One of the Greatest Drum Songs of All Time is 1969 Classic - And It Still Rocks
While he doesn't sit in the pantheon of greatest drummers of all time, Ringo Starr certainly isn't the worst drummer of all time - or the worst drummer of the Beatles, for that matter.
A long-held myth regarding the popular musician is that his bandmate John Lennon suggested he was, in fact, the worst drummer in the band's history.
"Ringo wasn't the best drummer in the world … Let's face it, he wasn't even the best drummer in The Beatles," the quote goes. The truth is Lennon never said it and the quote was eventually attributed to comedian Jasper Carrott.
'Come Together' Named Among Best Drum Songs
For all the flak Starr took, he also received some praise. Drumeo ranked his performance on Come Together as the second greatest drum song of all time.
"In this iconic beat, Ringo emphasizes John Lennon's vocal "Shoot me…" with the bass drum, the bass line on the hi-hats, and finishes with a roll on the toms," wrote Drumeo.
"Ringo leads with the left hand, playing the kit backwards so it goes from floor tom to rack tom. He keeps time with a simple kick and floor tom pattern in the verses, but the feel is unbelievable – it's not what is being played, but how Ringo is playing it."
It was also one of the few songs on Abbey Road that John Lennon actually liked, famously saying: "I liked the A-side. I never liked that sort of pop opera on the other side. I think it's junk. It was just bits of song thrown together. And I can't remember what some of it is."
The track eventually reached the top of the charts in the United States and peaked at No. 4 in the United Kingdom.
Related: One of the Greatest Drum Solos of All Time Belongs to 1966 Hit - And It Still Hits
This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published June 16, 2026 at 3:10 PM.