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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 296 Today's Peep Celebrates Ringo's 85th Birthday with Peace & Love: The Overlooked Solo Success of Ringo Starr and the Unexpected Dark Origin of the Slogan "Just Do It"
From heartbreaking local tragedy to musical celebration and surprising marketing history, this episode traverses emotional territory that will leave you thinking long after the final notes fade.
We begin with breaking news about the devastating explosion at a fireworks factory near Sacramento that has claimed seven lives. The Oakdale fire, which burned 78 acres, began with a catastrophic explosion that shook the community and left families grieving. As emergency responders located the victims, we reflect on the fragility of life and the impact of sudden tragedy.
The mood shifts as we celebrate Ringo Starr's remarkable 85th birthday. While many celebrate the Beatles drummer for his contribution to the Fab Four, we dive deep into his criminally underrated solo career. Did you know Ringo scored seven consecutive top ten hits in the United States during the 1970s, including two number ones? We explore gems like "It Don't Come Easy," "Photograph," and "You're 16," showcasing how Ringo's unique blend of musical talent and lighthearted humor created a distinctive solo identity. His collaborations with former bandmates George Harrison, John Lennon, and Paul McCartney demonstrate the lasting creative bonds between these musical legends.
Perhaps most surprisingly, we uncover the dark and fascinating origin of Nike's iconic "Just Do It" slogan. The phrase that launched a billion-dollar marketing empire was inspired by condemned double-murderer Gary Gilmore's final words before his 1977 execution by firing squad. This unexpected connection between advertising history and capital punishment raises profound questions about how cultural touchstones emerge from unlikely – even disturbing – sources.
Join us for this journey through local heartbreak, musical celebration, and the strange intersections of pop culture history. As Ringo would say: "Peace and love!"
welcome to the pats peeps podcast. Here we are, number 296. Thank you for being a part of our pats peeps family. Today's a mond Monday, july the 7th 2025. Looking out the studio windows into the beautiful foothills of Northern California A sunny, warm day, a nice breeze. It's a big birthday today that I'm going to get to Peace and love. Peace and love that would be from the birthday boy himself that is coming up.
Speaker 1:I wanted to start with kind of an update on what is happening kind of locally in my area. By the way, my name is Pat Walsh. I'm the host of the Pat Walsh Show on KFPK in Sacramento and heard everywhere on the free iHeart app and all the way everywhere on your streaming services, just like this podcast is. And my show again 7 to 10 pm, monday through Friday 93.1 FM, 1530 am. Last week, just before my show started, this huge fire started, this explosion at a fireworks factory right near a Sparta and it was just unbelievably tragic. I'm watching the TV monitors right as I'm beginning my show and I'm talking with Kitty O'Neill who hosts our afternoon news on KFPK, and we're doing the handoff to my show and we're looking up at the monitor. We're just like look at this. There are fireworks shooting off from this factory I've never seen anything like this when, all of a sudden, the biggest explosion it was an unbelievable explosion and you know, the first thing you're thinking of is like, oh my god, who's in? There? Was someone in there? There were seven people missing.
Speaker 1:Now, here on this Monday, we have an update, and it's not a good update. The bodies of the seven missing people have been found and identified, although they are not releasing the identities. They still need to notify the next of kin. But yeah, the bodies of the seven people reported missing died in what Yolo County officials called a significant explosion. Well, yes, it was. This was the 1st of July, just after 6 pm. My show starts at 7. This was at that warehouse which stores fireworks south of Esparto, just northwest of Sacramento. If that helps, this starts. The Oakdale fire burned 78 acres. The fire 100% contained as of yesterday, but the crews did locate the seven victims from the Oakdale fire. This is very sad news.
Speaker 2:I want to reiterate and express our condolences to the families and the loved ones of those individuals who were lost in this tragedy. I want to confirm again today that we have recovered the human remains of seven individuals on the property. We are working, continuing to work and working throughout the day to ensure there are not additional victims. While we have no information to believe that there are, we're going to make sure with every available resource that no stone is left unturned and there are no individuals still left on site. As far as the seven deceased, the DNA process will start shortly in order to obtain official identification. We expect to have that in the next 48 hours and, following the notification of next of kin, we will make that information available. Have you had a chance to go back and look at your records and find out when the last inspection was here? Was there safety checks done? Did they pass those safety checks? And also, why was your department conducting those inspections when you do have a volunteer firefighter who has this business?
Speaker 3:Again, that is part of the ongoing investigation and I won't comment directly on all. I can't comment directly on all of that. Again, I don't have all that information. But I can tell you, like I've said before, we were aware of the facilities and I said we did site visits. I did not say we did inspections. So just to clarify that site visits were just to be aware of what was here, and that's what I can give you on that.
Speaker 4:Is that a volunteer firefighter? Still a volunteer firefighter with your department, the?
Speaker 3:volunteer firefighter is currently on a leave of absence.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so that was the firefighter there. I want to reiterate, and this was Matthew Davis, who was a Yellow County Sheriff's Office Condolences who offered the condolences at the beginning there, just to let you know who you were listening to. So tragic news there. I mean, just feel for those families, very sorry to hear that it turned out that way. You know, really, fireworks at that point, irrelevant compared to the people who lost their lives there Today in other things that are going on, as I mentioned, peace and love, peace and love.
Speaker 1:Ringo Starr turns 85 years old today. 85 years old, one of the Beatles. Think about that. Now. The Beatles were a generation ahead of me. You know there was a generation listening to the Beatles and initially the first part of the Stones were still listening to the Stones. My Stones love came from the 70s, by the way, but you know this. You know when people were listening to the Beatles and they were listening to the birds and they were listening to, you know, the Doors and in in Hendrix and Joplin. My generation we were more Pink Floyd, led Zeppelin, montrose, you know bands like that. And so it's our generation at some point is going to be the next to be, god willing, 85. But Ringo is 85. Right, yeah, he's all about peace and love.
Speaker 5:Ah, yes, you know what's happening On Monday, my birthday. What does that mean? It means at noon, wherever you are, all over the world, anywhere you go, peace and love, peace and love. That's my gift from you, thank you. This is my gift to you Peace and love.
Speaker 1:You know I got to say he might touch up the whiskers or whatever, I don't know, but Ringo still looks good. You know we have two Beatles left and you know both he and Paul look good. And you know the thing about Ringo Starr he's still got his all-star band, ringo Starr's all-star band, which goes out on tour. I think they're touring this year. He's 85. These guys are awesome man. His son, zach Starkey there's been some controversy with him and the who. He's been the drummer of the who for 29 years, far longer than Keith Moon, and in my opinion sorry you may hate me if you will, it's okay Every bit as good as Keith Moon. Yep, hate me if you will for saying that, but Zach Starkey is one hell of a good drummer and I say he's as good as Keith Moon, and he was in the band for 29 years. Um, happy birthday to Ringo.
Speaker 1:You know, when you go back and you think about Ringo Starr, we think well, you know, like Paul McCartney, you know, boy, he had all these hits, Lennon, how he all, he had all these hits. George Harrisonennon, all these hits, george Harrison. Man, he had hits too, didn't he? I'm talking about after the Beatles, I'm talking about solo career. And when you talk about Ringo Starr and when you talk about Ringo Starr this guy who doesn't get enough credit as far as I'm concerned, I mean he had some of the biggest hits of all of the solo Beatles. I mean if you look back on Ringo Starr's solo career, I contend he does not get enough credit for that.
Speaker 1:So if you look at, let's say, going back to the early 70s, he was on George Harrison's album All Things Must Pass 1970, after the Beatles broke up. He had that three-record set Living in the material World in 1973. No, not Madonna, dark Horse in 74. But in 1971, ringo participated in the concert for Bangladesh with George Harrison and he co-wrote the hit and it's a great song. It Don't Come Easy. I just love this song. It is a great. And this is Ringo 1971.
Speaker 6:In my estimation it is a fantastic tune. Easy Got to pay your dues. If you want to see the blues and you know it don't come easy you don't have to shout or leave them out. You can even play them easy. Forget about the past and all your sorrows.
Speaker 1:This song went to number four in both the US and in the UK. But the following year I mean talk about his great success he released his most successful UK hit. This one, in my estimation, gets forgotten in the mix. I always liked it. I haven't heard it in a while because it gets lost in the mix. Back off liked it. I haven't heard it in a while Because it gets lost in the mix. Back off Boogaloo. I always liked that little guitar. Back off Boogaloo. Back off Boogaloo. Back off Boogaloo, produced by George Harrison. Back off Boogaloo, produced by George Harrison. Back on Boogaloo. What you think I'm gonna do, I'm gonna flash right from the start Number two in the UK, number nine in the US. Wake up me, head.
Speaker 6:Don't pretend that you were dead. Get yourself up off the car.
Speaker 1:We'll be right back Celebrating Ringo Starr's 85th birthday. Pat's Peeps 296. In 1973 and 1974, ringo had two number one hits in the United States. Do you remember what they were? So two number ones for the former Beatles just in 73 and 74. Photograph was one of those songs ¶¶ Co-written with George Harrison. It was one of those songs Co-written with George Harrison.
Speaker 6:Every time I see your face it reminds me of the places we used to go, but all I've got is a photograph, and I realize you're not coming back anymore. I thought I'd make it the day you went away, but I can't make it Till you come home again to stay.
Speaker 1:This went to number eight in the UK. I can't get you. Number one in the US I can't get you.
Speaker 6:But my heart is broke, my tears are crying for you.
Speaker 1:The other one that he had in terms of a number one hit was in 1974 of those two, and it was written by the Sherman Brothers and it was Ringo's third million-selling single in the United States. It was a song called You're 16. That's Peeps 296. Number four in the UK You're all ribbons and curls.
Speaker 6:Who are the girls? Eyes that sparkle and shine?
Speaker 1:You're 16, you're beautiful and you're mine, and both of these tracks appeared on Ringo's debut album. Ringo, you're my baby, you're my pain.
Speaker 6:We fell in love. On the night we met. You touched my hand, my heart went home. Ooh, when we kissed, I could not stop. You walked out of my life.
Speaker 1:The album was produced by Richard Perry and featured further contributions from George Harrison, as well as a song from Lennon and McCartney and a gazoo One of the few gazoo tunes. One of the few Gazoo tunes. Leave it to Ringo, you know, to have a Gazoo. Not a lot of Gazoo tunes, like I said, but there's a few. I believe that. Who was it? Mungo Jerry had one too. Anyhow, this was a commercial and critical success. This record, which also included another US no 5 song and another one that I think is kind of overlooked, a song called oh my my, this is a good tune. Album went to number seven in the UK, number two in the United States. What's the matter? He said, come on over. I said, do I have to?
Speaker 6:My knees started shaking, my wrist started aching, when my doctor said to me Hold my mind.
Speaker 1:Hold my mind, can you boogie? Can you slide? Hold my mind. I laugh because Hold my mind, you can boogie If you try. I laugh because Ringo had a sense of humor in a lot of his music. I don't think he took himself too seriously while making good music. He took his music seriously but lighthearted when they started dancing.
Speaker 6:I jumped off the table. I felt myself bleeding and as I was bleeding, this is what they said to me oh, my, my oh my my.
Speaker 1:Can you believe? Can you slide? Oh my my. Good Night Vienna. Followed in 1974. You can't fly. Oh my my. It was also successful. Reached number eight in the United States, number 30 in the UK. Featured contributions from John Lennon, elton John, harry Nilsson. That album included a cover which was suggested by Lennon, a cover of the Platters 1954 hit Only you and you Alone, which ends up going I mean, it's what a song, at least in my opinion, to pick, for Lennon to pick Only you by the Platters. Hmm Well, went to number six in the US, went to number 28 in the UK and here it is from his Goodnight Vienna album.
Speaker 6:What a different take. Only you Can make the darkness bright. Only you and you alone Can thrill me like you do and fill my heart with love, for only you, only you Can make this change in me. For, it's true, you are my destiny.
Speaker 1:You know, again a very different take on that song and the classic from the Platters when I live, that one did not get as much airtime as some of the other ones. I can say that I recall that song and I recall it being played on the radio, but I don't think that it was quite as much of a hit here where I live as it probably was in other areas of the country. And you know, it's interesting how that works, how there'll be regional hits and that was not a big, big hit here. But this one was this would be one of my favorites by Ringo and again you know the fact that Ringo had a sense of humor. I love his sense of humor and as it was another guy in fact I was just asking someone about him the other day this gentleman and they had no idea who I was talking about, and that's okay, not everyone's gonna know.
Speaker 1:But Hoyt Axton was a very talented writer. He was a very talented musician. Again, had a great sense of humor. He was a talented actor. I to love anytime I was watching a TV show. And Hoyt Axton, who wrote songs for Three Dog Night Well, I've never been to Spain, you know Joy to the World wrote some big hits for a lot of people. He wrote a song for Ringo Starr and this is one of my favorites. This one used to be on the radio all the time when I was growing up, went to number three in the United States Seventh consecutive top ten hit, by the way. Here you go. I love it. It's called the no no song.
Speaker 6:Such a good tune the lady that I know just came from columbia. She smiled because I did not understand. Then she held out some marijuana. She said it was the best in all D-land.
Speaker 1:And I said no, no, no, no, I don't smoke it no more. I'm tired of waking up on the floor.
Speaker 6:No, thank you please.
Speaker 1:It only makes me sneeze, then it makes it hard to find the door.
Speaker 6:Sorry, I love it a woman that I know just came from my york of Spain. She smiled because I did not understand. Thanks to held out a 10 pound bag of cocaine. She said it was the finest in the land and I said no, no, no, no, I don't, no more. I'm tired of waking up on the floor. No, thank you, please. It only makes me sneeze. Then it makes it hard to find the door. Aye, aye, aye, aye.
Speaker 1:It's kind of so festive, isn't? It Makes me want to drink rum With the coconut juice and the little umbrella.
Speaker 6:Vinny, I don't came from Nashville, Tennessee. I don't want to get in trouble.
Speaker 1:I don't own these songs. I don't have the rights.
Speaker 6:He held out some moonshine whiskey. He said it was the best in all the land.
Speaker 1:Anyhow, I'm going to bring this up on my show tonight. I try not to replicate things on my show too much, but yeah, I'm going to talk about Ringo. Obviously got to talk about Ringo's birthday tonight, so I'll be doing that on my show tonight. I hope you can tune into the Pat wall show. Yeah, I was going to get into this, but I you know now that I'm sitting there listening to Ringo, it's just such a If he comes around. I have not had the opportunity to see Ringo's all-star band, but if they're in concert I'm going to go, because I want to see how he's doing, I want to hear the music. He's always surrounding himself with great artists from other bands and so I want to see him. You know I've seen Paul. You know, when it comes to the Beatles, we have Paul and we have Ringo, and you know they're both way up there in age. So but you know now that I'm talking about R ringo, I don't want to transition into this next thing. Oh, but I will, just for the heck of it. You know, because I was thinking about it.
Speaker 1:I don't even know why this popped up. Honestly, I don't know if it ran. You know how you like. Maybe you're watching YouTube or whatever. I can't remember it must have been that YouTube TV. It was a video about this guy that named Gary Gilmore. Anyone remember this dude? You got to be as old as me, at least, to remember this guy.
Speaker 1:I remember this guy getting executed and he had committed a couple of murders and he wanted to be in front of the firing squad in Utah. It's funny how your mind will associate memories with certain events and different things. Maybe that you were doing that you connect together. I can remember being a kid and I was at the. I was a teenager, a young teenager, and maybe just coming off a senior league of baseball, whatever, and I went to a baseball camp at Sacramento City College, over by William Land Park, over by Hughes Stadium, and it was a weekend of going out and we got to play with former big leaguers and we got to learn things and really go out and test ourselves and I couldn't wait to do it. But I, for whatever reason, remember that weekend was the weekend they were talking about, that this guy had either been executed or he was going to be executed that day or the next. Isn't that a random thing to remember?
Speaker 1:I remember going to the registration counter at the baseball clinic and the adults talking about it and seeing a newspaper on the table that this dude wanted to be executed with a firing squad. It came up when I saw that and then it was July of 76. That just got me to thinking about first of all how long ago that was. But there's a weird story connected with that. It made me think about it. I said you know I haven't told that story on my show.
Speaker 1:First of all, if you don't know who this piece of trash was, I'm sorry but he was. He's a murderer. Piece of trash was Sorry, but he was. He's a murderer. He murdered in cold blood Gary Mark Gilmore. He got the death sentence for two murders and he admitted to these murders that he committed. In Utah Supreme Court upheld a new series of death penalty statutes in this 1976 decision, gregg versus Georgia and he becomes the first person in almost 10 years to be executed in the United States. And these new statutes avoided the problems under the 1972 decision Furman versus Georgia, which had resulted in earlier death penalty statutes being deemed cruel and unusual punishment and therefore unconstitutional.
Speaker 1:Anyhow, gilmore wanted to be executed by a firing squad in 1977. By a firing squad in 1977. He was an outcast, excuse me. Well, he was born in Portland, outcast from Provo, utah, and living in Sacramento, where I'm from. So that's one of the tie-ins for me, where I'm from. So that's one of the tie-ins for me because I'm from Sacramento and he's 14 years old started a small car theft ring with his friends. Resulted in his first arrest.
Speaker 1:But then, in July of 1976, gilmore then robs and murders this guy by the name of Max Jensen, who was a gas station employee. This was in Orem, utah. The next night he goes and robs and murders Benny Bushnell, who was a motel manager in Provo. Both of these men complied with his demands. Yet he murdered both of them, Told them to lie down, shot them in the head. Both were students at Brigham Young University, both left widows, both left infants. He tried to get rid of this .22 caliber pistol that he used in both of these killings Accidentally shoots himself in his right hand which leaves a trail of blood to the service garage where he had left his truck to be repaired prior to murdering Benny
Speaker 1:Bushnell. This guy, this garage mechanic, michael Simpson, witnesses Gilmore hiding the gun in the bushes, sees the blood on his bandage on his right hand. That was there very crude bandage. As he tries to pay for the repairs to his truck the guy notices it. Then he hears on the police scanner about a shooting in a nearby motel. So this guy, michael Simpson, the hotel manager, writes down the license plate for Gary Gilmore, calls the PD and then his cousin, brenda Gilmore, calls the PD and then his cousin, brenda Gilmore's cousin, turns him in to the police shortly after he phoned her asking for bandages and painkillers for the injury to his hand. They pull him over. He gave up, did not try to flee from Provo. Anyhow, this guy ends up wanting the firing squad.
Speaker 7:During the board of pardons hearing in November of 1976, Gilmore made it quite clear.
Speaker 4:It seems that the people, especially the people of Utah, they want the death penalty, but they don't want executions, and when it became a reality, they might have to carry one out. Well, I started backing off on it. Well, I took them literal and serious when they sentenced me to death.
Speaker 7:The stays of execution angered Gilmore. In November he attempted suicide, recovered but tried again the next month. His execution was now set for January 17, 1977. National and international media converged at the Utah State Prison. Protesters held vigils. The ACLU made one last attempt to save his life, but it was denied. 30 minutes before his execution, an ABC reporter described Gilmore's last moments.
Speaker 4:The warden, having read aloud the legal order that Gilmore must be shot for his crime, asked quietly for any last words. Gilmore said let's do it.
Speaker 1:Okay Again. Listen to that again. This is from ABC4, Utah crime ask quietly for any last words.
Speaker 4:Gilmore said let's do it.
Speaker 1:Let's do it Okay. Now here's the interesting tie-in to that. Here comes the curveball that no one sees coming. Let's do it All right. So that's his last words before the firing squad takes him out. He says let's do it.
Speaker 7:Let's do it.
Speaker 4:The order of the 4th Judicial District Court of the state of Utah has been carried out. Gary Mark Gilmore is dead.
Speaker 7:At 8.05 in the morning, gilmore's wish was carried out. He was shot four times through the heart. Reporters were given access to where Gilmore was shot. They took pictures of bullet holes posed in front of the chair. The ACLU was prophetic. Since his execution, capital punishment is now a way of life.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, let's do it. And they did it. So where am I going with this? Well, that turns into one of the most iconic ads of all time. What True let's do it. Facing down a firing squad, last moments Double murderer. Dan Whedon, the founder of the ad agency, whedon Kennedy. Dan Whedon, the founder of the ad agency, whedon Kennedy, is watching this and he is inspired by this to adapt the phrase just do it for a 1988 TV ad which introduced the slogan to the world. What slogan is that? That would be Nike, just do it, inspired by the words of the last words of a murderer, dreamed up by Whedon, head of this ad agency, and included it as the focal point of a TV commercial in 1988 about this elderly man who was out running First Nike ad. 80-year-old Walt Stack, jogging across the Golden Gate Bridge in Nike's first Just Do it ad, chatting about his daily 17-mile run 17 miles.
Speaker 6:Every morning. People ask me how I keep my teeth from chattering in the wintertime.
Speaker 2:I lead in my locker.
Speaker 1:And then they slap up the swoosh and just do it, dreamed up by Dan Whedon, now an endlessly repeated tagline, and so I don't know how many of you knew that already, but I thought that was a very interesting story. By the way, nike's former marketing chief, liz Dolan this probably would be why you don't know about this says Nike tries not to share the origins of that phrase widely. David Grosso is the VP of global brand marketing for Nike. Told Creative Review in 2011,. David Grosso is the VP of global brand marketing for Nike. Told Creative Review in 2011,. Just do. It is still just as relevant to us as a brand name today as it was 23 years ago. So thank you, my friends. Happy birthday to Ringo Starr. Peace and love, peace and love, peace and love. Appreciate you listening to my Pats Peeps 296. See you on the radio don't come easy, you know.
