The drummer has paid tribute to his roots in the city with his first ever duet with Sir Paul McCartney

(Image: Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Excitement is building ahead of the release of Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr’s first ever duet. The two surviving members of The Beatles have collaborated on a new track titled Home To Us, which will be available to listen to from Friday (May 8).

The song features on Sir Paul’s upcoming album, The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which is an ode to his youth in Liverpool. The 83-year-old made a surprise appearance in front of fifty lucky fans attending an exclusive listening party at the iconic Abbey Road Studios yesterday (May 5).

Sir Paul opened up on the story behind the upcoming song with Ringo as they both look back on their youth in Liverpool. Home To Us started life with an improvisational jamming session as he said: “Ringo went round to the studio and drummed a bit. I said to [The Boys of Dungeon Lane producer] Andrew [Wyatt], we should make a track and send it to him.

“So this song is done totally with Ringo in mind. In writing the song I’m talking about where we came from.”

Sir Ringo, whose real name is Richard Starkey, came from humble beginnings and Sir Paul said: “In common with a lot of people, you come from nothing and you build yourself up. Ringo was from the Dingle, and that was well hard.

“He said he used to get mugged coming home, because he worked. Even though it was crazy, it was home to us. I made the song around that idea and sent it to Ringo.”

The two legendary musicians had reprised their collaboration as Sir Paul added: “He sent me back a version where he just added some lines to the chorus, so I thought, maybe he doesn’t like it.

“I rang him and he said he thought I only wanted him to sing one or two lines, and I said I’d love to hear him sing the whole thing.

“So we took my first line, Ringo’s second line, and then we had a duet. We’d never done that before. Then we wanted some backing vocals and I had the idea it would be nice to hear girls. Chrissie Hynde said she’d do it, and Sharleen Spiteri, they’re mates. So they did it.”

The Boys of Dungeon Lane will be released on May 29 and Home To Us is the second single to be released, following Days We Left Behind last month. Speaking about the first single, Sir Paul explained his latest release was all about memory.

He said: “I was thinking just that, about the days I left behind, and I do often wonder if I’m just writing about the past, but then I think, how can you write about anything else?

“It’s just a lot of memories of Liverpool. It involves a bit in the middle about John [Lennon] and Forthlin Road, which is the street I used to live in. Dungeon Lane is near there. I used to live in a place called Speke, which is quite working class.

“We didn’t have much at all, but it didn’t matter because all the people were great, and you didn’t notice you didn’t have much.”

Sir Ringo has also been busy lately as he released a new album, Long Long Road, last month. The 85-year-old appeared on Phil Rosenthal’s Naked Lunch podcast ahead of the release and also spoke about how growing up in Dingle shaped him.

Sir Ringo was always known as the “funny Beatle” and he said this sense of humour is derived from growing up in Liverpool. He said: “The humour is because I come from a low end of the city.

“It’s just part of being from Liverpool. If somebody gives you a line, you just shoot it back. With some answer to it. It’s part of all my family, the neighbours, kids in the pub. It was just part of being Liverpool.

“We saw Paul two weeks ago playing. He was in a theatre. All the downstairs were standing. Someone was shouting at him and he’d shout back. I love that part of him.

“I don’t think he gets that part in arenas. I’ve seen him in arenas. I’ve played arenas. It was just great and I was telling him the other night we were out. It was so great. The band was great. It just worked a treat. But the humour comes from Liverpool.

“Sometimes it can hurt. But most of the time, it’s joy.”

A listening party was held at the Jacaranda on Slater Street ahead of release and the ECHO was in attendance to hear a satellite message recorded by the famous drummer.

He said: “Hi there everybody, Ringo here. I believe you are there for a listening party, I hope you enjoy it. But I am still amazed that The Jacaranda club is still there and happening. How great!

“It was such a thing when I was a lad, it was a step up and it’s great that you’re still doing it and you’re letting the new bands in. Peace and love to all of you, have a great night.”