The Thing Ringo Starr Is the Most Proud of From His Time With The Beatles: “I Am the Click”

Ringo Starr has a very unique place in The Beatles’ career. While most listeners know that the band’s sound wouldn’t have been what it is without Starr’s singular playing, his non-flashy, simple style keeps him from the spotlight at times.

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Starr’s playing is characterized by impeccable timing. He always knew exactly what to play for each song, whether a simple blues-rock number or a psychedelic haze. Even Starr himself recognizes his timing. He once credited it as the thing he’s most proud of from his time with the group.

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The Thing Ringo Starr Is the Most Proud of From His Time With the Beatles

Starr was brought on after the other three members had been established, but The Beatles didn’t become The Beatles until Starr joined their ranks. Right from the start, it was clear that Starr’s timing was going to completely reshape the group’s career.

“Yeah, and I’ve got a lot of footage of George,” Starr once said. “He had that great line, he said, ‘You know, and the Beatles did this,’ and somebody said to him, ‘Did you have a click track?’ He said, ‘Yes, we did. Ringo, his name was.’”

Starr’s Timing

According to Starr, there is no trick to his signature timing. Instead, it’s just innately inside the iconic drummer. His timing can’t be repeated. He’s a once-in-a-generation talent.

“God gave me just great time,” Starr admitted in the same interview. “Jeff Lynne—they did a documentary on him. Jeff would call me over, ‘Could you play on this track?’ because we live close, and I’d go over, and he’d say, ‘Oh, just let me get the click.’ I said, ‘Jeff, I am the da** click.”

“It’s been asked a million times,” he continued. “I don’t know how I got to [play like] that. It just happened. And a lot of the way I play [it] just happens. I’ll keep the time and play rock or shuffle or whatever, and then I’ll come in wherever I come in, because you feel it from your heart.”

Starr isn’t the flashiest drummer in the classic rock scene, but he played his role as the band’s backbone well. His playing was in perfect time with the songwriting efforts of his bandmates, which is what has made him one of the best players in history.

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