Ringo, I Love You - Song Information

Song Information

"Ringo, I Love You" is the first solo song recorded by Cher. The single was released under the name of Bonnie Jo Mason because producer Phil Spector wanted American names for his singers, and Cherilyn La Piere wasn't a name he considered sufficiently American. The single failed to chart nationally, and did not pick up much local radio play, although it was a minor hit in Buffalo, New York. It has been suggested that many radio stations wouldn't consider playing the record because they thought Cher's extremely low vocals were a man's vocals, although the artist's female moniker and the fact that the singer explicitly identifies herself as a girl in the song makes this story open to question. The track does not have Spector's usual Wall of Sound production techniques, instead featuring more of a crudely arranged "beat group" sound. Spector, if he did indeed produce the track, took no producer credit, and the record did not appear on Philles Records, Spector's usual label.

"Beatle Blues" is on the single's B-side, a typical tossed-off Spector instrumental made so that the A-side would get all the attention. "Ringo, I Love You" has been released on compact disc on small indie record label, although not on Cher releases. Such a cd is "Girls in the Garage (Volume 4)", "Flabby Road" and "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Rock & Roll (Volume 1)".