It Don't Come Easy | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

forn said

Emmett said
I can't believe that there's not a thread about this song here.  Maybe I missed it.  Anyway, it's my fave song by an ex-Beatle, by far.  I realize that many claim Harrison actually wrote it, but it's still my fave.  Anyone else feel this way?

This is definitely one of the best Beatle solo singles.  Some people claim George wrote it but Ringo was reportedly working on it during the White Album .  I feel pretty comfortable saying it was written by the both of them.  I'm guessing George definitely wrote the main riff, it sounds a lot like him.  Anyway, it's still a very modern sounding song, similar feel to While My Guitar Gently Weeps .  The lyrics sound very Ringo though.  Great classic rock song, period.  

Full disclosure I am a massive Harrifan so there's a certain bias there, but I'm also a musician and have dabbled in songwriting/music analysis, and George had very distinctive songwriting sensibilities that I can spot from a mile away. With all that having been said, the chord progression does feel very George, especially considering the way the guitar riff naturally falls out of it (I've played this song many times and it's super easy and satisfying to pick out the riff just using the basic notes of the chords, basic "cowboy" chords). I find it hard to imagine Ringo writing the chord progression and then George turning it into a riff – rather, it feels like the riff was stumbled on at the same time as the chord progression.

@sigh butterfly posted George's demo above but that video appears to no longer be available, here's another one:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtius23I34k?feature=oembed&w=800&h=450]

I absolutely freakin' love his voice on this. He totally could've had a smash hit with this. It's just a bloody great song in general and definitely suits Ringo's voice, but George is giving this vocal his ALL. 2:16 is WILD! I didn't even know George could sing like that!

forn said

It's a very simple chord progression though, and as you yourself state, very basic "cowboy chords", just as you would expect Ringo to come up.  Although for all we know, Ringo came up with the chords on the piano.  Since there is a similarity between the riff and the chord progression, it wouldn't be surprising if the riff was inspired by the chord progression.  Also, perhaps Ringo originally played a slightly different chord progression, and George made the suggestion to "adjust" it some?  Although maybe not - maybe Ringo played it originally in a different key?  He did say in Early 1970 that he plays the piano if it's in C (which is a reference to playing all the white keys, which will automatically go together).  

Anyway, I'm not trying to cut George out of it, I just find no reason to believe that Ringo didn't originally start writing it himself, so he must have contributed something.  The chords are no more sophisticated than Don't Pass Me By , people don't question that Ringo wrote that, although it wouldn't surprise me if George lent him a hand on that as well.  George was very generous with his time, clearly, at least to Ringo.  

Valid points all. I could easily see that happening (a proper Harrison progression usually has more "naughty chords" in it, after all ).