LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 15: Ringo Starr and Sir Paul McCartney arrive for the World premiere of “The Beatles: Eight Days A Week – The Touring Years” at Odeon Leicester Square on September 15, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Fred Duval/FilmMagic)
FilmMagic
It has been more than five decades since The Beatles dissolved. In that time, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr have each released solo records, appeared on each other’s songs, and maintained a friendship that has outlasted everything. But in all those years, they had never once recorded a proper duet. Until now.
Per Variety, McCartney confirmed the news at a private listening session in Los Angeles, telling the small audience plainly: “It’s a duet. We’ve never done that. Ringo’s never just taken a duet with one of the Beatles, you know?”
The Song And The Album
The track is called “Home to Us” and it will appear on McCartney’s forthcoming album The Boys of Dungeon Lane, which is his 18th solo studio album credited solely under his name, and scheduled for release on May 29, 2026. Co-produced with Andrew Watt, the album draws its title from a lyric referencing Dungeon Lane, a road in the Speke area of Liverpool where McCartney grew up. The official Paul McCartney website describes it as his most introspective record to date, one that revisits his childhood in postwar Liverpool and the early adventures he shared with John Lennon and George Harrison long before Beatlemania.
“Home to Us” is track ten on a 14-song album, which also includes other songs like “Lost Horizon” and “As You Lie There”. The duet features lyrics about the experience of growing up in Liverpool, with McCartney explaining the sentiment at the heart of it during the listening session, as recounted by Billboard. “Even though where we lived was a little rough, it was home to us.” Backing vocals from Pretenders frontwoman Chrissie Hynde and Sharleen Spiteri of Scottish rock band Texas also feature on the track.
Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr’s Duet Almost Didn’t Happen
Variety’s Chris Willman described McCartney telling the audience about how the song came together through a chain of miscommunications. Starr initially came into producer Andrew Watt’s studio just to lay down some drums, with no finished song to record against. The drum track sat unused long enough that, per McCartney, Starr was probably “a bit pissed” nothing had come of it.
When McCartney eventually had Watt pull it back up, he was struck by how good it was and decided to build a full song around it — writing lyrics about their shared Liverpool childhoods before sending the demo to Starr to sing on. Starr misunderstood the ask and only sang the chorus, which made McCartney fear he didn’t like it. After a clarifying conversation, Starr came back, sang the whole thing, and added more drums to finish it off.
Why This Beatles Reunion Is Historic
The Beatles posing together. From left to right: musicians George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, circa 1965.
Bettmann Archive
For all the times the surviving and late Beatles appeared on each other’s solo recordings over the decades — singing harmonies, playing instruments, lending their names — there had never been a formal, true-blue duet between any two of them since Paul McCartney announced his departure and the group split in 1970. “Home to Us” is the first.
The Beatles as a group formally ended in 1970, though legal disputes between members continued for years. McCartney went on to front Wings and release a long solo career. Starr has continued recording and touring with his All-Starr Band. Both men are now in their eighties — McCartney is 83, Starr turns 86 in July — which lends the collaboration a meaning beyond the already exciting novelty of the pairing.
Starr discussed the collaboration during a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where he was also promoting his own new album, Long Long Road, released in April. During his guest spot, Kimmel appreciated him for enthusiastically supporting McCartney at his earlier concert and not just because he was asked to come. Starr said, “I’m gonna come because I wanna see him,” prompting cheers from the audience.
Starr also recalled his days with The Beatles fondly, remember how they shared rooms “Right up to the last night of the last tour”.
“It’s still great for me to play with Paul,” he went on to say.
The Boys of Dungeon Lane Tracklist
As You Lie There
Lost Horizon
Days We Left Behind (now released)
Ripples in a Pond
Mountain Top
Down South
We Two
SIDE B
Come Inside
Never Know
Home to Us
Life Can Be Hard
First Star of the Night
Salesman Saint
Momma Gets By
The Boys of Dungeon Lane by former The Beatles member Paul McCartney arrives May 29 via MPL/Capitol Records.