Commentators have interpreted the song , and particularly this statement , as an attack by Starr on his former Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney . Starr has denied any such interpretation , instead " claiming that the song was inspired by Bolan and nothing more " , Beatles biographer Robert Rodriguez writes . Starr had publicly criticised McCartney 's solo albums McCartney ( 1970 ) and Ram ( 1971 ) on release , and author Bruce Spizer paraphrases the message of the middle eight as " a plea for Paul to produce better music " . The mention of " sound [ ing ] wasted " could also be a reference to McCartney 's overindulgence with cannabis , Rodriguez suggests . A further example of Starr 's allegedly anti @-@ McCartney message exists in the song 's first verse :