Stop and Smell the Roses

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Stop and Smell the Roses
Stop and Smell the Roses cover
Studio album by Ringo Starr
Released 20 November 1981
Recorded 11 July 1980 -
12 February 1981
Genre Rock
Length 32:23
Label RCA
Producer(s) Paul McCartney,
George Harrison,
Harry Nilsson,
Ron Wood, Stephen Stills and Ringo Starr
Professional reviews
Ringo Starr chronology
Bad Boy
(1978)		 Stop and Smell the Roses
(1981)		 Old Wave
(1983)


Stop and Smell the Roses is an album by Ringo Starr, released in 1981 following the twin commercial disasters of Ringo the 4th (1977) and Bad Boy (1978). Wisely[citation needed], Starr had taken time off to re-think his musical career and realized his best option was to return to his formula of having musical assistance from his friends.

After meeting soon-to-be second wife Barbara Bach on the film set of Caveman in early 1980, Starr contacted Paul McCartney to initiate some sessions. With Wings currently in limbo and McCartney II just released, McCartney booked time with Starr from 11-21 July in France to record three songs: "Private Property" and "Attention" (both McCartney originals) plus a cover of "Sure To Fall".

Next, Stephen Stills got involved, writing "You've Got A Nice Way" for Starr and producing its recording that August. Ron Wood of The Rolling Stones was keen to help out and brought along "Dead Giveaway" that September, which they both co-produced. Long-time friend Harry Nilsson was next on Starr's checklist, presenting him with "Drumming Is My Madness" and the album's title track, both of which were recorded in early November, with early December sessions completing the work.

After working with McCartney, it was only natural that Starr would extend the invitation to his two other brothers in The Beatles. When Starr arrived at George Harrison's Friar Park estate on 19 November (where he was currently re-recording parts of Somewhere in England after some of its songs had been rejected), Harrison presented him with "Wrack My Brain" - especially composed for Starr. "You Belong To Me", another cover from the past, was also recorded, with Harrison producing. Making good use of Starr's presence, Harrison had him record drums for a song he was writing in tribute to John Lennon (later titled "All Those Years Ago"), who at the time was hurt that Harrison had not mentioned him much in his biography I, Me, Mine. Lennon was the last of The Beatles that Starr had yet to visit and - fresh from his musical re-awakening, having just released Double Fantasy - Lennon was eager to meet with Starr. On 26 November, in New York City, Lennon handed Starr the demos for "Nobody Told Me" and "Life Begins At 40", which Starr was keen to record. With Lennon producing, they set a date to cut the songs. On 8 December, however, everything changed, when Lennon was gunned down outside The Dakota by crazed fan Mark David Chapman.

Devastated by Lennon's murder, Starr did not have the heart to record Lennon's songs (which would later be released on posthumous Lennon albums). After a period of mourning, Starr returned to the studio for the required overdubs and completed the album in February 1981. Initially titled You Can't Fight Lightning and with an alternate cover shot, Portrait Records in the US rejected the album, leaving Starr to find a new label. Fortunately, RCA Records (and a subsidiary called Boardwalk Records in the US) was interested. With a re-sequenced running order and design change, the album was rechristened Stop And Smell the Roses after Nilsson's donated song.

Harrison's "Wrack My Brain" was the first single that November. While it missed the UK charts, it managed to give Starr his final US Top 40 hit, reaching #38. Stop And Smell the Roses was considered to be Starr's best album since 1974's Goodnight Vienna, but it was not enough to make it a hit, reaching no further than #98 in the US, even though it was his biggest-selling album in years. In early 1982, McCartney's "Private Property" was released as the second single but failed to chart anywhere. Nonplussed, RCA dropped Starr in 1982. For the first time in his career, Ringo Starr was out of a recording contract - and this time, no major UK or US company would be willing to sign him.

Stop And Smell the Roses was reissued on CD in the US by Capitol Records in 1994 with several bonus tracks from the sessions, but deleted some years later.

[edit] Track listing

  1. "Private Property" (Paul McCartney) – 2:44
  2. "Wrack My Brain" (George Harrison) – 2:21
  3. "Drumming Is My Madness" (Harry Nilsson) – 3:29
  4. "Attention" (Paul McCartney) – 3:20
    • Produced by Paul McCartney
    • features Paul McCartney on bass and piano, as well as backing vocals with Linda McCartney
  5. "Stop And Take The Time To Smell The Roses" (Harry Nilsson/Richard Starkey) – 3:08
    • Produced by Harry Nilsson
  6. "Dead Giveaway" (Richard Starkey/Ron Wood) – 4:28
  7. "You Belong To Me" (Pee Wee King/Redd Stewart/Chilton Price) – 2:09
    • Produced by George Harrison
    • features George Harrison on guitar and backing vocals and Ray Cooper on piano, percussion and backing vocals
  8. "Sure To Fall" (Carl Perkins/Quinton Claunch/William Cantrell) – 3:42
    • Produced by Paul McCartney
    • features Paul McCartney on bass and piano, as well as backing vocals with Linda McCartney
  9. "You've Got A Nice Way" (Stephen Stills/Michael Stergis) – 3:33
  10. "Back Off Boogaloo" (Richard Starkey) – 3:16
    • Produced by Harry Nilsson
    • includes the opening guitar riff from "It Don't Come Easy" as an introduction
    • features Harry Nilsson on backing vocals

[edit] External link


Ringo Starr
Studio Albums
Sentimental Journey | Beaucoups of Blues | Ringo | Goodnight Vienna | Ringo's Rotogravure |
Ringo the 4th | Bad Boy | Stop and Smell the Roses | Old Wave | Time Takes Time |
Vertical Man | Ringo Rama | Choose Love
Live Albums
Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band | Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Volume 2: Live from Montreux | Ringo Starr and His third All-Starr Band-Volume 1 | VH1 Storytellers
King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Ringo & His New All-Starr Band | Extended Versions | Tour 2003
Compilations
Blast from Your Past | Starr Struck: Best of Ringo Starr, Vol. 2 | The Anthology... So Far
Christmas Albums
I Wanna Be Santa Claus
Related Articles
The Beatles
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