The Most Popular Beatles Songs
The Beatles had a formidable 28 top ten hits during their less-than-10-year reign of the music scene. And even more impressive: during the week of April 4th, 1964, The Beatles held twelve positions on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, including the top five positions. Neither of these things has ever been matched by any other musical artist.
The Beatles are one of the most influential musical groups of all time, and Beatles music has lived far past the typical life and popularity of a musical group. It’s rare to see music have an impact 40 years or more after they started, but Beatles music actually does. They evolved from their pop music roots to become a musical force to be reckoned with. The Beatles were constantly re-inventing themselves, and this led to some wonderful music.
Beatles songs mix intensive harmonies, beautiful lyrics, and the soulful voices of the talented Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and occasionally George Harrison. The Beatles music set a new standard for pop music, and it’s a standard that still survives. They put out albums with each individual song being one that you could listen to over and over again.
Any top ten list of Beatles music is purely subjective, but this is my favorites list. It might be different from your most popular Beatles songs, but I’ll bet there’s not a song on here that doesn’t make you smile. I found myself humming Yesterday the entire time I was writing this article. Which is, in fact, on my list of favorite Beatles songs.
Yesterday – According to the Guinness Book of World Records, this is the most covered song in the world. It’s a plaintive song about the past, and paradoxically, just the opening notes of this mournful song make me smile. Yesterday, Love was such an easy game to play …
Strawberry Fields Forever – This was one of the first songs to use a Mellotron, which was an early kind of synthesizer. It’s from Magical Mystery Tour, and from the era when the Lennon McCartney writing partnership was beginning to branch out and become more experimental. Coincidentally, John Lennon had just begun using a lot of LSD. Strawberry Fields, nothing is real…
All You Need Is Love - was first performed by The Beatles on Our World, the first live global television link, and was watched by 400 million people in 26 countries. The BBC had commissioned the Beatles to write a song for the United Kingdom’s contribution, and this was it. Rolling Stone magazine ranks it at #362 in their 500 greatest songs of all time. I rank it just a little higher than that.
Let It Be - Let it Be is a slow, beautiful song that Paul McCartney says a dream about his mother (who died when he was fourteen) helped inspire. When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, Speaking words of wisdom, Let it be …
Hey Jude – evolved from a song Paul McCartney wrote to comfort John Lennon’s son Julian during his parents’ divorce. It’s a long, hypnotic song carried by the superb writing and Paul McCartney’s gorgeous voice.
Eight Days A Week – Ooh, I need your love babe, Guess you know it’s true. Hope you need my love babe, Just like I need you… ‘Nuff said.
Drive My Car – And on the same note…Baby you can drive my car, Yes, I’m gonna be a star, Baby you can drive my car, And maybe I’ll love you, Beep beep’m beep beep yeah …
Here Comes The Sun – One of the few songs written by George Harrison. In my opinion, if he could write this well, he should have done it more.
All My Loving - This is what The Beatles kicked off their famous Ed Sullivan performance with, and it’s a song that helped propel them to fame and defined their early music.
The Long and Winding Road - This song was written about the hard time The Beatles were having together, and the actual pain beneath the lyrics bleeds through. It’s a bittersweet song with great heart, and it was the last single ever released by The Beatles. The long and winding road That leads to your door Will never disappear, I’ve seen that road before …
So what are your favorite Beatles songs? There is plenty of Beatles music to choose from, and the Lennon McCartney musical partnership created so much to choose from, we could make ‘favorites’ lists forever. But not right now. I think I hear Magical Mystery Tour calling. Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour, Roll up, roll up for the mystery tour…
Tags: Beatles, Beatles music, Beatles songs, John Lennon, Lennon McCartney, Paul McCartney, The Beatles
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