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9.48am
26 March 2012
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Which Beatles song would you say was the most important, progressive, influential, ahead of its time? The largest experimental milestone in their career? Obviously it doesn't have to be what a lot of people consider "experimental"- I'd say "I Want To Hold Your Hand" is just as important as "Revolution #9" in that respect.
"Eleanor Rigby." Follows basically one chord throughout the whole song. But if you ask me Paul rarely wrote lyrics better than these- incredibly thoughtful lyrics for what was still a relatively early phase in pop music, capturing a quintessential everyday, humdrum Englishness but also making a wider statement about despair and loneliness. And the timeless string backing is perhaps the first excursion into "baroque" pop music which became the rage worldwide for years to come.
"Tomorrow Never Knows." Little more to be said about this one. Interestingly, both songs on Revolver 
10.17am
10 April 2012
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When I think about orchestras in pop music, I think of Yesterday first, but Eleanor Rigby certainly took it to another level.
My vote would be for either A Day in the Life or Strawberry Fields. Each took the psychedelia of Tomorrow Never Knows and made massive improvements, in my opinion. Both hugely experimental.
I Want to Hold Your Hand is in the discussion after those two. As for Tomorrow Never Knows vs. Eleanor, does it matter that few people outside of die hard Beatles fans know about Tomorrow Never Knows? For me, it does slightly, so I'd say Eleanor is more of a milestone. TNK might be the furthest ahead of its time of all of them, however.
11.41am
1 May 2011
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For me it would be I Want To Hold Your Hand. IWTHYH finally broke America, even tho the pressure was building. The UK was done as were parts of Europe. A couple of more times around the UK and Europe and they would have been so bored, like they were with Hamburg.
Would it have mattered song wise if America had remained closed as many artists were able to remain successful around the UK and Europe, ie Cliff? Of course you cant determine the future when changing one factor regardless of its size.
5.14pm
10 August 2011
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"I Want To Hold Your Hand"
- As stated by meanmistermustard, the song opened the American floodgates.
- It's a feel good song that perhaps has been equaled, but not surpassed.
- Although the lyrics are simple and can be interpreted crudely, there's also something very spiritual about reaching out and touching someone. Holding someone's hand connects you to them in more ways than one.
After IWTHYH, I would agree with "Eleanor Rigby," "A Day In the Life," "I Am the Walrus".
For strictly non-musical reasons, "Yellow Submarine" has to be on the list. Sadly enough, many people only recognize that song as a Beatle song…. Obviously, that song "touched" many people.
6.08pm
14 April 2010
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There was a thread similar to this one going around about a year or so ago. My vote was for "My Bonnie". It may not have been a pure Beatles song (Tony Sheridan) but to me it was the most important.
No "My Bonnie", no Raymond Jones. No Raymond Jones, no Brian Epstein. No Brian Epstein…shudder.
Just my opinion…
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, Let it roll for all its worth.
2295 6972
11.20pm
17 March 2012
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I say "Rain." Pretty "out there" for 1966, in my opinion.
10.16pm
12 April 2012
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You Can't Do That. Especially the Anthology version.
10.45pm
10 August 2011
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Tracy,
Interesting!
What makes you pick "You Can't Do That"?
11.34am
12 April 2012
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It's more rock and roll, not so pop. The anthology version is raw John Lennon. I'm hoping it's George on lead guitar.
2.53pm
14 April 2010
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One of my favorite Beatles songs. Nice choice!
To the fountain of perpetual mirth, Let it roll for all its worth.
2295 6972
8.42pm
1 May 2010
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Mine too!!
I dunno. I'd say one of them is Paperback Writer because of the lyrics…. I guess….
I don't know. these days my mind is like…… sleeping. 
9.02pm
16 February 2011
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Maybe "I am the Walrus" , it achieved something I don't think any "commercial" band before had made and succeed in it: write a song full of rubbish and obnoxious references-and make it popular. It's interesting musically, as well. Cannot say how big of an impact it had on other bands, but it really stands out from most Beatles songs.
But You Can't Do That is awesome 
10.24pm
12 March 2010
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Ben Ramon said
Which Beatles song would you say was the most important, progressive, influential, ahead of its time? The largest experimental milestone in their career? Obviously it doesn't have to be what a lot of people consider "experimental"- I'd say "I Want To Hold Your Hand" is just as important as "Revolution #9" in that respect."Eleanor Rigby." Follows basically one chord throughout the whole song. But if you ask me Paul rarely wrote lyrics better than these- incredibly thoughtful lyrics for what was still a relatively early phase in pop music, capturing a quintessential everyday, humdrum Englishness but also making a wider statement about despair and loneliness. And the timeless string backing is perhaps the first excursion into "baroque" pop music which became the rage worldwide for years to come.
"Tomorrow Never Knows." Little more to be said about this one. Interestingly, both songs on Revolver
Interesting question.
Most of the ones that come to my mind have already been mentioned.
I want to hold your hand (America)
A day in the life (their final, most dramatic and experimental song on their most experimental and most important album)
Tomorrow never knows (not their most important, but most progressive)
Yesterday – best known, most covered song ever, and the original, which is take 2 and a live performance with Paul singing and playing at the same time, is still better and more touching than any of the 4000 covers
Not mentioned yet:
She loves you – their breakthrough song, not only that but also completely defining their (early) style: driving rock, three part harmonies, love song, feel good style, and of course "YEAH YEAH YEAH"!
All you need is love – nailing their overall message, and of course them taking part in the first global tv transmission etc.
Hey Jude – their best selling single, THE definitive join-in chorus
10.49pm
1 May 2011
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Love Me Do solely for being their first single and getting to number 17 in the UK. Would have been massive for the 4some at the time as it would have been a significant step in their path.
Following that heads on would be Please Please Me as it was their first number 1 (despite the whole #1 debate nowadays). Totally different not only to LMD but also to pretty much everything else out there at the time, sent a fire of lust and desire on many young girls, and made them into a bigger-than-just-the-Liverpool-region band.
3.58pm
31 March 2008
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Eleanor Rigby has two basic chords – C and E minor.
My vote for most important song goes to Strawberry Fields Forever. Or is it A Day In The Life? Or maybe I Want To Hold Your Hand. Or possibly… Or perhaps…
12.48am
18 December 2011
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Don't forget "Helter Skelter" which is classified as the first real hard rocker. It also influented the development of metal music in the 70's and 80's.
Other noteable mentions:
"I Saw Her Standing There", "Taxman" (hence to the backward guitar solo), "Eleanor Rigby" "Tommorow Never Knows", "A Day in the Life"…
12.02pm
9 May 2012
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Probably "I want to hold your hand" as of importance of breakthrough to the American market, but as for the music, I think "Tomorrow Never Knows". Imagine you're self buying a Revolver album in 1966 and at end you hear a track like Tomorrow Never Knows, it was probably a mind blow 
. Of course a lot of Beatles songs are as equal important, A Day in the Life, Eleanor Rigby, In My Life etc… just too many to count.
5.18pm
27 April 2012
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I have to say "Love Me Do" because the Beatles fought so hard to record it, against George Martin's wishes…he wanted them to do "How Do You Do It" or whatever that song is…and they stuck to their guns. LMD isn't my fav song by a long shot, but I do like it a lot more now than I used to, it has really grown on me. Paul gets just a little cocky in there, with her "hey hey" in the middle, which was not much but was kind of "other there" for the time…the whole song is just a lot different from the songs being released at the time. And "Please Please Me" has to be considered as it was the song that really got the UK worked up about the Beatles. "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" which IS one of my favs just took it to the next level, appealing to the whole world, even kind of against their will…
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