MovieChat Forums > A Hard Day's Night (1964) Discussion > Top 10 Best/ Worst Beatles Songs

Top 10 Best/ Worst Beatles Songs

posted 14 years ago by Covlat1
58 replies | jump to latest

WORST:

No covers. I'm also not including Revolution 9, because its less of a song than an experimentation with sound. Also not Wild Honey Pie, because that isn't a song.

10. I Want You (She's So Heavy)

--What saves this from being lower is the guitar riff, which is decent enough. However, the song drags for over 7 minutes, over half being that same dull monotone "She's So Heavy" riff over and over. The song also feels like it stayed back in the 60's, if you follow me. Most Beatles songs transcribe to present day well, but this doesn't. Also, the lyrics are God-Awful. Only 16 original words in the entire song.--

9. Why Don't We Do it In The Road?

--Pretty self explanatory. Would have been lower, but its a fairly fun song.--

8. Doctor Robert

7. Blue Jay Way

--"Please Don't Be Long" x 500--

6. Yer Blues

5. And I Love Her

--Some love this song. Some hate it. Im for the latter. Schmaltzy lyrics, even for an early beatles song, on top of a overly predictable guitar riff which is boring. Looking back, the lyrics also SUCK entirely.--

4. Don't Pass Me By

--Ringo...--

3. Flying

2. Honey Pie

--Take and I love her, cheese the lyrics up by 50 times, add a generic piano riff and some of the most over the top, schmaltzy as hell vocals, and you have this song. --

1. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill/ Rocky Racoon (TIE)

--WTF is this crap??--

BEST:

This list was considerably more fun to conceive. If your looking for Hey Jude or Let It Be, prepare to be disappointed.

10. We Can Work It Out / All You Need Is Love (TIE)

9. Something

8. Nowhere Man/ Tomorrow Never Knows (TIE)

7. Here Comes The Sun

6. For No one

5. Rain/ Strawberry Fields Forever (TIE)

4. I Don't Want To Spoil The Party / I am The Walrus (TIE)

3. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End

2. She's Leaving Home / While My Guitar Gently Weeps (TIE)

1. A Day In The Life

[–] baseballgirl 14 years ago

Best

1. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
2. Norwegian Wood
3. In My Life
4. Michelle (Cheating... it's my name! I'm a proud member of Girls Named After Beatles Songs.)
5. I've Just Seen a Face
6. Here Comes the Sun
7. Rain
8. Think For Yourself
9. Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite
10. I Saw Her Standing There

Worst

1. Here, There and Everywhere (I have no idea why I hate this song so much, but it makes me want to punch Paul in the face for this singular blemish on Revolver.)
2. Julia
3. Sun King
4. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
5. Rocky Raccoon
6. The Long and Winding Road
7. Your Mother Should Know
8. Misery
9. What Goes On
10. Cry Baby Cry

Honestly, most of the songs I don't like are on The White Album. There are just a smattering of others here and there.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Making it socially acceptable for women to fantasize about Henry VIII

[–] Covlat1 14 years ago

Good list!

Its good to see someone who actually KNOWS The Beatles. Its nice to see someone who doesn't say that Twist and Shout is the best song The Beatles WROTE (lol. Get it?)

I'm particularly intrigued by number 8 on your best of list. I happen to love that song, and its very unknown!

[–] baseballgirl 14 years ago

Yeah, I really love Think For Yourself! But honestly, I just love all the George songs: For You Blue, Think For Yourself, Here Comes the Sun, Something, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Taxman, If I Needed Someone, Within You Without You, I Need You, I Me Mine... I am completely biased because I heart my George, but I think he was the best songwriter of the bunch.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Making it socially acceptable for women to fantasize about Henry VIII

[–] 14 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Covlat1 14 years ago

I actually do like George the best out of all of them.

[–] baseballgirl 14 years ago

Well, it can't be argued that the majority of Paul's songs were incessantly silly, untold amounts of John's songs just made absolutely no sense, and of course Ringo didn't write very many. George's songs actually meant something. Further along the line, they were about things like social issues, the selfishness of the general populace, religion... I think he was an amazing songwriter. His solo stuff was really great, too, in that regard.

EDIT: Haha I totally just realized that my first sentence made it seem like I was disparaging Paul and John. I am SO not. They were great songwriters, too; I just meant that George's songs had more meaning behind them. They were deeper than Paul's and John's had a tendency to be.

Jonathan Rhys Meyers: Making it socially acceptable for women to fantasize about Henry VIII

[–] ColumnatedRuinsDomino 14 years ago

I agree with you, baseballgirl. George was extremely talented, and in my opinion, he's extremely underrated! The people I know think John and Paul did all the writing, and it drives me crazy because they think all of George's songs were written by them! I wish he would've written more for The Beatles, because next to John, he's my favortie songwriter!

[–] Covlat1 14 years ago

Even Frank Sinatra thought Something was written by Lennon/ McCartney

[–] psadek 11 years ago

No question about it: John, as a songwriter, was an "artiste," and tended to fall into the trap of self-indulgence. Paul was a pop song writer, with a specialty in love songs (check out "My Valentine," which he wrote in the style of a 1940's ballad). George was a brilliant songwriter, but way underrated while the Beatles were together (Paul was later heard to remark on their surprise at "Something"). Ringo was good at writing children's songs, like "Octopus's Garden," and George gave him a GREAT deal of help in developing such works; Ringo later paid tribute to George in the "Concert for George" when he performed "Photograph," acknowledging George's major contributions to the song.

Each one had his own "genius"...but together, they were greater than the sum of their parts.

[–] dlmedley2003 14 years ago

'baseballgirl said "I heart my George, but I think he was the best songwriter of the bunch"

What kind of dope are you smoking, hole!'

'Declare the pennies on your eyes' might be the best lyric ever...

THE BEATLES DO NOT HAVE 1 BAD SONG

All their songs are either masterpieces or great...

Suck on that fools

[–] glasshull 9 years ago

Bunch of morons posting here don't know art.

[–] Ed in MO 9 years ago

It's funny....George didn't get enough credit for his songwriting and Paul didn't get enough credit for his bass playing. Several of my favorite Beatles songs are here because of those great bass lines, for example:

1. Rain. The bass really makes this song come alive.
2. Something. Very creative.
3. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Beautiful.
4. Baby You're a Rich Man. Always loved this one. A great bass line combined with John's clavioline and Ringo's wonderful off-beat drumming.
5. I Saw Her Standing There. Amazing that Paul could sing this song while playing this rapid bass line. The dude had some unbelievable musical chops.

[–] ComfortablyNumbb 10 years ago

I can't come up with a best/worst list right now, but I have always thought George was way under-rated as a songwriter, and most of my faves are George songs too.

[–] lousvr 13 years ago

There are NO Worst Beatles songs.
Alot are just superior to the others.
The Beatles didn't just sing.
They were the fuse and embodiment of a GREAT ERA.

[–] ColumnatedRuinsDomino 14 years ago

Best:
1. In My Life
2. Any Time At All
3. Rain
4. If I Needed Someone
5. Something
6. Blackbird
7. A Day In The Life
8. Here Comes The Sun
9. A Hard Day's Night
10. Things We Said Today

Worst:
1. Run For Your Life (nice tune, but the lyrics are a little too disturbing!)
2. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite
3. Yellow Submarine
4. Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey
5. Hold Me Tight
6. Do You Want To Know A Secret
7. Rocky Raccoon
8. Octopus's Garden
9. Don't Pass Me By
10. Flying

And by the way, Covlat1, I do like Twist and Shout, but only because of Lennon's vocals ;)

[–] Covlat1 14 years ago

I know, I love it too. The joke was that the beatles didn't write it.

[–] psadek 11 years ago

Besides having amazing original material, the Beatles were also truly one of the greatest COVER groups of all time! The "Please, Please Me" album (roughly VeeJay's "Introducing the Beatles" in the U.S. in 1964) consisted of about half covers, including songs written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, and even Burt Bacharach and Hal David! For a great tour of their cover repertoire, check out "Live at the BBC."

[–] princethomas 14 years ago

Excluding Rev9, Wild Honey Pie, You Know My Name Look Up the Number, Dig It, Maggie Mae. These aren't really songs.

The worst has to be:

It's All Too Much from Yellow Submarine. My God I hate that song.

[–] east-killum 14 years ago

EVERY SINGLE BEATLES SONG IS GOOD!!

nuff said

[–] krdement 10 years ago

Watching "A Hard Day's Night" and reading this thread, I was just beginning to think about my favorites list when I read your post. "It's All Too Much" would definitely be in my favorite 10. Different strokes... Cheers!

John 3:16

[–] princethomas 10 years ago

Couldn't even remember postin this here almost 4 years ago. Wow I was really hard on Its all too much. Im not sure I'd say that now. I'll go back and give it another listen or two. Different Strokes indeed though.

[–] TheSameWithaTart 13 years ago

I love how people include I've Just Seen a Face!! My favorite and it's nice to know others enjoy it as much as I do. It's a tie between I've Just Seen a Face and This Boy...

[–] dalefl 13 years ago

In no order...

Best:

If I Fell
Rain
And Your Bird Can Sing
Savoy Truffle
A Day In The Life
Something
Golden Slumbers
Norwegian Wood
No Reply
I Am The Walrus

Worst:

Why Don't We Do It In The Road
Julia
Little Child
Don't Pass Me By
Piggies
All Together Now
For You Blue
Michelle
Tell Me What You See
You Like Me Too Much

"Are you saying that Jesus Christ can't hit a curve ball?"

[–] doowop14 13 years ago

I know likes and dislikes are subjective and totally in the eye (or in this case, ear) of the beholder. But some of the responses here have really thrown me for a loop. Not so much in what people like and dislike but in liking and disliking similar songs at the same time.

Oh well, to each his own. That's what makes the world go 'round.

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Smush Master 13 years ago

Worst.
10.Yellow Submarine.
9. Mean Mr. Mustard/Polythene Pam.
8. Glass Onion.
7. I'll Get You.
6. Hey Bulldog.
5. It's Only Love.
4. Benefit of Mr Kite.
3. I Want You.
2. Dig a Pony.
1. Inner Light.
--------------------------
Best.
10.You've Got To Hide Your Love Away.
9. And I love Her.
8. Norwegian Wood.
7. We Can Work It Out.
6. In My Life.
5. Ticket to Ride.
4. Dear Prudence.
3. Eight Days a Week.
2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps.
1. Let it Be.

[–] littletownblues 13 years ago

In no particular order.

Worst:

Birthday (the only Beatles song I truly hate)
The Ballad of John and Yoko
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill
Rocky Raccoon
Octopus' Garden
Glass Onion
Hello Goodbye
Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite
Doctor Robert
Misery

Best:

While My Guitar Gently Weeps
A Day in the Life
Girl
I Want You (She's So Heavy)
Hey Jude
In My Life
Something
Here, There and Everywhere
She Said She Said
I Saw Her Standing There

I know some people think that you're not a "true" fan if you love Hey Jude, but honestly I think it's one of the best (the seven minute version) - John called it a "masterpiece". It killed me not to include Dear Prudence, If I Needed Someone and I Am The Walrus in this. I tried to make a top 50 list once, and it failed because I couldn't narrow it down that far.

I actually like both Revolution 9 and Wild Honey Pie.

[–] JellyFish19 12 years ago

Wait, why would some people think you're not a true fan if you love Hey Jude. It's been one of my favorite songs for years.

[–] His_Dudeness74 12 years ago

Best (no order) :

Tomorrow Never Knows
I Am the Walrus
Here Comes the Sun
Norwegian Wood
In My Life
Eleanor Rigby
Yesterday
You Can't Do That
It Won't Be Long
the Word

obviously ridiculously hard to list just 10 tracks, I could list 30 quickly and easily and enthusiastically before I even had to really think about it - like, I loooove Rain, and Strawberry Fields Forever, and Something, and Golden Slumbers and the list goes onnnnn

Worst

Wild Honey Pie
Hello Goodbye
Love You To
Doctor Robert
Piggies
The Long & Winding Road
Only a Northern Song
Don't Pass Me By
Birthday
I honestly can't decide upon a tenth song on the 'worst' list, there are others that I don't particularly like, but most of those have some merit ...
Some of George's mediocre stuff, or Paul's schmaltzy stuff, or John's more self-indulgent stuff would go close though ..

Phone's ringin' Dude ...

[–] ATG6 (3000) 3 years ago

I always think I don't like the Ballad of John and Yoko either, but I always listen to it.