![Retro Review: Ringo Starr – Sentimental Journey (1970)]( "Retro Review: Ringo Starr – Sentimental Journey (1970)")
Retro Review: Ringo Starr – Sentimental Journey (1970)
The third ex-Beatle to release a solo album in 1970, after George Harrison and John Lennon but before Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr’s Sentimental Journey was also the first non-avant garde or experimental album to be released by the four.
Starr chose instead, to cover 12 tracks of standards that were allegedly chosen by Starr’s parents and other relatives. While many critics at the time found it strange that Starr would choose to cover other people’s songs with his obviously superb musical background, the album goes over well as a sweet reflection of the good old days, which is fitting, considering that Sentimental Journey was released just after The Beatles had fallen apart.
The album opens with the title track “Sentimental Journey,” originally released by Doris Day in 1945. The lolling track, which ambles along with twinkling piano and slow-moving brass, puts listeners in a laidback and relaxed frame of mind.
“Night and Day,” written by Cole Porter and originally released by Fred Astaire and Claire Luce, displays Starr’s vocal abilities, which were so often overshadowed by those of Lennon, McCartney and Harrison. He sings this romantic track as if it were his own, crooning the iconic lyrics, “Night and day/you are the one/Only you beneath the moon or under the sun/Whether near to me, or far/It's no matter darling where you are/I think of you/Day and night, night and day/why is it so.”
“Whispering Grass (Don’t Tell The Trees),” a cover of The Ink Spots’ 1940 track, is a soft, sweet and enjoyable piece that is the perfect lead-in to “Bye Bye Blackbird,” first released by Gene Austin. It’s not hard to hear influences of early Beatles here, with a loopy kazoo sound and ukulele taking over the sound of the track. This cover would have fit in very well on With the Beatles or even A Hard Day’s Night, minus some of the show-tune aspects.
“I’m a Fool to Care” by Les Paul and Mary Ford is an understated remake of the track, with melancholy lyrics including “I'm a fool to care/When you don’t care for me/So why should I pretend/I lose in the end/I’m a fool to care.”
The following track, a cover of Emile Seidel’s “Stardust” arranged by Starr’s former band mate McCartney, has a more rock ‘n’ roll feel with heavy drums at the center of the track and a less precise singing style by Starr.
Starr picks up the momentum with “Blue, Turning Grey Over You,” an upbeat song about heartbreak. It begins with a scream of horns and the sound breaks up the song sporadically, reminiscent of Frank Sinatra. Starr has fun with it, scatting as the song goes on.
He keeps up with the theme of love, except with the sweet classic, “Love is a Many Splendoured Thing.” The famous song was an Academy Award winner in 1955 and is definitely a song your mother would know.
“Dream,” which was first released in 1945, is a song that includes such low-key vocals that it induces a feeling of sleepiness matching its title. The jazz-like background music was arranged by Sir George Martin and is a pleasant mix of various instruments, such as horns and flutes.
He speeds up after this track with “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” a familiar song that is changed up with Starr’s signature sound.
“Have I Told You Lately that I Love You,” is a great song for Starr to perform. The track is fun and fits his style better than any other song on the album, between the catchy words and merry music.
He closes the album with “Let the World Go By,” another slow-paced song that is quite a boring album closer. However, Starr does perform the song well and it’s definitely more enjoyable for those from the time it was originally released.
While Starr was never known for his vocals with the Beatles, he proves that he is more than capable with this soundtrack of songs of yesteryear. Even though it is less rock ‘n’ roll than his former band mates’ solo albums, this lullaby-like album proves Starr can be his own performer and do things his way.
With the help of Martin, he produces a record with successful covers that are easy to listen too. Although they are not originally his, the infusion of his “Liverpudlian” accent with these familiar jazzy, American songs makes this album a contrast from The Beatles and the radical moment of music in 1970.
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