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1.46pm
31 March 2008
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‘Early 1970’ was the b-side of Ringo Starr’s 1971 single ‘It Don’t Come Easy’. It is one of a handful of post-Beatles songs to be solely composed by Starr. See more…
Yeah, but one of them wasn’t gonna play [nervous chuckle]. At that point, I felt that when John comes to town, I know he’s gonna play with me, and if George comes to town, I know he’ll play with me, and if Paul comes to town, I ‘wonder’ if he’s gonna play. We were going through that Apple nonsense, where Paul was suing the three of us. And he was angry, and we were angry, and I was wondering when that would stop.
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8.22am
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29 August 2013
Offline Gotta love that Ringo, first time I have really listened to the lyrics:
Lives on a farm, got plenty of charm, beep, beep.
He’s got no cows but he’s sure got a whole lotta sheep.
And brand new wife and a family,
And when he comes to town,
I wonder if he’ll play with me.
Laying in bed, watching tv, cookie!
With his mama by his side, she’s japanese.
They scream and they cried, now they’re free,
And when he comes to town,
I know he’s gonna play with me.
He’s a long-haired, cross-legged guitar picker, um-um.
With his long-legged lady in the garden picking daisies for his soup.
A forty acre house he doesn’t see,
‘Cause he’s always in town
Playing for you with me.
I play guitar, a – d – e.
I don’t play bass ’cause that’s too hard for me.
I play the piano if it’s in c.
And when i go to town i wanna see all three,
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11.23am
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1 May 2011
Offline It does say a lot about the time written that Ringo writes “I wonder if he’ll play with me” for the Paul verse whilst he knows John and George will play with Ringo when about. Thankfully that’s all changed and they have played a lot together from the Eighties onwards. Actually coming to think of it is there any record before John’s death of Ringo and Paul playing on the same record, I know they did at Eric’s wedding but that was very informal and more jamming when drunk?
Also is “cookies” a nod to John’s “cookie” in Hold On ? Presumably it is and a cool one at that.
Its a cracking song is Early 1970 and only a B-side!
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1.38pm
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20 August 2013
Offline Ringo’s voice actually sounds the most like the music/singers I grew up with. I find the familiarity comforting. It’s time for me to get some Ringo cds.
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1.50pm
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1 May 2011
Offline Yeay. Ringo would be happy. His first couple of albums (pre-Ringo) have a very comforting feel to them and are good to hear.
I’ve been trying to find some of his albums in Glasgow but nothing, not even a greatest hits. Even with George you’re lucky to find anything aside from All Things Must Pass and the Bangladesh concert, very occassionally a copy of Living In The Material World or Cloud 9 will appear but nothing else.
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29 November 2012
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Yes, MMM, the “cookie” is in reference to Hold On , which, of course, Ringo also played on 8)
I’ve always loved Early 1970, although it’s kind of sad in pointing out how estranged Paul was from the other 3 by then, although as was proven a few years later, he ended up being correct in that whole matter (the Klein thing)
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17 December 2012
Offline meanmistermustard said
It does say a lot about the time written that Ringo writes “I wonder if he’ll play with me” for the Paul verse whilst he knows John and George will play with Ringo when about. Thankfully that’s all changed and they have played a lot together from the Eighties onwards. Actually coming to think of it is there any record before John’s death of Ringo and Paul playing on the same record, I know they did at Eric’s wedding but that was very informal and more jamming when drunk?
I’m surprised at you asking that, mmm. On 1973’s Ringo Paul contributed “mouth sax” to You’re Sixteen and wrote Six O’Clock on which he played piano and synthesiser, contributed backing vocals, and came up with the string and flute arrangements. On 1976’s Ringo’s Rotogravure Paul contributed Pure Gold, recording the backing track with Linda while on a break from the Wings Over America tour, and supervising Ringo’s vocal overdub on 19 June. On 1981’s Stop and Smell the Roses several tracks appeared that had been produced by Paul between 11 and 21 July 1980. Private Property and Attention were both McCartney originals and Sure to Fall was the Carl Perkins song The Beatles had often performed. Paul played bass and piano on all three, as well as contributing backing vocals. The 1994 CD reissue added another track from the same sessions, the Starkey composition You Can’t Fight Lightning – bizarrely this featured Ringo on guitar and Paul on drums.
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4.33pm
1 December 2009
Offline Love this song – it’s the highlight of Ringo’s entire solo career, if you ask me. And it was buried on a b-side! (“A” side was pretty great too…Was 1971 a fabulous year for ex-Beatle singles or what?) That verse where he admits his musical limitations has got that exact same flavour of self-deprecating Ringo charm as “I’ll try not to sing out of key”, only it’s even better because it’s in a song he wrote all by himself. (Did George have a co-writing credit? I’m not sure…) I love how the final line could refer to seeing “all three” instruments he can-or-can’t play, or the three “anonymous” musicians he’s been singing about. And speaking of Ringo’s instrumental abilities, this is impressive:
Ringo Starr – vocals, drums, acoustic guitar, dobro, standup bass, piano, backing vocals
George Harrison – electric guitars, slide guitar, piano
Klaus Voormann – bass
uncredited – piano
Five different instruments he plays in one song! Even hauls out a standup bass and plays eight shaky notes just to demonstrate his inability – and by extension, his need for musical collaborators. Great, great record.
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
4.40pm
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29 November 2012
Offline ^and don’t forget, even though those are both credited to Ringo, George really wrote them (as evidenced by his home demos of both songs!). Still, great sounding single, both sides, that.
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4.55pm
16 September 2013
Offline I have a “modest” musical gift. I can read and write music, but the “nuts-and-bolts” playing of a keyboard instrument has never come easy or felt very natural for me. So, for years, when describing my limited abilities, I’ll say “I play the piano if it’s in C.” Now I remember where I first heard that line… the obscure “Early 1970.” What a charming song. 
5.43pm
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1 May 2011
Offline mja6758 said
meanmistermustard said
It does say a lot about the time written that Ringo writes “I wonder if he’ll play with me” for the Paul verse whilst he knows John and George will play with Ringo when about. Thankfully that’s all changed and they have played a lot together from the Eighties onwards. Actually coming to think of it is there any record before John’s death of Ringo and Paul playing on the same record, I know they did at Eric’s wedding but that was very informal and more jamming when drunk?I’m surprised at you asking that, mmm. On 1973’s Ringo Paul contributed “mouth sax” to You’re Sixteen and wrote Six O’Clock on which he played piano and synthesiser, contributed backing vocals, and came up with the string and flute arrangements. On 1976’s Ringo’s Rotogravure Paul contributed Pure Gold, recording the backing track with Linda while on a break from the Wings Over America tour, and supervising Ringo’s vocal overdub on 19 June. On 1981’s Stop and Smell the Roses several tracks appeared that had been produced by Paul between 11 and 21 July 1980. Private Property and Attention were both McCartney originals and Sure to Fall was the Carl Perkins song The Beatles had often performed. Paul played bass and piano on all three, as well as contributing backing vocals. The 1994 CD reissue added another track from the same sessions, the Starkey composition You Can’t Fight Lightning – bizarrely this featured Ringo on guitar and Paul on drums.
Someone really should slap me for asking such a question as the answer was so damn obviously yes. Mja, i apologise for wasting your time as well as thanking you for taking the time to reply.
Did George write Early 1970, i know he wrote It Don’t Come Easy?
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5.51pm
21 November 2012
Offline Charming indeed. Very cool song.
I love how the other three wrote nasty songs about each other and Ringo wrote this.
6.21pm
1 August 2013
Offline Aw. Thanks for posting this; I’d forgotten about it. Shows how crucial Ringo must’ve been to their interpersonal dynamic, aside from being a great drummer. 
6.27pm
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20 August 2013
Offline Linde said
Charming indeed. Very cool song.I love how the other three wrote nasty songs about each other and Ringo wrote this.
very sweet, Linde.
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10.59pm
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29 August 2013
Offline MMM – Ringo is credited with it, though as with the a-side (“It Don’t Come Easy”) there are the stories that George had a lot to do with it. For me, it sounds like Ringo this time, plus he has the production credit (unlike the a-side which is George).
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11.00pm
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29 August 2013
Offline Ahhh Girl said
Ringo’s voice actually sounds the most like the music/singers I grew up with. I find the familiarity comforting. It’s time for me to get some Ringo cds.
It is indeed – and if you only get one the 2007 “Photograph” hits CD is just plain awesome – particularly if you can find the version with the bonus DVD of video clips.
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11.07pm
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20 August 2013
Offline trcanberra said
Ahhh Girl said
Ringo’s voice actually sounds the most like the music/singers I grew up with. I find the familiarity comforting. It’s time for me to get some Ringo cds.It is indeed – and if you only get one the 2007 “Photograph” hits CD is just plain awesome – particularly if you can find the version with the bonus DVD of video clips.
Thanks for the suggestion.
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11.12pm
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29 August 2013
Offline Ahhh Girl said
trcanberra said
Ahhh Girl said
Ringo’s voice actually sounds the most like the music/singers I grew up with. I find the familiarity comforting. It’s time for me to get some Ringo cds.It is indeed – and if you only get one the 2007 “Photograph” hits CD is just plain awesome – particularly if you can find the version with the bonus DVD of video clips.
Thanks for the suggestion.
The liner notes are very good for that CD as well, you get a real peek inside Ringo’s brain (which is probably safe now, not so much in the ’70s – it seems he can’t recall much from the whole 1974-84 decade due to booze / drugs etc.). No wonder that was a relatively weak time in his career.
[EDIT] Oh, and the song that started this thread is on there – and very nice it is too!
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11.37pm
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1 May 2011
Offline trcanberra said
MMM – Ringo is credited with it, though as with the a-side (“It Don’t Come Easy”) there are the stories that George had a lot to do with it. For me, it sounds like Ringo this time, plus he has the production credit (unlike the a-side which is George).
Doesn’t sound or look like a George lyric and whilst hearing about how he had a very large hand in It Don’t Come Easy (possibly all of it) have never heard anything about Early 1970.
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12.12am
1 December 2009
Offline Yeah, I don’t see any reason why Ringo couldn’t have written “1970” all by hisself. It’s just a few country & western chords and some simple rhymes. “It Don’t Come Easy” was a bit more sophisticate. But like I said, I’m not even sure if “Early 1970” is credited to Ringo alone. If George’s name is on it, then he had a hand in writing it.
GEORGE: In fact, The Detroit Sound. JOHN: In fact, yes. GEORGE: In fact, yeah. Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites. The Miracles. JOHN: We like Marvin Gaye. GEORGE: The Impressions PAUL & GEORGE: Mary Wells. GEORGE: The Exciters. RINGO: Chuck Jackson. JOHN: To name but eighty.
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