Pure Gold

Written by: Paul McCartney
Recorded: 3, 17 June; August; September 1976
Producer: Arif Mardin

Released: 17 September 1976 (UK), 27 September 1976 (US)

Available on:
Ringo’s Rotogravure

Personnel

Ringo Starr: vocals, drums
Lon Van Eaton: electric guitar
Jane Getz, John Jarvis: keyboards
Klaus Voormann: bass guitar
Jim Keltner: drums
Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney, Vini Poncia, Joe ‘Bean’ Esposito: vocals
George Devens: congas
Unknown: strings

‘Pure Gold’ is the third song on Ringo Starr’s 1976 album Ringo’s Rotogravure.

It was written by Paul McCartney, who – with Linda – performed backing vocals during a break from the Wings Over The World tour.

Him and Linda came down, and I’m the hustler, I said, ‘Do you want to sing?’ At that time of the night – it was about eight o’clock – they said, ‘No, no…’ So we went out for dinner and ate, and they had a few drinks. Then we came back and wandered round to the studio, and they decided they were ready to sing! The three of us were out there, and I was a bit tipsy, as they say, so I’m shouting along with them, and Arif’s saying, ‘We’ve got you, you know, we’ve got your vocal down, so back off.’ So, we let the stars take over. We love each other and there they are.

‘Pure Gold’ was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, with strung overdubs following in the summer of 1976 at Atlantic Studios in New York City.

The McCartney session took place on 17 June. One of other the backing singers was Joe ‘Bean’ Esposito.

Vini Poncia – who’s a very famous record producer; in fact, I’m doing an album with him right now — called me one day and said, ‘What are you doing?’ I said, ‘Nothing.’ He said, ‘I have a session. You want to come sing?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah.’ So we’re singing in the car, and he doesn’t tell me whose session it is.

I walk into the studio, Cherokee Sound Studios — just a great moment in my life — and there is Ringo Starr. And then I see Arif Mardin, the legendary producer from Atlantic Records. And who comes in unannounced about 20 minutes later? Paul McCartney and Linda McCartney. And now I’m singing with Melissa Manchester, and Vini, and myself, and we’re doing background vocals — I forget which song it was — and two of The Beatles are looking at me! And I’m thinking to myself, ‘You’ve gotta be kidding me! I just got to L.A, and this is the first thing I’m doing!’

I called Eddie on the phone. I said, ‘Two of The Beatles are here! I can’t believe it. I’m never leaving. This is the greatest!’ and we were just flipping out. But that’s how I got to sing on the album — through Vini.