Who Wrote The Beatles Drum Parts?

[DougB]

Many people on this site have commented that Ringo Starr was recorded using a wide array of styles over the years.  I have found it quite challenging to play Beatle tunes because the drum parts vary considerably from song to song.  I know of at least one other drummer who says he stays away from some Beatle material because he has trouble reproducing Ringo's work.

So I was wondering - who wrote the drum parts on Beatle songs?  Writing duties for most of the music and lyrics were split between Paul and John, with occasional contributions by George and even Ringo.  Did Paul and John write the drum parts along with the other instrument parts?  Or did Ringo have a lot of influence and lattitude in developing the drum parts?  Could Sir George Martin have been involved in the studio as well?

[Chris Whitten]

I can't give you a definitive answer, but I'd guess it was a collaborative affair, with Ringo himself being the biggest creative force (percussively).
I know other members of the band sat behind the kit at times. Also, there are early versions of some of the recordings where you can hear the drum parts are very different from what ended up in the final mix.
The 'fab four' pretty much invented the recording process as creative laboritory along with Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys). Therefore I think they all worked on their parts and sounds over extended periods in the recording sessions.

[Jon E]

I'm sure there are plenty of tunes where John, Paul, or George might've said "Ringo, play something like "boom, bap, ding ding, boom whack'.  Simply because they felt the song they were writing needed a "specific" part.  But I bet Ringo just did what HE felt was best on the vast majority of tunes.  His part of the collaboration.

There are many 60's tunes that are very un-straightforward.  Just the era.

[equipmentdork]

It's been said that Paul suggested the "Ticket To Ride" drum pattern to Ringo.  Paul also played on "Back In The USSR", "Dear Prudence", and "The Ballad Of John And Yoko".


Dan

[Chris Whitten]

One interesting thing I noted once....
In the verses of 'Penny Lane' Ringo is merely laying down a snare backbeat, no bass drum or hi-hat I can hear.
This kind of thing works amazing on record, but doesn't translate too well for a live performance.
If you ever see him, Gregg Bissonette does a great analysis of Beatles drum parts.

[equipmentdork]

chrisso,
You sure you don't hear any kick?



Dan

[Chris Whitten]

You sure you don't hear any kick?

Not 100% sure.  ::)
All my CD's are in storage.
But that's what I remember. It may have only been the first verse or first part of a verse.
May have even been a different song, but you get the sentiment of my comment.  :P

[Christopher]

I have the tune here. No kick in the verses, just in the choruses and horn solo. But there is snare and hi-hat, not just snare.

Another example of sparse (yet cool) drumming in a Beatles song is "The Fool On The Hill", just what sounds like hi-hat stomps (1 + 3) and brushed snare or tambourine (8ths). No kick or snare but theres this strange sense that hes batting out two and four from the vibe that the other instruments involved are giving.

Im a big fan of their use of the tambourine in various songs. Off eighths, quarters and other patterns that lift things up in such a cool way.

If I had to bet, Id say that Paul had the most to do with influencing what Ringo played out of the three of them. His bass parts are woven in and out of the grooves so much, and he really was the one that established the "feel" on lots of their tunes. To me at least.

[equipmentdork]

I'm sorry, I misread the post.  He does leave the kick out of the verses. But I do think that Paul and Ringo were tremendously tight as a rhythm section.  Consider that the bass and drums were redone on "A Day In The Life" after the final take was cut.  Had I not read "The Beatles Recording Sessions" I would never have picked that out.


Dan

[Adam's Dad]

One of the cool aspects of Ringo's drumming is that he was relatively untrained, so he had no preconceived notion of "how it is supposed to be."  This approach gave the Beatles tunes many interesting and innovative drum parts.

BTW, I did see Greg Bissonette's "Ringo" clinic a while back and it was great.  He dissects about 10 Beatles tunes with a keen insight to Ringo's head.  

[Christopher]

This approach gave the Beatles tunes many interesting and innovative drum parts.

Big time.

The kick drum part with the hi-hat barks in the beginning of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" comes to mind. Or the groove in "Tomorrow Never Knows."

Seriously cool, original stuff.


Another tune that has a backbeat snare but no bass drum is "Girl" from Rubber Soul.

[DougB]

Big time.

The kick drum part with the hi-hat barks in the beginning of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" comes to mind. Or the groove in "Tomorrow Never Knows."

Seriously cool, original stuff.

I think a lot of the drum parts in Come Together (except for 4/4 measures in refrain) are very original.

I also think he drives a mean beat on Magical Mystery Tour.  And the song changes tempo a couple times.

What do you think Ringo's reaction was when he found out he didn't have a part in Eleanor Rigby?  The violins became part of the rhythm section in that song.

[Christopher]

What do you think Ringo's reaction was when he found out he didn't have a part in Eleanor Rigby?  

He seems like such a laid back guy that I'd guess he didn't have much to say, especially after hearing it.

I often wonder how they all worked together with all that incredible talent in one band. Imagine your bass player bringing in a song like "Yesterday" to rehearsal? Or your guitarist playing you "Something" for the first time.

The collective talent in that band is something that we're not likely to see again, at least in our lifetime.

[Chris Whitten]

I have the tune here. No kick in the verses, just in the choruses and horn solo. But there is snare and hi-hat, not just snare.

Thanks man. Not knowing was going to bug me all week. ;)

If I had to bet, Id say that Paul had the most to do with influencing what Ringo played out of the three of them.

Well Paul is a very accomplished drummer in his own right (witness the LP 'Band On The Run').
Regarding the other rhythmic variations....
Somehow the whole band and production team moved away from the standard pop format.
They were constantly badgering Martin and Emerick to break the EMI studio rules and let them use equipment reserved for other 'serious' artists. Both Lennon and McCartney were heavily interested in contemporary and avante garde classical music (and through George later, Indian classical music). Both John and Paul hung out with the leading avante garde fine artists and thinkers of the day.
An interesting gang.  :)

[Chris Whitten]

I often wonder how they all worked together with all that incredible talent in one band.

Seems like it was an incredibly competative atmosphere. Incidentally, something both Lennon and McCartney missed IMHO after The Beatles broke up.
There is quite a lot of documentary evidence about the recording sessions. It's obvious George got pretty peeved at the lack of respect his writing received at times (and in terms of album space).
I think they all got through it because they genuinely loved each other as brothers.....well most of the time.  :-\
I'm kind of anti bootlegs, but I couldn't resist going through some tapes a friend (and Beatle nut) had acquired. They document the recording process of some of the later and famous recordings. The early takes (or more likely 'taped rehearsals') sport VERY different drum parts....more obvious drum parts.

[DougB]

I often wonder how they all worked together with all that incredible talent in one band. Imagine your bass player bringing in a song like "Yesterday" to rehearsal? Or your guitarist playing you "Something" for the first time.

The collective talent in that band is something that we're not likely to see again, at least in our lifetime.

It is amazing to me that they stuck together for as long as they did.  They must have been able to keep their egos in line with each other.  The way they interacted - they were more like family to each other than anything else.  It will always be debated as to why they eventually broke up.  Many think it had to do with the women that eventually came into their lives.

I was always saddened that they never decided to regroup before Lennon was killed.

I also am saddened that most of their live recordings were ruined by excessive audience participation (screaming girls).  I've watched Paul McCartney in his Back in the USA tour and it is amazing to watch a guy with so much talent.  I can only dream of what it would be like to have all four still around to tour together now.

I agree that we will not see any band with that much talent any time soon.

[Christopher]

George got pretty peeved at the lack of respect his writing received at times

Coming at him from outside the band even.

Ive read that Frank Sinatra used to perform "Something" live and often prefaced it as the greatest love song ever written by Lennon/McCartney.

George was the Rodney Dangerfield of the Beatles, no respect.  :'(   ;)

[Christopher]

I was always saddened that they never decided to regroup before Lennon was killed.

Me too.

[chefdoug]

Coming at him from outside the band even.

Ive read that Frank Sinatra used to perform "Something" live and often prefaced it as the greatest love song ever written by Lennon/McCartney.

George was the Rodney Dangerfield of the Beatles, no respect.  :'(   ;)

 I agree, I am not a hardcore Beatles fan but more of a casual listener on and off. I find that I prefer the "Harrison penned" tunes overall, he seemingly had a bit of a different approach to songwriting than those...umm..other two guys. ;)

As far as Ringos drumming, I have always loved the drum parts in "A day in the life" the tom sounds are just amazing. Other Ringo stand-outs for me would be "Tomorrow never knows" and "she Said She Said" from Revolver, very creative and unique drumming.

[Mark Schlipper]

He seems like such a laid back guy that I'd guess he didn't have much to say, especially after hearing it.

I often wonder how they all worked together with all that incredible talent in one band. Imagine your bass player bringing in a song like "Yesterday" to rehearsal? Or your guitarist playing you "Something" for the first time.

If you havent seen the big 10+ hour A&E documentary, do.   It'll show you how guys like Ringo handled being in that situation.