Written by: Naomi Neville
Recorded: November 1977; January; February; March 1978
Producer: Vini Poncia
Engineer: Bob Schaper
Released: 21 April 1978 (UK), 18 April 1978 (US)
Available on:
Bad Boy
Personnel
Ringo Starr: vocals, drums
Lon Van Eaton, Jimmy Webb: electric guitar
Dr John: keyboards
Morris Lane: synthesizer
Dee Murray: bass guitar
Melissa Manchester, Vini Poncia: vocals
Unknown: horns
‘Lipstick Traces (On A Cigarette)’ is the third song on Ringo Starr’s seventh solo album, 1978’s Ringo The 4th.
Written by Allen Toussaint under the pseudonym Naomi Neville, it was first recorded in 1962 by Benny Spellman. Starr had previously recorded Toussaint’s songs ‘Occapella’ and ‘Sneaking Sally Through The Alley’.
The guy, Benny Spellman, that sang the bass part on ‘Mother-In-Law’, he didn’t know what it was worth at the time we were doing it, but when ‘Mother-In-Law’ came out and sold, and went to number one, let’s say, Benny Spellman that sang the bass part made sure that everyone within the sound of his voice got to know that he sang that part. And then he would go around, he would gig, based on [the fact that] he sang the low part on ‘Mother-In-Law’. And he encouraged me, with much force, to write him a song that he could use that concept. And one result of that was the song ‘Lipstick Traces’.
NPR
Spellman’s version was recorded in New Orleans in February 1962. It was subsequently covered by a number of artists including The O’Jays, The Beautiful South, and Alex Chilton.
Starr’s version of ‘Lipstick Traces (On a Cigarette)’ was released as the album’s lead US single on 18 April 1978, with ‘Old Time Relovin” on the b-side. It failed to chart.