Tuesday, June 17, 2014

40 Year Itch : Feeling Like a Bohunk

Ringo ( on far right in shadows) and John in 1974

     On June 17, 1974 Ringo Starr called John Lennon to ask his Beatle buddy for a new song for the follow-up to the platinum best-seller Ringo. The result is the title track "Goodnight Vienna", English slang for "It's All Over". 

    At the time Lennon was wrapping up production on Harry Nilsson's Pussy Cats. Lennon recorded a demo and vocal guide of the tune with Ringo on drums and tambourine. Jesse Ed Davis plays guitar on the demo which can be found on the John Lennon Anthology. Ringo's version,  "It's All Down to Goodnight Vienna", begins with Lennon's countdown and features Billy Preston on clavinet. It  reached number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. Lennon was the only Beatle to contribute to the Goodnight Vienna album.

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