Ringo Starr explained the origin of his song Octopus’s Garden on Thursday on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
The 81-year-old Beatles drummer was asked about his 1969 song that he wrote and sang while promoting his new book Lifted on the ABC talk show.
‘On the White Album, I left the band. And I left the band because I didn’t think I was being part of it, I was playing great,’ Ringo explained.
Gardening mollusk: Ringo Starr explained the origin of his song Octopus’s Garden on Thursday on Jimmy Kimmel Live
Ringo said he knocked on the door of the late John Lennon and told him he felt left out because the other three band members were so close.
‘And he goes, ”I thought it was you three”,’ Ringo recalled.
He said he then went to Paul McCartney to tell him that he wasn’t feeling like part of the band.
‘I said, ”You three are really close.” He said, ”I thought it was you three”,’ Ringo continued prompting laughter from the audience.
New book: The 81-year-old Beatles drummer was asked about his 1969 song while promoting his new book Lifted on the ABC talk show
‘So I flew to Sardinia. I said I’m getting out of here, went to Sardinia. I worked with Peter Sellers and his boat was there, so he lent us his boat,’ Ringo said adding that he was in Sardinia with his ex-wife Maureen Cox and their two young children.
‘Two things happened. One was the nanny we had with us was carrying Jason, a little kid, …we were just climbing over rocks. Then she stopped and said, ”Take the baby.” What? Take the baby? She said, ”Take the baby.” So I took my son,’ Ringo said.
‘And I said, ”What’s going on?” There was an octopus wrapped around her leg. I would have thrown that kid a mile,’ Ringo said eliciting more laughter from the audience.
Left band: ‘On the White Album, I left the band. And I left the band because I didn’t think I was being part of it, I was playing great,’ Ringo explained
‘But also we went and had lunch on Pete’s boat. And they gave us some fish and chips. And they gave us, what the hell’s this. It was octopus and chips,’ Ringo said.
He said they finished lunch and he decided to relax.
‘In those days, you know, it was freedom when you were in Sardinia to smoke dope. And I’d gotten into a really great mood, and the weather was great,’ Ringo said.
Sardinia trip: Two things happened in Sardinia that sparked the creation of Octopus’s Garden
The captain came out and realized they didn’t want his octopus.
‘And he said, ‘You know what octopus do? They find, on the ocean bed, pretty rocks and tins, actually, that are being thrown from the boats. They put like a garden around them.” Well, when you’re stoned, that’s the best idea I’ve ever heard in my life,’ Ringo said.
Ringo said he had his guitar and started creating the song in three chords.
Best idea: ‘And he said, ‘You know what octopus do? They find, on the ocean bed, pretty rocks and tins, actually, that are being thrown from the boats. They put like a garden around them.” Well, when you’re stoned, that’s the best idea I’ve ever heard in my life,’ Ringo said
‘Anyway, that’s how it ended up being “Octopus’s Garden.” At that moment I’d love to be under the sea with an octopus, you know,’ he said.
Jimmy also shared a photo of Ringo with his wife Barbara, her sister Marjorie and brother-in-law Joe Walsh at the Super Bowl in Los Angeles with all of them wearing Los Angeles Rams gear.
‘The Rams are your team?,’ Jimmy asked.
Rams fans: Jimmy also shared a photo of Ringo with his wife Barbara, sister Marjorie and brother-in-law Joe Walsh at the Super Bowl in Los Angeles with all of them wearing Los Angeles Rams gear
‘In LA,’ he replied to cheers from the Hollywood studio audience.
Ring also admitted that his ‘big team is Dallas’.
‘In the middle ’70s, I came into LA and I was staying awhile. I went over to some guy’s house and Dallas was playing. And, you know, I picked a team,’ Ringo said.
Cowboys fan: ‘In the middle ’70s, I came into LA and I was staying awhile. I went over to some guy’s house and Dallas was playing. And, you know, I picked a team,’ Ringo said.
He also revealed that his second favorite team was the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Ringo was promoting his new book Lifted featuring photos and stories about the Beatles.
Jimmy shared a photo from the book of the band sitting on a lawn around a sign reading ‘Please Keep Off The Grass’.
New book: Ringo was promoting his new book Lifted featuring photos and stories about the Beatles
Funny photo: Jimmy shared a photo from the book of the band sitting on a lawn around a sign reading ‘Please Keep Off The Grass’
‘Yeah, “Keep off the grass.” In those days, that was really humorous,’ Ringo quipped.
Ringo also confirmed that he was reuniting his Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band after four tours were scrapped over the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.
‘And so this year we’re saying yes to May and June. And all being well, things will be cool,’ Ringo said.
Together again: Ringo also confirmed that he was reuniting his Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band after four tours were scrapped over the past two years due to the coronavirus pandemic
Mask on: The Beatles drummer wore a face mask amid the coronavirus pandemic as he arrived at the Jimmy Kimmel Live studio
Fan favorite: Ringo is the wealthiest and most well known drummer in the world
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