Along with "Don't Pass Me By," this was one of two songs Ringo Starr wrote for The Beatles. It came about when Ringo left The White Album sessions in 1968 and went on a boating trip with his family in Sardina. The boat's captain offered him an octopus lunch, but he turned it down. It was then that the captain began to tell him everything he knew about octopuses, and how they travel along the sea bed looking for shiny objects and stones with which to build gardens. Ringo thought about how tranquil it would be to live down there amongst your friends in the calm waters - the opposite of the chaos and internecine conflict he was going through with The Beatles. With this idea, he wrote the song about living in the octopus's garden. Ringo did return to his post for The White Album, discovering his drum kit covered with flowers to welcome him back (George Harrison's idea). The Beatles completed that album and later included "Octopus's Garden" on Abbey Road.
This is one of the most kid-friendly Beatles songs. Ringo sang lead, as he did on some of the lighter Beatles songs, including "Yellow Submarine" and "Act Naturally." His voice is very appealing to children, as demonstrated in his later voiceover work on Thomas the Tank Engine.
George Harrison helped Ringo write this during the Let It Be sessions. They are seen working on it in the movie Let It Be - George rewrote the chord sequence.
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