Ranking The Entire Beatles Discography
- Logan W
- Mar 20, 2019
- 52 min read
Today, we're going to rate all 14 main catalog release Beatles albums, alongside every song included on all of those albums. This is going to be a long one, you've been warned.
I have spent an excessive amount of time being anti-social and listening to the Beatles this past month. I'm sorry if this post is really poorly written or structured, my brain has just gone to mush. I've decided I need to stop altering my lists and just let things sit, so here we go.
My original plan was to simply just rank the albums and call it there. So, I listened through each album a couple times, assigned some weighted values based off of quality of singles, album flow, significance, etc., scaling things into tiers to try and make a fair assessment of things. Eventually, I realized that this method had caused me to assign a number next to every song off of every album... So I thought, why not grade every song individually too? In fact, with me being stringent in terms of handing a song a 10/10, why not just recreate the Beatles "1" album with my 27 favorite Beatles songs? So, that's what I did, I ordered every Beatles song, all 190ish of them.
And then I realized, after all of that, that if I was ranking every song individually, I would be leaving out all of the singles the Beatles ever recorded and left off of an album. So, I then listened to the Past Masters album, reranked every song from the entire discography NOW with the Past Masters singles in mind, re-processed my album rankings and ranked the Past Masters collection as an album for fun, all in the pursuit of definitively finding the best of the Beatles lifespan of work. So, now that I've ranked everything the Beatles ever made as a group multiple times, all 218 songs, I feel semi-confident in giving y'all my list of the greatest Beatles albums and songs of all time.
With that said, let's start with the albums!
If you're curious how my numbers were calculated, I scored every song individually for starters. Finding the greatest songs is easy, and finding the worst is similarly pretty obvious, but rating the middle of the pack music can feel extremely arbitrary when everything feels so comparable. So, to make up for factors outside of my personal enjoyment, such as cultural significance, album flow, single potential, etc., songs were rounded up or down in rating a little bit in areas where my opinion could go either way on them. All of this just goes to say that given a scenario where I had to choose between two very songs I find stand on near equal quality, I'd weigh the factors of what the song meant outside of the song itself. (Keep this in mind later in the post where I slap y'all with the individual song rankings, take any ranking in the triple digits up until ~100ish with a grain of salt, there's plenty of room for variance down there. Additionally, I havn't recalculated numbers for a hefty alteration I made in some song placements towards the end of making this, but this list feels right, so, I feel no need to.) Anyways, Let's get into things.
14. Yellow Submarine (6.091)
It's really hard for a soundtrack album to stick out in one of the greatest collections of music of all time. Realistically, I could’ve ranked all of the instrumentals individually, with lots of thought put into the nuances of all 7 arrangements for the film, but knowing that I’ll never return to the second half of this album ever again, I gave them all average scores of 5’s to be fair. Not too much to say here, but also, not an album to go unnoticed. Hey Bulldog and It’s All Too Much are some more obscure essentials to the Beatles extensive catalog, and the movie itself is a feel good nostalgia trip of decent quality.
13. Beatles For Sale (7.036)
Seeing as how this is their 4th album to be released in the 1963-64 period (in a span of just 18 months), it just sort of makes sense that Beatles For Sale finds itself here. Easily the most uninspired listen of the discography, and quite possible the record ridden with the most melancholy to boot. The opening 3 songs to this album have been dubbed the "Misery" trilogy for good reason. No Reply is an all too familiar story of unreciprocated love, "I'm a Loser" is exactly what you think it is, and "Baby's in Black" is through and through unpacking a tale of a woman in mourning. Oof, some serious stuff. The shift towards in subject manner from sugar-coated pop love songs was necessary for the group's evolution, but no one ever said it had to be so bleak. The happier moments, such as classics "Eight Days a Week" or "I'll Follow the Sun", seem very few and far between when compared to the exhausted, overworked filler sounds the comprise the middle of this record. Mr. Moonlight and Kansas City/Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey! may quite possibly be the worst 2 song run in the entire Beatle's discography. All of this isn't to say that the moodier moments of this record don't stick the landing for the most part, (This is a Beatle's album after all), but overall this collection of tracks just seems the least essential and least memorable of the entire catalog when compared to some of the masterpieces higher up on this list.
12. Let It Be (7.417)
Similar to Beatles For Sale, if you know the history of Let It Be, you know why this album is here. For those of you less informed on the Beatles, this album was the last they ever recorded, and the group was pretty much in shambles for the duration of it. Planned to be a return to form of the good 'ol days of early era Beatles live recording, this album was anything but. Initially shelved, this album only ever saw the light of day thanks in part to Phil Spector (legendary producer guy) mastering the majority of the tracks. Similar to Beatles For Sale, the end result is just a more impassioned record then the rest of the discog, lacking the love and care that stronger records from the group were carried on. What puts this above BFS would be standout tracks such as "Across the Universe" or "Let It Be," just some overall more memorable and impactful moments that resonate that much more with the listener. There's not much for me to justify here, any other critic would agree that "Maggie Mae" and "Dig It" pale in comparison to the rest of the Beatle's late career work.
11. Past Masters (Non-album songs) (7.463)
No surprises in this list yet. Yes, the oddball collection Beatles singles cobbling together an album don't really hold up to the quality standards of the majority of the band's actual albums. Whowouldathunkit? Not really any album to talk about here, so check out some of the highlight tracks: songs such as "I Want to Hold Your Hand, Day Tripper, We Can Work It Out, Paperback Writer, & Revolution" are classics. Songs such as " You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)"? Avoid at all costs.
10. With the Beatles (7.500)
A lot of artist's second albums just end up being an attempt at trying to rebottle the lightning of their first - Kanye's Late Registration and the College Dropout are easily the two most similar of his work thus far, by a large margin, for example. With the Beatles definitely falls into that mold. Not to say it lacks an identity, but it is truthfully just more of the same of what made Beatlemania bang off in the first place, and I can't get at the group too much for it. The fab 4 were about my age and overnight superstars... so, If the formula ain't broke, why change it? More covers, more ballads, all of the wholesome goodness of Please Please Me. Ultimately, the comparison between the two just comes down to the consistency, with PPM having slightly weaker highlights but a larger field of quality classics in whole. There's still plenty to enjoy with WTB however. "All My Loving" Is McCartney's first grand slam in terms of song writing, and "Please Mister Post Man" is one of the best covers the group ever put instruments to. But, this record just didn't make the Beatles the way Please Please Me made the Beatles, and for that reason, it sits behind PPM at 10. So, if you were wondering what #9 on this list is...
9. Please Please Me (7.643)
Surprise! It's the really comparable album to #10! I covered a lot of my reasoning for why I have this album here at 9 in the previous entry, but you've got to give a lot of credit to the album that set this whole "Beatles" thing into motion. Just a lot of classics here, "Twist and Shout", " I Saw Her Standing There", "Baby It's You".... Got to love that radiant, wholesome, youthful energy. Yeah, tunes like " P.S I Love You" and "A Taste of Honey" kind of flop when compared to the mature sounds of the group's later work, but the group hadn't had the time to find their footing yet, you can't really knock them for it. The fact that their breakout album is on the bottom half of this list, that over HALF of their work got better with age, it's a true testament to the legacy this group left. Big respect for how this signified everything to come afterwards, a solid foundation to build from.
8. The Beatles (White Album) (7.667)
So, this is the point where things might start to get contentious in this list, which is only fitting for the most polarizing piece the Beatles ever produced. Right in the middle of the rankings makes sense to me for the White Album though, I think if you were to order this double disc journey from best to worst and then split it into a best of and worst of disc, you'd probably have the Beatle's best or second-best album alongside easily their worst. So, averaging things out, 8 makes sense. Man, where to begin with this eclectic, wild ride of a listen. For starters, this album easily has the lowest lows of anything in the discography. You all already know the meme-y "Revolution 9", but songs like " Long Long Long" and "Mother Nature’s Son" are the biggest snoozers the group ever put sheet music too. Thankfully, there's always a " Back in the U.S.S.R" or "Helter Skelter" sitting there to wake you back up, easily two of the most energetic, certified BANGERS the boys ever penned. However, I think what makes the White album sort of special in its own fittingly strange way is learning to appreciate the album's hidden gems found from sifting through the shmuck surrounding them. Songs like "Martha My Dear" and "Sexy Sadie" aren't the first ones to come to mind when you think of all-time greats, but suddenly stop climbing the rankings when you bust out the comparisons. " Happiness Is a Warm Gun" is probably the most perfect "weird" song the group's ever made, and semi-spoiler for the song rankings, but you'll see that I'm sticking to that call. Writing about this album is a headache, even listening to this album is a headache at points, because this album is just so much. What am I even saying, this album has two versions of a song called "Honey Pie", and neither of them are good, I don't need to say anything more to justify having this beautiful disaster at 8.
7. Abbey Road (7.735)
Based off of all the research I've done between finalizing my rankings and starting the writing process, I'm kind of scared to say it, but that 16-minute medley that sends off this world-shattering group's momentous career together in an epic fashion? I find it really subpar compared to a lot of the Fab 4's other work. Not to say I have nearly the whole think ranked in the 100's or lower on my songs rankings, buuuuuut I have nearly the whole thing ranked in the back half of all Beatles songs. Sorry professional, well-informed critics, but I can't buy into it. It's a forward-thinking, innovative idea from the genius mind of McCartney, and that's no lie, but the execution is just sort of lacking on a good portion of tracks. I think this album is carried by an amazing A-side, however: "Come Together", "Something", "Oh! Darling"... those are the Beatles "swan songs" that stick with me. This record kicks off with a handful of the tracks that convince me that the Beatles really did close things out with a bang; But, I suppose that B-side is the one thing holding me as the only "critic" out there keeping this album out of their top 5. Still, Abbey Road is an essential album that produced some of my all-time favorites from the group, and all things considered, we're truly blessed that the boys were able to pull together and drop one last masterpiece for us to enjoy.
6. Help! (7.857)
Strangely, I feel as there's not too much to even say in regards to Help! This album kind of just speaks for itself; It's a stellar, cohesive collection of tracks from the early Beatles period were they truly had things rolling. One thing to note is that the Lennon-McCartney working in tandem for songwriting doesn't get much better than this. " Ticket to Ride" and "You're Going to Lose That Girl" are two songs where the group feels like they're a team firing at full cylinders, and Lennon and McCartney both pen two of their most standout tracks with their respective "Help!" and "Yesterday" to bookend this album. The shift towards introspection from teen idols starts happening on this record, and although it doesn't really take hold like it will on the albums later on this list, the seeds planted here provide the subtle flair for a sharper listen than the band's previous works. Help! Is probably the most consistent early record the Beatles ever put out, with the quote on quote "bad" songs not even being too bad. There are some cuts towards the middle of this piece, such as "Tell Me What You See", which aren't the most memorable tunes the group ever produced, but the highlights are so high with the flow of the album fine enough to gloss over this fact. Seeing as this was the album to end off a stylistic era for the Beatles, all things considered, it accomplishes that job thoroughly by being just enough of the same old with a little extra spice on it.
5. A Hard Day’s Night (7.96)
A Hard Day's Night is like Help! on steroids. To me, easily the greatest hits album of the most wholesome, fun, uplifting era of music that the Beatles ever produced. This album is just a really good time to listen to, and embodies everything that made the Beatles such a super group to begin with - Unbridled youthful energy, wholesomely naive optimism, and all of those indulgent love ballads that capture the feeling so effortlessly. Lennon and McCartney really had the game figured out for a couple of Liverpool lads in their twenties. "If I Fell" and "And I Love Her" are akin to being on cloud 9; "Tell Me Why" and "A Hard Day's Night" are two of the band's earliest jams brimming with energy that you just can't not sing along to; "I'll Be Back" is the groups earliest experimentation with some darker sounds and tones; this album has a little bit of everything. As someone who appreciates variety in music, (see Brockhampton, Childish Gambino, Kanye West as examples), A Hard Day's Night wins out over Help! for me in that regard. Help! may be the most consistent, easy listen of this era of the Beatles, but A Hard Day's Night hits home harder, the highlights are more pungent; you take them in hard and they stay with you. The amount of times I've caught myself humming a little 'Tell my whyyyy-yyyy-yyyyyy" to myself is unreasonable. If you're a "bright & cheery vibes" type of music fan, this is the Beatles album for you.
4. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (8.423)
So, this is the part where I get in trouble for my opinions. Let me do my very best to quell the outrage of Sgt. Pepper's at 4, behind Magical Mystery Tour nonetheless. This album undeniably had a huge impact and was super influential, ground-breaking, and boundary-pushing. I love the conceit of a band within a band, and personally with that the Sgt. Pepper's band perspective took up a larger part of the album. This album also flows together really seamlessly, with tracks like "Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds" and "A Day in The Life" being some all-time greats that can truthfully transport the listener somewhere else. With that being said, this album just doesn't do it for me in terms of singles and in terms of listening that Revolver, Rubber Soul, and Magical Mystery Tour do. When the songs on those 3 albums are compared to some of the songs here in terms of singles, I feel as Sgt. Pepper's songs have a harder time standing on their lonesome. "Fixing a Hole”, "Lovely Rita", even Mr. Kite aren't bad songs at all, I find the first two to be very enjoyable, but they're just a little bit less without the context of Peppers. Sort of similar to how "I'm Not Racist" is admittedly a lot less without its video, or how the similar "This Is America" is so much more lacking without the gunshots on the Spotify version, Sgt. Pepper's is more than the sum of its parts, but to my core I'm a part listener. If you look at the way I listen to music, I curate, I make playlists, I pick and choose what I like most and listen to that most. I don't completely abstain from the holy, mystifying, untouchable unit that is an album, but my preference will always be creating my own way of listening to music. To me, it's much more submerging, interactive, and connective to the art allow yourself to enter the realm of an artist and take away what is most personal to you. I find the 3 albums above Pepper's in this list to have more of that for me. I'd say after the White Album on this list, all of these albums are really comparable in terms of 'flow', and when the quality of music is so momentously high like it is with the Beatles, any distinguishing factor as small as singles quality is going to make or break the bank. With all that being said, let's not act like this album isn't a masterpiece with some of its own standout tracks. As previously mentioned, Lucy and A Day in The Life are sonic voyages for your ears. She's Leaving Home is probably the most creatively written song Lennon-McCartney ever produced; The emotion they convey through the 2-sectioned story is so unique and an amazing standout in the catalog. I'd also be remiss not to mention this album’s extremely wholesome moments such as ' With a Little Help from My Friends " or "When I'm Sixty-Four", two of the most "aww" tracks you'll ever run through your headphones. I know it's sacrilege to not have this in the top 2, but don't get it twisted, I really do love this album, and it's pretty much tied with #3 anyways. Speaking of that number 3...
3. Rubber Soul (8.536)
For the next 3 albums, my thoughts are pretty much the same. Every. Song. Slaps. The quality is just so astronomically high for these 3 that it's unreal. You could tell someone less informed that any album from these top 3 are the best hits albums of the Beatles, and with the exceptions of "What Goes On" and "Doctor Robert", you could easily get away with it. "I'm Looking Through You" "Drive My Car" and "Run for Your Life" are just some of the most genuine fun and enjoyable tracks from the group, which all feature some unique form of unique metaphor, conceit, or juxtaposition to elevate their standout qualities. "The Word", "Nowhere Man" and "You Won't See Me" are these amazingly odd fusion of style and substance I'd like to coin 'introspective banger.' Just some tracks that are extremely sonically pleasing while also being very intricate with the stories and messages they communicate. The slower songs, such as "Michelle", "Girl", and the king of them all, "In My Life", all similarly play with some super interesting accentuations that make them unique. Michelle is half in French and convincingly authentic, Girl has this weird sigh from Lennon that I don't even know if I particularly enjoy (but its memorable), and In My Life has just the largest flex of wisdom that a 25-year-old has ever produced. Lennon's 3rd eye must've opened for the amount of hindsight and insight that composing this track must've required. All of the songs on this masterpiece hit in this same sort of way where there's just so much more beneath the surface; even the just ever so noticeably distorted album cover conveys this. It's the little touches, these extra considerations to detail, that to me, make Rubber Soul one of the best of the best the Beatles ever made.
2. Magical Mystery Tour (8.773)
I always have to ask myself how. How is this album so good, and how does no one else agree with me? I'm aware that this album has no business being so good, only to accompany by and far the worst Beatles movie, but for some reason it just is filled to near max capacity with amazing songs. I've seen this ranked so low on others critics lists after I searched some up post-completing my own, and I just don't get it. There are no bad songs on here! The worst two, "Baby You're a Rich Man" and "Flying", are still great tracks all things considered, with the only issues being the former's repetitiveness and the latter's lack of memorable qualities. What's more, there's a lot of unique parallelism and structure to this seemingly 'scattered' collection of tracks. "Blue Jay Way" and "Your Mother Should Know" are two entirely different types of knowing tone and atmosphere; "Penny Lane" and "Strawberry Fields Forever" are polar opposites on the nostalgia spectrum; "I Am the Walrus" and "Hello, Goodbye" are even two juxtaposing types of excessive fun. "All You Need is Love" is the most general form of wholesome love song that a love song can get, it rings true ~50 years later as a definitive statement of the Beatle's career. My sleeper pick for favorite song of the album, and in general one of my favorites of all time, "Fool on the Hill", is a heavily layered personal anthem that is really poignant and thought-provoking. These are the songs that shaped many people's most lasting memories of the Beatles, with so many indescribably interesting characteristics to them that my simple descriptions cannot do them no justice. A truly slept on collection in the discography, I have no qualms with being the one to say that Magical Mystery Tour is nearly the best of the best. Speaking, of the best, you probably know by now that my number 1 Beatles album is none other than...
1. Revolver (8.857)
It really had to be Revolver. What a timeless, perfected collection of tracks. Every track on here has something unique, some catchy hook, some standout element, there's so much detail and effort put into every track that I think I'm going to just rattle through them all briefly. "Taxman" kicks of the record with some familiar harmonies, some tight guitar riffs, and a playful bitingness, all to lull the listener into that false sense of security. From there, the orchestral atom bomb of "Elanor Rigby" hits, a soundscape entirely foreign to the Beatles at this point in their career. Slick electric guitars find their place stolen by beautiful string arrangements as this operatic masterpiece of storytelling knocks the wind out of the listener. The submersion continues as "I'm Only Sleeping" hypnotizes with lulling background harmonies and backwards guitar play, flowing beautifully into the sitar flavored "Love You To", diffusing unheard of Indian stylings of music to their listeners with the universal message of love. The transcendent "Here, There, and Everywhere" transports the listener to somewhere ethereal, speaking directly to the listener's emotions with every lyric, note, and instrumental flourish. Instantly after this, the group pulls you back to some surface level content with the classically wholesome "Yellow Submarine." "She Said She Said" has the knowing wisdom of HT&E with that familiar sound of the group's earlier work. 7 songs in and the listener has been taken through a whirlwind of such an array of different ideas and mind states. "Good Day Sunshine" offers a bright and cheery point of decompression from the trek that has ensued thus far. The reprieve is short, as the listener is then jettisoned into "And Your Bird Can Sing", a track that I'd argue as quite possibly the best rocker of the group's entire discography. "For No One", a lightning-quick 2-minute track that has no business being more than an interlude or throwaway, ultimately conveys a level of bittersweet confliction of as high of a level of "She's Leaving Home" in about half the runtime. "Doctor Robert", my least favorite moment of the album, still serves as a great Beatles song, with the refrain on the track being the only thing stunting my full enjoyment of it. "I Want to Tell You" presents such an inviting atmosphere to the listener though that this possible sour spot on the album is swept under the rug before the listener even has a chance to process it. "Got to Get You into My Life" serves as one of the most triumphant tracks that the group has ever written, and "Tomorrow Never Knows" is an insanely ambitious track that sounds more likely to be have been penned in 2066 then 1966. And with this, Revolver ends, not even remotely close to where the listener began their voyage a mere half an hour ago. It's unfathomable how there's so much here conceptually, that not only covers everything musical the Beatles ever touched, but that his album can cover all of that cohesively in the process. For my tastes, Revolver is the perfect Beatles album. Its eclectic as a whole but every song has its own legs to stand on. There's no strong through line but nothing falls out of place. I'm very happy having this as my #1, and very am very assured to assert this album as a keystone for one of the greatest discographies to have ever existed.
Ok, onto songs. For the sake of your time and my laziness, I won't be getting in depth with every song. I'll lay into my reasoning for the top of the list, but for the lower picks, as I mentioned about 15 minutes ago at the top of this piece, just keep in mind the weight of my choices is going to be a little bit less. ONTO THE LIST! (Note : Probably won't be writing as diligently from this point on just because I've spent so long making this and want to get this out to the world to enjoy.)
The Unlistenable Tier!
218. You Know My Name – Past Masters - Yes, a song exists that is less listenable than "Number 9"
217. Revolution 9 – White Album
The Bad through "Eh" Tier!
216. Mr. Moonlight – Beatles For Sale - In my opinion, the worst Beatles song that is in fact a song.
215. For You Blue – Let It Be
214. The Inner Light– Past Masters - There's a decent amount of Past Masters fown here, and I'm pretty glad these ones never made any albums.
213. Long Long Long – The Beatles (White Album)
212. A Taste of Honey – Please Please Me
211. Maggie Mae – Let It Be
210. Kansas City – Beatles For Sale - This one bothers me a lot, because I feel like there's a good song buried in here.
209. Her Majesty – Abbey Road - Funny fake out for the end of Abbey Road, but ultimately not a big contributor track.
208. Till There Was You – With The Beatles
207. Dig It – Let It Be
206 - 200. songs that are just Instrumentals for the movie – Yellow Submarine - I didn't feel like ranking these, what are you going to do about it?
199. Old Brown Shoe – Past Masters
198. Yes it Is – Past Masters
197. P.S I Love You – Please Please Me - Is it just me or is the Premise of "P.S... I Love You" for a hook just a little too cheesy?
196. Mother Nature’s Son – The Beatles (White Album)
195. Little Child – With The Beatles
194. I’ll Cry Instead – A Hard Day’s Night
193. Tell Me What You See – Help!
192. Sun King – Abbey Road
191. Matchbox – Past Masters
190. I’ve Got a Feeling – Let It Be
189. She’s A Woman – Past Masters
188. Good Night – The Beatles (White Album)
187. Honey Pie – The Beatles (White Album) - Hot Take : Worse than Wild Honey Pie.
186. Words of Love – Beatles For Sale
185. Chains – Please Please Me - The Hook being just "Chains" kind of bothers me. I blame Carole King for this one.
184. Every Little Thing – Beatles For Sale
The Decent Tier!
183. Polythene Pam – Abbey Road - Queue Abbey Road Meledy!
182. Mean Mr. Mustard – Abbey Road
181. Because – Abbey Road
180. Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? – The Beatles (White Album) - I kind of love this song for the fact it just exists in this format, but I can also recognize it deserves to be low on this list.
179. Honey Don’t – Beatles For Sale
178. Doctor Robert – Revolver - I probably put this song lower than it deserves just because it's the blemish on what is otherwise an untouchable album.
177. Piggies – The Beatles (White Album)
176. Yer Blues – The Beatles (White Album)
175. Everybody’s Trying to Be my Baby – Beatles For Sale
174. Things We Said Today – A Hard Day’s Night - To me, just kind of feels like a worse, happier, "I'll be back".
173. Slow Down – Past Masters
172. Money (That’s What I Want) – With the Beatles
171. You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me – With The Beatles
170. You Like Me Too Much – Help!
169. There’s a Place – Please Please Me
168. Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite! – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - This was really generous for me to be completely honest. I think that waltz breakdown completely saves this song from being the lowest of the low.
167. I Need You – Help!
166. I Wanna Be Your Man- With the Beatles
165. What Goes On – Rubber Soul
164. Boys – Please Please Me
163. Only a Northern Song – Yellow Submarine
162. You Can’t Do That – A Hard Day’s Night
161. Baby, You’re a Rich Man – Magical Mystery Tour - I'd love to put this higher but I'll get yelled at considering it's the Rich Man's "Why Don't We Do It In the Road".
160. Julia – The Beatles (White Album) - Hot take, but I find this song to just be too boring for my liking.
159. Act Naturally – Help! - I swear I'm not a Ringo hater. John and Paul just didn't give him classics quite often.
158. Wild Honey Pie – The Beatles (White Album) - Let me have this one.
157. I’ll Get You – Past Masters
156. I’m Down – Past Masters
155. Think for Yourself – Rubber Soul
154. What You’re Doing – Beatles For Sale
153. Cry Baby Cry – The Beatles (White Album)
152. When I Get Home – A Hard Day’s Night
151. Don’t Bother Me – With the Beatles - I feel like so many of the songs on WTB could've been that much more with a little more energy.
150. I Call Your Name – Past Masters
The Good Tier!
149. Another Girl – Help!
148. I’m Happy Just to Dance with You – A hard day’s night
147. Carry That Weight – Abbey Road
146. She Came in The Bathroom Window – Abbey Road
145. One After 909 – Let It Be
144. Flying – Magical Mystery Tour
143. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Reprise – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band - I saw someone else rank this in their top 50, way above the over SPLHCB track. I'm still baffled.
142. Golden Slumbers – Abbey Road - I feel there's so much potential here. If only this was a fully realized, more flushed out song.
141. Don’t Pass Me By – The Beatles (White Album)
140. Any Time at All – A Hard Day’s Night
139. Devil in her Heart – With the Beatles - This song I could totally see creeping up the list in the future. Kind of an earworm.
138. It’s Only Love – Help!
137. Love You To - Revolver - You ignore Doctor Robert and suddenly Revolver has only 2 songs both barely outside of the top 100.
136. Dizzy Miss Lizzy – Help! - Just some plain fun.
135. Long Tall Sally – Past Masters
134. Roll Over Beethoven – With The Beatles
133. Lovely Rita – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - I Know some people really love this track, but for me personally, it's all over the place in a not awesome way.
132. Thank You Girl – Past Masters
131. Good Morning Good Morning – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
130. Savoy Truffle – The Beatles (White Album)
The Great Tier!
129. Hold Me Tight – With the Beatles
128. Taxman – Revolver - 129-127 Should probably be higher but I'm so tired of trying to sort this middle part of the list out.
127. Getting Better – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
126. Rain – Past Masters - I see so much critical acclaim for this track. Does anyone else not find that hook really grating? I guess this could be called one of the best tracks in the discog barring it.
125. The Night Before – Help!
124. Glass Onion – The Beatles (White Album) - Easily the most meta song the band ever made. Its only downfall is reminding the listener of slightly better Beatles songs they could be listening to.
123. Dig A Pony – Let It Be
122. The Ballad of John and Yoko – Past Masters
121. All Together Now – Yellow Submarine - Kind of a sucker for the nostalgic & wholesome songs.
120. You Never Give Me Your Money – Abbey Road
119. Anna (Go To Him) – Please Please Me
118. From Me To You – Past Masters - Now we're at the point where I think to myself "Why didn't these Past Masters make any albums?"
117. If I Needed Someone – Rubber Soul
116. Not a Second Time – With The Beatles
115. Within You Without You - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
114. Rock and Roll Music – Beatles For Sale - Probably a top 5 track in terms of energetic feel.
113. Love Me Do – Please Please Me - An OG, and a pillar defining the band's early career, but admittedly not even close to the standard set by tracks like She Loves You or I Want to Hold Your Hand. Harmonicas just can't compete.
112. Fixing a Hole - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
111. I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party – Beatles For Sale
110. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – The Beatles (White Album) - I have no idea where to rank this song. I really enjoy it, but it's also admittedly very cheesy. I feel like middle-ish of the discog is fair.
109. It’s All Too Much – Yellow Submarine
108. Blue Jay Way – Magical Mystery Tour - An under appreciated Harrison moment.
107. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill – The Beatles (White Album) - It's just dawning on me I've never really explored the story behind this song. I hope this song means something really deep somehow and isn't just gibberish like some of the other White Album tracks.
106. Get Back – Let it Be
The Low-end Classics Tier!
105. Girl – Rubber Soul - This song would be a lot higher without the inclusion of the sigh. It kind of takes me out of things a bit.
104. I’m a Loser – Beatles For Sale
103. Revolution 1 – The Beatles (White Album) - Didn't realize how much more I liked the non-album Revolution until making this list. Still a great song, but in comparison to its banished twin sibling song, its very dull by comparison.
102. The End – Abbey Road - A really fitting conclusion song for the group. The message kind of carries this one's placement.
101. Lady Madonna – Past Masters - Kind of crazy that this track landed outside of the top 100. There's a lot of good songs by this group or something.
100. With a Little Help from My Friends - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
99. Birthday – The Beatles (White Album) - A track saved for exclusively a banger of a birthday.
98. Tomorrow Never Knows – Revolver
97. Ask Me Why – Please Please Me - Personally, I'm a big fan of the "I love youuwuwuwuwu" delivery on this track. No complaints with some bluesy lounge rock slipped onto the debut album.
96. Dear Prudence – The Beatles (White Album) - Another placement I may get flak for, but this track is again a little too snoozy for my liking. There's still a lot of substance to find here however.
95. Blackbird – The Beatles (White Album) - Big wholesome track, but there's another folksy animal centric ballad on the White Album that does Blackbird's job better.
94. I Want You (She’s So Heavy) – Abbey Road
93. Wait – Rubber Soul - Rubber Soul has a lot of tracks of very similar quality. It's crazy how consistent that album is.
92. Run for Your Life – Rubber Soul
91. I Should Have Known Better – A Hard Day’s Night
90. Misery – Please Please Me
89. Baby’s in Black – Beatles For Sale - Probably the track that does the best job of capturing the feel Beatles For Sale provides in a single song.
88. Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except for Me and My Monkey – The Beatles (White Album) - Another track that's so difficult to catergorize. The White album proved difficult for placing tracks individually. This seems right. A weird track with some killer guitar work.
The High-end Classics Tier!
87. Good Day Sunshine – Revolver
86. I’ve Just Seen a Face – Help!
85. Two of Us – Let It Be - I'm glad that an actually healing song was able to come out of the Let It Be sessions. That authenticity shines through here.
84. I’ll Be Back – A Hard Day’s Night
83. You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away – Help! - John Does Bob Dylan pretty well.
82. I’ll Follow the Sun – Beatles For Sale - You never realize how many songs the Beatles have about the Sun until you rank their entire discography. Woa.
81. Hey Jude – Past Masters - Maybe a hot take having the Beatles biggest #1 ever at 81, even considering the story of why Paul wrote this song for John, but the repetitious nature of the track is definitely a holdback on me placing this higher. Am I a hypocrite and probably placed other repetitive tracks too high? Yeah, most likely, but it just really shows through here.
80. Please Please Me – Please Please Me
79. Ticket to Ride – Help! - Fun fact : If the Beatles write a song about Transportation, it's bound to be an all time classic. It's been tested in a case study with a sample size of 2, pretty conclusive results.
78. Do You Want To Know A Secret – Please Please Me
77. Magical Mystery Tour – Magical Mystery Tour - This track is so much fun. Why do people hate? I get it, the whole MMT conceit is silly, but it's silly fun. A lot of cool progressions throughout the song, not to mention this track 100% nails setting the tone for this album.
76. Drive My Car – Rubber Soul
75. Yellow Submarine – Revolver - I raised on this movie, this song had to be somewheres up higher.
74. I Me Mine – Let It Be - If this song was all Harrison I think it'd be an essential. The McCartney Chorus is a little too born from the chaos surrounding this song's creation.
73. Bad Boy – Past Masters - A really fun cover. This song is perfectly suited for John Lennon's voice in my humble opinion.
The Essentials Tier!
72. No Reply – Beatles For Sale - Another great Lennon story telling track. Really paints a picture in your mind's eye of what this scenario looked like playing out.
71. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer – Abbey Road - This track hit the money on the venn diagram of goofy and quality that so many other silly Beatles tracks just didn't quite make the mark on. The shock on that initial "Bang Bang!" chorus your first time listening is unforgettable.
70. Don’t Let Me Down – Past Masters
69. I Saw Her Standing There – Please Please Me - I can totally see why this would be a fangirl favorite from the Beatles. The effortless delivery here is pretty charming and convincing.
68. You Won’t See Me – Rubber Soul
67. Back In the U.S.S.R The Beatles (White Album) - What a way to kick off an album. The lively nature of this song is enough to get anyone moving. Smart move, a true attention grabbing track.
66. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) – Rubber Soul - Peak Lennon-channeling-Dylan song. Awesome story telling from John.
65. I Want to Tell You – Revolver
64. The Long and Winding Road – Let It Be - Rivals "The End" in my mind for being the true swan song for the group. I feel like you could properly use the word "Epic" to describe this song. There's a certain weight, a feeling of high magnitude, just an aire of importance to this song.
63. Here Comes the Sun – Abbey Road
62. Octopus’s Garden – Abbey Road - Top Tier Ringo action. There's just a lot of fun subtle additions to this track that make me adore it. Insane how the group nailed an underwater feel so easily.
61. I Will – The Beatles (White Album) - A really quaint trinkey on the White Album that shouldn't be glossed over. McCartney really knew how to pull some heartstrings, and this is an example of his wholesome song writing in full force.
60. Your Mother Should Know – Magical Mystery Tour - I love the dance sequence. Change my mind. There's a level of swagger to this song that you've got to respect.
59. Got to Get You into My Life - Revolver
58. The Word - Rubber Soul
57. Michelle – Rubber Soul - The French delivery does so much for this track. Perfectly matches the level of intrigue McCartney brings in his delivery.
56. I Feel Fine – Past Masters - Something about the first use of feedback on record blah blah. Truthfully though, shows that its the little innovations, those small touches that the Beatles did that made them so special.
55. All I’ve Got to Do – With The Beatles
54. When I’m Sixty-Four - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - So wholesome. If you did not awe to this track the first time you heard it, I do not believe you.
The "I can't believe these didn't make the top 30, how, these are so good" Tier!
(From this point on I'll have something written for each song)
53. She Said She Said – Revolver - The guitar work on Revolver is second to none. Every rift, pattern, flourish, etc... They all just work so well. She Said She Said features a subtle rhythm shift between the verses and choruses, and the track overall just has this inviting, airy quality to it.
52. And I Love Her – a Hard Day’s Night - I'm just infatuated by the romance of this track. That woodblock is so perfectly atmospheric, the guitar has this sort of Spanish-accented acoustic softness to it, and the track itself is a perfect fit for Paul's softer delivery. The song writing isn't mind-boggling, but the simplicity here is super effective.
51. Strawberry Fields Forever – Magical Mystery Tour - I know, I know, it's sacrilege to have Strawberry Fields just barely miss the top 50. I really do love the song; my main complaint is that it gets to feel drawn out on repeat listen. The entire last minute, to me, is unnecessary, it feels as it only exists to pad runtime, not to actually contribute to the completion of the song. The rollercoaster of descending and elevating the listener's mood throughout the track is undoubtedly innovative, and there's a lot to love here, but when the song quality at this point is so stellar across the board, I've got to dock SFF it there's an entire minute of the track I could do without.
50. This Boy – Past Masters - There's something really magical about the combo of the three-part melody with the amazing rolling guitar found here on This Boy. The guitar has this constant momentum, a feeling like it's running head first into love just like the singer of the track. The passionate burst of a 'bridge' feels straight from the heart, there's just a level of authenticity here that is too compelling to pass on.
49. Penny Lane – Magical Mystery Tour - No one doesn't like Penny Lane. That statement seems like a universal fact. That chorus is just too grand, those horns just too brassy, those keys just too enchanting to not sing along to. I applaud the production here for starting off busy, and somehow still swelling in its vastness to deliver a home run of a final hook. It's a word that I feel like I may have overused in writing all of this, but "wholesome" is all that comes to mind. For these more wholesome, straight jubilant tracks, I feel like they kind of just justify their selves. How could you not love this happy, nostalgic, atmosphere?
48. All You Need Is Love – Magical Mystery Tour - Our first song from this group to have been originally in the top 30. Magical Mystery Tour uses elements of brass like no other album. This track just kind of feels like the Beatles' mission statement. Awesome harmonies? Check. Stresses loves importance? Yep. Super innovative or intricate? Count the number of instruments used here, the lyrics may be very simple, but the production easily allows for it. Even a little bit cheeky? Yessir, we've got a playful She Loves Your interpolation at the end for good measure. Overall, just a greatest hits of Beatles tropes.
47. Tell Me Why – A Hard Day’s Night - Another song I had in the top 30 to begin with. I may have been super blinded with nostalgia when I initially placed this song, but I still think it's a top 50 from the catalog. Like, c'mon, who else can make sadness sound like so a rootin' tootin' good time? This song is an absolute romp, it brings you to your feet without hesitation, only to have you questioning "Why am I grooving to something so... dark?" The lyrics themselves are super depressing, and I think that it's the classic dichotomy of a happy-sad song that a listener such as myself can't pass up.
46. Let It Be – Let It Be - Yet another song that was originally in my top 30 going into this. When things got really tight for those top spots, I decided a good way to break up these tough choices was to find two songs that did similar things, and rank the one that did it better in that 10/10 spot. So, spoiler, but Yesterday wins out over this track in my book. Not to discredit McCartney's genius though. I love the intimacy of his song writing here, and Spector did an excellent song mastering this track, this is one of the songs off of Let It Be that I feel like he actually nailed the vision the group had writing the track.
45. Can’t Buy Me Love – a Hard Day’s Night - I wanted to make this track #1 simply for the shriek before the guitar solo. Realistically, I love the sentiment of this track. I think it's awesome for a band to check their own foray into new money like this, to ground themselves in a non-materialistic place. This track features an absolute head-bobber of a rhythm, and although its repetitive, each repeated segment does enough different from the last to both unify and standout from the remainder of the track. How else am I supposed to describe these classics, they're magical for things beyond words.
44. It Won’t Be Long – With the Beatles - In my eyes, the spiritual successor to She Loves You. The way the chorus comes in and sits you down with its rambunctious energy is so capturing. I think the structure of the track, starting with this off-the-walls boldness, into a more intimate, from the heart middle eight, it communicates a really honest eagerness for love that truly resonates with the listener.
43. Day Tripper – Past Masters - More spoilers, Day Tripper just barely loses out to Paperback Writer in my book. (Oh, I see what I did there.) I think that opening guitar line is what really sells this track. It's so iconic. This was Beatles song writing at its zenith, when on command for a single, Lennon-McCartney could turn out something of this quality instantaneously. It's unreal.
42. Revolution – Past Masters - The final form of all the revolutions the Beatles every released, and by a wide margin in my eyes. Those fuzzy guitars, that clap-along drum line, and that climatic finish... those elements gel together so well to create one of the most soulful, fun tracks that band ever produced.
41. A Hard Day’s Night – a Hard Day’s Night - Unsurprisingly, it was hard to put A Hard Day's Night Below Help! Both are amazing title tracks, iconic in their own right. I mean come on, you know that when you have fans bickering over what chord you used to kick off your 3rd studio album, it's safe to say you've got something pretty special on your hands. This song feels like the apex of Beatlemania, an embodiment of all of the elements that made the group's rise so historic and monumental.
40. She Loves You – Past Masters - Similar sentiments as what I mentioned for It Won't Be Long. The way that chorus punches you square in the mouth to start the song is so powerful. This song's approach to love is comparable to barreling down a hill at full speed. It's an absolute rush, a whirlwind of those inviting elements of love, a magical dash through that relatable youthful feeling of love.
39. Helter Skelter – The Beatles (White Album) - Just realized these next two songs are right next to each other on their album (although in reverse order.) What do I really have to say about Helter Skelter? Some attribute it as being the origin of metal. Personally, I just assign it the label as the most vicious thing the fab 4 ever made. Like oh my word, I love how this thrasher is able to sit next to Long, long, long on a track list. I know my tastes are usually leaning towards the softer songs, but am I not allowed to enjoy a shredder every now and then? The background vocals are a beautiful touch, Paul's delivery convinces me he's probably the best vocalist of the group (if not at the very least the more versatile), and the "I've got blisters on me fingers!" is probably my favorite quote from a Beatle ever.
38. Sexy Sadie – The Beatles (White Album) - So going into making this list, this wasn't even a song on my radar. Buried in the depths of the White Album, this song lives up to its namesake - It's probably the sexiest thing the group ever made. The backing harmonies are something to live for, the teetering balance of sultry, menace, and romance is enthralling for the listener, a total hidden gem of a track that I wish more people appreciated. Such a quirky admission to the Beatles catalog that I really fell in love with making this list, even considered bring up to the level of a 10.
37. You’re Going to Lose That Girl – Help! - I really just love the concept of this song. The perspective of writing from the POV of an outside arbitrator in the fate of another's relationship standing is just so ahead of its time in song-writing, something that only the Beatles would've thought of. The story telling here is really well put together, and its these distinctive elements of tracks that put them those slim places above the rest.
36. Please Mister Postman – With the Beatles - I really wanted this to be a top 30 song too, but convinced myself to let Twist and Shout hold its place instead, only to eventually last-minute remove Twist and Shout from that placement. But in all honesty, one of the best covers the Beatles ever did. This song was just asking to be Beatle-fied with its charming background harmonies, playful concept, and love-centric theme. I won't say the Beatles did it better, but I will say that this song stands more for what the Beatles are about. This cover is just a perfect recipe to me, the stars feel like they aligned to bless us with something so fitting for the boys to record.
35. I Am the Walrus – Magical Mystery Tour - The biggest meme of the discography just barely got cut from my original top 30. I understand how to some this song could be seen as a joke, but outside of the intentionally nonsensical lyrics, there's so much intricate instrumentation to be found here. I have to appreciate this track for being in the same vein of Revolution 9, but set to some actually listenable music. This may be a polarizing pick, but if you know you know, I don't think anything I write here will sway people on a track that one is bound to be opinionated on. Don't come at me for liking a good goo goo g'joob.
34. I’m Looking Through You – Rubber Soul - Got to love Paul's shouty voice on a hook. The way that vibrant chorus pops into a seemingly slower song and slugs the listener is so loveable. This song had no business not being just a really simple McCartney ballad, but the extra spice of the burst of energy chorus really elevates this track for me. I also adore the conceit of Looking through someone, and how that is used in the songwriting throughout the track. Another under-appreciated track that I feel like needs a lot more shine for being so catchy and creative.
33. Twist and Shout – Please Please Me - These last 3 I really fought for including in the final 30 ten out of tens. If you don't know the story of this song, to briefly summarize, it was the last track to be recorded in the hours long straight run through of Please Please Me. That raw energy is kind of what makes this track so beautiful. John's strained delivery feels so authentic because it is. That delirious excitement is so honest because that's exactly what this track was born from. Feels wrong have this song not ranked as the ultimate Beatles cover, but my affinity for the slow songs won out for that 31st ranking. Still, the boys did the Isley Brothers more than justice, such an iconic track, especially when performed live.
32. I Want to Hold Your Hand – Past Masters - Really hurt to remove this song from the top 30, especially when I know I'm about to get so much flak for my 30th pick. Things are tight this high up in the list. Do I really have to justify my love of this song? It's the definition of a classic, there's nothing for me to put here that can more accurately describe my love for this song then just telling you to go listen to it. Got to love these career defining smash hits for both their quality and significance.
31. Baby It’s You – Please Please me - I think subconsciously I decided that no covers were ever going to stay in the top 30, as some of those originals deserve it for their creativity and innovative qualities. But man, did I really want this one to stick around. My favorite Beatles cover of all time, this song could have anyone of any origin swooning. There's no way to describe this song as anything short of magical. The things a few "sha-la-la-la-la-la-la-la's" can do is breathtaking. This track is just so indulgent. Lennon's performance is so believable, the harmonies are so buttery smooth, everything just clicks for me here. It may have just barely missed one of those top spots, but this tune will never be missing a little special place in my heart, a track to adore for sure.
And finally, here we are:
My top top 30 Beatles Songs:
(aka my picks for a new Beatle's 1 album)
30. Martha My Dear – The Beatles (White Album) - I feel like this an extreme hot take of a pick. But really though, the White Album has so many sleeper classics on it! I fell in love with this song while making this list. It has a wholesome ballroom romp to kick things off, and somehow effortlessly translates that sort of song into some Oh! Darling-esque guitar work for a mere moment, only to go back into a classical brass section and repeat. This song is just so inviting, it has so many contrasting elements that work in a strangely cohesive way. I love the innovative song structure the Beatles were able to produce years ahead of their time. You'll notice this is part of a 4-song run of White Album tracks all in the top 30 as well. This song was included in the peak of the setlist for good reason - It may be the most quietly quality track of the run, but the way it elevates and is elevated by the bops around it in the album really just make this something special to me.
29. Yesterday – Help! - I'm not justifying Yesterday's inclusion. Everyone ever knows what's so special about this song. It just had to be up here.
28. For No One – Revolver - For some reason, I fought myself a lot about including this track in the top 30. "It's too short", "It's a worse She's Leaving Home", etc. etc. But man, the more I thought about it, this song really deserves its recognition. I think if it was longer and a little more developed, it could be a top 15 track easily. McCartney truly wrote poetry into every aspect of this track. The lyrics have a beautiful sting, the elements of waltz and other more traditional styles of music complement the masterful storytelling with a bittersweet twist to the tone of the track, I feel like a broken record 200 songs into writing this, but there's such a cohesion between these facets that straight up enchants the listener.
27. I’m So Tired – The Beatles (White Album) - I kind of like Beatles songs about sleep, I guess. I love when songs are written from an authentic place like this. Lennon wrote this song while actually sleep-deprived and stressed, and it's just so honestly put by every single note of this song. The swell into that explosion of a chorus really feels like his true pent-up emotions bursting across bars of music. I also do love the contrast of this following Martha My Dear. The White Album is wild.
26. Hello, Goodbye – Magical Mystery Tour - Yeah, Yeah, it may be the simplest song to ever exist ever, but it's just so jolly! This is the best "an honest good time" song the group ever produced. The outfits in the music video, that playful, spry approach taken with both the lyrics and the production, it's just pure exuberance. Yeah, this song didn't break any barriers like A Day in The Life or Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds, but it has also never not put a smile on my face, and personally, my happiness feels enough of a justification for near top 25 pick.
25. If I Fell – a Hard Day’s Night - The king of the early discog ballads. Similar to all the other great ballads, has a really genuine quality to the track that is complemented well in this case by a standard early-era Beatles backing track. For me, the selling point is more to do with the lyrics here, there's some intrigue to the storytelling presented by the group; there's a lot of context provided in the lyrics that make the story feel really developed and personal to John. If I Fell is also very special for being a Lennon ballad as opposed to a McCartney one. Although the song was probably written together by the two, I think the switch up of letting John handling the vocals here is a cool distinction that makes If I Fell stand out as a specialty slow jam from the group.
24. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band -Crowd noise. Suddenly, a crisp Drum hits your right earlobe. A sharp electric guitar slides its way into the mix. Some classic rough, strained, McCartney vocals emerge. But, as soon as he gets started singing, he passes it off to an unheard-of band to the sound of a crowd's laughter? Its brilliant. A Beatles album framed around not being the Beatles. For a group who has reinvented themselves so many times, it seems like the perfect creative summit for them to reach. And although this conceit doesn't hold through the entire album as strong as I'd personally like it to, this opening track does so much to pull you into the world of Sgt. Peppers. I love everything this song symbolizes in context of the album, and the fact that it's such a catchy song to boot solidifies its spot in my top 25 Beatles songs of all time.
23. She’s Leaving Home - Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - Rolling with the Sgt. Peppers love, here’s a contender for the best storytelling track the Beatles ever wrote. That two-part call and response melody is so remarkable the way that perspective is used in this song is nothing short of genius. The orchestral backdrop for this story to unfold upon is too fitting, the line "She's leaving home after living alone for so many years" itself is such a witty encapsulation of the juxtaposing uplifting and somber stories presented in the same song. I'd argue this is the smartest song the Beatles ever wrote, the levels of intricacy presented here easily warrant a top spot for this track.
22. Paperback Writer – Past Masters - Who likes fun!? I like fun. That's a large part why I like Paperback Writer. The constant starting and stopping employed by the Beatles here really captivates the listener's ear. Every 10 seconds, this track is doing something new, allowing for the listener to constantly excited as to where the track is going to next. The harmonies in the mix are really lighthearted and enjoyable, the guitar work is on that same quality of other Rubber Soul / Revolver era tracks, and overall just the concept of writing a rock song about wanting to be a novelist is pretty mold breaking in its own regard. I love how this is a song that simply exists, just the fact that you can have a ball listening to a song about dreams of being a Paperback Writer is a joy that only the Beatles could have gifted the world.
21. I’m Only Sleeping – Revolver - This track absolute nails this feeling of sleep deliria. Everything about this cut is mystifying - The rhythmic, thumping guitar, the starting and stopping swells of momentum in the track, the use of a lead guitar played in reverse... there's a lot of cunning stunts pulled off here to whisk the listener off to this dreamworld the group creates here. I'm Only sleeping is the most interesting exploration of the doldrums to ever exist, it's the perfect musical embodiment of teetering on the edge of reality and dream like qualities.
20. Hey Bulldog – Yellow Submarine - Don't ask me what this song is about, as to be honest, I don't really know... all I know is I love it. This is something I say a lot about songs I love, (see entry 14), but there are so. many. hooks. That piano loop that opens the song? Iconic. The Bass? So Smooth. The seemingly nonsense lyrics? I'm here for it. Those "You Can Talk to Me's” will be running through my head forever. The instrumentation on this song really sells me. There's just this awesome team feel here, every aspect of every instrument played on Hey Bulldog feels purposeful and expertly crafted.
19. All My Loving – With the Beatles - That rapid-fire guitar grabs my heart every time this song comes on, and doesn't stop pulling at those strings for the entire duration of this wonderful early Beatles track. The idea of sending all your loving home to someone you're infatuated with is really cute, and the cheerfulness with which Paul communicates this with is captivating. It's crazy to me how With the Beatles followed up Please Please Me with stronger highlights than the album that made this supergroup. This track rides a beautiful line between the sentiments of a ballad and the liveliness of a rocker to exist as king of the breakthrough hits.
18. Eight Days a Week – Beatles For Sale - Is this song over ranked on here? Maybe. It's a sunshiny clap along song written around an admittedly silly concept. But I'll be damned if this isn't just the most smile inducing thing ever. I love how this track just unapologetically owns how sugary it is. There's a bright confidence in Lennon's lead vocals that assures you that he really means what he's saying and has the charm to pull it off convincingly. Additionally, Eight Days a Week shines as the one flicker of fun on the drab Beatles For Sale, only heightening its distinctive, standout nature as a classic jam.
17. Help! – Help! - Lennon writing from the heart does wonders for our ears. Help! is probably the sincerest thing Lennon ever wrote (barring our runner-up best Beatles song). It's another one of those happy-sad songs I'm a sucker for. I can't say no to a good Hey Ya!, what can I say? The way Help! pulls you in with those deeply personal lyrics and then keeps you there with an awesome musical background is just too irresistible to me. I just really appreciate straightforward, genuine music by artists who care for their craft. The way Lennon invites us in to his inner thoughts is really gripping for me, and that empathetic connection between singer and listener bolsters Help!'s spot at 17 on this list.
16. Rocky Raccoon – The White Album - Let's take a look at some of the things I really like about Beatles songs. Probably something Wholesome... Has some great storytelling... probably a little on the softer side... some interesting conceit, concept, or theme... some form of progression or added complexity throughout the track... maybe even a small dosage of morality or some other teaching?... Oh, hey Rocky Raccoon! What are you doing over there with all those elements? Really though, this song is just a little bit of everything I like about what the Beatles offer to me at their best.
15. We Can Work It Out - Past Masters - I adore how healing this song is. It feels like this is just an actual conversation between McCartney and Lennon, and it hits home how much you as a listener buy into that this is what John and Paul really actually believe in. I'm a big fan of putting positive energy out there, I can really mesh with the morality the fab 4 is throwing down. I love how Lennon's segments of the track shift to a different time signature entirely, as to really denote the difference in their perspectives on the world by the contrasting worlds of musicality surrounding them. Can't knock me wanting to put a really interesting song with a stellar message so high on this list!
14. Come Together – Abbey Road - Challenge: Name one part of this song that isn't an earworm. A single part, any note, that isn't an instant hook of your attention. This song is the definition of sticky. It will be in your head forever. Tell me how the bass, guitar, hook, guitar solo, and even the background flourishes of a track all can be iconic simultaneously. It's unreal. The flashes of clever lyricism with lines like "Got to be good looking 'cause he's so hard to see," complement the nonsense quips of juju eyeball and monkey fingers that make up the majority of the song. I respect Lennon's undying passion for unity he had in his later years of career, with Come Together being an early showcase of this drive. I don't see what's not to like about Come Together, nothing like a little soulful groove to close out one the greatest discogs of all time.
13. Nowhere Man – Rubber Soul - My favorite part of this song is the single xylophone note at exactly 63 seconds in the track. It's the only note of its kind in the entire song, and something that always has made me laugh since I first noticed it. The rest of the song, however, is just as enjoyable. The relatability of this track is really universal, there's a million applications of the sort of isolation, non-belonging, lonesome sort of qualities that we can find ourselves in the Nowhere Man. When I was thinking about this track, I asked myself "Why does a song about being a man of nothing feel so inviting? Why am I so warm to this lost feeling Lennon's describing?" Then I realized, ironically, Nowhere Man is the Beatles song it’s the easiest to find yourself in. There's so much solace to be found in the fact that we're all our own nowhere man in some regard, which in a sense, makes use all unified, and therefore, not alone, not lost. Lennon's calling us out of this. He speaks to us all when he says "Nowhere man, the world is at your command." To be a nowhere man means to be not alone. I guess every nowhere man IS a little bit like you and me, and that's pretty cool by my standards.
12. Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - I don't condone acid use... unless you're a Beatle. I know Lennon has claimed this song isn't about LSD (even though the acronym is in the song title), but that doesn't mean that the sound of it isn't heavily inspired from usage of the drug. This song is such a journey (or 'trip' if you prefer that terminology). A sprawling, aimless yet precise masterpiece of mystified storytelling and visual appeal. The imagery of this song is unmatched by anything else Lennon ever wrote. The colors generated by tangerine and marmalade are so vivid. Also, as a fan of diction, I have to gush over the incredible Phonesthetics of "Kaleidoscope", "Cellophane", and "Plasticine." The way this song memorizes the listener, hypnotizing your ears with lavish displays of walls of sound, it's entirely unlike any other song.
11. While My Guitar Gently Weeps – The Beatles (White Album) - Harrison really deserved more spotlight throughout the Beatles career. With a set via a Clapton guitar solo, Harrison spikes this anti-materialistic pro-love bombshell directly into the soul of listeners. The anthropomorphism of a weeping guitar is engrossing. Everyone already knows of the display of pure mastery over instrument this song offers, but the introspection that WMGGW is able to awaken in listener is also an equally compelling aspect of this song. The 3rd component of the White Album's 4 song A-side tear, there’s not really a lot for me to say that hasn't been said about this song's greatness, but I will need to some talking for why I have this song outside of the top 10 in favor of another White album song below.
10. Happiness Is a Warm Gun – The Beatles (White Album) - Now this is a hot take. I bet a lot of people wouldn't even have this song cracking top 50, let alone listed above While My Guitar Gently Weeps as the best of the White Album. Looking at my tastes though, this should be kind of expect. Oh my god, does this song have it all. Multiple tempos, a smorgasbord of energy and tone, one of Lennon's best vocal performances ever, amazing background harmonies, and overall just a beautiful assembly of eclectic sections of multiple stylistic passages of music. I believe McCartney cited this as his favorite track off of the White Album, and I don't blame him. I'm a man of variety, and the voyage of styles this song guides the listener through is enthralling from start to end. It may not mean as much as While My Guitar Gently Weeps, it may not have a whole lot of meaning at all to be honest, but in terms of sonic composition, the complexity of Happiness is a Warm Gun is the crowning achievement of the White Album in my eyes.
9. Oh! Darling – Abbey Road - We going to act like this isn't the best McCartney vocal performance ever? The control over his range and emotion is unfathomable. I cannot comprehend how Paul slides in and out of the most biting delivery I've ever heard. What a perfect mixture of angst, sass, contempt, grit, and so much more... Perfectly complemented by the backing track to boot. The rise and fall, the come down from a swelling burst of blazing passion, the temperament McCartney utilizes here is astounding. Oh! Darling is kind of a guilty pleasure of a Beatles song; It's almost toxic, possibly sarcastic, and all but certainly sardonic on the verses. It may be sort of antithetical to what I've stressed to love in Beatles songs thus far, there's elements of honesty to it woven into the chorus. It's all pulled off so well, and for this outlier variance in tone and performance, really resonates with me for its blatant, open reflection of Paul's emotions.
8. Eleanor Rigby - Revolver - What a ground-breaking track. The first of 3 tracks from Revolver to notch a top 10 spot, Eleanor Rigby is probably the most boundary pushing song ever penned by Paul as a Beatle. Truly, the quintessential orchestral song from the group, with so many interesting progressions and sonic shifts jam packed into such a condense masterpiece. The driving staccato of the violins played push this urgency onto the listener, and really drag you into this desolate world envisioned by McCartney. The dour hypotheticals posed on the chorus, the numbing realization that Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie were each other's salvation, but never met that happy ending, it's hauntingly chilling and insanely thought provoking. I love the way McCartney builds this world for the listener only to sort of knock it down, it may be incredibly somber, but there's too much striking meaning here to sell this track as anything short of astounding.
7. A Day in The Life – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - By critical consensus, probably the highest ranked Beatles track across the board. Sorry for this slew of sad songs in the top spot, but they're all so engaging, hard not to include them. Not much to say that hasn't been said, probably the most picked apart, highly praised track ever produced by the group, you'll find 20 much better deconstructions somewhere else so I'll spare you the read time. Love the cooperation between Lennon and McCartney, the storytelling, the dichotomy, etc. etc. Probably my most normie pick for the top 10, but it’s well-loved for a great reason.
6. And Your Bird Can Sing – Revolver - Going into making this whole blog post, this was my #1 song pick. Yeah, I know, it's a little bit of an obscure one to throw up so high. But that guitar rift? Best the band ever did. Better than While My Guitar Gently Weeps, better than Helter Skelter, that simple run has been engraved in the bottom of my soul for many a year now. That solo? Stays bouncing around your head well after this song is off. I love the motif of the singing bird, the recurrence of all these materialistic things that still can't amount to the creativity and artistry that we all strive to incorporate into our lives. I really do quite enjoy the antimaterialist mindset all the Beatles seemingly had, and this is the most fun the group ever had communicating that positive message to their audience. So, why'd this fall to 6 from 1? Admittedly, it's simply just not as ambitious as 4-1 (although this could totally flip-flop spots with 5). Still, a super nostalgic track that will forever be with me.
5. The Fool on The Hill – Magical Mystery Tour - Y'all some real Magical Mystery Tour haters. I've seen a lot of people call this track bad or awful or unnecessary and it baffles me. This track is so.... beautiful. The production here is so emotionally touching. Amazing use of woodwind instruments, accompanied by subtle brass and the most purposeful use of soft percussion make this song something to adore. The message of not shaming those with new ideas, with fresh perspectives, is one that I find insanely important, especially in today's world, and my god does this song progress. So many cool elements to be found here. McCartney's performance vocally is so warm and inviting, everything about this song just enchants the listener. I love the slow climb to the final payoff of this track, it really makes the listener feel like they're just allowed to calmly work their way through the listen of this track. What a soothing, comforting song, something that will undoubtedly make a listener feel good while also imparting some wisdom. Sounds like a top 5 track to me.
4. Something – Abbey Road - There's so much beauty in the vagueness of this song. You know how nowadays in pop music; love songs are written to be really inclusive so that the listener can see themselves in the music? Imagine if that was done with tact and artistry. I love how Harrison shifts this dynamic, by not making it so the listener has to see themselves in the music, but by allowing for the listener to envision their own true love in the scenario he paints. What a stunning shift in paradigm. Even without that masterful tactic, this song would still have any listener hooked by the first bar of guitar notes. The descent of keys is irresistible to the ear, the low, drawn out strings are alluring, and the explosion of passion on the bridge is a perfect reflection of the way one feels they simply can't contain the love erupting from their heart for that someone special. In the same way there's something different about true love, there's that something different in Something that makes it such a special track.
3. Across the Universe – Let It Be - Who doesn't love a good journey through the cosmos? Honestly though, there is no other way to describe this track than cosmic. This track is so spiritual, so meditative, it somehow manages to capture the ascension of the soul in music... How is that not remarkable? The repetitious nature of the hook, just a simple aphorism of "Nothing's going to change my world"... There are no words that have ever comforted me more. This song really has gotten me through serious problems, sometimes it just takes a simple digestion of this audible clairvoyance to clear the mind. This song is almost not a song, it's practically an energy; a feeling of guidance and solace that just so happens to take the form of music. John Lennon a real one for this.
2. In My Life – Rubber Soul - I don't even know if In My Life can be written about in a describable manner. How does a 25-year-old write with such vision and clarity? Lennon knows how to write in emotions, and In My Life serves as a musical definition of nostalgia and fond remembrance. There was no reason for a young Lennon with the chaotic life he led to find the clarity to write such a poetic, heart-wrenching track. I feel like this song could make people cry on its own. The appeal is so universal, the way love is broken down into such a pure essence on this track is stupefying. Everything feels so purposeful, even the instrumental break serves as an intentional reprieve to allow the listener to reflect. I don't know how to communicate the emotion that In My Life wields mastery over, there's no way for words to compare to the description found in the music here. In My Life owns a spot in the hearts of every person of every type, race, gender, etc. The themes here transcend every barrier, speaking to the human condition itself. I'm really thankful to have In My Life in my life, and even more thankful that I'm able to share that ownership with all of you.
1. Here, There and Everywhere - Revolver - In My Life had the #1 spot locked down for nearly the entirety of making this. I had written reviews for every album besides the final 4, and was confident I wouldn't be readdressing the song rankings. However, I started to realize, it wasn't the Beatles song I was truly pining to hear. It wasn't my number 1 I wanted to play on repeat, not the other tracks between 1 and this, this was the one. Why? How? I needed answers. I really sat down with this song, tried to absorb every minute feature, every distinctive aspect of it, doing the same with In My Life and my other top tracks. And then, it really sank in. This is the best thing the Beatles ever put to vinyl. If in My Life is the ultimate definition of how the past feels, then Here, There and Everywhere is an embodiment of what it means to be timeless. This song feels like the bridge to the higher power that is love. If in My Life was universal through a shared nostalgia for the past, Here There and Everywhere unites us all in the present. Love is in everything around us at any given moment, and it's up to us to go out and find it. Situations are erased, context is forgone, love is consuming of all in the most angelic way imaginable. I realized this is what I think of when I think "Beatles song." For a group who spent the majority of their career characterizing love, it's indescribable how touching it is to be able to listen to definitive embodiment of it. This song brings out that yearning, that craving for love, that core element of limitless affection inert in us all. Have anyone listen to this song, nobody can deny there's something here. Whether wandering, watching, or running your hands through the hair of love, we all know love is there, and Here, There and Everywhere is that reminder that knowing love is to share. I really loved to share this list with you all, I hope anything I imparted on you in this extensive breakdown, no matter how particular or miniscule, really resonates with you. Thank you if you made it this far, and even thank you if you just jumped to the bottom to read my #1. The fact I got to share this with you all, after going through such a wide array of stuff just making this post, it means the world to me. More consistent, shorter posts to return soon, love you all, thank you.
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