HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

"It Don't Come Easy" is a song by the English rock musician
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 ...
that was released as a non-album single in April 1971. It was produced by Starr's former
Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
bandmate
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...
, who also helped write the song, although only Starr is credited. Recording for the track took place in March 1970 at
Trident Studios Trident Studios was a British recording facility, located at 17 St Anne's Court in London's Soho district between 1968 and 1981. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, drummer of the 1960s group the Hunters, and his brother Barry ...
in London, with overdubs added in October. Starr and Harrison performed the song together in August 1971 at Harrison's Concert for Bangladesh shows in New York City, a recording from which was released on the live album of the same name. Starr has continued to perform it in subsequent decades with his All-Starr Band. Apart from in North America, where "
Beaucoups of Blues ''Beaucoups of Blues'' is the second studio album by the musician and former The Beatles, Beatle Ringo Starr. It was released in September 1970, five months after his debut solo album, ''Sentimental Journey (Ringo Starr album), Sentimental Journ ...
" had been a single in October 1970, "It Don't Come Easy" was Starr's first single release since the
break-up of the Beatles The Beatles were an English rock band, active from 1960 until 1970. From 1962 onwards, the band's members were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their break-up is attributed to numerous factors, including the 1967 d ...
. Heavily promoted by
Apple Records Apple Records is a British 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 inclu ...
, the song was a commercial success, peaking at number 1 in Canada and number 4 on singles charts in the UK and the US. It was critically well received on release and remains one of his most popular hits as a solo artist.


Background and composition

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 ...
began writing "It Don't Come Easy" in late 1968, having recently completed his first composition, " Don't Pass Me By". When referring to his early songwriting efforts in a 2003 interview, he described himself as "great at writing two verses and a chorus" but often unable to develop the ideas further. Although Starr received sole writing credit for "It Don't Come Easy",
Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
historian Bruce Spizer writes that he had "substantial, but uncredited, assistance" from his bandmate
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...
. In author Robert Rodriguez's description, the official songwriting credit was long thought to be "bogus" and, notwithstanding Starr's involvement, a sign of Harrison's "great generosity" in wanting to help the drummer establish himself independently of the Beatles. The song's original title was "You Gotta Pay Your Dues". Starr completed it as the Beatles were heading towards disbandment in early 1970, following
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 ...
's unpublicised decision to leave the group in September 1969. Starr said that in trying to find a song that would establish his identity at this time, he had to "combat... the original image of me as the downtrodden drummer", adding, "You don't know how hard it is to fight that." In journalist Bob Woffinden's view, as "It Don't Come Easy", the title alone " etrayeda wealth of information" about Starr's feelings of vulnerability while the other Beatles, as proven songwriters, could each look to further their achievements outside the band. In its completed form, the song opens and closes with a lead guitar riff. Music historian Andrew Grant Jackson describes the lyrics as "Starr's exhortation to stay resilient in the face of hardship", and he views the reference to paying "your dues" as an apt image, given Starr's health issues as a child and limited education. In Rodriguez's view, the song was most likely inspired by "a Ringo-ism or two", but the guitar riff, "quasi-philosophical" lyrics and other musical details make it a typical Harrison composition from the period. Starr subsequently acknowledged that Harrison helped write "It Don't Come Easy".. He discussed the song's creation during his appearance on ''
VH1 Storytellers ''Storytellers'' is a television music series produced by the VH1 network. In each episode, artists perform in front of a (mostly small and intimate) live audience, and tell stories about their music, writing experiences and memories, somewhat ...
'' in 1998. Starr said: "I wrote this song with the one and only George Harrison." He went on to say that Harrison suggested the last verse be about God. When Starr protested, Harrison suggested Hare Krishna. Starr protested again, and Harrison suggested "peace" as a topic, and they settled on that.


Recording history


Early takes

Starr first recorded the new composition during the sessions for '' Sentimental Journey''. The latter project was an album of pre-rock 'n' roll
standards Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object t ...
that he undertook to keep active following Lennon's departure, and to please his mother. Recording for the song began during an all-night session on 18 February 1970 at EMI Studios (now
Abbey Road Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, London, Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of ...
), with
George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the Beatle ...
producing. The studio log listed the track as "You Gotta Pay Your Dues". Harrison played acoustic guitar and directed the other musicians – namely Starr (on drums),
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) and
Stephen Stills Stephen Arthur Stills (born January 3, 1945) is an American musician, singer, and songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Crosby, Stills & Nash; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; and Manassas (band ...
(piano). They taped 20 takes of the basic track. Starr added a vocal to the take selected as best and Harrison two electric guitar parts, and by 4.40am the recording had been mixed. On 19 February, after final overdubs were carried out on " Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" during an afternoon session at EMI, recording resumed on "You Gotta Pay Your Dues", with Starr adding another lead vocal. Harrison was not present that evening, although
Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English Rock music, rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s l ...
may have been involved. During the session, Starr decided to remake the song; ten further takes were required to achieve a new basic track. Take 30 was labelled "best" and onto this take were added two bass parts. This version was also discarded, however, since Starr again decided to remake the song.


Official version


March 1970 recording

Recording for the third version of "It Don't Come Easy" began at
Trident Studios Trident Studios was a British recording facility, located at 17 St Anne's Court in London's Soho district between 1968 and 1981. It was constructed in 1967 by Norman Sheffield, drummer of the 1960s group the Hunters, and his brother Barry ...
on 8 March 1970, two days after Starr had completed work on ''Sentimental Journey''. Harrison produced the sessions and played guitar. According to author
Bill Harry William Harry (born 17 September 1938) is the creator of ''Mersey Beat'', a newspaper of the early 1960s which focused on the Liverpool music scene. Harry had previously started various magazines and newspapers, such as ''Biped'' and ''Premier ...
, Voormann and Stills again contributed on bass and piano, while the other participants included Mal Evans (on tambourine) and Ron Cattermole (saxophone, trumpet). Overdubs were added to the new basic track on 11 March, again at Trident. When news of the sessions reached the press that month, Apple insisted that there were "absolutely no plans for the record to be released as a single at the present time". Following the Beatles' break-up in April, Starr played drums on Harrison's ''
All Things Must Pass ''All Things Must Pass'' is the third studio album by George Harrison. Released as a triple album in November 1970, it was Harrison's first solo work after Break-up of the Beatles, the break-up of the Beatles in April that year. It includes th ...
'' album, a project that led to Starr recording a country album, ''
Beaucoups of Blues ''Beaucoups of Blues'' is the second studio album by the musician and former The Beatles, Beatle Ringo Starr. It was released in September 1970, five months after his debut solo album, ''Sentimental Journey (Ringo Starr album), Sentimental Journ ...
'', in Nashville. Despite these and other musical activities, Starr admitted to feeling "absolutely lost" with regard to his future outside the Beatles. According to Mike Gibbins of the Apple band
Badfinger Badfinger were a Welsh rock music, rock band formed in Swansea in 1961. Their best-known lineup consisted of Pete Ham (guitar), Mike Gibbins (drums), Tom Evans (musician), Tom Evans (bass), and Joey Molland (guitar). They are recognised for th ...
, Harrison offered "It Don't Come Easy" to Badfinger, but they did not take up the offer.


October 1970 overdubs

Work on the song resumed in October 1970, when Starr was otherwise contributing to Lennon's ''
Plastic Ono Band The Plastic Ono Band was a rock band and Fluxus-based artist collective''John & Yoko/Plastic Ono Band'' book by Yoko Ono and John Lennon, published by Thames & Hudson Ltd, October 2020, pp. 17-19 formed by John Lennon and Yoko Ono in 1968-9 fo ...
'' album and Harrison was completing ''All Things Must Pass''. Starr recorded his lead vocal at this time. Former Trident engineer Ken Scott recalls that Harrison first sang a guide vocal to help Starr with the phrasing. Other overdubs included backing vocals by Badfinger's
Pete Ham Peter William Ham (27 April 1947 – 24 April 1975) was a Welsh singer, songwriter and guitarist best known as a lead vocalist of and composer for the 1970s rock band Badfinger, whose hit songs include "No Matter What (Badfinger song), No Matte ...
and Tom Evans, and a new piano part, played by
Gary Wright Gary Malcolm Wright (April 26, 1943 – September 4, 2023) was an American musician and composer best known for his 1976 hit songs " Dream Weaver" and " Love Is Alive". Wright's breakthrough album, '' The Dream Weaver'' (1975), came after he h ...
. Also added in October was a
horn section A horn section is a group of musicians playing horns. In an orchestra or concert band, it refers to the musicians who play the "French" horn, and in a British-style brass band it is the tenor horn players. In many popular music genres, the term ...
, which, further to Harrison's use of horns on the Beatles' 1968 track "
Savoy Truffle "Savoy Truffle" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1968 album ''The Beatles'' (also known as "the White Album"). The song was written by George Harrison and inspired by his friend Eric Clapton's fondness for chocolate. The ...
", was a staple of his 1970s productions. Another familiar Harrison device was the
Leslie speaker The Leslie speaker is a combined amplifier and loudspeaker that projects the signal from an electric or electronic instrument and modifies the sound by rotating a baffle chamber ("drum") in front of the loudspeakers. A similar effect is provided ...
effect on his lead guitar part, particularly in the song's intro. In a 2002 interview,
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 ...
said he added
maraca A maraca ( , , ), sometimes called shaker or chac-chac, is a rattle which appears in many genres of Caribbean and Latin music. It is shaken by a handle and usually played as part of a pair. Maracas, also known as tamaracas, were rattles of d ...
s to the finished recording, at Trident, having arrived in London in February 1971 to escape the Los Angeles earthquake. Referring to the arrangement on the completed track, author Alan Clayson highlights the combination of an opening "fizz of cymbal", Harrison's "clanging guitar
arpeggio An arpeggio () is a type of Chord (music), chord in which the Musical note, notes that compose a chord are individually sounded in a progressive rising or descending order. Arpeggios on keyboard instruments may be called rolled chords. Arpe ...
s", the "fat gusto" horns, Evans' tambourine supporting the "moderato punch" of the Starr–Voormann
rhythm section A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band. The rhythm ...
, and "gospel-esque" backing vocals. An early mix from the sessions has appeared on bootlegs, featuring Harrison on lead vocal. While the instrumentation is almost identical to the released version, during the guitar break Ham and Tom Evans shout the line "Hare Krishna!" This was retained in the official release, but buried in the mix. Following the guitar solo, there is a repeat of the song's opening guitar phrase, although this section was subsequently edited out.


Release and reception

Apple Records Apple Records is a British 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 inclu ...
issued "It Don't Come Easy", backed with " Early 1970", as a single on 9 April 1971 in the United Kingdom, with the catalogue number Apple R5898. It was released on 16 April in the United States as Apple 1831. After Starr's forays into standards and country music with his two 1970 albums, it was his first rock record as a solo artist. Although "
Beaucoups of Blues ''Beaucoups of Blues'' is the second studio album by the musician and former The Beatles, Beatle Ringo Starr. It was released in September 1970, five months after his debut solo album, ''Sentimental Journey (Ringo Starr album), Sentimental Journ ...
" had been issued as a single in the US and some other markets, "It Don't Come Easy" was Starr's debut single in the UK and most other countries. The ''
NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming and culture website, bimonthly magazine, and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a "Rock music, rock inkie", the ''NME'' would be ...
''s Alan Smith described the song as "undoubtedly one of the best, thumpin'est things the Starr man has ever done", with a "very strong hook" and, thanks to Harrison, a "fat, pumping backing full of guts and stuff". Smith was critical of Starr's vocal, but concluded: "on the credit side we have an inventive mind and a dry wit coming more and more into play with better songs. One day he may even write a masterpiece." ''
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 ...
''s reviewer admired the single as Starr's "most commercial solo effort" yet and said that "Potent Top 40 rock material and vocal workout has it to take him all the way." ''
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 ...
'' described the song as "stunning and delightful". ''
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 Starr "has found his groove with this one." Peter Jones of ''
Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper published between 1954 and 1991, aimed at pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after ''New Musical Express'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK Album ...
'' praised the guitars and drums, and predicted an "easy" top-five hit. He wrote that "At first hearing, it didn't mean much – but it has a built-in grow-on-you appeal." The single was heavily promoted by Apple. It peaked at number 4 on the UK Singles Chart and number 5 on ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...
''s national chart. In the US, the song reached number 4 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and topped the charts compiled by ''
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 ...
'' (for one week) and ''
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 ...
''. It was also number 1 on the ''RPM'' 100 in Canada and a top-five hit in many other countries around the world. Starr's single outsold those released by his former bandmates around this time: Lennon's " Power to the People",
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained global fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and the piano, and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John ...
's " Another Day" and Harrison's " Bangla Desh". Fans' attention was also drawn to the B-side, to which Lennon and Harrison had contributed, as Starr offered his view of how likely each of the other ex-Beatles was to make music with him again. The single was certified
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
on 3 August, signifying US sales of 1 million. The assuredness and commercial success of "It Don't Come Easy" came as a surprise to commentators who had written off Starr's potential as a solo artist. Author Peter Doggett writes that with Harrison's " My Sweet Lord" easily outselling any of the former bandmates' singles in the year after their break-up, Starr's achievement was similarly part of a "decisive shift in power" and encouraged speculation that competition between the four solo artists could inspire "the quartet to new creative heights". In an interview with ''Melody Maker'' that summer, Starr said he hoped to record a full album in the "poppy" style of "It Don't Come Easy" once he had completed filming his role in the
Spaghetti Western The spaghetti Western is a broad subgenre of Western films produced in Europe. It emerged in the mid-1960s in the wake of Sergio Leone's filmmaking style and international box-office success. The term was used by foreign critics because most o ...
'' Blindman''. Although he recorded a follow-up single with Harrison, " Back Off Boogaloo", Starr avoided committing to a new album project for two years, and instead took on further film roles. The 22 April 1971 edition of the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
TV show ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...
'' showed the promotional film for the song, prepared by Apple. On 27 April, Starr was in Norway to shoot another promo clip for "It Don't Come Easy", which was broadcast two days later on ''Top of the Pops''. Starr was filmed performing the song live in Stockholm on 24 June backed by an orchestra, for the BBC TV show ''Cilla'', which aired on 27 November. Further to his breakthrough as a solo artist, Starr's public profile was lifted by the formation of the first fan club devoted to him, and he was voted Top Drummer in the ''NME'' readers' poll for 1971.


Performance at the Concert for Bangladesh

Backed by Harrison and a large band that included Voormann, Keltner and Badfinger, Starr performed "It Don't Come Easy" as his vocal turn at the two Concert for Bangladesh shows, held at
Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as the Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh and Eighth Avenue (Manhattan), Eig ...
in New York on 1 August 1971. Starr had been among the first musicians to respond when Harrison began organising the event, and extricated himself from his filming commitments in Spain for ''Blindman''. The shows marked the first time that two Beatles had shared a concert stage in the US since the band quit touring in August 1966, and they were also Starr's first public concert performances since that time. Starr forgot some of the words to the song. According to Beatles biographer
Nicholas Schaffner Nicholas Schaffner (January 28, 1953 – August 28, 1991) was an American non-fiction author, journalist, and singer-songwriter. Biography Schaffner was born in Manhattan to John V. Schaffner (1913–1983), a literary agent whose clients includ ...
, he nevertheless "received the show's biggest ovation" for his turn in the spotlight. The evening performance of "It Don't Come Easy" was included on the '' Concert for Bangladesh'' triple album and in the 1972 Apple Films documentary film of the same name. A ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. The magazine was first known fo ...
'' writer commented that "Seeing Ringo Starr drumming and singing on stage has a joy in it that is one of the happiest feelings on earth still." In his album review for the same publication,
Jon Landau Jon Landau (born May 14, 1947) is an American music critic, manager, and record producer. He has worked with Bruce Springsteen. He is the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and received that institution's Ahme ...
approved of the decision to retain Starr's live vocal, saying that his idiosyncratic delivery and "tremendous good-nature and humor" added to the authenticity of the concert. Writing in ''
The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first Alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, ...
'' soon after attending the event, critic
Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and later became a ...
conceded his favouritism towards Starr when ruing how Harrison, at the front of the stage, blocked his view of the drummer dressed in "grand ole black-on-black" as he sang "It Don't Come Easy". Christgau described Starr's demeanour during the performance as "brimming with quiet happiness, as if after eight years he still couldn't quite believe his own good fortune"; he cited this deferential quality as the reason why "unlike the others he remains immune to the vagaries of our affection. Ringo is our representative on the Beatles."


Subsequent releases and other live versions

The studio version of the song remained unavailable on an LP until the release of Starr's 1975 Apple greatest hits compilation, ''
Blast from Your Past ''Blast from Your Past'' is a compilation album by English rock musician Ringo Starr, released on Apple Records in 1975. It is both Starr's first compilation LP and his final release under his contract with EMI. It was also the last album to b ...
''. It was also heard in the 1978
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
-TV special ''Ringo''. Although Starr recorded new versions of several songs for the special, the released recording of "It Don't Come Easy" was used. According to author Andrew Grant Jackson, "It Don't Come Easy" became the artist's "signature single"; Nick DeRiso of '' Ultimate Classic Rock'' describes it as "a kind of theme song for Starr". Starr's re-recording of "Back Off Boogaloo" for his 1981 album '' Stop and Smell the Roses'' references the song, along with several Beatles tracks, by reprising Harrison's opening guitar riff. On 12 March 1984, EMI released a UK single pairing "It Don't Come Easy" and "Back Off Boogaloo" as part of the company's Golden 45s series. Starr has frequently performed "It Don't Come Easy" in concert with his All-Starr Band. He included it in the set list for his July–September 1989 American tour, and a performance of the song opens the 1990 album '' Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band'' and the 2001 live compilation '' The Anthology... So Far''. It was also included on a bonus 5-inch CD single issued with the US limited edition deluxe CD version of ''Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band''. Recorded at The Bottom Line in New York in May 1998, his live version for ''VH1 Storytellers'' appeared on the album and video releases from the programme. In 1991, "It Don't Come Easy" was added as a bonus track on the CD version of '' Ringo'', along with "Early 1970" and " Down and Out". Starr's song "Don't Go Where the Road Don't Go", from his 1992 album '' Time Takes Time'', includes an 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''". Similarly, his 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''".


Covers and appearances

The song was the opening theme of the 1973-1975 ABC late night talk show ''Good Night, America'' hosted by
Geraldo Rivera Geraldo Rivera (born Gerald Rivera; July 4, 1943) is an American journalist, attorney, author, and political commentator who worked at the Fox News Channel from 2001 to 2023. He hosted the tabloid talk show '' Geraldo'' from 1987 to 1998. He g ...
. In 1987, a cover version of "It Don't Come Easy" was used in a commercial for
7-Eleven 7-Eleven, Inc. is an American convenience store chain, headquartered in Irving, Texas. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seven-Eleven Japan, which in turn is owned by the retail holdings company Seven & I Holdings. The chain was founde ...
using the slogan "Where the good things come easy". In 1991, along with a guest appearance by Starr, the song was featured in ''
The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening, James L. Brooks and Sam Simon for the Fox Broadcasting Company. It is a Satire (film and television), satirical depiction of American life ...
'' episode " Brush with Greatness". The song is used as inspirational background music for a montage of
Marge Simpson Marjorie Jacqueline "Marge" Simpson () is a character in the American animated sitcom ''The Simpsons'' and part of the eponymous family (The Simpsons). Voiced by Julie Kavner, she first appeared on television in '' The Tracey Ullman Show'' s ...
painting a portrait of Mr. Burns. On her 2010 release '' Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook'', Bettye LaVette included a slowed down bluesy version of the song. The song was covered by the American band
the Smithereens The Smithereens are an American rock music, rock band from Carteret, New Jersey. The group formed in 1980 with members Pat DiNizio lead vocals, (vocals and guitar), Jim Babjak (guitar and backing vocals, vocals), Mike Mesaros (bass guitar and bac ...
on their album of rarities, ''Attack of the Smithereens''. A cover is featured in the 2014 film '' The Identical''. Morse/ Portnoy/George released this as their second single from their 2020 covers album ''Cov3r to Cov3r'' on 19 June 2020. In 2020,
Peter Frampton Peter Kenneth Frampton (born 22 April 1950) is an English-American guitarist, singer, and songwriter who rose to prominence as a member of the rock bands the Herd and Humble Pie. Later in his career, Frampton found significant success as a s ...
covered it to celebrate Starr's 80th birthday.


Personnel

According to Bruce Spizer, the following musicians played on the released version of "It Don't Come Easy": *
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 ...
– vocals, drums *
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician, singer and songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Culture ...
– guitars *
Gary Wright Gary Malcolm Wright (April 26, 1943 – September 4, 2023) was an American musician and composer best known for his 1976 hit songs " Dream Weaver" and " Love Is Alive". Wright's breakthrough album, '' The Dream Weaver'' (1975), came after he h ...
– 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 *unknown session musicians – horns * Mal Evans – tambourine *
Pete Ham Peter William Ham (27 April 1947 – 24 April 1975) was a Welsh singer, songwriter and guitarist best known as a lead vocalist of and composer for the 1970s rock band Badfinger, whose hit songs include "No Matter What (Badfinger song), No Matte ...
, Tom Evans – backing vocals * Ken Scott - engineer


Chart performance


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


Notes


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* *


External links

* {{authority control 1971 songs 1971 singles Ringo Starr songs Apple Records singles Songs written by Ringo Starr Songs written by George Harrison Song recordings produced by George Harrison Music published by Startling Music Cashbox number-one singles RPM Top Singles number-one singles