Beatles Poll #1: What is The Beatles best song, and why?

[Cassady]

Old Brown Shoe

I've got "Past Masters Volume Two" in my CD player right now and this is a really, truly terrific song. Of course there are so many others that I'll have a different favorite as soon as the next song come on.

Close seconds from the same CD would be "Rain" and "Hey Jude"...

"Old Brown Shoe" has a flat out great bass line and George was almost my favorite Beatle.

"Rain" also has great bass, great drums and that fantastic backwards guitar solo.

"Hey Jude" is just a wonderful song, no further explanation necessary (I hope).

 

[agent2x4]

Good lord...just ONE?

I like their older stuff...more melodic and I think the chord changes are more interesting in the earlier stuff.

I don't want to spoil the party
No reply
I'll be back
Hide your love away

those types of songs come to mind for me, although I enjoy all their stuff for the most part.

 

[DAK]

Uh...

Early period: "There's a Place"
Mid period: "Tomorrow Never Knows"
Late period: "Across the Universe" or "Long and Winding Road"

If I had to pick just one, probably would be "Tomorrow Never Knows."

Why? Just a gut feeling... lyrically, musically, sonically. Felt it when I first heard it. Still feel it when I hear it today. (Same with the others cited.)

 

[Bruce Kiely]

So many great songs .....

So hard to pick just one. And I would certainly echo many of the choices in prior posts (In My Life, Something, Rain, etc.).

So I'll choose one not chosen so far (unless I missed it) ....

"Don't Let Me Down"

Beautifully sparse arrangement, killer vocals, great guitar hooks, very cool keyboards (was that Billy Preston?).

Yikes!

BK

 

[robb3566]

Yes, that is Billy Preston on 'Don't Let me Down;' he played on several songs on 'Let it Be.' I found out recently that they became friends with him way back in Hamburg in the early sixties when he was playing with James Brown, and he just happened to pop in to say hi while they were doing 'Let it Be,' so they asked him to play on it.

 

[J-man]

Seargent Pepper's!

 

[FUMoney]

I'll second for No Reply, maybe just because the chord structure is a little different for the time. It just has a great forlorn feel.

You Can't Do That was John at his chauvenistic best.

The Long and Winding Road, If anyone else would have tried to write this song it would probably come out too sappy.

Also an honorable mention for the Beatles cover of Mr Postman.

Ed

 

[Noe Lee]

If I had to...

... choose only one, I'd go for "Happiness is a warm gun".

 

[Sarge]

My pick............

While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I don't know if that's the song title but I've always loved the guitar solo.

 

[Oster]

Too many great songs.

'In My Life' was my wife and my wedding song.
'Penny Lane' lifts me up.
'Nowhere Man' (and so many other John songs) brings a tear.

...This is tough.

For many reasons, personal and musical I'll have to go with 'Let It Be'.

 

[Bob Rogers]

Ticket to Ride is probably my favorite (at least today).

But I think "She Loves You" deserves a special mention. To me it's just about the perfect teenage pop tune. Great tune, great hooks, every instrument doing something dead simple that works perfectly for the song, little teenage love story with captures something very typical but sweet (without going over the line to cloying - at least to me).

 

[pinktele]

I'm Only Sleeping

Love the chords in that song and how it flows.

 

[Hucklebilly]

I'm looking through you

I could listen to that song for days and never get sick of it.

 

[Dana]

I'll Follow the Sun.

 

[markothefish]

1) NORWEGIAN WOOD , I could play that all day long and not get tired of it...

2) Glass Onion, Here comes the sun, while my guitar gentle weeps, yesterday , etc.... Hell I've never been good at making decisions.

 

[spyder]

Ho...*all my lovin'* and *can't buy me love* are two of my favorites.....there ain't hardly a Beatles tune that isn't a classic....*please, please me* is probably one of the most important Beatles tunes...it was the followup to * love me do*....the Beatles insisted on a homebrew 2nd release....might say it worked out pretty good for 'em....I read a piece in RS magazine about the tune *something*...I forget specific details...but George worked on that tune after everyone else had left the studio for the day....practically recorded the parts himself...I reckon if a person had two of the most prolific songwriters in history as bandmates....that person might me a little shy about his own material.....turns out the tune was one of the memorable songs the Beatles ever released....later, spyder

 

[holndav]

No able to get down to one

"Here Comes the Sun"
"Something"
"In My Life"
"Nowhere Man"
"I Will"

David

 

[BLACKCAT69]

How 'bout "Dr. Robert".

I'm on a "Revolver" kick right now.

 

[chipl]

Day Tripper yeah!

I love the riff...what guitar player doesn't? The harmonies are great, cool sounding guitars, and the melody is as catchy as it gets. Plus the B side, We Can Work it Out has to make up one of the best A and B side combos ever, doncha think?

In My Life, Something, Nowhere Man, I'll Follow the Sun, are faves, too.

 

[Big Tony]

First two to hit my brain today

1) Drive My Car

2) Tax Man

Both songs have got a certain drive, good rhythms, nice hooks, and great bass playing.

Some Fab Five tunes are just too sappy/cute...