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Paul McCartney or John Lennon... Which Beatle was the better songwriter?

natedoppler

By natedoppler
in The Gibson Lounge

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Mark

Mark

Posted
Posted
My' date=' my, it seems as though everyone is a McCartney fan here. I'm happy to say that I am too. McCartney is definately the best musician in the Beatles, and he was also the "hit-writer". John's songs were more sophisticated and appreciated by music aficianados and the progressive scene. I didn't really think much of George until he formed the Traveling Wilburys with other super musicians. [/quote']

 

That's what I say

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cookieman15061

cookieman15061

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If you're ignoring Harrisons early solo work before the Wilburys you are missing possibly the best of their post breakup albums. All Things Must Pass although a bit overproduced by Phil (wall of sound) Spector is an amazing triple album with great guitar playing from Harrison and Clapton throughout.

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deepblue

deepblue

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I think one of the best things apart from the music is that the Beatles didnt try and be who they were not.

Most English musicians and bands at that time tried to change their accents. They tried to sound very posh, like they were born to aristocracy. The Beatles were kids from working class Liverpool, and they didnt care if you liked it or not. There will never be another fab 4. Not even close.

 

As far as George Harrison goes, he was the silent genius. He had the first number 1 hit post Beatles, and I love his guitar style. Hes the main reason I bought a Leslie speaker. His guitar tone on Abbey Road is amazing. I love his slide playing as well. I remember after he passed away. There were thousands of letters, pictures etc outside of his home ( castle ) at Friar park. One stood out most of all. It was a green apple and a candle. Someone had lit the candle and wrote on the apple. "When all is said and done, your love was real"

We all miss you George.

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hi13ts

hi13ts

Posted
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If you're ignoring Harrisons early solo work before the Wilburys you are missing possibly the best of their post breakup albums. All Things Must Pass although a bit overproduced by Phil (wall of sound) Spector is an amazing triple album with great guitar playing from Harrison and Clapton throughout.

 

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't heard much of George's music before the Wilburys, actually I haven't heard much of George's music at all besides the Wilburys. I'm only familiar with radio-friendly George songs such as My Sweet Lord and Got My Mind Set On You.

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saturn

saturn

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I kind of lean towards Paul, but its close for me. Sometimes I find Pauls lyrics to be kind of simplistic. Yesterday, far away, game to play...once you come up with the basic idea that song almost writes itself. I think Johns Being For the Benifit of Mr. Kite is brilliant. Almost all the lyrics were taken from an old circus poster. In the end though I am turned off by Johns crap with Yoko and all his goofy hippie posturing. Plus I think Paul was a better musician.

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cookieman15061

cookieman15061

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I always looked at them as really the first self contained rock band. All 4 members contributed, played their own instuments, sang, and wrote their own songs (George more so in the later yrs. and Ringo hardly at all). They all had their own distinct personality and even if you hated them you new their names. Every group before them was a lead singer with backup band.

62-70-1.jpg

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vourot

vourot

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I agree with Deepblue's comment about artists only able to pull so many rabbits out the hat. Some can only get one or two while others root around in there grabbing them well past their prime. That being said It would be really hard to just stop playing or creating music. I like the Beatles as a group but I prefer John's voice. Also I believe the first post Beatles single of note was by Ringo, "It don't come easy" ? At least I think so, correct me if I'm wrong.

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cookieman15061

cookieman15061

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I agree with Deepblue's comment about artists only able to pull so many rabbits out the hat. Some can only get one or two while others root around in there grabbing them well past their prime. That being said It would be really hard to just stop playing or creating music. I like the Beatles as a group but I prefer John's voice. Also I believe the first post Beatles single of note was by Ringo' date=' "It don't come easy" ? At least I think so, correct me if I'm wrong.[/quote']

 

True and at one point mid seventies had more hits than George and John. John even joked about it on the Tomorrow show with Tom Snyder

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Murph

Murph

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While they both ended up being either tree huggers, vegetarians, anti gun, anti war, whatever the original question was.

 

Who was the best songwriter.

 

In My Life

Watchin' The Wheels

Woman

Isolation

Jealous Guy

 

Paul had more hits for sure. But a lot of them were...

 

Ob La De Ob La Da

Silly Love Songs

Coming Up

Band On The Run

Ebony And Ivory

 

And crap like that.

 

I'm gonna have to vote John.

 

Murph.

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MikeRom

MikeRom

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What about all that "Paul is dead" thing? hehehehe sorry to bring that old story here... I was just talking with a friend about that earlier today... (we were laughing our f-ing asses off at all the "concluding proof" this people said they had)

 

I does seem goofy looking back but you have to remember how different things were then. There were no alternate sources to get information. We were all young and nieve and often on different planes of existance, if you get my drift. Plus it was pretty cool listening to radio stations playing all those songs backwards ...

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Johnt

Johnt

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I think one of the best things apart from the music is that the Beatles didnt try and be who they were not.

Most English musicians and bands at that time tried to change their accents. They tried to sound very posh' date=' like they were born to aristocracy. The Beatles were kids from working class Liverpool, and they didnt care if you liked it or not. There will never be another fab 4. Not even close.

 

As far as George Harrison goes, he was the silent genius. He had the first number 1 hit post Beatles, and I love his guitar style. Hes the main reason I bought a Leslie speaker. His guitar tone on Abbey Road is amazing. I love his slide playing as well. I remember after he passed away. There were thousands of letters, pictures etc outside of his home ( castle ) at Friar park. One stood out most of all. It was a green apple and a candle. Someone had lit the candle and wrote on the apple. "When all is said and done, your love was real"

We all miss you George.[/quote']

 

Respectfully, most English Musicians and bands at that time were trying to sound American not posh

Cliff and the Shadows for example. In fact as I recall the late 50s early 60s there were no UK bands as such except Big bands and skiffle groups.

 

But you are dead right the Beatles brought so called working class accents and in the early days tru working class values, the joint in the bog at Buck House being a good example!"

 

But above all they brought "Britishness". In the Uk we had been fed American music or, much worse, American clone music since Jailhouse Rock.

 

All of a sudden there were English guys on the TV.

 

I guess that's why both Paul and Johns places of birth now belong to the National Trust here.

 

Then you had the reverse sweep with the Us bands trying to sound British Sire Douglas Quintet, Gary Puckett etc etc.

 

Hell does it really matter as long as the musics good?

 

I mean New Zealand gave the world Crowded House fantastic melodic band.

 

And Ireland gave us Westlife and U2 ( Why did you bother Ireland?)

 

 

You're spot on also re Harrison great songwriter very slick guitarist.

 

And who wrote "here comes the sun?

 

John

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  • 1 year later...
NeoConMan

NeoConMan

Posted
Posted
What about all that "Paul is dead" thing? hehehehe sorry to bring that old story here... I was just talking with a friend about that earlier today... (we were laughing our f-ing asses off at all the "concluding proof" this people said they had)

Oh, how gullible the public was back then, eh?

 

[biggrin]/

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freak show

freak show

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Everyone else is compared to them. They were the best. period=d>

 

It just my personal opinion, of course, but I would take Jagger/Richards, Page/Plant or Waters/Gilmour over Lennon/McCartney any day, although for me it would be impossible to say which of these songwriting teams is "best".

 

As to the original question: I think Lennon and McCartney needed each other to write their best music. And strangely enough, this is also the case by the other songwriters I mentioned.

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