Strange”: The Paul McCartney Masterpiece That Ringo Starr Called Too Weird—How One Beatle’s Misjudgment Nearly Buried a Hidden Gem, Only for It to Rise as a Cult Classic, Proving That Even Legends Can Miss the Magic Hiding in the Melodies of Their Most Unusual Collaborations…
“Strange”: The Paul McCartney Masterpiece That Ringo Starr Called Too Weird
How One Beatle’s Misjudgment Nearly Buried a Hidden Gem, Only for It to Rise as a Cult Classic
In the sprawling archives of Beatles lore, there lies a curious track that nearly vanished into obscurity—“Strange”, a Paul McCartney composition that was, for decades, dismissed, misunderstood, and quietly shelved. First recorded during the tail end of the Beatles’ White Album sessions but never officially released, the song bore McCartney’s melodic fingerprints while also venturing into unfamiliar sonic territory. It was sparse, haunting, even eerie—qualities that led Ringo Starr to famously call it “too weird” at the time.
The rejection was swift. Ringo’s offhand comment reportedly struck a nerve with McCartney, who quietly abandoned the track rather than push it further. It didn’t fit the mood of the Beatles’ larger catalog, and with internal tensions mounting, there was little appetite for experimentation that didn’t immediately resonate. “It just didn’t land,” McCartney later admitted in a 2003 interview. “Maybe it was ahead of its time. Or maybe it just scared people off.”
For decades, “Strange” remained locked away, a ghost track whispered about by bootleg collectors and hardcore fans. It wasn’t until the expanded 50th anniversary edition of the White Album in 2018 that the song was officially released. With its spectral piano, backwards tape loops, and melancholic vocal, “Strange” felt more akin to a Radiohead B-side than a Beatles relic. But it was undeniably McCartney—a reminder that even pop’s most reliable craftsman could venture into the avant-garde.
Critics and fans quickly took notice. Pitchfork hailed it as “a visionary fragment of psychedelic folk,” while Mojo called it “the Beatles track that never was but should have been.” A new generation of musicians, from indie rockers to ambient producers, cited “Strange” as a key influence, and its resurgence turned it into a quiet cult classic—one that challenged long-held assumptions about the Beatles’ boundaries.
That Ringo called it “too weird” may now seem ironic, but it underscores a deeper truth: even the most legendary artists can misread the moment. In a band overflowing with brilliance, some ideas simply arrive too early. “Strange” stands as a testament to the magic that sometimes hides in the margins—and to the resilience of a melody that refused to be forgotten.
