Stop and Smell the Roses

For the song by Mac Davis, see Stop and Smell the Roses (song).

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

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Stop and Smell the Roses is the eighth studio album by Ringo Starr, released in 1981 following the twin commercial disasters of Ringo the 4th (1977) and Bad Boy (1978).

History

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 then 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. Ronnie 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 of the cork.

After working with McCartney, it was only natural that Starr would extend the invitation to his two other band mates 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" – specially composed for Starr. "You Belong To Me", another cover from the past, was also recorded, with Harrison producing. Starr also recorded a version of "All Those Years Ago", but Ringo told Harrison the vocal was too high for his range and he didn't like the words. (Harrison took the track back, changed some of the lyrics and later, with overdubs by Paul and Linda McCartney, it came out as a tribute to John Lennon and was the lead hit single of Harrison's Somewhere in England album.) 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 of January 14, 1981 to record the songs. On December 8, 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 alternative 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, 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.

Track listing

Side 1

1. "Private Property" (Paul McCartney) – 2:44
   • Produced by Paul McCartney
   • features Paul McCartney on bass and piano, as well as backing vocals with Linda McCartney, Laurence Juber on guitar, Howie Casey on saxophone, and Lloyd Green on pedal steel guitar
2. "Wrack My Brain" (George Harrison) – 2:21
   • Produced by George Harrison
   • features George Harrison on guitar and backing vocals and Ray Cooper on piano, percussion and backing vocals, Herbie Flowers on bass and tuba, Al Kooper on piano and guitar
3. "Drumming Is My Madness" (Harry Nilsson) – 3:29
   • Produced by Harry Nilsson
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, Laurence Juber on guitar, Howie Casey on saxophone, and Lloyd Green on pedal steel guitar
5. "Stop and Take the Time to Smell the Roses" (Harry Nilsson, Richard Starkey) – 3:08
   • Produced by Harry Nilsson

Side 2

6. "Dead Giveaway" (Richard Starkey, Ronnie Wood) – 4:28
   • Produced by Ronnie Wood and Ringo Starr
   • features Ronnie Wood on guitars, acoustic bass, saxophone, backing, vocals, Wilton Felder on bass, Joe Sample on piano, Greg Mathison on piano
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, Herbie Flowers on bass and tuba, Al Kooper on piano and guitar
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, Laurence Juber on guitar, Howie Casey on saxophone, and Lloyd Green on pedal steel guitar
9. "You've Got a Nice Way" (Stephen Stills, Michael Stergis) – 3:33
   • Produced by Stephen Stills
   • features Stephen Stills on lead guitar, Michael Stergis on rhythm guitar, Mike Finnigan on piano and organ, and Harley Thompson on bass
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

Bonus tracks

11. "Wake Up" (Richard Starkey) – 3:45 (bonus track)
    • Produced by Stephen Stills
    • features Stephen Stills on lead guitar, Michael Stergis on rhythm guitar, Mike Finnigan on piano and organ, and Harley Thompson on bass
12. "Red and Black Blues" (Lane Tietgen) – 3:20 (bonus track)
    • Produced by Stephen Stills
    • features Stephen Stills on lead guitar, Michael Stergis on rhythm guitar, Mike Finnigan on piano and organ, and Harley Thompson on bass
13. "Brandy" (Joseph B. Jefferson, Charles B. Simmons) – 4:08 (bonus track)
    • Produced by Ronnie Wood and Ringo Starr
    • features Ronnie Wood on guitars, acoustic bass, saxophone, backing, vocals, Wilton Felder on bass, Joe Sample on piano, Jeff Baxter on guitar
14. "Stop and Take the Time to Smell the Roses" (Original Vocal Version) (Harry Nilsson, Richard Starkey) – 3:09 (bonus track)
    • Produced by Harry Nilsson
15. "You Can't Fight Lightning" (Ringo Starr) – 5:41 (bonus track)
    • Produced by Paul McCartney
    • features Ringo on guitar, Paul McCartney on drums, Barbara Bach on maracas, and Linda McCartney among others singing backing vocals
16. "Hand Gun Promos" – 2:03 (bonus track)

External links

• JPGR's Stop and Smell the Roses site