On this day (July 17) in 1969, Ringo Starr stepped into the recording booth at EMI Studio in London to record the vocals for “Octopus’s Garden” for the 1969 album Abbey Road. It was one of only two songs Starr wrote for the Beatles. Additionally, it was the last of only a handful of songs on which he sang lead vocals.
On paper, Starr didn’t have much creative input into the Beatles’ music. He only wrote two songs for the band, “Don’t Pass Me By” and “Octopus’s Garden.” Additionally, he only sang lead on a handful of songs across the band’s discography, including “Act Naturally” and “Yellow Submarine.” This was the final song released by the band to feature him on lead vocals.
Ringo Starr Wrote “Octopus’s Garden” While on Hiatus from the Beatles
The Beatles were barely holding things together while recording their self-titled album. Ringo Starr took a two-week hiatus from the band during the White Album sessions. According to Songfacts, Starr went on a boating trip in Sardinia with his family. While on the water, the boat’s captain offered the drummer a lunch of octopus, but he declined.
While eating octopus didn’t appeal to Starr, the life of the creatures described by the captain did. He explained how octopuses would scour the sea floor for stones and shiny objects to build gardens. This made Starr imagine living a tranquil life inside one of those underwater gardens. It was the antithesis of the life he was living as a member of the Beatles.
George Harrison rearranged the chord progression and helped Starr finish writing “Octopus’s Garden.” However, he did not take a writing credit on the song. Starr received sole writing credit under his real name, Richard Starkey.
Since the Beatles parted ways, Starr has released 21 solo albums on which he sings and writes many of the songs. His latest, Look Up, was his second foray into the world of country music.
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