Ringo Starr
Goodnight Vienna

THE REVIEW

Ringo was the least talented of the four, he didn't have a great appearance, always sickly and frail in constitution, but he had an enormous sense of humor that helped him in difficult moments and allowed him to build a more than dignified and very prosperous solo career.

Of course, these aren't great works, they are mostly playful or very catchy parodies that reflect the artist who recorded them, but some are enjoyable and do justice to the nasal voice of this funny character in the rock scene. "Goodnight Vienna" was released in December 1974, and despite being driven by a few easy tunes like "No No Song", it failed to break through, reaching only the thirtieth spot on the UK charts; for Ringo, the era of decline had begun after the commercial success of "Ringo," and the rest of his career would be marked by very modest successes.

The album was recorded in Los Angeles and boasts a collaboration with his old colleague and friend Lennon, who composed the title track. Opened by John's voice, it is a carefree song spiced with blaring brass and a frenetic rhythm for a light-hearted lyric whose title has nothing to do with the Austrian capital but is simply an English expression (a sort of exclamation). It is followed by the dull "Occapella," the first of a series of American standards dearly loved by Ringo but not well-suited to his voice. Much better is "Oo We" with Dr. John on piano and Klaus Voorman on bass, for yet another lively track with a perfectly matched female chorus. "Husband And Wives" is an acoustic song that should be performed with quite different tones, and not as an endless dirge by Ringo. The unreleased track by Elton John, "Snookeroo", continues the danceable and fun tones, making this work an enjoyable product. The songs written by Ringo, "All By Myself" and "Call Me" don't clash but aren't exceptional examples of composition, after all, the best song ever written by Ringo is the amusing "Octopus's Garden" on "Abbey Road", where the other four beautifully support him.

Otherwise, a very curious and successful version of "Only You" by the Platters and a final reprise of "Goodnight Vienna" with a still animated Lennon and the entire band that took part in the album's production. A record that can be listened to, it is easy and fun, certainly Ringo doesn't have a great voice, in fact, when he tries to pull a Sinatra, he misses the mark too much, but in the end, it's appreciated.