# Ringo's drumming really by Paul **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 21, 2009, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448 "2009-11-21T20:57:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/21 "2009-11-23T13:15:59Z")
> [@Ichbin\_Dubist](#): > > I don’t have the book on hand to quote, but I remember Mark Lewisohn addressing this in his “Complete Recording Sessions” book. He mentioned that based on drumming style, recording setup, and the fact that his voice is always present on the outtakes, it’s clearly Ringo drumming on almost every song. And whatever else you may think of his technique, according to Lewisohn takes very rarely broke down because Ringo made a mistake. So: he’s not flashy, but keeps good time, comes up with interesting stuff, and doesn’t screw up. No wonder the other 3 loved him. I would put down money on the fact that Ringo Starr is one of the best session drummers who had ever played. ---
**Author:** ![Hippy\_Hollow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hippy_hollow/32/4841_2.png) [@Hippy\_Hollow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hippy_Hollow)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/22 "2009-11-23T15:40:59Z")
Shit, any question about Ringo’s skills can be put to rest with one play of “Come Together.” Washed down with a chaser of “Helter Skelter,” of course. ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/23 "2009-11-25T07:24:54Z")
I’m reminded of the famous quote from John Lennon, asked if Starr was the best drummer in the world, jokingly replied, “He’s not even the best drummer in The Beatles!” ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/24 "2009-11-25T13:39:49Z")
[obligatory rimshot] ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/25 "2009-11-25T13:55:44Z")
> [@caligulathegod](#): > > I’m reminded of the famous quote from John Lennon, asked if Starr was the best drummer in the world, jokingly replied, “He’s not even the best drummer in The Beatles!” Sorry to nitpick, but since I had heard the same story and claimed it as fact myself, I can tell you that, after being corrected, I have looked into this – this sentence was never actually uttered by Lennon or any of the Beatles. I have yet to encounter a halfway-decent musician who doesn’t respect Ringo’s drumming. sorry for coming across as grumpy; not my intent… ---
**Author:** ![caligulathegod](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caligulathegod/32/9685_2.png) [@caligulathegod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caligulathegod)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/26 "2009-11-25T14:52:37Z")
Might be apocryphal, but even in that context, it’s intended as a joke. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/27 "2009-11-25T15:10:23Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > Shit, any question about Ringo’s skills can be put to rest with one play of “Come Together.” Washed down with a chaser of “Helter Skelter,” of course. My personal favorite Ringo drum parts are on Ticket To Ride (first half of the song) and Tomorrow Never Knows. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/28 "2009-11-25T15:20:34Z")
> [@tacoloco](#): > > My personal favorite Ringo drum parts are on Ticket To Ride (first half of the song) and Tomorrow Never Knows. Same beat on both - I always mentally think of that as Ringo’s “falling down the stairs beat” - with that one skip-beat in the middle, it sounds like someone trips and then hits the stairs thunk, thunk on the way down…really moves things forward in an interesting way… ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2009, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/29 "2009-11-25T15:21:30Z")
> [@corkboard](#): > > [obligatory rimshot] obligatory link to [instantrimshot.com](http://instantrimshot.com/) ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/30 "2009-11-26T01:14:33Z")
Glad to see Ringo getting his dues here. I agree Tomorrow Never Knows is an excellent example of his talent. (Though it’s not 100% the same as Ticket to Ride, is it? It seems to lack the ‘hiccup’ in the middle that TtR has.) In a terrific analysis of _Revolver_ I listened to recently, the interviewees went into transports of delight over Ringo’s work on TNK, and I can see why. Another underestimated contribution is on _A Day in the Life_. It’s not a showy drum performance by any stretch, but it definitely adds immeasurably to the tapestry of the song. That’s what I think Ringo’s strength is: he’s a true ensemble performer. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448/31 "2009-11-26T01:46:04Z")
Ringo, IMHO as a drummer myself, played what is known as “time”. That is, no, he wasn’t flashy, but he kept a good beat and that’s what made him great. I once met the great Joe Morello at a drum clinic in Atlanta, and when I took my turn on the drum set across from him, he said “Play me some time, son”, and he played along with me. I thought I was “hot shit” on my Luds, but he proved me wrong. I could NOT keep up, so I started taking lessons and improved. Sorry to mini-hijack, but ever heard JM play Un-Square Dance with Brubeck? It’s in 7/4 and devilishly wicked to follow. I’m just a 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 kinda guy! 🙂 Q [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ringos-drumming-really-by-paul/518448.md?page=1)