Ringo I Love You

Album: Girls in the Garage, Vol. 4 (1964)
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Songfacts®:

  • Released at the height of Beatlemania, this is a novelty song dedicated to Ringo Starr (real name: Richard Starkey), who was The Beatles' drummer. "Ringo, I love you yeah yeah yeah," it goes, referencing the Beatles' hit "She Loves You."
  • Bonnie Jo Mason is Cherilyn Sarkisyan, who went on to stardom as Cher. She was 18 years old in 1964 when "Ringo I Love You" was released as her first single. It tanked, but it wasn't long before she teamed up with Sonny Bono (professionally and romantically) and became a wildly popular entertainer. As Sonny & Cher, they had a #1 hit with "I Got You Babe" in 1965.
  • This was written by Vini Poncia and Pete Anders, and produced by Phil Spector, who also got a songwriting credit. Poncia and Anders were members of The Trade Winds, and in an odd twist, Poncia would later write songs with Ringo Starr when he recorded as a solo artist: "Devil Woman" and "Oh, My My" from the 1973 album Ringo were both Starr/Poncia collaborations. Poncia went on to produce Kiss.
  • Cher has a very deep voice, so some listeners thought it was a boy singing this song.
  • In a 2001 interview with Rock's Backpages, Cher recalled recording this song in Studio B at Gold Star Studios. "It was a stupid song," she said. "Sonny was always pushing Philip to record me, and that was Philip's 'OK, let's just get this over with' song."

Comments: 1

  • Daniel from Derby, United KingdomThe origins of the song can be found on, "The Annette Records Story", at http://theannetterecordsstory.blogspot.com
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