It Don't Come Easy
Encyclopedia
"It Don't Come Easy" is a song by Ringo Starr
released as an Apple Records
single in April 1971, reaching number four in both the U.S. and UK singles charts. It was Starr's first solo single in the UK, but his second in the US (the first was "Beaucoups of Blues
"), following the breakup of the Beatles. This song may also be considered Starr's signature song
.
cowrote the song. A demo version exists with Harrison providing a guide vocal for Starr.
The released version included Harrison on guitar, Klaus Voorman on bass guitar, Stephen Stills
on piano, Ron Cattermole on saxophone and trumpet, Badfinger
members Pete Ham and Tom Evans
on background vocals, and Starr on drums and lead vocals. The B-side of the single, "Early 1970
", featured Starr on acoustic guitar, piano, drums, and vocals, with Harrison playing guitar, bass, and backing vocals. The lyrics refer to the lives of the Beatles around the time of their breakup (hence the title). Both tracks were produced by Harrison and published by Startling Music
.
On this first session, George Martin
was producing, with Harrison playing acoustic guitar and directing the other musicians, which comprised Starr (drums), Klaus Voormann
(bass) and Stephen Stills
(piano). 20 basic track takes were made between 7 p.m. and 12.30 a.m., with take 20 being labelled "best." Starr then added a lead vocal and George added two electric guitar parts, finishing at 4 a.m., with the song being mixed into stereo.
The following day, after overdubs onto "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
", recording resumed on "You Gotta Pay Your Dues", with Starr overdubbing another lead vocal onto take 20 between 5 and 6 p.m. Harrison was not involved in recording on this day, although Eric Clapton
may have been involved. After an hour's break, it was decided to remake the song, with takes 21-30 being taped between 7 and 11 p.m. Take 30 was labeled "best" and onto this take, two bass parts were added before the session ended at 1:30 a.m.
This version however, was to remain unfinished, because on 8 March, Starr decided to again remake "It Don't Come Easy", as it was now known. Recording probably took place at Trident Studios
(documentation is unavailable - all that is known is that it wasn't recorded at Abbey Road), with Harrison producing and playing guitar. Klaus Voormann
(bass), Stephen Stills
(piano), Mal Evans
(tambourine) and Ron Cattermole (saxophone, trumpet) were also involved.
Recording of overdubs continued the next morning, again with Harrison producing. The song was then left until October 1970, when further overdubs were made (details unknown).
When news of the sessions reached the press in March 1970, Apple told the music press there were "absolutely no plans for the record to be released as a single at the present time", and the song wasn't issued until 9 April 1971 in the UK (and April 16 in the US). Starr's second solo single (with "Early 1970" as a B-side featuring Harrison on guitar and backing vocals) entered the NME
charts on 21 April at number twelve and rose to number five for two weeks, staying on the chart for nine weeks.
An early mix from these sessions has appeared on bootlegs, which featured Harrison on lead vocal. While the instrumentation is almost identical to the released version (the horns have not been added yet), during the guitar break, the backing vocalists, Pete Ham and Tom Evans
from Badfinger
, add the line "Hare Krishna." This can be heard on the final Starr release, though buried in the mix. Following the guitar solo, rather than there being another verse, there is a repeat of the song's opening guitar phrase from Harrison, again with the backing vocalists singing 'it don't come, oh no, you know it don't come easy" twice, with Harrison adding a few shouted lines behind them before returning to the verse. Subsequently, there are some additional backing vocal lines.
(held 1 August 1971 at Madison Square Garden
), and famously forgot some of the words. His goof was left in the album
and concert film.
"It Don't Come Easy" was issued as a non-album single (Apple 1831) and debuted on the American Billboard chart on 1 May 1971. It peaked at number four and remained in the Top 40 for eleven weeks. The song didn't see inclusion on an album until the release of Starr's 1975 Apple greatest hits compilation, Blast from Your Past
.
The song was also heard in the 1978 NBC
-TV Ringo special. Although Starr recorded new versions of several songs for the special, the released recording of "It Don't Come Easy" was used.
On 12 March 1984, EMI
released a single of "It Don't Come Easy" / "Back Off Boogaloo
" in the UK.
When Starr recorded a new version of his 1972 hit "Back Off Boogaloo
" for the Stop and Smell the Roses
album, "It Don't Come Easy" was referred to, along with several Beatles songs, in the backing vocals (arranged and sung by Harry Nilsson
).
In 1987, a cover version was used in a commercial for 7-Eleven
using the slogan "Where the good things come easy".
Starr included the song on the set list for his July–September 1989 American tour, and a performance of this song opened the 1990 album Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band
. It was also included on a bonus 5" CD single released with the US limited edition deluxe CD version of Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band.
In 1991, "It Don't Come Easy" was added as a bonus track to the CD version of Ringo
, along with "Down and Out" and "Early 1970".
The song was covered by the American band The Smithereens
on their 1991 album, Blow Up.
Starr's song "Don't Go Where the Road Don't Go" from his 1992 album Time Takes Time
features a homage to the song during the bridge with the line "Well I said It Don't Come Easy, well I sure know how it feels".
Starr's song "Eye to Eye" from his 2003 album Ringo Rama
starts with the lines "Remember when I said it don't come easy, that seems so long ago".
Along with a guest appearance by Starr, the song was featured in The Simpsons
episode "Brush with Greatness
". The song is used as inspirational background music for a montage of Marge Simpson painting a portrait of Mr. Burns.
Ringo Starr
Richard Starkey, MBE better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an English musician and actor who gained worldwide fame as the drummer for The Beatles. When the band formed in 1960, Starr was a member of another Liverpool band, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes. He became The Beatles' drummer in...
released as an Apple Records
Apple Records
Apple Records is a record label founded by The Beatles in 1968, as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mary Hopkin, James Taylor, Badfinger, and Billy Preston...
single in April 1971, reaching number four in both the U.S. and UK singles charts. It was Starr's first solo single in the UK, but his second in the US (the first was "Beaucoups of Blues
Beaucoups of Blues (song)
"Beaucoups of Blues" is the title song from Ringo Starr's 1970 country album. It was released as a single in several countries, but not the UK, and entered the charts in both the U.S. and Germany where it reached #87 and #43 respectively....
"), following the breakup of the Beatles. This song may also be considered Starr's signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
.
Background
The record said Starr composed the song in 1970, even though George HarrisonGeorge Harrison
George Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
cowrote the song. A demo version exists with Harrison providing a guide vocal for Starr.
The released version included Harrison on guitar, Klaus Voorman on bass guitar, Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
on piano, Ron Cattermole on saxophone and trumpet, Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
members Pete Ham and Tom Evans
Tom Evans (musician)
Thomas Evans Jr was a musician who was most notable for his work with the band Badfinger.- Badfinger :In 1969, The Iveys changed their name to Badfinger and Paul McCartney of The Beatles gave the group a boost by offering them his song "Come and Get It" which he produced for the band...
on background vocals, and Starr on drums and lead vocals. The B-side of the single, "Early 1970
Early 1970
"Early 1970" is a song by Ringo Starr, released as the B-side to Starr's Apple Records single "It Don't Come Easy" in April 1971. It was inspired by the recent breakup of The Beatles, and documents his desire to continue playing music with his former bandmates, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and...
", featured Starr on acoustic guitar, piano, drums, and vocals, with Harrison playing guitar, bass, and backing vocals. The lyrics refer to the lives of the Beatles around the time of their breakup (hence the title). Both tracks were produced by Harrison and published by Startling Music
Startling Music
Startling Music is a music publishing company, founded by musician Ringo Starr, drummer of The Beatles.Starr had initially been signed to Northern Songs, the company set up by publisher Dick James and Beatles manager Brian Epstein on behalf of the band in 1963...
.
Recording history
Recording of the new composition was begun on the evening of 18 February 1970 at Abbey Road's Studio 2, during the Sentimental Journey album sessions. Earlier in the day, Starr had re-recorded his vocals for "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" and "Let the Rest of the World Go By", songs destined for Sentimental Journey. At this stage, the song was known as "You Gotta Pay Your Dues."On this first session, George Martin
George Martin
Sir George Henry Martin CBE is an English record producer, arranger, composer and musician. He is sometimes referred to as "the Fifth Beatle"— a title that he often describes as "nonsense," but the fact remains that he served as producer on all but one of The Beatles' original albums...
was producing, with Harrison playing acoustic guitar and directing the other musicians, which comprised Starr (drums), Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann is a German Grammy Award-winning artist, noted musician, and record producer. He designed artwork for many bands including The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Wet Wet Wet and Turbonegro. His most notable work as a producer was his work with the band Trio, including their worldwide hit "Da Da...
(bass) and Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
(piano). 20 basic track takes were made between 7 p.m. and 12.30 a.m., with take 20 being labelled "best." Starr then added a lead vocal and George added two electric guitar parts, finishing at 4 a.m., with the song being mixed into stereo.
The following day, after overdubs onto "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (song)
"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" is a popular song with music by Sammy Fain and lyrics by Paul Francis Webster. The song was publicized first in the movie, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing , winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song...
", recording resumed on "You Gotta Pay Your Dues", with Starr overdubbing another lead vocal onto take 20 between 5 and 6 p.m. Harrison was not involved in recording on this day, although Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
may have been involved. After an hour's break, it was decided to remake the song, with takes 21-30 being taped between 7 and 11 p.m. Take 30 was labeled "best" and onto this take, two bass parts were added before the session ended at 1:30 a.m.
This version however, was to remain unfinished, because on 8 March, Starr decided to again remake "It Don't Come Easy", as it was now known. Recording probably took place at Trident Studios
Trident Studios
Trident Studios was a British recording facility, originally located at 17 St. Anne's Court in London's Soho district. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield a drummer of former 1960's group The Hunters and his Brother Barry....
(documentation is unavailable - all that is known is that it wasn't recorded at Abbey Road), with Harrison producing and playing guitar. Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann
Klaus Voormann is a German Grammy Award-winning artist, noted musician, and record producer. He designed artwork for many bands including The Beatles, The Bee Gees, Wet Wet Wet and Turbonegro. His most notable work as a producer was his work with the band Trio, including their worldwide hit "Da Da...
(bass), Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
(piano), Mal Evans
Mal Evans
Malcolm Frederick 'Mal' Evans was best known as the road manager, assistant, and a friend of The Beatles: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr....
(tambourine) and Ron Cattermole (saxophone, trumpet) were also involved.
Recording of overdubs continued the next morning, again with Harrison producing. The song was then left until October 1970, when further overdubs were made (details unknown).
When news of the sessions reached the press in March 1970, Apple told the music press there were "absolutely no plans for the record to be released as a single at the present time", and the song wasn't issued until 9 April 1971 in the UK (and April 16 in the US). Starr's second solo single (with "Early 1970" as a B-side featuring Harrison on guitar and backing vocals) entered the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
charts on 21 April at number twelve and rose to number five for two weeks, staying on the chart for nine weeks.
An early mix from these sessions has appeared on bootlegs, which featured Harrison on lead vocal. While the instrumentation is almost identical to the released version (the horns have not been added yet), during the guitar break, the backing vocalists, Pete Ham and Tom Evans
Tom Evans (musician)
Thomas Evans Jr was a musician who was most notable for his work with the band Badfinger.- Badfinger :In 1969, The Iveys changed their name to Badfinger and Paul McCartney of The Beatles gave the group a boost by offering them his song "Come and Get It" which he produced for the band...
from Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
, add the line "Hare Krishna." This can be heard on the final Starr release, though buried in the mix. Following the guitar solo, rather than there being another verse, there is a repeat of the song's opening guitar phrase from Harrison, again with the backing vocalists singing 'it don't come, oh no, you know it don't come easy" twice, with Harrison adding a few shouted lines behind them before returning to the verse. Subsequently, there are some additional backing vocal lines.
Performances and release history
Starr performed this song at the Concert for BangladeshThe Concert for Bangladesh
The Concert for Bangladesh was the name for two benefit concerts organised by George Harrison and Ravi Shankar, held at noon and at 7 PM on August 1, 1971, playing to a total of 40,000 people at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
(held 1 August 1971 at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
), and famously forgot some of the words. His goof was left in the album
The Concert for Bangla Desh
The Concert for Bangladesh is a live triple album and double DVD by George Harrison and celebrity friends performed in aid of the homeless Bengali refugees of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War...
and concert film.
"It Don't Come Easy" was issued as a non-album single (Apple 1831) and debuted on the American Billboard chart on 1 May 1971. It peaked at number four and remained in the Top 40 for eleven weeks. The song didn't see inclusion on an album until the release of Starr's 1975 Apple greatest hits compilation, Blast from Your Past
Blast from Your Past
Blast from Your Past is a compilation album by Ringo Starr, released on Apple Records in 1975. It is both his first compilation LP and his final release under his contract with EMI, It was also the last album to be released on The Beatles' Apple label until it was revived in the 1990s...
.
The song was also heard in the 1978 NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
-TV Ringo special. Although Starr recorded new versions of several songs for the special, the released recording of "It Don't Come Easy" was used.
On 12 March 1984, EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
released a single of "It Don't Come Easy" / "Back Off Boogaloo
Back Off Boogaloo
"Back Off Boogaloo" is a 1972 single released by Ringo Starr. The song was a hit in the U.S. reaching #9 on the US Hot 100 and achieving Starr's best position in the UK Singles Chart, where it reached #2, blocked only by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards' version of "Amazing Grace".This is one of the...
" in the UK.
When Starr recorded a new version of his 1972 hit "Back Off Boogaloo
Back Off Boogaloo
"Back Off Boogaloo" is a 1972 single released by Ringo Starr. The song was a hit in the U.S. reaching #9 on the US Hot 100 and achieving Starr's best position in the UK Singles Chart, where it reached #2, blocked only by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards' version of "Amazing Grace".This is one of the...
" for the Stop and Smell the Roses
Stop and Smell the Roses
Stop and Smell the Roses is the eighth studio album by Ringo Starr, released in 1981 following the twin commercial disasters of Ringo the 4th and Bad Boy .-History:...
album, "It Don't Come Easy" was referred to, along with several Beatles songs, in the backing vocals (arranged and sung by Harry Nilsson
Harry Nilsson
Harry Edward Nilsson III was an American singer-songwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. On all but his earliest recordings he is credited as Nilsson...
).
In 1987, a cover version was used in a commercial for 7-Eleven
7-Eleven
7-Eleven is part of an international chain of convenience stores, operating under Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd, which in turn is owned by Seven & I Holdings Co...
using the slogan "Where the good things come easy".
Starr included the song on the set list for his July–September 1989 American tour, and a performance of this song opened the 1990 album Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band
Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band
This article is about the album. For the band, go to Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band.Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band is Ringo Starr's first official live album, recorded in 1989 during his successful comeback tour and released in 1990...
. It was also included on a bonus 5" CD single released with the US limited edition deluxe CD version of Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band.
In 1991, "It Don't Come Easy" was added as a bonus track to the CD version of Ringo
Ringo (album)
Ringo is the third album by Ringo Starr, released in 1973 on Apple Records. It peaked at #7 on the UK Albums Chart and #2 on the Billboard 200, and has been certified platinum by the RIAA. In Canada, it reached #1 on the RPM national albums chart...
, along with "Down and Out" and "Early 1970".
The song was covered by the American band The Smithereens
The Smithereens
The Smithereens are a rock band from Carteret, New Jersey, United States. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio , Jim Babjak , Mike Mesaros , and Dennis Diken...
on their 1991 album, Blow Up.
Starr's song "Don't Go Where the Road Don't Go" from his 1992 album Time Takes Time
Time Takes Time
Although the booklet's credits include the statement "Tom Petty appears courtesy of MCA Records," Petty is not listed as a player or vocalist on any of the booklet's track-by-track personnel listings.-Personnel:...
features a homage to the song during the bridge with the line "Well I said It Don't Come Easy, well I sure know how it feels".
Starr's song "Eye to Eye" from his 2003 album Ringo Rama
Ringo Rama
Ringo Rama is Ringo Starr's 12th studio album and was released in 2003. As the follow-up to 1998's Vertical Man, it continues Starr's alliance with Mark Hudson as well as most of his collaborators from that last project...
starts with the lines "Remember when I said it don't come easy, that seems so long ago".
Along with a guest appearance by Starr, the song was featured in The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "Brush with Greatness
Brush with Greatness
"Brush with Greatness" is the eighteenth episode of The Simpsons second season. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on April 11, 1991. In the episode, Marge revives her high school-era interest in painting by enrolling in an art class after getting encouraged by Lisa...
". The song is used as inspirational background music for a montage of Marge Simpson painting a portrait of Mr. Burns.