creslin_black
Neo Member
John Lennon; Paul McCartney's stuff is boring.
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John Lennon's Beatles songs, or Paul McCartney's Beatles songs?
- Thread starter Jack Remington
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Jack Remington
Banned
This is partly because John and Paul were kind of dicks and would only let him put one or two songs on each album for most of their run.
George actually called out Paul for this at one point. Said something like, "You'll help Paul with his ten songs, and then finally he'll get around to helping you with your one song."
Man, I have never felt this way. Helter Skelter, Got to Get you Into My Life, Back in the USSR, Paperback Writer, Penny Lane, Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (song), Lovely Rita... I've always found his best stuff pretty amazing.
mambadragon
Banned
Said it better than I could have.
Robot Pants
Member
Why cant we have both?
And all three?
And all three?
The Iron Yuppie
Member
John. Paul's stuff is mostly pop-y garbage.
That said, I've never been a big fan of the Beetles in general.
That said, I've never been a big fan of the Beetles in general.
Agreed on the first two points. John (and George/Ringo) kept Paul from being too kitsch, while the same can be said in regards to John going overboard.
George from White Album onwards was in the same league though. Hell Revolver onward, really. The composition for I Want to Tell You is genius.
Lennon wrote most of the songs on albums and singles up until Revolver. It wasn't until the death of Brian Epstein and Lennon's heroin addiction that Paul caught up to Lennon. Even through Paul's prime in the Beatles, Lennon was still putting out standout material like Day in the Life, Strawberry Fields, I Am the Walrus, All You Need is Love, etc.
As for the McCartney song fixing claims with Come Together, many of these songs were collaborative. Even Lennon admits that Paul and him wrote a lot of songs together. He was just pissed off at Paul during the time after the Beatles break-up that he claimed that they wrote solo songs. I have read all sorts of claims about who wrote what part of a song. John Lennon said he wrote every lyric in Eleanor Rigby except to the first verse and chorus. Lennon wrote the into to Here There and Everywhere, and other songs.
Paul also claimed to write the melody to In My Life. Even George helped clean up the songs of other Beatles and vice versa. There are demo tapes with John Lennon basically running through While My Guitar Gently Weeps laying out the phrasing of each lyric for George. It sounded almost exactly like the final recording.
If I had to pick, I would say that John Lennon was the most prolific and impactful writer in the Beatles. Paul McCartney edged Lennon out in terms of singles in the end, and his impact as a bass player in the band cannot be overstated.
1. John
2. Paul
3. George
4. Ringo
As for the McCartney song fixing claims with Come Together, many of these songs were collaborative. Even Lennon admits that Paul and him wrote a lot of songs together. He was just pissed off at Paul during the time after the Beatles break-up that he claimed that they wrote solo songs. I have read all sorts of claims about who wrote what part of a song. John Lennon said he wrote every lyric in Eleanor Rigby except to the first verse and chorus. Lennon wrote the into to Here There and Everywhere, and other songs.
Paul also claimed to write the melody to In My Life. Even George helped clean up the songs of other Beatles and vice versa. There are demo tapes with John Lennon basically running through While My Guitar Gently Weeps laying out the phrasing of each lyric for George. It sounded almost exactly like the final recording.
If I had to pick, I would say that John Lennon was the most prolific and impactful writer in the Beatles. Paul McCartney edged Lennon out in terms of singles in the end, and his impact as a bass player in the band cannot be overstated.
1. John
2. Paul
3. George
4. Ringo
And people also don't know that George Harrison is often credited with the waltz-like time signature in the bridge of that song. When John is saying "Life is very short..."
Also, John Lennon brought the idea of having Paul sing sustained notes as John Lennon voices the worried parents in "She's Leaving Home."
Lazy vs Crazy
Member
I'm of the mind that the b side of Abbey road is the best thing the group ever did, and it's largely on the strength of Paul's contributions, so I guess I'm a Paul guy.
On the other hand, I like Let it Be...Naked more than Let it Be so my opinion is probably not worth much.
On the other hand, I like Let it Be...Naked more than Let it Be so my opinion is probably not worth much.
-ImaginaryInsider
Member
Straight up vocal and musical talent, Paul wins... but John's writing and trashier guitar playing and vocals will always get my vote. Harrison is my backup favorite though, his acoustic version of "Something" on the Anthology is God-tier.
speculawyer
Member
While My Guitar Gently Weeps is my favorite.
Too hard to choose between Paul & John. I probably prefer John because he's more the weirdo but Paul's songs are more melodic and great.
Lennon/McCartney for life.
Too hard to choose between Paul & John. I probably prefer John because he's more the weirdo but Paul's songs are more melodic and great.
Lennon/McCartney for life.
John
I think it would have to be John for me, but it's really tough to decide. Dear Prudence and Happiness is a Warm Gun straight off the white album really hit it for me. Then again, Paul's I will is also awesome.
I listened to that for the first time the other night and couldn't stop repeating it as I was hypnotized...
I listened to that for the first time the other night and couldn't stop repeating it as I was hypnotized...
equippedwithtowel
Member
Paul wins on the basis of the Abbey Road medley.
Here's a John Lennon interview where he tells who wrote every song. Paul later confirmed it.
George Harrison wrote the best Beatles song though: Long, Long, Long
George Harrison wrote the best Beatles song though: Long, Long, Long
It's unbelievable how amazing all The Beatles were. John and Paul were epic of course, but I prefer Paul because his lyrics seem more melancholy. Although George is great and Ringo followed up later on with Photograph so he's still cool in my book.
I prefer the one who didn't beat his wife and children.
Seriously though, with regards to their music, it's incredible what they were able to produce in seven years. SEVEN YEARS.
I miss the days of bands putting out so much material. It's so much more interesting. You would have thought with distribution becoming so much easier it would have gone the other way.
Seriously though, with regards to their music, it's incredible what they were able to produce in seven years. SEVEN YEARS.
I miss the days of bands putting out so much material. It's so much more interesting. You would have thought with distribution becoming so much easier it would have gone the other way.
OneEightZero
aka ThreeOneFour
not psycho
Member
John by far. I love his style and the majority of my favorites are by him:
Dear Prudence
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Im So Tired
Yer Blues
Julia
Across the Universe
Strawberry Fields Forever
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Norwegian Wood
Mean Mr. Mustard
Polythene Pam
Sexy Sadie
I Want You (Shes So Heavy)
Plastic Ono Band is also the best thing any of them did after the Beatles. Working Class Hero, Mother, I Found Out, Love... so good.
But Paul and George are great as well. Yesterday, Helter Skelter. And of course Long, Long, Long, one of the best songs they ever did.
Dear Prudence
Happiness is a Warm Gun
Im So Tired
Yer Blues
Julia
Across the Universe
Strawberry Fields Forever
Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey
Norwegian Wood
Mean Mr. Mustard
Polythene Pam
Sexy Sadie
I Want You (Shes So Heavy)
Plastic Ono Band is also the best thing any of them did after the Beatles. Working Class Hero, Mother, I Found Out, Love... so good.
But Paul and George are great as well. Yesterday, Helter Skelter. And of course Long, Long, Long, one of the best songs they ever did.
VendettaRed07
Member
The fact that the What's new Scooby Doo theme kind of ripped that song off always made me laugh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpjsMnI3htA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILdBDOPoEDQ
HuskerDutheDu
Member
I don't really care one way or the other, but if I had to pick I'd say Lennon cuz I'm Only Sleeping is the best Beatles song.
The Broken Ska Record
Member
George > Paul = John >>>>>>>>> Ringo
The Librarian
Banned
StudioTan
Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
Always more partial to Paul's songs but John wrote some amazing songs so it's very close. Paul was definitely a better tunesmith.
Plus I always find it funny when people say Paul's songs are poppy/corny/saccharine since he wrote some of the heaviest stuff they did and since John wasn't immune to that either, especially in his solo career with songs like Oh Yoko.
Plus I always find it funny when people say Paul's songs are poppy/corny/saccharine since he wrote some of the heaviest stuff they did and since John wasn't immune to that either, especially in his solo career with songs like Oh Yoko.
KidA Seven
Member
Lennon.
Kitsunebaby
Member
George's are obviously the best.
I'd take John's second.
I'd take John's second.
Just found out that Brian Jones plays sax on You Know My Name... pretty cool.
To Far Away Times
Member
Paul wrote the better songs but John pushed the band in a more interesting direction. And John was certainly no slouch when it came to songwriting either...
It's very close, but I give the slight nod to Paul McCartney.
It's very close, but I give the slight nod to Paul McCartney.
Clockwork5
Member
George.
One of Lennon's best songs is just one big long threat to his wife (and I guess women in general).
He's an odd man. If he'd died fifteen years earlier than he did, modern attitudes towards him would be remarkably different.
travisbickle
Member
Marion Cobretti
Member
I had a tiny hunch that Paul might squeak it out, but no, John definitely closed it out in the end.
George though, holy shit. Something. Hard to top that.
So much talent between them.
George though, holy shit. Something. Hard to top that.
So much talent between them.
This is how I feel.
CharminUltra
Member
The Fifth Beatle, of course.
My real answer is John.
uncleniccius
Member
Harrison wrote Here Comes the Sun, so he wins.
Paul was more consistent and a better musician, John was more innovative lyrically and musically. The perfect songwriter pair.
Also John's best vocal performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSTwxxfR3LE
Also John's best vocal performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSTwxxfR3LE
loaf of bread
Member
Paul for me. To be honest I never liked any of Lennon's stuff that much. Was never that crazy over The Beatles in general to be fair though. Eleanor Rigby is the best. Also Paul's solo works were better than Lennon's too imo.
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