Well, sometimes the blog is about words. And I was intrigued by the word Snookeroo, never having heard it outside this little song. I know what snooker is and what "to be snookered" means, and that Ringo was uneducated, sickly, and couldn't sing like the other three. I am guessing Snookeroo might refer to a loser in life. I'm still not sure what the inside story on that word is.
Maybe you're right. However, many nicknames have their origins in something deeper, often a childhood trait. But I can find no other origin of the word, so you are probably right.
I was really curious about who you thought was the best drummer, of ANY who played as a Beatle. I assumed you thought Pete Best was, and (in some ways) I think so too. Obviously, though, John's quote you referred to occurred while Ringo was the drummer for the Beatles. Best wasn't a Beatle at that time, so thinking John was comparing Ringo to Best just doesn't make sense. Surely he was referring to Paul McCartney being a better drummer than Ringo, Of the people who were Beatles at the time of that quote, only Ringo and Paul played the drums. I don't think John thought of Best as a Beatle at that time at all. Water over the dam. I don't think I am going to find out where the word Snookeroo came from either. The world would be a better place without certain songs by all 4 of the lads. This is all personal opinion from top to bottom, but I was curious about both the word origin and also curious about your drummer opinion.
I have never before come across the word 'snookeroo'. I suspect Bernie Taupin was making a new word, referencing the hang-outs of ne'er-do-wells and deadbeats in snooker halls and bars.
Obviously, it never caught on.
I can't comment about Pete Best. It seems to me that Ringo was good enough to be the drummer of the most famous band of the sixties, which has to be an endorsement of some sort. Clearly, there were many better drummers in the sixties, but en even greater number of worse ones. Pete Best was clearly not driven by an overwhelming need to keep drumming, so our knowledge of his prowess is based on a very small sample.
I'm sure you're right about the word having no real meaning, just a song about a loser (Ringo) who made it big eventually. Wikipedia agrees with you too. And kudos for remembering the Elton John connection, I didn't.
The song was a bit bigger in the U.S. (the A side here was "The No-No song"). In the UK, the other side of the 45 was "Oo wee..." something or other. Elton John supposedly plays piano in the background of Snookeroo. Dunno. Unmotivated to follow up on that.
Pete Best. Pete became a public servant for 20 years or so. Upon retirement, he started touring the world, with the other original Quarrymen who still breathe, and more I suppose. I wish him well.
I had never heard that, Lee. I do believe, with you, the three main Beatles wanted to find a drummer that fit in with them, both musically and personally. I have never read anything other than John, Paul and George pretty much despising Best just before they fired him. And I have never read anything about any respected critic (besides Best's mother Mona) saying Best was anything but a "flashy but technically weak" drummer. The teenaged girls who sneaked into the cavern loved him though. He was pretty. :) Incidentally, Rolling Stone fan survey puts Ringo at number 5 of all time. This stuff is interesting to me (and why I blog about some obscure things at times) so it may be worth a post to compare the two. You may be the only one to read it though, since you like music, too. :)
I have done several posts that are somehow connected to the Beatles, but a blog search turns up nothing on Pete Best. He's probably in there somewhere, lost in my befuddled mind.
Blogger tells me there are 499 posts lying dormant in the bowels of BritishSpeak's past, and if I do one on "Beatle Origins, Drummers" it will be number 500. I had expected something more grandiose for the day 500 arrived.
Hmm. I haven't heard that before and I'm not entirely surprised. I think he may have snookered himself.
ReplyDeleteWell, sometimes the blog is about words. And I was intrigued by the word Snookeroo, never having heard it outside this little song. I know what snooker is and what "to be snookered" means, and that Ringo was uneducated, sickly, and couldn't sing like the other three. I am guessing Snookeroo might refer to a loser in life. I'm still not sure what the inside story on that word is.
DeleteIt's about words? You do surprise me. I would never have guessed.
DeleteI think you'll find snookeroo is a completely made up word.
Maybe you're right. However, many nicknames have their origins in something deeper, often a childhood trait. But I can find no other origin of the word, so you are probably right.
DeleteNot even the best drummer in the beatles...
ReplyDeleteReally? And who do YOU think was the "best" drummer the Beatles ever used?
DeleteUntwist your knickers.
DeleteI was merely quoting John Lennon.
I claim no musical ability whatsoever, nor do I make any claims toward being able to qualitatively differentiate between beatles drummers.
That said, a world without Snookeroo would be a better place.
I was really curious about who you thought was the best drummer, of ANY who played as a Beatle. I assumed you thought Pete Best was, and (in some ways) I think so too. Obviously, though, John's quote you referred to occurred while Ringo was the drummer for the Beatles. Best wasn't a Beatle at that time, so thinking John was comparing Ringo to Best just doesn't make sense. Surely he was referring to Paul McCartney being a better drummer than Ringo, Of the people who were Beatles at the time of that quote, only Ringo and Paul played the drums. I don't think John thought of Best as a Beatle at that time at all. Water over the dam. I don't think I am going to find out where the word Snookeroo came from either. The world would be a better place without certain songs by all 4 of the lads. This is all personal opinion from top to bottom, but I was curious about both the word origin and also curious about your drummer opinion.
DeleteI have never before come across the word 'snookeroo'.
DeleteI suspect Bernie Taupin was making a new word, referencing the hang-outs of ne'er-do-wells and deadbeats in snooker halls and bars.
Obviously, it never caught on.
I can't comment about Pete Best. It seems to me that Ringo was good enough to be the drummer of the most famous band of the sixties, which has to be an endorsement of some sort.
Clearly, there were many better drummers in the sixties, but en even greater number of worse ones.
Pete Best was clearly not driven by an overwhelming need to keep drumming, so our knowledge of his prowess is based on a very small sample.
I'm sure you're right about the word having no real meaning, just a song about a loser (Ringo) who made it big eventually. Wikipedia agrees with you too. And kudos for remembering the Elton John connection, I didn't.
DeleteThe song was a bit bigger in the U.S. (the A side here was "The No-No song"). In the UK, the other side of the 45 was "Oo wee..." something or other. Elton John supposedly plays piano in the background of Snookeroo. Dunno. Unmotivated to follow up on that.
Pete Best. Pete became a public servant for 20 years or so. Upon retirement, he started touring the world, with the other original Quarrymen who still breathe, and more I suppose. I wish him well.
Mona's Casbah is now a tourist trap, I read.
Apparently, Lennon believed Best was the best drummer, but he believed Ringo to be the best Beatle. And, that makes sense to me.
ReplyDeleteI had never heard that, Lee. I do believe, with you, the three main Beatles wanted to find a drummer that fit in with them, both musically and personally. I have never read anything other than John, Paul and George pretty much despising Best just before they fired him. And I have never read anything about any respected critic (besides Best's mother Mona) saying Best was anything but a "flashy but technically weak" drummer. The teenaged girls who sneaked into the cavern loved him though. He was pretty. :) Incidentally, Rolling Stone fan survey puts Ringo at number 5 of all time. This stuff is interesting to me (and why I blog about some obscure things at times) so it may be worth a post to compare the two. You may be the only one to read it though, since you like music, too. :)
DeleteI was sure I'd told you that Pete Best was the best drummer before. My husband didn't think he was pretty, but pretty talented.
DeleteA. - Now I am convinced this subject requires a dedicated post.
DeleteIf not about words, then at least about a subject of shared British-American interest. Certainly the origins of the Beatles is that.
I have done several posts that are somehow connected to the Beatles, but a blog search turns up nothing on Pete Best. He's probably in there somewhere, lost in my befuddled mind.
DeleteBlogger tells me there are 499 posts lying dormant in the bowels of BritishSpeak's past, and if I do one on "Beatle Origins, Drummers" it will be number 500. I had expected something more grandiose for the day 500 arrived.
I'll do it anyway.
Hello, Max, how I have missed you!!! Bocksing Day was priceless!
ReplyDelete