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TL;DR:

  • John Lennon wrote a Ringo Starr song inspired by Muhammad Ali.
  • Two other classic rock stars worked on the song.
  • The track appeared on Ringo’s most successful album.
Muhammad Ali pretending to punch The Beatles' Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison
The Beatles’ Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, and George Harrison with Muhammad Ali | Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images

Muhammad Ali inspired a song John Lennon wrote for Ringo Starr. John said the song would come across poorly if he sang it but not if Ringo sang it. In addition, John said George Harrison and the Fifth Beatle worked on the song as well.

Why John Lennon didn’t sing the Muhammad Ali-inspired song he wrote for Ringo Starr

The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono is a 1980 interview from Playboy. In the interview, John was asked about Ringo’s song “I’m the Greatest.” John was the sole writer of the song.

“It’s the Muhammad Ali line, you know,” John said. “I couldn’t sing it, but it was perfect for Ringo. He could say ‘I’m the greatest’ and people wouldn’t get upset. Whereas if I said ‘I’m the greatest,’ they’d all take it so seriously.”

George Harrison ’embarrassed’ John Lennon when he was working on the song

George Harrison and the Fifth Beatle, Billy Preston, worked on “I’m the Greatest” as well. John was asked if he enjoyed collaborating with them. “Well, yeah, except when George and Billy Preston started saying, ‘Let’s form a group,'” John recalled. “I was embarrassed when George kept asking me. He was just enjoying the session, and the spirit was very good, but I was with Yoko, you know.

“We took time out from what we were doing to help out,” he added. “The very fact that they would imagine I would form a male group without Yoko! It was still in their minds.”

John asked why he worked on some of Ringo’s songs and vice versa. “Friendship,” John replied. “And I know how he drums! He drums good, so when I want that kinda drumming, he’s the one to ask.”

Related

The Beatles: John Lennon Said Paul McCartney and George Harrison Overshadowed Him on This Song

How Ringo Starr’s ‘I’m the Greatest’ performed on the charts in the United States

“I’m the Greatest” was never a single, so it did not reach the Billboard Hot 100. The track appeared on Ringo’s album Ringo. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200, staying on the chart for 37 weeks. It was Ringo’s most successful album in the United States.

According to The Official Charts Company, “I’m the Greatest” did not chart in the United Kingdom either. Meanwhile, Ringo was a huge hit there. The album hit No. 7 in the U.K. and stayed on the chart for 20 weeks. It was the “You’re Sixteen” singer’s most popular album in the U.K. as well.

“I’m the Greatest” was not one of Ringo’s more popular songs but it has an interesting connection to Ali.

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