A prolific songwriter, John Lennon seemed too big to fail by 1973. Having left The Beatles firmly established as one of his generation’s best pop music craftsmen, he then provided a more avant-garde outlook through his solo work. Alongside the Plastic Ono band, Lennon would create brand new and inspiring soundscapes for a post-pop generation no longer willing to listen to songs about long-lost loves and dancehall dalliances.
Whether he was exploring the myths of Oedipus and his own issues with his parentage in ‘Mother’ or simply demanding a better world with ‘Imagine’, it appeared as if nothing frightened Lennon when it came to songwriting. However, there was always one part of Lennon that would hold him back from fully exposing himself.
It’s true that, by 1973, Lennon had been placed under FBI investigation and, having endured the notable scares of Beatlemania, seemed to be more battle-hardened by fame than most. However, the one area that Lennon never felt strong enough to take on was his own reputation. It led to him writing a classic hit for Ringo Starr.
‘I’m The Greatest’ was a track inspired by the wondrous boxer and cultural icon Muhammad Ali. Famed for his notable hubris, Ali devastated his opponents with a series of lightning-quick jabs and powerful hooks, a collection of hits only matched by his impeccable wit and willingness to proclaim himself the victor before the bell had rung. Such a showman was obviously rich pickings for Lennon, who, with The Beatles, had previously met the celebrated sportsman.
With the boxer’s unique attitude as the basis for the song, Lennon set about writing a track that was deliberately meant to replicate his braggadocio attitude. However, upon finishing the tune, Lennon became worried that if he had taken it to the studio and released it onto the airwaves, the distinctive tongue-in-cheek tone he had added would not be recognised by an audience desperate to bring him down a peg or two.
“It’s the Muhammad Ali line, you know,” Lennon explained to David Sheff in his legendary interview from 1980. “I couldn’t sing it, but it was perfect for Ringo. He could say ‘I’m the greatest’ and people wouldn’t get upset. Whereas if I said ‘I’m the greatest,’ they’d all take it so seriously.”
Originally written by Lennon in 1970, the song would eventually end up on Ringo Starr’s 1973 album Ringo and feature three of The Beatles on the recording. Lennon would write some lyrics and contribute to the arrangement of the song, while George Harrison, who was in LA at the time, would also provide some guitar for the tune.
It’s not the only time Lennon has passed on a song to Ringo Starr. ‘Good Night’ from the 1968 self-titled album was another moment of Lennon passing his song to Starr. Lennon told David Sheff in 1980: “‘Good Night’ was written for Julian, the way ‘Beautiful Boy’ was written for Sean… but given to Ringo and possibly overlush.”
“Everybody thinks Paul wrote ‘Good Night’ for me to sing, but it was John who wrote it for me. He’s got a lot of soul, John has,” commented Starr. McCartney believed that the track may have tarnished Lennon’s rock and roll reputation: “I think John felt it might not be good for his image for him to sing it, but it was fabulous to hear him do it; he sang it great,” said Macca remembering one of the early sessions of the track back in 1964.
“We heard him sing it in order to teach it to Ringo, and he sang it very tenderly,” he added. “John rarely showed his tender side, but my key memories of John are when he was tender; that’s what has remained with me— those moments where he showed himself to be a very generous, loving person.”
Listen below to Ringo Starr singing the song John Lennon was to afraid to record for himself, ‘I’m The Greatest’.
