When Ringo Starr finally secured his first official songwriting credit on a Beatles track with “What Goes On” on the 1965 album Rubber Soul, it marked a rare shift in a catalog dominated almost entirely by the Lennon-McCartney partnership. Out of more than 200 studio-recorded songs, Starr earned composition credits on just five.
Here is the kicker: the track itself wasn’t even new when it landed on the turntable. John Lennon originally sketched out “What Goes On” during the pre-fame days of the Quarrymen, shelving it before it was resurrected years later with a fresh middle-eight and a composition credit for the drummer.
The Bottom Line
- The Milestone: “What Goes On” from 1965’s Rubber Soul marked Ringo Starr’s very first official songwriting credit as a Beatle.
- The Catalog Reality: Out of over 200 studio tracks, Starr received writing credit on only five songs.
- The Origin Story: Lennon originally wrote the tune years earlier during the Quarrymen era, dusting it off and altering the arrangement to give Starr a vocal spot.
Unpacking the Rubber Soul Shift
For years, John Lennon and Paul McCartney functioned as a songwriting duopoly, occasionally writing tracks specifically for Starr’s distinct, conversational vocal delivery.
According to recollections shared in interviews over the years, Starr’s early attempts at writing often yielded humorous results. As he recalled in a SiriusXM interview, his initial efforts to present original ideas to his bandmates usually resulted in them rolling on the floor laughing because he inadvertently just rewrote someone else’s existing song. But “What Goes On” changed the dynamic, even if Starr’s actual contribution to the lyrics famously amounted to what he once described as about five words.
Inside the Evolution of “What Goes On”
The archival trail of “What Goes On” stretches back long before Rubber Soul hit record store shelves. Lennon explained to David Sheff in 1980 that the track was an early composition from the pre-Beatles era, brought back to life because he disliked wasting material. The band originally intended to record it back in March 1963 during sessions for Please Please Me, but time constraints left it on the cutting room floor.
When it finally came time to resurrect the track for Rubber Soul, Paul McCartney went to great lengths to demonstrate the arrangement to Starr. According to road manager Neil Aspinall writing in a 1966 edition of Beatles Monthly, McCartney recorded a multi-track home tape featuring himself on lead guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. Starr listened to the multitrack blueprint and added his own ideas before the recording session.
| Track Details | Historical Context |
|---|---|
| Song Title | “What Goes On” |
| Album Release | Rubber Soul (1965) |
| Original Origin | Written during the pre-Beatles Quarrymen era |
| Total Starr Credits | Only 5 official songwriting credits out of 200+ Beatles studio recordings |
The Legacy of Collaboration Behind the Kit
Starr’s eventual footprint in the writing credits grew incrementally over the years, later expanding to include cuts like “Don’t Pass Me By” and “Octopus’s Garden.” McCartney famously noted to Rolling Stone that while few rock and roll figures could successfully carry a tune, Starr possessed an ability to deliver a song.
That collaborative spirit has defined his career far beyond the 1960s. Whether looking back at his catalog or steering recent roots projects like his country album Look Up, Starr has consistently leaned into communal musicianship rather than control. But looking back at 1965, “What Goes On” remains the vital first crack in a songwriting vault that rarely opened for anyone outside the main two.
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