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From the Vault...
11/29/2009
#1179 |
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info
Ringo Starr
"Goodnight Vienna"
© Capitol/Apple Records
Rating:
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track listing
Goodnight Vienna
Occapella
Oo-Wee
Husbands And Wives
Snookeroo
All By Myself
Call Me
No No Song
Only You (And You Alone)
Easy For Me
Goodnight Vienna
(Reprise)
Back Off Boogaloo
Blindman
Six O'Clock
(Extended Version)
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Ringo Starr
"Goodnight Vienna"
Ringo Starr's Goodnight Vienna is considered my all-time favorite Ringo solo release.
I had this vinyl album when I was a child, as I was 10 years old in 1974 when this album was released.
Every song from the original release is still stapled in my mind, especially those spots in the album
where a bad skip occurred on my copy, and remembering the dreaded noise it would make when that bad spot
would emerge. Lucky for the compact disc, it's great to hear each song clear, but still, the memories
of having the original album and how it used to sound will always be in your brain.
As for the album, Ringo received a lot of help from his friends, both in songwriting, and guest
appearances. Songwriters included John Lennon, Roger Miller, Elton John/Bernie Taupin, Hoyt Axton.
Musicians helping out recording with Ringo included John Lennon, Billy Preston, Dr. John, Elton John,
Robbie Robertson, Steve Cropper, David Foster, Harry Nilsson. (Three bonus tracks are included on the
CD, where songwriters and musicians included George Harrison, Paul & Linda McCartney.)
Ahh, the memories.. John Lennon wrote the album's title track, and you can easily hear John helping
out on the background vocals. "Occapella" is a cute little song, written by Allan Toussaint.
"Oo-Wee""Husbands And Wives" is a beautiful ballad written by Roger Miller, (decades later
this song would reach #1 on the Country charts by Brooks & Dunn). Elton John's "Snookeroo" is
another catchy number, which features Elton John himself on piano. "All By Myself" is another
song co-written by Ringo (no, not the Eric Carmen song of the same name), and again, another catchy tune.
"Call Me" is another slow tune, written by Ringo.
Now, for those of you around in 1974 -- who DIDN'T remember the drug-influenced "No No Song" ??
Co-written by Hoyt Axton, this song surfaces the drugs and alcohol use of marijuana, cocaine, and whiskey.
Not wanting to particularly pay attention to the actual lyrics, the song itself is catchy, that pretty
much everyone had this entire song memorized. (For those who didn't take drugs/alcohol probably found
this song more enjoyable, as to those who suffered addictions from any or all.)
"Only You (And You Alone)" is a very touching remake of the song made famous in the 1950s by
The Platters. It's a great version, and Ringo's talking of some verses stands out in this song. "Easy
For Me" is another slow ballad, written by Harry Nilsson. The reprise of "Goodnight Vienna"
returns, almost sounding like the original.
The CD contains three bonus tracks. The single "Back Off Boogaloo" and it's B-side,
"Blindman." Having this single myself growing up, it was a treat to see this song on CD, as
"Boogaloo" was never released on a original Ringo album, and "Blimdman" saw its first
pressing on CD, as it was never available, other than released as the B-side. "Six O'Clock (Extended
Version)" was written by Paul & Linda McCartney, as they also helped out recording this song with Ringo.
This song was only available on U.S. copies of the album Ringo.
This album truly gets the all-Starr rating. It's an album I've cherished since my childhood, and one
of many albums I can never get tired of. The bonus tracks are a plus, having the "Back Off Boogaloo"
45 rpm record in my collection at the time. My only complaint is that from the vinyl copy, this album
had a lyric sheet, which the CD did not. Many other Ringo Starr albums were released before this one
and after, and although they too were good, or better than others, Goodnight Vienna will always
remain my favorite Ringo Starr solo album of all time.
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without written permission. Cover art is the
intellectual property of
Capitol/Apple Records
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