Ringo Starr’s function as a drummer in The Beatles was crucial to their sound, yet his contributions are frequently forgotten. Unlike his comrades, Starr did not spend much time writing songs, preferring to delegate that responsibility to others. However, there were times when his poetic contributions were particularly successful.
During his time with The Beatles, Starr wrote only two songs for the band. The first, ‘Don’t Pass Me By,’ debuted in 1968. While he frequently delivered lead vocals on a tune from each album. His bandmates typically gave him these songs almost altruistically. Of course, Paul McCartney or John Lennon would never willingly give up anything as significant as ‘Yesterday‘ or ‘A Day In The Life‘. Instead, they tended to be unique inventions that suited his voice and attitude.
Because he was in a band with some of the greatest songwriters of all time, Starr felt at ease accepting his place in the hierarchy and rarely picked up a pen to write a song consciously. With ‘Octupus’s Garden,’ the process occurred in the most natural way possible, aided by marijuana.
The drummer once claimed about the Abbey Road song’s origin: “I wrote ‘Octopus’s Garden’ in Sardinia. We borrowed Peter Sellers’ yacht and went out for the day. I stayed out on the deck with [the captain] and discussed octopuses. He told me that they hang out in their caves and search the seabed for shiny stones, tin cans, and bottles to place in front of their cave like a garden.
Starr continued, “I thought this was fantastic, since at the time, I wanted to be under the water as well. After a few guitar strummings, we got ‘Octopus’s Garden‘!”
While Starr’s comrades had modest hopes for his tunes, George Harrison found ‘Octopus’s Garden’ extremely impressive. In 1969, the guitarist said, “‘Octopus’s Garden’ is Ringo’s song.” Ringo wrote his second song, and it’s great. Ringo tires of playing the drums, and at home, he plays a little piano, but he only knows three notes. He has similar knowledge of guitar. I believe it’s an excellent song because, on the surface, it sounds like a silly kids’ song, but the lyrics are fantastic.”
Furthermore, Harrison commended Starr, saying he found a “very deep meaning in the lyrics,” however he qualified this statement by claiming Ringo is most likely oblivious to its beauty. Harrison continued, “If you get kind of deep in your consciousness, it’s very peaceful.” So Ringo is unknowingly writing cosmic music.”
Ringo Starr was composing in a literal sense after a thought-provoking chat about the marine creature. There’s a deeper message to be explored in the mind-blowing ‘Octopus’s Garden,’ as Ringo reaches out in a desperate quest to locate his utopia.
