ENTERTAINMENT : Judge Weighs Merit of Ringo’s Tune

A recording by Ringo Starr debuted in court today, blaring from a boom box as a judge weighed whether the song would be a $3.5-million hit or is an alcohol-marred embarrassment, as the ex-Beatle claims.

Music industry executives have said the record would be a “guaranteed No. 1 hit,” an attorney for Memphis, Tenn., producer Chips Moman said as he played the tape for Superior Court Judge Clarence Cooper.

The song, “I Can Help,” is one of 14 that Starr recorded with Moman in 1987. Moman wants to release an album to coincide with Starr’s current U.S. concert tour, but Starr says he is unhappy with his performance and the album would hurt his reputation.