In 1963, Ringo Starr wrote his first song and sang it, for The Beatles. Originally called “This is Some Friendly,” the title was later changed to “Don’t Pass Me By.”
Videos by American Songwriter
The song was later released on The Beatles‘ The White Album in 1968 and hit No. 1 in Denmark.
The Meaning of “Don’t Pass Me By”
The country-bent song told the story of someone begging a love to not forget about them.
I listen for your footsteps coming up the drive
Listen for your footsteps, but they don’t arrive
Waiting for your knock, dear, on my old front door
I don’t hear it, does it mean you don’t love me anymore?
I hear the clock a-ticking on the mantel shelf
See the hands a-moving, but I’m by myself
I wonder where you are tonight and why I’m by myself
I don’t see you, does it mean you don’t love me anymore?
Still waiting…
Further in, Starr apologizes for doubting them — even after they were in a car crash and lost their hair — and is unwavering as he continues to wait for them to come, and not pass him by.
Don’t pass me by, don’t make me cry, don’t make me blue
‘Cause you know, darling, I love only you
You’ll never know it hurt me so, how I hate to see you go
Don’t pass me by
Don’t make me cry
I’m sorry that I doubted you, I was so unfair
You were in a car crash, and you lost your hair
You said that you would be late about an hour or two
I said that’s all right, I’m waiting here, just waiting to hear from you
Four Years to Record
Though Starr also wrote and co-wrote a number of songs for The Beatles, including “Octopus’s Garden,” “What Goes On,” “Maggie Mae,” “Dig It,” and “Flying,” when it came to “Don’t Pass Me By,” it took four years before it was recorded and released by The Beatles. The song was first mentioned in a 1964 interview with the band on the BBC radio show Top Gear. When Starr was asked if would write any songs for The Beatles, Paul McCartney interjected with his “Don’t Pass Me By” lyrics singing Don’t pass me by / Don’t make me cry / Don’t make me blue.
“I wrote ‘Don’t Pass Me By’ when I was sitting around at home,” said Starr. “I only play three chords on the guitar and three on the piano. I was fiddling with the piano – I just bang away – and then if a melody comes and some words, I just have to keep going. That’s how it happened.”
Starr added, “I was just sitting at home alone, and ‘Don’t Pass Me By’ arrived. We played it with a country attitude. It was great to get my first song down, one that I had written. It was a very exciting time for me and everyone was really helpful, and recording that crazy violinist was a thrilling moment.”
The song was first recorded under the working title “Ringo’s Tune (Untitled)” and then later as “This Is Some Friendly” before being christened with its final title.
Ringo, Country, and Buck Owens
“Don’t Pass Me By” wasn’t Starr’s only exploration into country music. In 1965, Starr co-wrote along with John Lennon and McCartney, the country-tipped song “What Goes On” for The Beatles’ Rubber Soul album.
Starr also released his country and western-influenced solo album, Beaucoups of Blues in 1970, and added more country twang to “So Wrong For So Long,” which he co-wrote with Dave Stewart for his 2017 album Give More Love.
In 1989, Starr recorded the song “Act Naturally” as a duet with the late country legend Buck Owens (1929-2006). Originally written by Johnny Russell and first recorded by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos, the song hit No. 1 on the country chart in 1963.
Long before his “Act Naturally” duet with Owens, which hit the top 40, The Beatles also recorded a cover of the classic country song on their fifth album, Help! in 1965 with Starr on lead vocals.
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images
