairline, he could easily pass for a man [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:20110626_102_All-Starr-Band-in-Paris_Ringo-Starr_WP.jpg 20 years younger]].
97	* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: No one ever calls him Richard Starkey.
98	** The other Beatles almost never called him Ringo, either. To them, he was either "Richie" or "Rings".
99	* PrecisionFStrike: According to [[http://www.beatlesbible.com/forum/ringo-starr/interesting-interview-with-maureen/ this interview with his first wife Maureen]], he used one of these right before he (temporarily) walked out on the White Album sessions. (It's especially funny when you contrast him with John Lennon, master of the ClusterFBomb.)
100	--> '''A:''' ... I will never forget what he muttered as he folded his socks and put them in the suitcase. He said "Paul is a [[GoshDangItToHeck freaking]] moron."
101	--> '''Q:''' You used freaking instead of the "F" word?
102	--> '''A:''' ''(laughs)'' Yes I did. He put so much stress on that word that it shocked me to hear him say it because he usually isn't like that.
103	* RagsToRiches: Was the poorest of all four Beatles as a child; he lived in post-war low-income housing with his mother, grandmother, and grandfather after his father abandoned them. He also missed much of his education due to frequent illnesses. Like the others, he became very well-to-do as Beatlemania took off.
104	* SelfDeprecatingHumor: He is very fond of it. The last verse of his song "Early 1970" jokingly claims that he only knows "three chords" on the guitar, and in the ''Music/TheBeatlesAnthology'' documentary, he also jokes that he only knows "three chords" on the guitar and piano while discussing "Don't Pass Me By".
105	* SillyLoveSongs: Plenty.
106	* SongOfSongTitles: The title track of ''Postcards from Paradise'' inserts the name of a Beatles song in almost every line (including one of the two he wrote, "Don't Pass Me By").
107	* StepUpToTheMicrophone:
108	** To make the Beatles a full VocalTagTeam, Ringo sang a song on most of their albums. John and Paul even joked that their version of "I Wanna Be Your Man", which they gave to Music/{{The Rolling Stones\|Band}}, was sung by Ringo (which is indeed the case on the recording that appears on ''Music/WithTheBeatles'', though John and Paul provide backup there).
109	** This [[OlderThanTheyThink dates back to his days with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes]][[invoked]]; part of the logic behind his stage name was that it allowed the group to bill his solos as "Starr Time." (After joining The Beatles, he continued to cover one of his usual Rory numbers -- the Shirelles' "Boys" -- which made it onto the album ''Please Please Me.'')
110	* {{Supergroup}}: Starr has led the All-Starr Band since 1989, the concept for which is that every musician on stage with Ringo is a "star in their own right", who each get their [[StepUpToTheMicrophone own spotlight moments]] during the show to perform songs from their career. Famous musicians who have toured with the band include Music/ToddRundgren, [[Music/{{Eagles}} Joe Walsh]], [[Music/{{Cream}} Jack Bruce]], [[Music/MenAtWork Colin Hay]], [[Music/TheWho John Entwistle]], Greg Lake (of Music/KingCrimson and Music/EmersonLakeAndPalmer), Music/SheilaE, and Music/PeterFrampton.
111	* VSign: Basically his iconic gesture.
112	----
113	->[-[[Music/JohnLennon "How's that?"]]-]\
114	'''[++"[[SuddenlyShouting I GOT]] [[Music/TheWhiteAlbum BLISTERS ON MY]] ''[[TheStinger FINGERS!]]''"++]'''

Context Music / RingoStarr