Sir Ringo Starr received an unexpected message from John Lennon from beyond the grave on a long-lost demo recorded shortly before the Imagine singer’s death, he has revealed.
Starr has teamed up with Sir Paul McCartney, to record a new version of Grow Old With Me, written by their Beatles bandmate during the sessions for his last album, Double Fantasy. It was the final record Lennon made before he was shot dead on 8 December 1980.
The drummer says he only learned of the demo and Lennon’s personal message years later which led him to record the song himself.
ADVERTISEMENT
Read more: Sir Paul McCartney thanks school friend Peter Sissons for ‘the good times’ after newsreader’s death
The 79-year-old was introduced to the song by Double Fantasy producer Jack Douglas. Starr told the BBC: “I’d never heard about this track and I bumped into the producer, Jack Douglas. He said ‘Did you ever hear the John cassette?’.
“(I said) ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ He said ‘I’ll get you a copy.’ It says on the beginning ‘This will be great for you, Ringo.’ And so I said ‘I’m going to do the track.’”
The Beatles showing their MBE Insignias in forecourt after receiving them from the Queen. L-R Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
The Beatles showing their MBE Insignias in forecourt after receiving them from the Queen. L-R Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison.
On what Lennon would’ve made of it, Starr added: “He’d have loved it.”
Starr enlisted the help of 77-year-old McCartney to play bass on the track, which he previously admitted had brought him to tears when he first heard it.
Leave a Reply