Album: Ringo (1973)

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• When I was a little boy,
  Way back home in Liverpool,
  My mama told me, I was great.
  
  Then when I was a teenager,
  I knew that I had got something going,
  All my friends told me I was great.
  
  And now I'm a man,
  A woman took me by the hand,
  And you know what she told me, I was great.
  
  I was in the greatest show on earth,
  For what it was worth.
  Now I'm only thirty-two
  And all I want to do, is boogaloo!
  
  Hey!
  I looked in the mirror,
  I saw my wife and kids,
  And you know what they told me, I was great.
  
  Yes, my name is Billy Shears,
  You know it has been for so many years.
  Now I'm only thirty-two
  And all I want to do, is boogaloo!
  
  Hey, hey, hey, (hey, hey, hey) yeah!
  (hey, hey, hey)
  I'm the greatest and you better believe it, baby!
  Ho! Ho! Ho!
  I'm gonna be the greatest in this world, (ho!)
  In the next world and in any world! (hey!)
  
  Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright, alright,
  Alright, alright, alright, alright, alright, alright.
  
  Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, all right! Writer/s: JOHN LENNON
  Publisher: Downtown Music Publishing
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 7

• Rhayzza from Bayonne, NjI'm reading a book about Keith Moon and on his drums (pre-Who) were the words I Am The Greatest. Immediately I thought of this song, wondered if it was an inside joke and had to come look. I like to imagine all the band boys were friends.
• Michael from Kissimmee, FlI've often wondered if this song was another jab at Paul via John. After all, Paul wrote "With a Little Help From My Friends" and Boogaloo was Ringo's pet name for Paul. Also, the line about the wife and kids; at the time John's only son, Julian, was living in England with his mother. I think this song may be about Paul.
• Ken from Louisville, KyTo answer the question about Paul, this was during the time when he was prohibited from entering the U.S. because of a marijuana bust in England in 1972. Ringo and Richard Perry went to London for Paul's contribution to the "Ringo" album. John joked "I can't get out of the U.S. (because of his immigration battle), and Paul can't get in!" Paul was allowed to enter the U.S. the next year.
• Ken from Louisville, KyThe line-up on this song: John, George, Ringo, Billy Preston and Klaus Voorman, were to have been the line-up for the "mystery band" that was to record as "The Ladders" in 1970, until the idea was scrapped in favor of individual albums. George remembered this idea and 17 years later used it to form "The Traveling Wilburys", with all members performing under assumed names.
• Kevin from Reading , PaThere is a version of Lennon singing it on the "John Lennon Anthology" release. Same arrangement (probably the same backing track) Giving it to Ringo turned out to be a good idea, as the song works much better as a sort of novelty record for Ringo as opposed to a statement of ego from Lennon ("If there is such thing as a genius, then yes, I am one. Or something like that.)
• Chris from Charleston, ScThe closest thing to a Beatles Reunion. John on piano and vocals, Ringo on drums/singing, george on guitar....where the hell was Paul? Who cares.
• Ken from Louisville, KyThe story is that John was in a Los Angeles recording studio working on the song with Ringo (John played piano and sang backup), when producer Richard Perry got a phone call from George, asking if he could stop by (George was in LA at the time). Perry then asked John, and John said "Hell, yes! Tell him to get down here and help me finish this bridge!" George ended up playing guitar on the song.

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