Ringo
Lorne Greene
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He lay face down in the desert sand Clutching his six-gun in his hand Shot from behind, I thought he was dead But under his heart was an ounce of lead But a spark still burned so I used my knife And late that night I saved the life of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) I nursed him till the danger passed The days went by, he mended fast Then from dawn till setting sun He practiced with that deadly gun And hour on hour I watched in awe No human being could match the draw of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) One day we rode the mountain crest And I went east and he went west I took to law and wore a star While he spread terror near and far With lead and blood he gained such fame All through the West they feared the name of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) I knew someday I'd face the test Which one of us would be the best And sure enough the word came down That he was holed up in the town I left the posse out in the street And I went in alone to meet Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) They said my speed was next to none But my lightning draw had just begun When I heard a blast that stung my wrist The gun went flying from my fist And I was looking down the bore Of the deadly .44 of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) They say that was the only time That anyone had seen him smile He slowly lowered his gun and then He said to me "We're even, friend" And so at last I understood That there was still a spark of good in Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) I blocked the path of his retreat He turned and stepped into the street A dozen guns spit fire and lead A moment later, he lay dead The town began to shout and cheer Nowhere was there shed a tear for Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) The story spread throughout the land That I had beaten Ringo's hand And it was just the years, they say That made me put my guns away But on his grave they can't explain The tarnished star above the name of Ringo (Ringo, Ringo) (Ringo, Ringo)
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Written by: Don Robertson, Hal Blair
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
10 facts about this song
Chart Success"Ringo" topped both the US Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary Chart in 1964.
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Genre ClassificationDespite Lorne Greene's acting career, the song couldn't really be categorized in the Country genre, as it relates to a Western tale.
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Vocal StyleGreene tells the story more than sings it, which is uniquely different from most mainstream tunes.
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Critic's PerceptionNamed by Billboard magazine, "Ringo" was the number one song of 1964, which was quite impressive considering it was out in a time of intense pop music competition.
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International RecognitionThe song also had international success, reaching the top of the charts in Canada and ranking in the top twenty in Australia.
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Media Exposure"Ringo" reached more audiences thanks to Greene's appearance in the TV series "Bonanza" as Ben Cartwright, which was popular during that time.
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Song ContentAlthough titled "Ringo," the narrative of the song does not relate to Ringo Starr or The Beatles, who were also at the peak of their careers when the song was released.
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Spoken Word StyleThe song "Ringo" is a prime example of the "spoken word" music genre, as Lorne Greene primarily speaks the lyrics rather than singing them.
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Vinyl ReleaseIn 1964, "Ringo" was released on vinyl, a popular music format during the 1960s.
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AwardsAlthough "Ringo" did not win any awards, it was recognized as one of the most successful spoken word songs of the 1960s.
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Citation
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"Ringo Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 21 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/5592685/Lorne+Greene/Ringo>.
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