"(It's All Down to) Goodnight Vienna" is a song written by

John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer-songwriter, musician and activist. He gained global fame as the founder, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles. Lennon's ...

, and released by

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, us ...

as the opening title track to his 1974 album ''

Goodnight Vienna ''Goodnight Vienna'' is the fourth studio album by Ringo Starr. It was recorded in the summer of 1974 in Los Angeles, and released later that year. ''Goodnight Vienna'' followed the commercially successful predecessor ''Ringo (album), Ringo'', a ...

''. A brief reprise (in which Ringo thanks the band and addresses the listener) closes the album. Released as the third single, this version is a medley combination of the two. The single was released in the US on 2 June 1975. The title song features Lennon on opening count-in and piano, and

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer, and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, backing Little Richa ...

clavinet The Clavinet is an electric clavichord invented by Ernst Zacharias and manufactured by the Hohner company of Trossingen, West Germany, from 1964 to 1982. The instrument produces sounds with rubber pads, each matching one of the keys and respond ...

; and the reprise features Lennon's intro, 'OK, with gusto, boys, with gusto!'.

Composition and Lyrics

Written during Lennon's so-called "Lost Weekend" with May Pang, the lyrics depict the pair hanging out with cohorts (including Starr,

Harry Nilsson Harry Edward Nilsson III (June 15, 1941 – January 15, 1994), sometimes credited as Nilsson, was an American singer-songwriter who reached the peak of his success in the early 1970s. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal overdub experi ...

and

Keith Moon Keith John Moon (23 August 1946 – 7 September 1978) was an English musician who was the drummer for the rock band the Who. Regarded as one of the greatest drummers in the history of rock music, he was noted for his unique style of playing and ...

) in Los Angeles. The term "Goodnight Vienna" is English slang meaning "it's all over", and the slang term " bohunk" is a mildly derogatory term for an immigrant of

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

n descent. This was the second of five Lennon songs to be offered for inclusion on Starr's solo albums, (the others being "

I'm the Greatest "I'm the Greatest" is a song written by the English musician John Lennon that was released as the opening track of the 1973 album '' Ringo'' by Ringo Starr. With Starr, Lennon and George Harrison appearing on the track, it marks the only time ...

" from '' Ringo'', " Cookin' (in the Kitchen of Love)" from '' Ringo's Rotogravure'', and two unreleased songs intended for '' Stop and Smell the Roses'').

Personnel

– lead vocals, drums *

– piano *

Klaus Voormann Klaus Otto Wilhelm Voormann (born 29 April 1938) is a German graphic artist, artist, musician, and record producer. Voormann was the bassist for Manfred Mann from 1966 to 1969, and performed as a session musician on a host of recordings, includ ...

– bass *

Jim Keltner James Lee Keltner (born April 27, 1942) is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session work. He was characterized by Bob Dylan biographer Howard Sounes as "the leading session drummer in America". Howard Sounes. ''Do ...

– drums * Lon Van Eaton – guitar *

Jesse Ed Davis Jesse Edwin Davis III (September 21, 1944 – June 22, 1988) was a Native American guitarist. He was well regarded as a session artist and solo performer, was a member of Taj Mahal's backing band and played with musicians such as Bob Dylan, Eri ...

– guitar *

–

* Carl Fortina –

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...

Reception

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' called "(It's All Down to) Goodnight Vienna" a "good, upbeat sing-along type song," saying that the lyrics were "fun" and the instrumentals were "strong." ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', is an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an online ...

'' called it a "rousing rocker by Mr Lennon, with super rhythm, piano, and . . accordion tracks!" adding that "those lyrics are the best." ''

Record World ''Record World'' magazine was one of three major weekly music industry trade magazines in the United States, with ''Billboard'' and '' Cashbox''. It was founded in 1946 as ''Music Vendor''. In 1964, it was changed to ''Record World'' under the ...

'' said that "Recalling his more rock 'n rollin' hits of the past, this John Lennon tune should give Ringo his third straight top 10 from 'Goodnight Vienna''" ''Billboard'' also reviewed the B-side of the single, "Oo-Wee", calling it a "strong, rhythm oriented song...with some good horn riffs and an interesting piano solo." ''Cash Box'' called "Oo-Wee" "equally strong for programming" as "(It's All Down to) Goodnight Vienna."

Chart history

References

; Footnotes ; Citations Ringo Starr songs Apple Records singles 1975 singles Songs written by John Lennon Song recordings produced by Richard Perry 1974 songs {{Beatles-song-stub