When we talk about their Break up we often neglect Ringo's influence over the split, when Ringo was actually the first to quit the band. It was august of 1968, The Beatles were recording the white album, they had a lot of new songs, some of which they came up with during their tour of India. Ringo goes up to John, who was then living with Yoko at Ringo's house, and tells him that he is leaving the group because he was feeling out of it and unloved. He felt he wasn't able to play well and he felt like the other three were having fun and growing closer while he just felt like an outsider. To this John said, "I thought it was you three" referring to paul, ringo and george. Post this he went to Paul and told him he is leaving the group because he feels like he isn't involved enough and feels like he is the outsider and the other three were getting close, Paul had the same reaction as John and said, "I thought it was you three".

After this Ringo left for a holiday with his family, he didn't talk about this with George. They went on to record Back in the USSR without him, with Paul playing the drums on most of the song. 

They were all going through tough times because the relationships were not the same as they used to be, with the death of their manager Brian Epstein and increasing tensions amongst them this was bound to happen. 

Ringo did come back though, the other three sent him a telegram saying, "You are the best rock and roll drummer in the world. Come on home, we love you".

Ringo came back to the studio and was welcomed with flowers and the three of them standing at his drum kit decorated with flowers.