Written by: George Harrison
Recorded: 15 March; April–July 1973
Producer: Richard Perry
Released: 2 November 1973 (US), 23 November 1973 (UK)
Available on:
Ringo
Personnel
Ringo Starr: vocals, drums, percussion
George Harrison: guitar, vocals
Robbie Robertson: guitar
Levon Helm: mandolin
Rick Danko: fiddle
Garth Hudson: accordion
David Bromberg: banjo, fiddle
Klaus Voormann: upright bass
Vini Poncia: vocals
‘Sunshine Life For Me (Sail Away Raymond)’ is the fourth song on Ringo Starr’s 1973 album Ringo.
George came in with a new song and brought all the members of The Band with him to cut the track, a kind of country hoedown thing called ‘Sunshine Life For Me’.
The Record Producers, John Tobler and Stuart Grundy
It was written by George Harrison in Ireland, during an April 1971 holiday when he and Pattie Boyd stayed with the singer Donovan Leitch at the Castle Martin estate in Kilcullen, County Kildare.
The precise identity of the titular Raymond is unknown, although there are two key candidates. Raymond Anstis was a lawyer acting on behalf of three of the former Beatles during Paul McCartney’s 1971 court case to dissolve their legal partnership, and Raymond Skilling was one of the numerous attorneys working for Allen Klein and the group during their break-up.
‘Sail Away Raymond’ was written on an open-tuned guitar when I was with Donovan who was living in Ireland at the time. I wrote it like an old Irish folk song a bit like country music, and the Raymond who was in my mind at the time was a lawyer who Allen Klein had employed to act on behalf of Ringo, John, me and Apple when Paul was suing us – Sail Away Raymond, Sail Away.It was a fun session and a good track with most of The Band, David Bromberg, Klaus, Ringo and me. It appeared on Ringo’s Ringo album.
I Me Mine
‘Sunshine Life For Me (Sail Away Raymond)’ was published by the Material World Charitable Foundation, which Harrison set up in April 1973 to donate to various causes and promote diverse artistic endeavours.
In the studio
‘Sunshine Life For Me (Sail Away Raymond)’ was recorded on 15 March 1973 at Sunset Sound Recorders in Los Angeles. It featured several members of The Band – Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Rick Danko, and Garth Hudson – as well as Harrison and Klaus Voormann.
Harrison recorded a guide vocal part during the session.
We had the whole group called The Band in the studio to help Ringo on the song ‘Sunshine Life For Me’. Levon played the mandolin, Garth the accordion, Rick the fiddle, Robby the guitar, me on contrabass, George sang the guide vocal, and on drums, our lovely Ringo. Once the track was in the can, it was time for Ringo to sing the song. ‘I can’t sing that!’ he said. ‘That’s too hard for me.’ ‘Come on, my friend, off we go.’ George grabbed Ringo by his arm, led him to the microphone, and in no time, Ringo’s vocal was on tape. Ain’t that lovely?
The version with Harrison’s vocals was included on the 2024 deluxe reissue of Living In The Material World. A video, designed and animated by Daniel Cordero, was also released to promote the reissue.
