decade
1940s [91]
1950s [105]
1960s [203]
1970s [253]
1980s [230]
1990s [141]
2000s [129]
2010s [1]

check your birthday!
(e.g. 1965-10-31)

administrator login


(login/password)

                 advanced search
"Ringo"
#1 weeks: 1
weeks: 1964-12-05
genre: pop, western ballad
artist: Lorne Greene
writers: Don Robertson, Hal Blair
label:
formats: 7" vinyl
lengths: 3:14

"Ringo" is a hit single for the Canadian actor Lorne Greene in 1964.

The song's lyrics —spoken rather than sung— tell the story of a Western lawman and his relationship with a notorious gunfighter, Ringo, presumably based on the outlaw Johnny Ringo. It has been pointed out that the song does not fit the known historical facts of the life of Johnny Ringo; this did not damage the song's popularity, as it shot to the top of the US Billboardcharts on December 5, 1964. It also peaked at #1 on the "Easy Listening" chart, where it remained at the top for six weeks, and at #21 on Hot Country Singles chart. (The fact the song had the same name as a Beatle didn't hurt.) The song was written by Don Robertson and Hal Blair.

The 'B' side of the disc was an extended version of the theme song of Greene's TV show Bonanza, with lyrics that were never used on TV. Greene also recorded a French version of the song, in 1965.

The song was parodied by Frank Gallop in his 1966 hit single, "The Ballad of Irving"; by Dutch comedian Andre van Duin in the 1980s ("Bingo"); and by Country Yossi and the Shteeble Hoppers ("Shlomo").

The 2005 short film "Ringo", which used the song along with public domain footage of John Wayne and Roy Rogers, won the Short Film Award for animated film at the 2005 Seattle International Film Festival.