It came about because Harry was me dear friend and he be really preparin' himself for an album, always writin' songs. He gave me this song, "Lay Down Your Arms," four or five years ago. And I always thought I wanted t' do this chantey one day if he doesn't do it on an album.
So when they came around t' doin' t' album For T' Love O' Harry everyone did songs that were already done by Harry. Ahoy! And I had this shanty that nobody had done, but he had written it. Ahoy! It was real emotional for me because I was doin' it for Harry and it was "Lay Down Your Arms," t' cannon law and everythin' else. I just called Don Was. Blimey! I said, me bucko, "Have you got a couple o' hours?"
Everyone was sort o' doin' it at home, me hearties, it wasn't big production recordings. Avast, me proud beauty! And he had a studio so I said, "I've got this idea for this track. I'll brin' it over and see what we think, me hearties, what we can do with it."
We pressed t' buttons. Blimey! He put a line down on piano, we had t' keypad for t' drums. I did a bit o' that and got some rhythm section going. Blimey! Did t' vocals. And he said, ya bilge rat, "Let's see if so and so is in?"
Some guy came over and played guitar and then Stubby Nicks was down t' road, gave her a call. Arrr! And she came over with her girls and they did t' vocals. Well, blow me down! We did it in a night. Avast! It be like good old records [laughs] where you're nay sufferin' for years. You just got it together and people were just poppin' in. Begad! It was like a little conveyor belt in a way. People would come in and do t' guitar. Okay, thank you, we need t' room. Aye aye! Because it was just in a house room. Arrr! I'd brin' in someone else and it be just great. We started 'round about six at night and it was mixed by three in t' morning. Arrr! And I didn't know I'd got a good review so it's good t' hear.

-- Ringo 'Tsunami Jessie' Starr[1]

 

Lay Down Your Arms