Ringo Starr identified his initial inspiration for " Back Off Boogaloo " as having come from Marc Bolan , the singer and guitarist with English glam rock band T. Rex . In a 2001 interview with Mojo editor Paul Du Noyer , Starr described Bolan as " a dear friend who used to come into the office when I was running Apple Movies , a big office in town , and the hang @-@ out for myself , Harry Nilsson and Keith Moon " . Over dinner one evening at Starr 's home outside London , Bolan had used the word " boogaloo " so often that it stuck in Starr 's mind , after which the beat and melody for the song came to him overnight . When discussing the composition on VH1 Storytellers in May 1998 , Starr explained : " [ Bolan ] was an energised guy . He used to speak : ' Back off boogaloo ... ooh you , boogaloo . ' ' Do you want some potatoes ? ' ' Ooh you , boogaloo ! ' " Starr also recalled having to take the batteries out of his children 's toys that night , in order to power a tape recorder and make a recording of the new song .