Smithereens, The - It Don't Come Easy Lyrics

Smithereened It! Man that's some powerful and penetrating jam!

I didn’t.
This is no lie, trust me I know.

Great song....Bettye Levette did a cover that transforms this song into something completely different...check it out !!!

I knew that artwork looked familiar: Everett Peck. Same guy who did Duckman.

Hare Krishna

This song is so laurel canyon — reminds me of Cinnamon Girl and Questions

I don't believe in doing covers unless you add your own changes. Improve it or change it up so we have different versions that are both great. This is not a great cover. It's just ok because it doesn't vary much from the original.

Brilliant....just brilliant.Such an underrated band. Are the guys still around? I think at least one has sadly passed away. Cosentino, Perth West Australia. 21/12/18. :)

To the people comparing the two different versions of these songs. Get over it the Smithereens weren't trying to do it better they were paying a compliment. For as everyone knows imitation is the best form of flattery!

RIP, Mr. DiNizio. You were a legend.

The smithereens. Can do no wrong . They love the Beatles . Like the rest of us . They're my fav. Rock band of the eighty's. Drummer just as solid as Ringo. Much respect.

Urban shmirdin Lennon — Cobain used to play them all the time in the van while touring

Godspeed Pat. Thank you for all that you've done for music.

I find the Smithereens version of this tune equally as good as the version with George and Ringo. In fact, dare I say Ringo would be proud of the Smithereens! Smithereens know, as Ringo did, that this life don't come easy. Trust is hard to come by. And yknow? That is what makes the challenge of life more fun overall, for without life's unfairness, how can we be stronger? Smithereens lived the life, and usually you sing of what you know...unless your name happens to be Miley, Selena or in worse cases, Tiny Tim. The passing of the lead singer was sad, but in the end it feels liberating knowing he lived a life with as much grace as he allowed himself. It never came easy, so why take the easy way out? Which is why, Smithereens rule side by side with Ringo and the other Beatles. To all the Smithereenies out there, you are blessed with good music! Keep rocking, Keep Smithing!

Thank you Pat.

Gosh they pick hard tunes to play. Nice job if I do say so.........

Awesome American Rock and Roll band. Rest in peace Dear Pat.

A statement from Jim, Dennis & Mike
Today we mourn the loss of our friend, brother and bandmate Pat DiNizio. Pat had the magic touch. He channeled the essence of joy and heartbreak into hook-laden three minute pop songs infused with a lifelong passion for rock & roll. Our journey with Pat was long, storied and a hell of a lot of fun. We grew up together.

R. I. P Pat Dinizio

RIP Pat DiNizio

holy shit this is fucking fantastic!!! how did I miss this...RIP PAT

👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼❤️❤️❤️

It's a good song

Why did you guys record this and not bother to learn the riff? It's George Harrison at his best.

this is perfection of their craft!!!

Gotta love the sound of that Rickenbacker twelve string , its like heaven to my ears, such a great sound!

This is such a great song , great cover of the great Ringo Starr hit , I believe George Harrison plays on this also. Smithereens way underrated.

I mean Harrison plays on the original.

George wrote this and "gifted it" to Ringo. If you search you can find an all George version here on YouTube.

edalder2000 You read my mind. Just listened to George. I forgot that these guys did a great job too.

Great song!

Jersey's finest, been a fan for over 30 years. Great people as well.

perfect

its different

Sorry I have to respectfully disagree with most here, maybe a reflection of my age, but just my opinion. This version is very loose, the drums are not crisp and it's hard to make out the guitar solo. The original is tighter, the horn section and George's guitar solo really stand out. The singing here is good, and it's a great cover but only that.

, Have you heard their cover on the same album of the Kinks "The World Keeps Going Round"?

The opening guitar riff completely falls apart, the guy didn't learn it except half-assed, which as far as I'm concerned makes the song finished before it even starts.

Yeah, it's a good cover, but George's guitar solo was better ... and although I like Pat Dinizio a lot (and RIP, my friend), I like Ringo's voice better on the song.

Yes on tighter and crisper, fully agree. This is a nice version that doesn't deviate too far enough to make one wonder what the hell is that? Great song no matter what. Rock on!

Yeah, the solo on this is nowhere near as good as Georges and i prefer ringo's vocals

not bad, but original is far superior

The Representatives from New Jersey have the Floor!!!

They Nailed This Hit! Impecible sound!

The guitar solo is lame...

Nonsense! It's not a carbon copy of George's. It's brilliant in its own way. You're clearly not a guitarist, sir.

Jim Babjak has never played a lame solo

new to me...great!

The original was a piano driving a wall of horns. Miss that here.

+joynthis Yeah, but still, for just the four of them, plus maybe a backup vocal or two, that's a pretty damn good cover of a great song.

again...lol far better than the original 06-14-2015

I notice the original went to #1. Oops.

I think the vocals are far better than the original

+Linda Bycoskie Agreed Linda, this version is the definitive version for me. Sorry George and Ringo :)

+Keith Gillum It's all in what you are used to. I remember the first one and the times so it sits better with me. Younger people without that memory of the Vietnam War years have their own interpetation.

@Slant Six Fair enough, I was 6 when we pulled out of Vietnam. 

I agree. I'm biased since I absolutely love Pat DiNizio's voice and hate Ringo's.

Of course. Pat is a much better singer than Ringo.

quick who wrote this??????????  to late George Harrison

+eddie alan Ringo and George wrote it together

+Itchy “Pusry's” Gravano yes.

Wow! great version!

yes Snody you got all reason

+rafael rubio diaz Wish I knew what that meant....

EXCELLENT...and I'm a Beatle purist. GREAT job.

This track also shows up on a tribute collection CD named "20 more explosive fantastic rockin' mega smash hit explosions!"  in which bands were asked to submit either a song that they really liked or one that they wanted to goof on.  Many other odd mixes in there from bands you know may and love.

Why did they do it in a flat key, when they're a guitar band?

Pat's voice register works better with slack tuning

I noticed that too.. I like dudes answer

Yep  8 )

Also makes the guitars sound "darker" with looser strings...takes a little edge off Fender brightness, definitely part of the Smithereens sound

It also makes LOUD volumes less painful and pleasing to what's left of your ears. (Note GnR, Van Ha'len'gar yada yada...)

I like both versions (Ringo & George and The Smithereens).

A great cover of a great song. More folk-rockish than the original. I put both in my Smithereens playlist. Thanks for the upload!

An ace cover!

I know I shouldn't be saying this, but I think this cover is better than the original, even though I love it, and it's George & Ringo.  I mean, I started listening to Meet The Beatles in utero!  But, let's face it:  PD's vocals are better, and the arrangements  are so much better, the guys are SO accomplished.  If I've offended anyone, sorry, but y'all know I'm right!

@TheSnodly well said

the intro - the drums come in later. that's for starters.

One thing I do know is you have no idea if I think you're right or not. I don't, by the way, but don't take it personally. George wrote it, and HIS version is my favorite. Love Ringo, Love The Smithereens, so I say enjoy whoever's version you're listening to and have a great time!

CatholicTruthAngel yeah right

CatholicTruthAngel I was thinking just that as I went to the comments.

OMG! I'm a huge Smithereens fan (I happen to live only a few miles from Pat D.) and this is my 2nd favorite Ringo song and yet I had NEVER heard this until just now.
Awesome. 8-)

Clapton plagiarized his own song - Let it Rain.

Not too surprising when you learn that George Harrison wrote it, Ringo admitted as much years later. You can find Harrison's version online here.

A worthy cover of Ringo's song. It is somewhat surprising that the "least" talented Ringo was the first to release a song after the break-up and further reach high places in the charts both sides of Atlantic.
As covers go, this is really good.

I will always love Ringo and the original gem he recorded so many years ago.Yet I do appreciate this version.

This album is a must have for any Smithereens fan. Lots of cool live stuff and guest artists.

Written by George for Ringo............

Written by Ringo

a VERY GOOD cover song!.....
ususally, i dislike cover tunes.this one is an execpeion.

Damn good cover. I didn't know they covered this. Thanks for posting this great song!

Don't forget Ringo sang it but George Harrison wrote it

GREAT COVER !!!

I used to have these blokes on cassette in the late 80's. Good cover of a timeless song.

Great cover! What a truly talented and amazning bad...and just think "justin beaver" is touring Europe now...no accounting for good taste in music these days, baby, baby....

smithereens friggin rock

they boys were just in durham, nc ... great show. wish they would have done this one.... maybe next time around.

Thankyou for posting...