Ringo Starr’s first four solo albums, Sentimental Journey, Beaucoups of Blues, Ringo, and Goodnight Vienna, will be reissued on October 24 as limited-edition colored-vinyl LPs. The four discs can be pre-ordered now at the famed Beatles drummer’s official online store.
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Sentimental Journey and Beaucoups of Blues were both released in 1970. Ringo, Starr’s most successful solo effort, arrived in 1973, while Goodnight Vienna was released in 1974.
The Sentimental Journey reissue will be pressed on buttermilk- yellow vinyl, the Beaucoups of Blues LP will be baby-blue vinyl, and Ringo will appear on molten-lava-colored vinyl. The Goodnight Vienna LP will be pressed on a custom color called “Psychedelic Waves.” All for LPs are priced at $29.99.
Bruce Resnikoff, the president and CEO of the UMe label, shared a statement about the vinyl reissues.
“For decades, Ringo has shaped music and inspired audiences worldwide, revered for his artistry and for his mission to spread peace and love around the world,” Resnikoff said. “We are honored to be entrusted with preserving his body of work, from his early work to his solo albums throughout the years. These reissues highlight his depth, his creativity and his lasting cultural impact.”
Here are some more details about Starr’s first four solo albums:
Sentimental Journey
Sentimental Journey, Ringo’s solo debut, was released in March 1970 in the U.K. and a month later in the U.S. The album, which was produced by Beatles producer George Martin, is a collection of 12 tunes from the American songbook. Among the standards featured on the record are the title track, “Night and Day,” “Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Stardust,” and “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing.” “
“Bye Bye Blackbird,” “Stardust,” and “Love Is a Many Splendored Thing” were arranged, respectively, by “The Bee Gees’ Maurice Gibb, Paul McCartney, and Quincy Jones.
Sentimental Journey reached No. 22 on the Billboard 200 and No. 7 on the U.K. albums chart.
Beaucoups of Blues
Released in September 1970, Beaucoups of Blues was a full-length foray into country music. Ringo recorded the album in Nashville with producer/pedal-steel player Pete Drake and various local session musicians.
Starr had met Drake during the making of George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass album. Ringo was sent to pick up Drake at the airport to bring him to Harrison’s sessions. During the trip, Pete noticed that Ringo had some country cassettes in his car, which led him to offer to produce an album for Starr in Nashville.
Ringo recorded Beaucoups of Blues in just three days. Among the musicians who took part in the sessions were Charlie Daniels, Jerry Reed, Ben Keith, D. J. Fontana, and The Jordanaires.
The album peaked at No. 65 on the Billboard 200 and No. 35 on Billboard’s country chart.
Ringo
The Ringo album was released in November 1973. The star-packed project was produced by Richard Perry and recorded in Los Angeles and London. The album featured three smash singles—
the chart-topping “Photograph” and “You’re Sixteen,” and the No. 5 hit “Oh My My.” Starr co-wrote “Photograph” with Harrison and “Oh My My” with Vini Poncia. “You’re Sixteen” was a cover of a 1960 hit by rockabilly singer Johnny Burnette.
The album also features songs written or co-written by McCartney, John Lennon, and Randy Newman.
Among the many musicians and singers who contributed to Ringo were his three former Beatles bandmates, T. Rex’s Marc Bolan, Billy Preston, Harry Nilsson, Nicky Hopkins, Martha Reeves, and The Band’s Robbie Robertson, Garth Hudson, Levon Helm, and Rick Danko.
Ringo reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. It’s been certified platinum by the RIAA for sales of more than 1 million copies in the U.S.
Goodnight Vienna
Goodnight Vienna, which was released in November 1974, also was produced by Perry. It included songs written by Lennon, Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Nilsson, and Allen Toussaint.
Musical contributors included Lennon, Nilsson, Elton, Steve Cropper, Robertson, Dr. John, Hopkins, Preston, and Gary Wright.
Goodnight Vienna featured two Top-10 hits—covers of The Platters’ “Only You (and You Alone)” (No. 3) and Hoyt Axton’s “No No Song” (No. 6).
The album peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200. It was certified gold for sales of more than 500,000 copies in the U.S.
Sentimental Journey Track List:
Side One
- “Sentimental Journey”
- “Night and Day”
- “Whispering Grass (Don’t Tell the Trees)”
- “Bye Bye Blackbird”
- “I’m a Fool to Care”
- “Star Dust”
Side Two
- “Blue, Turning Grey Over You”
- “Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing”
- “Dream”
- “You Always Hurt the One You Love”
- “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?”
- “Let the Rest of the World Go By”
Beaucoups of Blues Track List:
Side One
- “Beaucoups of Blues”
- “Love Don’t Last Lon”g
- “Fastest Growing Heartache in the West”
- “Without Her”
- “Women of the Night”
- “I’d Be Talking All the Time”
Side Two
- “$15 Draw”
- “Wine, Women and Loud Happy Songs”
- “I Wouldn’t Have You Any Other Way”
- “Loser’s Lounge”
- “Waiting”
- “Silent Homecoming”
Ringo Track List:
Side One
- “I’m the Greatest”
- “Have You Seen My Baby”
- “Photograph”
- “Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond)”
- “You’re Sixteen (You’re Beautiful and You’re Mine)”
Side Two
- “Oh My My”
- “Step Lightly”
- “Six O’Clock”
- “Devil Woman”
- “You and Me (Babe)”
Goodnight Vienna Track List:
Side One
- “Goodnight Vienna”
- “Occapella”
- “Oo-Wee”
- “Husbands and Wives”
- “Snookeroo”
Side Two
- “All by Myself”
- “Call Me”
- “No-No Song”
- “Only You”
- “Easy for Me”
- “Goodnight Vienna (Reprise)”
(Courtesy of UMe)
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