It’s easy to think of The Beatles as a giant phenomenon in music, a machine that chewed up the establishment and spat out innovative and invigorating records at a rate of knots. In fact, it’s almost impossible to separate the mystique and the years of consistent mythologising from the four lads from Liverpool that the band was comprised of.
Ringo Starr held down a pivotal position in the band, the lovable glue that held them together amid circles of unbearable tension. Though The Beatles may have ended on a sour note, marred by the unwanted litigious proceedings that seemed so pertinent to their demise, the band patched up most of their differences before John Lennon and George Harrison lost their lives.
Harrison passed away in 2001, succumbing to cancer after a long and brutal battle. It was a terribly sad time for fans of the band, Harrison’s family, and the bandmates with whom he shared some of his most incredible experiences. His life was celebrated as part of the ‘Concert for George’ the following year, which saw his son, Dhani, and an all-star band pay tribute to one of the 20th century’s best songwriters. It remains one of the most beautiful celebrations of a cultural icon that the world has ever known, including a string of captivating performances and heartfelt tributes.
That performance stands as one of the most significant tributes to the iconic guitarist. Harrison’s songwriting resonated deeply with many, and his contributions to the Travelling Wilburys further showcased his talents. Consequently, the concert featured stellar arrangements from friends such as Ringo Starr and Tom Petty, underscoring Harrison’s esteemed status as both a performer and songwriter. He was renowned for incorporating Eastern spirituality into his work, promoting messages of peace and unity. Inspired by his experiences with Ravi Shankar, Harrison not only introduced the sitar to the 1960s but also introduced a new mindset to the era.
Naturally, as a prominent figure in music (despite being dubbed the Quiet Beatle), Harrison’s passing prompted numerous tributes and documentaries exploring his life and legacy. In one such film, Ringo Starr was invited to reflect on his bandmate and friend. In a poignant moment, Starr shares the last words Harrison ever spoke to him, providing a profound insight into Harrison’s character.
“The last weeks of George’s life, he was living in Switzerland,” remembers Ringo with a quivering lip and a tear in his eye. “And I went to see him. He was very ill. He could only lay down. And while he was being ill and I had come to see him, I was going to Boston ‘cos my daughter had a brain tumour.”
“I said, ‘I got to go to Boston’ and he goes,” says Ringo, pausing for breath as the memory takes over him, “It was the last words I heard him say actually. He said, ‘D’ya want me to come with ya?’ [laughs]”. The idea that Harrison could even leave his bed was preposterous, but it was clear he was willing to do anything for his friend, Ringo.
“So, that’s the incredible side of George.”
Perhaps stemming from his upbringing as a working-class lad from Liverpool or possibly influenced by traditional notions of masculinity, it’s evident that Ringo isn’t entirely at ease with expressing vulnerable emotions. Not accustomed to such candid openness, Ringo swiftly resorts to his trademark humour as a means of deflecting away from the emotional moment. “God, it’s like Barbara fucking Walters in here.”
See the touching video below and enjoy the friendship Ringo Starr and George Harrison shared both in and out of The Beatles.
For a long time, Ringo Starr has carried the weight of Harrison’s death around with him, often recalling the exact moment he found out about his bandmate’s passing: “I’m emotional now thinking of him forty years ago talking about me on his tape and thinking of me. The four of us were great friends with a couple of side issues. And it was far out. So anyway, I didn’t know how to act,” the drummer once said.
Recalling the immediate days after Harrison died, Starr continued: “And then I got back to LA, and I grieved, and then, of course, you always go through the grief. And George, the same. [He tears up; his voice starts shaking.] I’m such an old crybaby”.
Shortly after Harrison’s death in 2001, Ringo was compelled to pay tribute to him in another, perhaps more fitting way—through his songwriting. The track, which Starr co-wrote with Gary Nicholson and Marl Hudson, is a tribute to his friend and featured on Ringo’s 2003 LP Ringo Rama. “Gary Nicholson started that song, and Mark brought it over, and we realised we could tailor it. George was really on my mind then,” he said of the song.
Later, during an interview held in 2003, Starr said that following The Beatles breaking up, he had remained closest friends with George and that for him, the song perfectly summed up “how I miss him in my heart and in music”.
The tribute song’s recording also includes another special note with the lead guitar part performed by Harrison’s friend Eric Clapton. Starr said of Clapton’s contribution to the track: “Eric’s on two tracks on the album, but I really wanted him on this song because George loved Eric, and Eric loved George.” Clapton uses Harrison’s favourite technique, the slide guitar, to perfectly encapsulate the song and George.
Listen to ‘Never Without You’, Ringo Starr’s tribute to George Harrison, below.
