best drummer in beatles

[starmack]

John Lennon is quoted as saying of Ringo Starr: "He's not the best drummer in the world. He's not even the best drummer in the Beatles." The Sunday Telegraph Christmas crossword offers three options for whom Lennon, reputedly, said was best drummer in the Beatles (a) himself (b) Paul McCartney (c) George Harrison. I can find no record of Lennon making any choice on these three or Pete Best or anyone else. Can anyone out there help? Thank you.

[andy-hughes]

Paul McCartney is a fair drummer - check out 'The Ballad Of John And Yoko' which is credited as The Beatles, but is actually mainly John and Paul. John played lead and rhythm guitar, Paul played bass piano, maracas and drums, and both sang the vocals.

Lennon wanted to get the song recorded - about his marriage to Yoko and the subsequent press interest. George was in India (I think) and Ringo was away on location filming 'The Magic Christian' with Peter Sellars, so the two went in and did it, and pretty damned fabulous it is too!

[starmack]

Hi andy-hughes
Many thanks for your help. Yeah, I'll probably go with Paul McCartney. Love the "Ballad of John and Yoko" from day one.

[scarletpimp]

Do remember that lennon said it as a joke.

it's a good one, but still a joke.

[spudqueen]

I've always understood him to mean Paul McCartney.

[starmack]

Hi to spudqueen and scarletpimp
Many thanks for your interest. Yeah, I'm gonna go with Paul. Thank you both.