Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond)
| "Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond)" | ||||
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| Song by Ringo Starr from the album Ringo | ||||
| Published | Material World Charitable Foundation (administered by Harrisongs) | |||
| Released | 2 November 1973 | |||
| Genre | Folk rock, country | |||
| Length | 2:45 | |||
| Label | Apple | |||
| Writer(s) | George Harrison | |||
| Producer(s) | Richard Perry | |||
| Ringo track listing | ||||
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| 10 tracks |
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"Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond)" is a song by English musician Ringo Starr that appears on his 1973 solo album Ringo. It was written by George Harrison, Starr's former bandmate in the Beatles, and was one of several contributions Harrison made to Ringo. Recording for the song took place in Los Angeles in March 1973, with Richard Perry producing the session. In addition to Starr and Harrison, the musicians on the track include Levon Helm, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko and Garth Hudson of the Band, and multi-instrumentalist David Bromberg.
Harrison wrote "Sunshine Life for Me" in Ireland while staying with Scottish singer-songwriter Donovan. In a contrast with the reconciliatory mood among the four ex-Beatles when the song was recorded, the visit occurred shortly after the British High Court's ruling on the dissolution of the band in March 1971. The composition reflects the influence of Irish folk music, as well as aspects of country, hootenanny and the sea shanty tradition. In his lyrics, Harrison espouses an escape from modern life for the tranquility of nature. The "Raymond" named in the song title was a lawyer hired by Allen Klein, the manager of Harrison, Starr and John Lennon, to represent the three former Beatles and Apple Corps in the High Court action initiated by Paul McCartney.
On release, "Sunshine Life for Me" received a varied response from music critics, some of whom dismissed it as an inauspicious track. Among retrospective reviewers, several commentators have admired its lightheartedness and consider the song to be a worthy example of Starr's work in the country genre. Harrison biographer Simon Leng describes it as "musically an homage to the spirit of the Band's 'Rag Mama Rag'".
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