Kronomyth 4.1: DOUBLE RUBBLE. If you thought Beatlemania ended with The Beatles, nuh-uh. In the opening weeks of 1975, John (#9 Dream”), Paul (“Junior’s Farm), George (“Dark Horse”) and Ringo (“Only You”) were still firmly entrenched in the US Top 20. And the #1 single? Why, Elton John’s “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” of course. Surprisingly, it was Ringo who struck gold again with “No No Song” and Elton’s “Snookeroo” on the flip side. Guess you could say it was a mix of Beatlemania and Eltonmania at work there. Written by Hoyt Axton, “No No Song” could be construed as an anti-drug song I suppose; Axton’s own version seems to take a stand against drugs by politely refusing to take a toke, whereas Ringo’s version is more tongue in cheek (e.g., “And he wasn’t joking”). In 1988, Starr went into rehab with his second wife, the acktress Barbara Bach. The following year, Ringo’s son Jason was fined for drug possession. Guess they didn’t have a copy of Goodnight Vienna in the house.
Original 7-inch single
A1. No No Song (Hoyt Axton) (2:30)
B1. Snookeroo (Elton John/Bernie Taupin) (3:27)
Original 7-inch single (New Zealand)
A1. No No Song
B1. Call Me
Back-to-Back Hits 7-inch single reissue
A1. No No Song
B1. Oh My My
The Players
Ringo Starr (lead vocals, drums, percussion), Jesse Ed Davis (electric guitar on track 1), Chuck Findley (horns on track 2), Joe Greene (backing vocals on track 2), Nicky Hopkins (electric piano on track 1), James Newton Howard (synthesizer on track 2), Elton John (piano on track 2), Jim Keltner (drums on track 2), Bobby Keyes (horns), Clydie King (backing vocals on track 2), Linda Lawrence (backing vocals on track 2), Trevor Lawrence (horns), Steve Madaio (horns on track 2), Harry Nilsson (backing vocals on track 1), Robbie Robertson (guitar on track 2), Klaus Voormann (bass).
Did You Know?
- Hoyt Axton and Ringo sang “No No Song” together on Axton’s TV special, “The Hoyt Axton Country Western Boogie Woogie Gospel Rock and Roll Show” broadcast in March 1975. The show also featured Mickey Dolenz, Keith Moon, Harry Nilsson, Linda Rondstadt and Paul Williams.
The Plastic
Released on 7-inch single on January 27, 1975 in the US and Canada (Apple, 1880); reached #3 on the US charts (charted on February 8, 1975 for 14 weeks). Also released on 7-inch single in New Zealand (Apple, NZP 3510) with different B side. Also released as promotional 7-inch single in 1975 in the US (Apple, P-1880) feat. A and B mono versions.
- Re-issued on back-to-back hits 7-inch single on January 9, 1976 (Apple, R6011) with “Oh My My” on the flip side.
- Re-issued on 7-inch single in the US (Capitol, 1880). {purple label}
- Re-issued on 7-inch single in 1983 in the US (Capitol, 1880). {black colorband label}
