The Beatles Lyric That Had Some Fun at Ringo’s Expense—and Suited Him to a Tee

Because he didn’t often write his own material, Ringo Starr depended on his songwriting buddies within The Beatles to give him songs to sing. The group was more than happy to do that, because they knew that Starr added a different dimension with his vocals.

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On the classic “With a Little Help From My Friends” from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, John Lennon and Paul McCartney managed to write a song that seemed tailor-made for his personality. Starr might have sung the song using an alter ego, but it came out sounding distinctly Ringo.

With “Friends” Like These

The basic idea behind the 1967 album Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band was the Fab Four could imagine they were a different group when they wrote and performed, thus shedding some of the expectations that came with being Beatles. But Ringo Starr was the only one who actually played a specific role within the record.

At the conclusion of the introductory title track, Paul McCartney introduces us to Billy Shears, who receives a big round of applause from the audience. When the dust clears and the opening strains of “With a Little Help From My Friends” come wafting into the picture, it’s none other than Ringo on the mic, portraying Shears.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney earmarked the track for Starr toward the end of the writing process when they realized he needed a number. As McCartney explained in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, there was a bit of gentle ribbing aimed at Starr within the song:

“Poking a little fun at Ringo was actually a lot of fun. ‘What would you do if I sang out of tune?’ Actually, John and I wrote this song within a vocal range that would cause no problems for Ringo, who had a style of singing different to outs. We tailored it especially for him, and I think that’s one reason why it was such a great success for him on Sgt Pepper.”

Behind the Lyrics of “With a Little Help From My Friends”

“With a Little Help From My Friends” taps into Starr’s persona very well, likely because Lennon and McCartney deeply understood their bandmate. There’s humor there, but there’s also a vein of sadness Starr could locate so well when he sung.

The narrator begins his tale with his insecurity on his sleeve: What would you do if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Excusing himself for his off-key singing, he quickly heads to the chorus to explain that his lot in life might be even worse were it not for his good buddies to get him through.

The remainder of the song sets up as a back-and-forth between Starr on the one hand, and Lennon and McCartney, as a kind of Greek chorus, on the other. This conversation establishes the woeful tone. For example, Starr asks What do I do when my love is away? Lennon and McCartney give him no answer, but rather another question: Does it worry you to be alone?

The narrator’s interrogators get more personal as the song progresses. They ask, What do you see when I turn out the light? His one-liner is streaked through with the melancholy truth: I can’t tell you but I know it’s mine. It all comes back to loneliness: I need somebody to love, Starr moans.

It’s telling that “With a Little Help From My Friends” became a signature song for Ringo Starr, even long after The Beatles had stopped playing together. He has always played that aw-shucks, modest role to a tee, despite his massive talent. And he’s always had the support of rock’s luminaries wiling to give him all the support he needs.

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