page:  = Back Off <unk> = 
   
   " Back Off <unk> " is a song by English musician <unk> Starr , released as a non @-@ album single in March 1972 . Starr 's former Beatles <unk> George Harrison produced the recording , which took place in London shortly after the two had appeared together at Harrison 's Concert for Bangladesh shows in August 1971 . The single was a follow @-@ up to Starr 's 1971 hit song " It Don 't Come Easy " and continued his successful run as a solo artist . " Back Off <unk> " peaked at number 2 in Britain and Canada , and number 9 on America 's Billboard Hot 100 . It remains Starr 's highest @-@ charting single in the United Kingdom . 
   The title for the song was inspired by English singer @-@ songwriter Marc <unk> . Some commentators have suggested that the lyrics were directed at Paul McCartney , reflecting Starr 's disdain for the music McCartney had made as a solo artist over the previous two years . " Back Off <unk> " demonstrates the influence of <unk> rock on Starr , who directed a documentary film , Born to Boogie ( 1972 ) , about <unk> 's band T. Rex around this time . Described by one author as a " high @-@ energy in @-@ your @-@ face rocker " , the song features a prominent slide guitar part by Harrison and contributions from musicians Gary Wright and Klaus <unk> . 
   Starr re @-@ recorded " Back Off <unk> " for his 1981 album Stop and <unk> the Roses , in a collaboration with American singer Harry Nilsson that incorporates lyrics from Beatles songs such as " With a Little Help from My Friends " , " Good Day Sunshine " and " Baby , You 're a Rich Man " . The original version has appeared on Starr 's compilation albums <unk> from Your Past and <unk> : The Very Best of <unk> Starr , and as a bonus track on his remastered 1974 studio album <unk> Vienna . Since his return to touring in 1989 , Starr has performed " Back Off <unk> " regularly in concert with the various <unk> of his All @-@ Starr Band . 
   
   = = Background and composition = = 
   
   <unk> Starr identified his initial inspiration for " Back Off <unk> " as having come from Marc <unk> , the singer and guitarist with English <unk> rock band T. Rex . In a 2001 interview with <unk> editor Paul Du <unk> , Starr described <unk> as " a dear friend who used to come into the office when I was running Apple Movies , a big office in town , and the hang @-@ out for myself , Harry Nilsson and Keith Moon " . Over dinner one evening at Starr 's home outside London , <unk> had used the word " <unk> " so often that it stuck in Starr 's mind , after which the beat and melody for the song came to him overnight . When discussing the composition on VH1 <unk> in May 1998 , Starr explained : " [ <unk> ] was an <unk> guy . He used to speak : ' Back off <unk> ... <unk> you , <unk> . ' ' Do you want some potatoes ? ' ' <unk> you , <unk> ! ' " Starr also recalled having to take the batteries out of his children 's toys that night , in order to power a tape recorder and make a recording of the new song . 
   The lyrics to the middle eight of " Back Off <unk> " came to Starr while watching London Weekend Television 's football show , The Big Match . The program 's host , Jimmy Hill , often referred to a footballer 's playing as " <unk> " , a catchphrase that Starr incorporated into his song lyrics : 
   Get yourself together now 
   And give me something <unk> 
   Everything you try to do 
   You know it sure sounds wasted . 
   Commentators have interpreted the song , and particularly this statement , as an attack by Starr on his former Beatles <unk> Paul McCartney . Starr has denied any such interpretation , instead " claiming that the song was inspired by <unk> and nothing more " , Beatles biographer Robert Rodriguez writes . Starr had publicly criticised McCartney 's solo albums McCartney ( 1970 ) and Ram ( 1971 ) on release , and author Bruce <unk> <unk> the message of the middle eight as " a plea for Paul to produce better music " . The mention of " sound [ ing ] wasted " could also be a reference to McCartney 's <unk> with cannabis , Rodriguez suggests . A further example of Starr 's allegedly anti @-@ McCartney message exists in the song 's first verse : 
   Wake up , <unk> 
   Don 't pretend that you are dead 
   Get yourself up off the cart . 
   The same commentators suggest that here Starr could be referring to the 1969 " Paul Is Dead " hoax . The latter <unk> circulated during September and October of that year while McCartney hid away on his Scottish farm , <unk> after John Lennon had told him and Starr that he wanted a " divorce " from the Beatles . 
   In addition to these supposed messages in " Back Off <unk> " , observers have viewed the song title as Starr 's <unk> to McCartney to abandon his legal stand against the Beatles and Apple Corps , which was placed in receivership in March 1971 after a High Court judge found in McCartney 's favour . Author Keith <unk> writes that " <unk> " had " long been cited as Paul 's nickname " from his former bandmates Starr , Lennon and George Harrison . While acknowledging that in subsequent years Starr might have chosen to minimise any ill @-@ feeling towards McCartney , Rodriguez notes that the lyrics " just happened to fit perfectly into the ' us vs. Paul ' mindset " following the Beatles ' break @-@ up , to the extent that " Back Off <unk> " was " as <unk> as ' Early 1970 ' had been <unk> " . When <unk> his 1970 composition " I 'm the Greatest " for Starr to record on the album <unk> ( 1973 ) , Lennon referenced the song title with the lines " Now I 'm only thirty @-@ two / And all I want to do is <unk> " . 
   Although " T Rex devotees " , in the words of Starr biographer Alan <unk> , claimed that <unk> had ghost @-@ written " Back Off <unk> " , Starr later acknowledged that Harrison co @-@ wrote the song by adding some chords and finishing the melody . As on Starr 's 1971 hit single " It Don 't Come Easy " , Harrison was not credited for his songwriting contribution . Starr originally offered " Back Off <unk> " to fellow <unk> <unk> Black to record , but she declined , hoping instead to record another new Starr – Harrison composition , " <unk> " . 
   
   = = Recording = = 
   
   Having earmarked the song as his next single , Starr recorded " Back Off <unk> " in September 1971 , following his appearance at the Harrison @-@ organised Concert for Bangladesh in New York . The sessions took place at Apple Studio in central London , with Harrison producing , as he had on " It Don 't Come Easy " . The recording reflects the influence of <unk> rock on Starr through what authors <unk> <unk> and Mark Easter term " its big drum sound and <unk> nature " , with a line @-@ up comprising Starr ( vocals , drums , percussion ) , Harrison ( guitars ) , Gary Wright ( piano ) and Klaus <unk> ( bass , saxophone ) . 
   Rodriguez describes Starr 's " martial @-@ sounding opening " as a rare " showcase for his own drumming " , while Harrison biographer Simon <unk> writes of " a <unk> series of Harrison slide breaks that brought to mind <unk> <unk> " . Further overdubs included contributions from three backing vocalists , led by American soul singer Madeline Bell . 
   
   = = = " <unk> " = = = 
   
   For the single 's B @-@ side , Starr had already written and recorded " <unk> " , the theme song for the <unk> <unk> @-@ directed <unk> Western of the same name , filming for which Starr had interrupted in order to perform at the Concert for Bangladesh . Starr produced the track with <unk> . The sessions for " <unk> " took place at Apple on 18 – 19 August , with <unk> guitarist Pete Ham assisting Starr and <unk> . Like the film <unk> ( 1971 ) , the song is held in low regard by critics ; <unk> describes it as " a muddy @-@ sounding <unk> with little to recommend " . 
   
   = = Release and reception = = 
   
   Apple Records issued the single on 17 March 1972 in Britain , as Apple R <unk> , with a US release taking place three days later , as Apple 1849 . It was Starr 's first release since " It Don 't Come Easy " , a year before . During this period , his priority had been to develop a career as an actor in films such as 200 <unk> ( 1971 ) and <unk> . Further <unk> himself with Britain 's <unk> rock movement , Starr made his directorial debut with Born to Boogie ( 1972 ) , a film starring <unk> that included Starr 's footage of a T. Rex concert held at Wembley on 18 March . With " Back Off <unk> " , NME critic Bob <unk> noted Starr 's success in establishing himself in the two years since the Beatles ' break @-@ up , and wrote that the single " confirmed that he and Harrison , dark horses both , were the ones who had managed their solo careers more purposefully and <unk> " compared with McCartney and Lennon . 
   The song was a hit in the US , reaching number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 , and achieved Starr 's best position on the UK Singles Chart , where it reached number 2 . A promotional video for " Back Off <unk> " was shot on 20 March at Lennon 's Tittenhurst Park residence while Starr was looking after the property . The video , which shows Starr walking around an outdoor structure and followed by a <unk> @-@ like monster , was directed by Tom Taylor and financed by <unk> Films . A similar monster appeared on the single 's picture sleeve , holding a cigarette . 
   Alan <unk> writes of reviewers criticising " Back Off <unk> " for being <unk> , leading Starr to respond in a 1973 interview : " Play me a pop song that isn 't . " On release , Chris Welch wrote in Melody Maker : " A Number One hit could easily be in store for the <unk> of rock drums . There 's a touch of the Marc <unk> in this highly playable rhythmic <unk> ... It 's hypnotic and effective , ideal for <unk> and liable to send us all mad by the end of the week . " <unk> described the single as " every bit as <unk> " as " It Don 't Come Easy " , although " slightly inferior " , while Mike <unk> of AllMusic views it as a song where " [ t ] he <unk> spirit of <unk> Starr shines through " . In a 1974 article for the NME , Charles <unk> Murray highlighted " Back Off <unk> " as a " great radio and <unk> @-@ box tune " . 
   Among <unk> biographers , Simon <unk> terms it " a rocking , soccer crowd chant that suited Starr 's talents well " , and Bruce <unk> praises the track as a " high @-@ energy in @-@ your @-@ face rocker propelled by <unk> 's <unk> drums and George 's <unk> slide guitar " . In the 2005 publication NME <unk> : Beatles – The Solo Years 1970 – 1980 , Paul Moody listed " Back Off <unk> " first among Starr 's " ten solo gems " and described it as " Good time rock <unk> to match the Faces " . Guitar World editor Damian <unk> includes the song on his list of Harrison 's ten best post @-@ Beatles " Guitar <unk> " , saying of the recording : " the main event is clearly Harrison 's slightly wild , <unk> – and very <unk> – slide guitar solo , which includes an alternate melody line that 's even <unk> than the melody <unk> is singing . " 
   Re @-@ releases for " Back Off <unk> " include Starr 's 1975 greatest hits album , <unk> from Your Past , and , along with " <unk> " , as a bonus track on the 1992 reissue of his <unk> Vienna album ( 1974 ) . " Back Off <unk> " also appeared on his 2007 compilation <unk> : The Very Best of <unk> Starr , the collector 's edition of which included his 1972 video for the song . 
   
   = = Stop and <unk> the Roses version = = 
   
   Starr recorded a new version of " Back Off <unk> " for his 1981 album on <unk> Records , Stop and <unk> the Roses . The song was produced by Starr 's friend , singer Harry Nilsson , and features a musical arrangement by Van <unk> Parks . Similar to Nilsson 's 1968 cover of the Beatles ' " You Can 't Do That " , the remake incorporates lyrics from a number of the band 's songs – in this case , " With a Little Help from My Friends " , " Help ! " , " Lady Madonna " , " Good Day Sunshine " and " Baby , You 're a Rich Man " , as well as Starr 's " It Don 't Come Easy " . In a further reference to his past , the 1981 version of " Back Off <unk> " opens with the same guitar riff that Harrison had played on " It Don 't Come Easy " ten years before . 
   Starr taped the basic track at <unk> Recording Studios in Los Angeles on 4 November 1980 , with additional recording taking place on 1 – 5 December at Nassau 's <unk> Point Studios . Among the large cast of musicians supporting Starr were Nilsson ( vocals ) , Jim <unk> ( drums ) , Jane <unk> ( piano ) , Dennis <unk> and Richie <unk> ( guitars ) , and a four @-@ piece horn section led by saxophonist Jerry <unk> . 
   Starr <unk> his vocals on 4 December , four days before the murder of John Lennon , who had been due to record his contributions to Stop and <unk> the Roses in January 1981 . <unk> with his success as a solo artist in 1971 – 73 , the album continued Starr 's run of commercial and critical failures since 1976 ; Rodriguez writes that " [ m ] <unk> people either love or hate the <unk> " of " Back Off <unk> " . 
   
   = = Live performance = = 
   
   Starr has performed " Back Off <unk> " in concert with his All @-@ Starr Band , beginning with the band 's debut tour of North America in July – September 1989 . The song was dropped from the concert setlist early in that tour , however , in favour of the 1963 Lennon – McCartney composition " I Wanna Be Your Man " . Live versions of " Back Off <unk> " have appeared on the multi @-@ disc compilation The Anthology ... So Far ( 2001 ) and King <unk> Flower Hour Presents <unk> & His New All @-@ Starr Band ( 2002 ) . The latter version was recorded during a US tour in August 2001 , at which point the All @-@ Starr line @-@ up was Starr ( vocals ) , Mark Rivera ( saxophone ) , Ian Hunter ( guitar ) , Roger Hodgson and Howard Jones ( keyboards ) , Greg Lake ( bass ) and <unk> E. ( drums ) . 
   Starr also played the song live with <unk> and the <unk> , a band he formed to promote his 1998 studio album <unk> Man . A version recorded on 13 May that year at Sony Music Studios , New York , appeared on Starr 's VH1 <unk> live album and video , released in October 1998 . The personnel on this performance included Starr ( vocals ) , Joe Walsh and Mark Hudson ( guitars ) , Jack <unk> ( bass ) and Simon <unk> ( drums ) . Another live version with the <unk> , recorded for PBS Television 's <unk> in August 2005 , was issued on <unk> Starr : Live at <unk> ( 2007 ) . 
   
   = = Personnel = = 
   
   The following musicians played on the original version of " Back Off <unk> " : 
   <unk> Starr – vocals , drums , percussion , backing vocals 
   George Harrison – slide guitars , acoustic guitar 
   Gary Wright – piano 
   Klaus <unk> – bass , saxophone 
   Madeline Bell , <unk> Duncan , Jean Gilbert – backing vocals 
   
   = = Chart performance = = 
   
   
   