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

-- Ringo 'Bluehead Ringo' Starr[1]

 

Lay Down Your Arms