I'm the Greatest
Ringo Starr
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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!
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13 facts about this song
Artist"I’m the Greatest" is a song by British musician Ringo Starr from his 1973 album "Ringo."
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The Beatles ConnectionThe song was written by John Lennon, a member of the Beatles, arguably the most influential band in the history of pop music.
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Other Beatles InvolvementOther members of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and George Harrison also performed on the track. This was a rare collaboration of the former Beatles members after their breakup.
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Autobiographical ContentLyrics of the song describe the fame and fortune of being a member of the Beatles. The lines "When I was a little boy, way back home in Liverpool…" look back on Ringo Starr's life before and after the Beatles.
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Performed during Lennon's "Lost WeekendLennon wrote the song during his "Lost Weekend" period, a time when he was separated from Yoko Ono and heavily involved in alcohol.
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Unique OpeningIt starts with Ringo Starr counting off the song, "1, 2, 3, 4" in a clear reference to the Beatles' song "I Saw Her Standing There."
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Album SuccessThe album "Ringo" was a commercial success, reaching #2 on both the Billboard 200 chart in the US and the UK Albums Chart in Britain.
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Lennon's OpinionJohn Lennon, who wrote the song, referred to it as a "comical" song and described his feelings saying, "I think it's a piece of art. But I think Ringo did a good job."
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Contextual LyricsLennon had originally written the song about himself, though some of the lyrics were changed to fit Starr's perspective and better context for him.
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Not a SingleDespite the huge collaboration of Beatles in "I'm the Greatest," the song was never released as a single.
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Notable LyricsThe opening line, "Yes, my name is Billy Shears", is a reference to the character Ringo Starr sang as in the Beatles song "With a Little Help From My Friends" from the "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" album.
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Musicians InvolvedAlongside Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and George Harrison, well-known musicians like Billy Preston on keyboards and Klaus Voormann on bass also played on the recording.
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Unique TrackIt is the only song on the "Ringo" album to feature three members of the Beatles, and is therefore seen as a semi-Beatles reunion.
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Citation
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"I'm the Greatest Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 30 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/3261894/Ringo+Starr/I%27m+the+Greatest>.
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