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Rating: 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.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
05 Snookeroo (03:29)
By Elton John and Bernie Taupin
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!
I WAS BORN IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND,
I WAS RAISED IN A WORKING TOWN.
I BROKE ALL THE RULES WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL,
BUT THE TEACHER'S COULDN'T PIN ME DOWN.
I TRIED TO MAKE MY PARENTS PROUD
BY ADAPTING THE SOCIAL POWERS.
OH, PIGS WILL FLY AND THE EARTH WILL FRY,
WHEN THEY GET ME DOING HONEST HOURS.
SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO, DADDY'S GOING ON THE BOOZE.
MOTHER USED TO CUT MY HAIR AND SISTER USED TO MAKE THE NEWS.
WELL, IT WAS TWO ROOMS UP AND TWO ROOMS DOWN,
WE WERE SENTENCED BY THE WRECKING CRANE.
OH, I WAS BORN ON THE EVE OF HALLOWEEN
AND SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO'S MY NAME.
I NEED SOMEONE TO COOK FOR ME
AND TURN ME LOSE AT NIGHT.
I COULD SPEND MY LIFE WITH A FACTORY GIRL,
'CAUSE A FACTORY GIRL'S MY TYPE.
I HEAR THEM GOSSIP ON THE STREET,
MOST OF WHAT THEY SAY IS TRUE.
OH, DON'T YOU KNOW THAT I HEAR THEM SAY,
"THERE GOES THAT LAZY, NO GOOD SNOOKEROO."
SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO, DADDY'S GOING ON THE BOOZE.
MOTHER USED TO CUT MY HAIR AND SISTER USED TO MAKE THE NEWS.
WELL, IT WAS TWO ROOMS UP (two rooms up)
AND TWO ROOMS DOWN, (two rooms down)
WE WERE SENTENCED BY THE WRECKING CRANE.
OH, I WAS BORN ON THE EVE OF HALLOWEEN
AND SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO, (Snookeroo)
SNOOKEROO'S MY NAME.
(Oo-oo, oo-oo, oo-oo, oo-oo)
SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO, DADDY'S GOING ON THE BOOZE.
MOTHER USED TO CUT MY HAIR AND SISTER USED TO MAKE THE NEWS.
WELL, IT WAS TWO ROOMS UP (two rooms up)
AND TWO ROOMS DOWN, (two rooms down)
WE WERE SENTENCED BY THE WRECKING CRANE.
WELL, I WAS BORN ON THE EVE OF HALLOWEEN
AND SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO,
SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO,
SNOOKEROO, SNOOKEROO,
SNOOKEROO'S MY NAME, YEH.
08 No No Song (02:35)
By Hoyt Axton
Huh-huh! Huh-huh
(Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah)
(Aye-aye-aye-aye)
A LADY THAT I KNOW JUST CAME FROM COLUMBIA,
SHE SMILED BECAUSE I DID NOT UNDERSTAND.
THEN SHE HELD OUT SOME MARIJUANA, HA HA!
SHE SAID IT WAS THE BEST IN ALL THE LAND.
AND I SAID,
"NO, NO, NO, NO, I DON'T SMOKE IT NO MORE,
I'M TIRED OF WAKING UP ON THE FLOOR.
NO, THANK YOU, PLEASE, IT ONLY MAKES ME SNEEZE,
AND THEN IT MAKES IT HARD TO FIND THE DOOR."
(Ah-ah-aye-aye)
A WOMAN THAT I KNOW JUST CAME FROM MAJORCA, SPAIN,
SHE SMILED BECAUSE I DID NOT UNDERSTAND. (Parazzi! Parazzi!) (Olé!)
THEN SHE HELD OUT A TEN POUND BAG OF COCAINE,
SHE SAID IT WAS THE FINEST IN THE LAND.
AND I SAID,
"NO, NO, NO, NO, I DON'T SNIFF IT NO MORE,
I'M TIRED OF WAKING UP ON THE FLOOR.
NO, THANK YOU, PLEASE, IT ONLY MAKES ME SNEEZE,
AND THEN IT MAKES IT HARD TO FIND THE DOOR."
(Aye-aye-aye-aye)
(Aye-aye-aye-aye)
(Aye-aye-aye-aye)
(Aye-aye-aye)
A MAN THAT I KNOW JUST CAME FROM NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, OO, (oh no!)
HE SMILED BECAUSE I DID NOT UNDERSTAND.
THEN HE HELD OUT SOME MOONSHINE WHISKEY, OH HO,
HE SAID IT WAS THE BEST IN ALL THE LAND. (and he wasn't joking!!!)
AND I SAID,
"NO, NO, NO, NO, I DON'T DRINK IT NO MORE,
I'M TIRED OF WAKING UP ON THE FLOOR.
NO, THANK YOU, PLEASE, IT ONLY MAKES ME SNEEZE,
AND THEN IT MAKES IT HARD TO FIND THE DOOR."
WELL, I SAID,
"NO, NO, NO, NO, I CAN'T TAKE IT NO MORE,
I'M TIRED OF WAKING UP ON THE FLOOR.
NO, THANK YOU, PLEASE, IT ONLY MAKES ME SNEEZE,
AND THEN IT MAKES IT HARD TO FIND THE DOOR."
HEY YEH!
"I'LL JUST HAVE ANOTHER DRINK, BARMAN, HAVE YOU GOT A LARGE BRANDY?"
09 Only You (and You Alone) (03:27)
(Oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-oo)
Only you can make this world seem right,
Only you can make the darkness bright.
Only you and you alone
Can thrill me like you do,
And fill my heart with love for only you.
Only you can make this change in me,
For it's true, you are my destiny.
When you hold my hand i understand
The magic that you do.
You're my dream come true,
My one and only you.
-"only you can make this world seem right,
Only you can make the darkness bright."
Only you and you alone
Can thrill me like you do,
And fill my heart with love for only you.
Only you can make this change in me,
For it's true, you are my destiny.
When you hold my hand i understand
The magic that you do.
You're my dream come true,
My one, my one and only you.
Only you,
Only you,
Only you,
Only you,
Only you, (only you)
Only you, (only you)
Mm-mm-mm-mm,
Mm-mm-mm-mm, (only you)
Mm-mm-mm-mm.
12 Back Off Boogaloo (03:22)
Back off Boogaloo
I said
back off Boogaloo
Come on
back off Boogaloo
Boo.
What d'yer think you're gonna do
I gotta flash right from the start.
Wake up meat head don't pretend that.
You are dead get yourself up off the cart.
Get yourself together now
and give me something tasty.
Evrything you try to do
you it shure sound wasted.
Back off Boogaloo
I said
back off Boogaloo.
You think you're groove
standing there in your wallpaper shoes
and your socks that match your eyes.
Back off Boogaloo
I said
back off Boogaloo.
Come on
back off Boogaloo.
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