The Story Of The Ringo Starr song that The Beatles tried to forget

In their early days, The Beatles, like any budding commercial product, relied heavily on renditions of songs by other artists. This was partly due to a lack of confidence in their songwriting abilities and partly due to pressure from the record company to stick to safer, more familiar material. Additionally, their repertoire at fashionable clubs mainly comprised covers of popular songs.

However, despite this initial reliance on covers, The Beatles’ eclectic nature was evident from the start. Their debut albums feature energetic renditions of classics like “Twist and Shout,” showcasing John and Paul’s vocal prowess, as well as more introspective tracks like “A Taste of Honey.”

While some of these early recordings consist of discarded takes or previously unreleased songs, they offer insight into the band’s musical evolution. Although these tracks may not match the quality of their later work, they still possess a certain charm and catchiness.

One such gem is “If You Got Trouble,” penned by Ringo Starr. Reminiscent of “Slow Down,” this dynamic track showcases Ringo’s unique rhythm and style. However, despite his efforts to inject new life into the song, it ultimately falls short of the mark.

Lyrically, “If You Got Trouble” is somewhat perplexing. With lines like “If you’ve got trouble, then you’ve got less trouble than me,” Ringo’s delivery borders on the absurd. The song’s themes of financial strain and frustration reflect a turbulent period for the Lennon-McCartney songwriting duo.

In fact, “If You’ve Got Trouble” was met with disdain from the band members themselves. George Harrison admitted to having no recollection of recording the song while criticizing its nonsensical lyrics and overall lackluster quality.

Even Ringo’s guitar solo, though a valiant effort, fails to salvage the track. George Harrison didn’t mince words when describing it as “the most weird song… It’s got stupid words and is the naffest song.” Ultimately, “If You’ve Got Trouble” serves as a reminder of The Beatles’ willingness to experiment, even if it meant the occasional misstep along the way.