First off- my qualification as a Beatles fan.
If you were to rifle through my album collection in the day you would find an attempt at the eclectic- Aerosmith, Jim Croce, Aerosmith, The Spinners, Aerosmith, and Earth Wind and Fire. Not terribly impressive, and not a Beatle album on the shelf.
As many, I recently watched Peter Jackson’s take on The Beatles in the documentary ‘Get Back.’ Fan or not, it is footage that amazes, conjures curiosity, while it also burys a few myths. (Yoko never said a word:))
In the midst of the sometimes boisterous personalities of George, Paul, and John- Ringo is the one who stood out to me the loudest- by being the most quiet. He appeared to be a man who knew exactly what he was doing by being quiet, dutiful, and focused. It wasn’t shyness. He, being the last member to join the Fab Four, inserted his ‘old soul’ demeanor that in my opinion got them through the fews weeks they had to prepare for their finale.
His physical presence- elevated above the other, was a perch that called for responsibility. From it, he literally and emotionally kept the beat going as the group pushed lyrics and tone through the smallest of cracks, surfacing finally in soaring and freeing songs. During rehearsal breaks in the recording room- he is looking at the reaction of others to what they are hearing, while not talking. He would subtly remind all at moments that he was present, with a funny kwip or communal drag from the endless string of cigarettes that traversed the studio like white submarines.
A most memorable moment was one in which the closest two of the bunch, Paul and John, were having a British ‘row’. The clock was ticking and they only had four songs completed, with a goal of double digits. Ringo does not act preoccupied as they squabble, he just watches, straight face, not judging. At one point then he slinks from his drum kit and quietly, deliberately, comes to stand closer to them. Not over them, just closer. Paul and John know he’s there, and as if the letters that spell ‘let it be’ were falling one by one from the ceiling into their laps, that’s the short time it took for them to reconcile.
The documentary is an extraordinary look at art. It is hard work. And sometimes the one who seems least artistic is the one who is actually leading.
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