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10.20pm
26 March 2012
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I was trying to think recently of which three songs act as each Beatle’s pinnacle of their abilities as songwriters and musicians. It’s kind of difficult, because A Day In The Life sprang to mind instantly for John but I feel Paul’s presence is too highly felt for it to be entirely him, and the same would apply to the Abbey Road medley for Paul, but although he orchestrated the majority of it John does have entire portions to himself. Tomorrow Never Knows , too.
For fun, we could include one definitive magnum opus solo song each as well.
John: Strawberry Fields Forever , I Am The Walrus and All You Need Is Love would be my candidates, strangely all from the same year and included on the same full-length album. They just seem like a brilliant trio, full of weird and wonderful lyrical imagery and philosophies and great melodies to boot. A lot of John’s personality is contained within them together. For his solo work, I’d have to nominate Instant Karma , I don’t have nearly as much patience for Imagine as I’d like to but Instant Karma always has me cheering on.
Paul: Hey Jude , Eleanor Rigby , and Let It Be . Three of his perfect pop songs, they’ll always live on, stuck in people’s heads. Yesterday doesn’t cut it for me. As for solo, it has to be Maybe I’m Amazed really, doesn’t it? Although I could make a case for Band On The Run or Live And Let Die .
George: Here Comes The Sun , Something and While My Guitar Gently Weeps . Feel somewhat obvious choices but they are certainly George’s crowning moments as a songwriter, and for me the three moments where he proved that he could clearly shine as brightly as John and Paul, if not brighter. For solo, My Sweet Lord may be the obvious choice but I would nominate All Things Must Pass as his greatest song after the Beatles.
Ringo: Rain , Octopus’ Garden, and What Goes On would be my picks; the first because of his demonstration of his drum skills, the second because of his proven competence as a songwriter and general charm, and the third because it’s a wonderful showcase for him even if he didn’t have an entire hand in writing it. Solo, I think I’m going to have to go with It Don’t Come Easy though I think I prefer Early 1970 more.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
11.32pm
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1 May 2011
Offline John:
- Tomorrow Never Knows . A crowning glory that nobody else on the planet would have dared to think of even today and takes Revolver up a whole notch above awesomely incredibly amazing.
- Strawberry Fields. From the dreamy tender opening verse to how the tempo changes into the psychedelic classic that it is, it would always be the song for John.
- In My Life . There is a reason why its so highly rated and rightly so. The words (whoever wrote them) apply to everyone somehow. There are so many others (Across The Universe for the lyrics, If I Fell (possibly his best love song) but SFF has to be there.
Paul:
- Yesterday . Its not my favourite Paul song but has to be on my list as one of Pauls greatest moments.
- Hey Jude . Need there be much added. A British institution if ever there was one.
- Let it Be. Again not one of my favourites but so many people identify with it throughout the world. If folks arent calling out for Hey Jude nowadays its Let It Be .
George:
I would be surprised if these werent the large majority’s go to’s – maybe Taxman as thats when he really came to the fore – but these are the 3 that are widely seen as his crowning moments in the beatles as a songwriter.
Ringo:
- Octopus’s Garden . It is the best song he wrote as a Beatle.
- A Day In The Life . For his drumming (Ben went for Rain but this is for equal with that).
- Yellow Submarine . Its not a great track but for a song that will always belong to Ringo and his name its going to be Yellow Submarine .
For a group track it would be The End . All 4 solo, an iconic lyric closer summing up the bands entire career.
I could have went for faves but they wouldnt be the crowning glories.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
6.03am
23 January 2011
Offline John:
Strawberry Fields Forever : It’s an amazing song with great imagery. It contains one of my favorite lyrics (No one I think is in my tree), and it has an incredible vocal.
I Am The Walrus : This was the first Beatles song I heard that captured my attention. It’s fun, and it showcases John’s wonderful use of nonsense words.
All You Need Is Love : Well, I don’t particularly love it, but it is really a positive song with good feelings all around. People know and love this song, and it represents The Beatles well.
Solo: I’d have to go with Instant Karma !, too. Love the feeling in the, “We all shine on!” part. I always light a candle for John on his deathday and play this song. Morbid.
I hate Imagine . Give Peace A Chance is alright for an anthem. I really like Nobody Told Me, too, but it’s not really well known, so I can’t say it is a crowning achievement.
Paul:
Hey Jude : Despite all the rancor this song incurs when people get tired of it, there is a reason it is “dragged out” at national events. It’s a damn good song, and it is the perfect singalong. It’s full of heartfelt emotion and an excellent vocal.
Let It Be : Again, you can’t have The Beatles without Let it Be. It is simply a great song. It epitomizes Paul’s acceptance of bad things happening in life and moving on anyway. It also has one of my favorite lines that cheers me up whenever I’m feeling low (When the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me. Shine until tomorrow. Let it be.).
What’s next? Should I pick Eleanor Rigby , Penny Lane , or Yesterday ? A personal favorite would be I’ve Just Seen A Face , but alas,
Penny Lane , I think: It is a great foil to Strawberry Fields Forever , and the music is awesome. I love the piccolo trumpet (I think that’s what it is?), and it really does transport you to a different place and a different time.
Solo: I like too many of Paul’s solo songs. Not many of my favorites are well-known enough to be crowning achievements, though. Maybe I’m Amazed is probably his best well-known song. It has emotional vocals that stop me in my tracks. You can really feel his love for Linda in this song, and I’ll never forget the first time I realized I could feel his feelings when I listened to this song. Does that make sense? But I also love Band On The Run , Too Many People , and Let Me Roll It . And Hope of Deliverance. And One of These Days. Can’t forget Mull Of Kintyre .
I think an unsung crowning achievement would also be the beautiful melody in his “song” Celebration from Standing Stone . He still fiddles with it at sound checks. Here’s an early demo:https://www.youtube.com/watch?…..Akf-8r6BFg
George:
Here Comes The Sun : This song is so beautiful. It always makes me teary, and I just love it. Great lyrics. Beautiful guitar. Just excellent all around.
I Need You : This, to me, is George’s first break out song. It’s a great song with a great melody.
While My Guitar Gently Weeps : Great lyrics. Excellent musicianship. Perfect laid back rock song.
I guess I should have picked Something , and if I was noble enough, I would have. I just don’t like that song.
Solo: I admit to being woefully uneducated of George’s solo material, but I love All Things Must Pass . It has wise lyrics, and I love the way he sings it. The performance of Paul and Eric Clapton of this at the Concert for George is also just amazing.
Ringo:
Yellow Submarine : He imbues just the right kind of playfulness to make this song remembered today. I know Paul wrote it, but it is Ringo through and through. His personality just makes the song work.
Octopus’s Garden : See above. Also, because.
Rain : Ben’s pick of Rain was just too good for me to pass up. Ringo’s drumming in this needs to be shown to every sh*t head who says Ringo was a crap drummer.
Solo: Ummm…I can only name one song. Wings. Ironic.
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
9.43am
5 November 2011
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John:
I Want To Hold Your Hand – When people think The Beatles, I think this is one of the first songs they think. Their first number one in America, and the start of Beatlemania.
Strawberry Fields Forever – Great song. Paul’s intro is perfect, his vocals are amazing, and the lyrics are one of his best.
Come Together – If I’m remembering right, this is the song they used for the Beatles Rock Band commercial. That’s the song they chose to represent The Beatles, and there’s good reason why they chose that song to do it. I’m not going to tell you them, though, because all I can say is it’s a good song.
[Solo] I’m not too big on Imagine , although that probably is his biggest solo achievement. I like Watching The Wheels better. Most old people, I think, know that one.
Paul:
And I Love Her – There is nothing I don’t like about this song, it’s just beautiful. This is also the first ballad Paul wrote which he impressed himself with. It could have been another book, but I think he said that in The Beatles Anthology
Hey Jude – How could anybody dislike this song? It has great lyrics, Paul’s vocals are stunning, and it’s a pretty intense song, especially when he goes into the fade-out.
Let It Be – This song might be their most popular song. Maybe not, but even so it doesn’t really matter anyway. It’s just a very fine song and I don’t have much else to say about it.
[Solo] Maybe I’m Amazed is an obvious first choice. Live And Let Die would be another one, and Goodnight Tonight is mostly because I love it, but also because it’s a pretty popular song. When my friends listen to my iPod with me and this song comes up they almost always know it, but they just never knew who it was before that
George:
Don’t Bother Me – The first song George wrote. I think it’s a pretty good song, especially for being his first song.
Something – His songs on Abbey Road are so good. Excluding the medley, he has the two best songs on the albums. Maybe I won’t think that tomorrow, but right now I’m pretty convinced on that.
Here Comes The Sun – Most people love this song, and if they don’t they at least know it.
[Solo] My Sweet Lord . Also, Got My Mind Set On You.
Ringo:
Yellow Submarine – Ringo might not have written it, but it doesn’t make much of a diffence anyways becuase everybody seems to think he did. He fits this song so well, and I think that makes it even happier than it would have been had someone else sang it.
Octopus’s Garden – This is the best song he wrote in The Beatles. Maybe it’s not enough well known to be considered a crowning achievement, but this is quite possibly the happiest song I have ever heard, so it doesn’t really matter.
[Solo] Photograph, my favorite solo song of his. It Don’t Come Easy would probably be the obvious choice, but I just never liked it too much.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
10.33am
12 April 2012
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Okay, I’m Going To Take their best songs which are quite popular
John:
Strawberry Fields Forever
In My Life
Revolution
Solo: Woman
Paul:
Let It Be
Hey Jude
Get Back
Solo: Maybe I’m Amazed
George:
Something
Here Comes The Sun
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Solo: My Sweet Lord
I can’t say Ringo’s because I don’t like any of his songs very much
Once there was a way to get back homewards. Once there was a way to get back home; sleep pretty darling do not cry. And I will sing a lullaby
12.11pm
23 July 2012
Offline John:
Strawberry Fields
Revolution
Across The Universe
Solo: Instant Karma
Paul:
Yesterday
Hey Jude
Get Back
Solo: Maybe I’m Amazed
George:
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Something
Here Comes The Sun
Solo: Isn’t It A Pity
Ringo:
Yellow Submarine
Octopus’ Garden
I’m not really into Ringo’s solo stuff…(Sorry, Ringo.) 
“I was special. I always have been. Why didn't anyone notice me?"
-John Lennon
2.03pm
16 February 2011
Offline John:
Happiness Is A Warm Gun – do you think it’s well known enough? I love it, anyway
Norwegian Wood – heck, if a Finnish legend makes a parody out of it, it must have had some influence… ( and I love it, as well)
solo: Imagine or Working Class Hero ( I don’t know why some people say it’s Dylanesque), Watching the wheel is I think the song that identifies his after-Sean life the best
Paul:
Helter Skelter ( I don’t know if it was the first heavy metal song but it has had a great impact on the genre)
Hey Jude – it’s coming out of my ears but you can’t deny its iconic status
solo: Live And Let Die is probably his most famous and it’s a great one, too, but personally I’d pick Little Lamb Dragonfly, it embodies so well innocence, love and wistfulness, sadness, a spectrum of emotions, really
George:
Piggies ( I’m not joking)
I would love to have included Inner Light as well, but no can do… as for his solo output, unfortunately I’m not very familiar with it but My Sweet Lord is… well, awesome
Ringo:
… I don’t know. I don’t think any of the songs he has written himself while in the Beatles is really a “crowning achievement”, but there are very few people on this planet who haven’t heard of Yellow Submarine and With A Little Help From My Friends is a song in which his unique voice really stands out
solo: Again, not very familiar with it, but his song for George, Never Without You deserves a mention
9.25pm
16 August 2012
Offline John; Strawberry Fields Forever , tommorow never knows, in my life
Solo I’d go for God , Imagine and Here we go again.
Paul; She’s Leaving Home , Sgt Pepper opening and yesterday
Solo would be long haired lady, Let Me Roll It and dear friend
George; I need you, within you and without you, While My Guitar Gently Weeps .
Solo is behind that locked door, The Art Of Dying and breath away from heaven.
Your only very small and life can be long.
1.29am
9 May 2012
Offline I couldn’t really see how Within You Without You is a higher achievement than Something , Here Comes The Sun … or any for that matter. Of course just commenting, I respect your opinion and welcome 
.
Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
6.27am
5 November 2011
Offline Why wouldn’t Within You Without You be a crowning achievement? The song is one of George’s best. The lyrics are pretty deep, and the Indian instruments are just amazing. John even praised it as one of Pepper’s best songs, and that’s a pretty good compliment I would say.
All living things must abide by the laws of the shape they inhabit
4.51pm
9 May 2012
Offline unknown said
Why wouldn’t Within You Without You be a crowning achievement? The song is one of George’s best. The lyrics are pretty deep, and the Indian instruments are just amazing. John even praised it as one of Pepper’s best songs, and that’s a pretty good compliment I would say.
So you like it beter than “Something ” and “Here Comes The Sun “?
Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see.
5.10pm
19 September 2010
Offline So? Lennon liking the song (allegedly – I’ve never heard/read him speak highly on Within You Without You ) doesn’t make the song good – it means Lennon likes the song. How often do you hear people say “Ya, that Within You Without You , such an awesome song”? You don’t. For it to be a crowning achievement it needs to have popular knowledge.
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
5.56pm
16 August 2012
Offline Long John Silver said
I couldn’t really see how Within You Without You is a higher achievement than Something , Here Comes The Sun … or any for that matter. Of course just commenting, I respect your opinion and welcome
.
It’s the first really good song with Indian mysticism in the Beatles body of work, love to you is one of George’s lowlights, Slow, repetative, basic rhymes. Within You Without You has a good flow, great lyrics and is both polished and innovative. Its not for every mood, I skip it on shuffle often, but when you listen to the whole of SPLHCB it is almost transcendental. Something is a great song, and Here Comes The Sun is great, but they wouldn’t be the same without WYAWY.
Thanks for the welcome, give me five 
Your only very small and life can be long.
6.03pm
19 September 2010
Offline How does Something and Here Comes The Sun owe anything to WYWY? You might love WYWY, but that doesn’t make it a crowning achievement. I love Think For Yourself , but Id never call it a crowning achievement. There’s a line between favorite and crowning achievement, which I don’t think you see.
As if it matters how a man falls down.'
'When the fall's all that's left, it matters a great deal.
6.59pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Wouldnt Love You To be ahead of WYWY since it brought full blown indian music to Western Culture on a huge level first, I dont know of anything before it that full on (Norwegian Wood has the sitar but it was only a tinge as is The Stones Paint It Black)? Personally i love the lyrics to LYT and the intro in how it seems to hesitate in its start up; to me its kind of saying “can we do this its new to the listener, erm, wait, erm, oh screw it lets go for it” and its away with no stopping.
So the introduction of Indian music certainly by the Beatles spearheaded by George was with Love You To . Tho there is the arguement that WYWY on Pepper was the big hitter so its a toss up. Not that many people listen to Within You Without You , its generally, and wrongly, skipped.
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
7.02pm
23 January 2011
Offline I don’t know whether WYWY is a crowing achievement or not…but I do know a love that song! So there! 
"You can manicure a cat but can you caticure a man?"
John Lennon- Skywriting by Word of Mouth
7.30pm
Reviewers
Moderators
1 May 2011
Offline Re John and Within You Without You he is quoted as saying during the Playboy Interviews in 1980:
One of George’s best songs. One of my favourites of his, too. He’s clear on that song. His mind and his music are clear. There is his innate talent; he brought that sound together”.
(Source: Beatlesongs; William J. Dowlling; 1989; Publisher: Simon & Schuster)
"I told you everything I could about me, Told you everything I could" ('Before Believing' - Emmylou Harris)
9.26pm
16 August 2012
Offline I find in artistic experimentation, any development in one area leads to new influences in others, WYAWY is the magnum opus of one of Georges key areas of experimentation, in my view an important development that would impact on his future work. things like the the spiritual lyrics in WYAWY would influence his other work, and In hindsight I might add Don’t Bother Me as a key George song.
By the way, what is the etiquette on apple smilies?
Your only very small and life can be long.
12.31am
26 March 2012
Offline jackhayman said
By the way, what is the etiquette on apple smilies?
Use them wherever you see fit, although on the forum they’ve generally been accepted as a kind of “peace and love” goodwill token.
SHUT UP - Paulie's talkin'
6.52pm
24 November 2011
Offline Paul: I’d go for Yesterday , Hey Jude and Helter Skelter . Yesterday for obvious reasons – even though IMO it’s overplayed. Hey Jude is a classic pop song with a legendary outro and Helter Skelter as this was one of the first hard rock songs in music history. As a solo achievement, I’d choose Maybe I’m Amazed (and Band On The Run , if I could choose two songs).
John: This was hard. Finally, I decided to vote for Strawberry Fields Forever , A Day In The Life and Come Together . Strawberry Fields Forever because to me it’s “the” psychedelic song with great lyrics and voice too. A Day In The Life for mainly the same reasons and especially because it’s … epic! Come Together is a great rock song with ambiguous lyrics. For his solo work, I’d go for Imagine and Working Class Hero . Both great songs and great messages.
George: Definitely While My Guitar Gently Weeps , Something and Here Comes The Sun . I don’t need to explain, do I? For his solo work, I’d choose My Sweet Lord (even though I don’t know much of his post-Beatles work).
Ringo: Octopus’s Garden , With A Little Help From My Friends and Strawberry Fields Forever . Octopus’s Garden for his best songwriting, WALHFMF as Ringo’s vocal highlight and SFF wouldn’t be the same without his legendary drums! Don’t know anything of his solo work.
