RINGO STARR - NO NO SONG

Released: January 27, 1975

Charted:  US: #3 

"No No Song" is a 1974 track by Ringo Starr, written by Hoyt Axton and David Jackson. Featured on Starr's 1974 album, “Goodnight Vienna”, it was released as a single in the US paired with "Snookeroo" The song achieved significant success, reaching No. 1 in Canada and securing the third spot on the Billboard charts. Notably, it marked Starr's seventh and final top 10 hit, also claiming the No. 1 position on the Cash Box charts in the US.

The Song humorously explores the theme of someone consistently declining offers of drugs and alcohol, including marijuana from Colombia, cocaine from Majorca, and moonshine from Nashville. The songwriter, Hoyt Axton, used the song as a playful reflection on his own past struggles with drug abuse. Known for his ability to craft whimsical pop songs with a country twist, Axton also penned the Three Dog Night hit "Joy To The World".

Ringo Starr's rendition of "No No Song" is delivered with a touch of irony, considering his own struggles with substance abuse at the time. Despite cheekily referring to it as an "anti-drug song" in interviews, Ringo was far from sober during its recording. The song humorously details the consequences of addiction, such as waking up on the floor. In 1988, Ringo, along with his wife Barbara, entered rehab, reflecting on his years of addiction as a lonely period. The song concludes with Ringo quietly delivering some dialogue in a drunken slur, adding a layer of authenticity to the narrative. On one channel, he says something like "I'll just have another drink, have you got any brandy?" while on the other, "Just put mine in the boot."