What Are Your 5 Favorite Beatles' Solo Efforts?

[minlokwat]

Lame-o alert: I've actually been thinking of this for some days now and couldn't decide whether I should post this or not.

Question: What are your top 5 songs from the Post-Beatles works of John, Paul, Ringo and George?

A few guiding points:

For me, if I'm whittling the list to Top 5, Ringo and George don’t make the cut on my list. For Ringo, we have Photograph/It Don't Come Easy/You're 16 and a few more (The No, No No song for example) that are half decent but there's no way he can crack the top five. Same with George. I googled Harrison's Greatest Hits to make sure I hadn't forgotten anything by George and he’s out as well.

Now then, before I reveal my selections, I would like to clarify that this is based on personal favorites and not a list of what you think are the 5 Greatest / Most Influential / Well-known, etc. tunes. In other words, this isn't an exercise of what should be on the list, but rather your actual faves. For that reason, I don't have Imagine nor My Sweet Lord since they just don't do it for me.

Since there's no accounting for taste (you'll see when I unveil my number one) your rationale can be nothing more than you like what you like.

Alright here goes:

5. God / Lennon. (It's the "I don't believe in...." a bunch of things). It comes on the heels of the break-up and serves as Lennon's mantra for where he now stands. One of his most personal offerings, musically great, vocals are strong and it's Ringo on the drums so he makes it indirectly onto the list.

4. Starting Over / Lennon. I like it. All of John’s hits from Double Fantasy are excellent. He had a great supporting band that gave him a professional, tight, clean sound. John said these songs were him reconnecting with those from his generation after his lengthy layoff. Then the lyrics take on a sad poignancy after what happened on December 8. This is one of those stop-what-you’re-doing songs for me.

3. Mull of Kintyre / McCartney. Some find this one monotonous and flat. I think it’s a big song with a great crescendo. Great lyric –certainly as good as anything Paul’s written and hey it’s got bagpipes.

2. Live and Let Die / Another song with big sound. Switches to a little reggae vibe in the middle and it’s the best song associated with a James Bond movie.

[Slipping into flame-retardant suit]

1. Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey. –Just gimme a second alright. I just heard this on the radio a few days ago which is what set this idea in motion. It’s two songs rolled into one, it has a “Yellow Submarine / When I’m 64” feel to it and I think it was a gutsy choice for Paul coming after the tepid response from his earlier solo trials.


There you have it. Flame away if you wish. I won’t be surprised if someone claims that that one would be on their Top 5 Worst Post-Beatles’ Works –an OP I’m sure will be along any minute now.

[JohnT]

I know I'll forget some, but what the hell...

In no particular order:

1. Band on the Run (McCartney)
2. (Just Like) Starting Over (Lennon)
3. Silly Love Songs (McCartney)
4. All Those Years Ago (Harrison)
5. Live and Let Die (McCartney)

Like the OP, I also like "Uncle Albert" quite a bit. To quote Mozart in Amadeus: "It's a funny little tune."

IMHO, "Imagine" has reached and gone way beyond the saturation point with me. Rolling Stone voted it the 3rd greatest rock song of all time or something. Really? :dubious:

[campp]

Ringo: It Don't Come Easy

George: Wah Wah

Paul: Maybe I'm Amazed

John: Working Class Hero

Paul: Smile Away

[MovieMogul]

1. George: What Is Life
2. John: Starting Over
3. Ringo: It Don't Come Easy
4. Paul: Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
5. John: Watching the Wheels

[aceplace57]

Paul Live and let Die
George How my Guitar Gently Weeps

John - nothing special Imagine was ok

Paul - Band on the Run

Ringo - You're 16 cheesy but it makes me smile

[Ichbin Dubist]

McCartney, "Junior's Farm"
Lennon, "Isolation"
Harrison, "Isn't It a Pity"
Lennon, "Instant Karma"
McCartney, "Maybe I'm Amazed" (the live version esp.)


I think as a whole record Harrison's All Things Must Pass might get the nod, provided I ignore the atrocious jam stuff stuck on the end. Lennon's anger grates on me more the older I get and I don't really like any of McCartney's all the way through. Ringo's "Goodnight Vienna" might dent this list in the 20s.

[woodstockbirdybird]

1. Lennon - Instant Karma!
2. Lennon - Mother
3. McCartney - Maybe I'm Amazed
4. Starr - Photograph
5. McCartney (as the Fireman) - Sing the Changes

I have no use for solo George.

[JohnT]

Paul Live and let Die
George How my Guitar Gently Weeps

John - nothing special Imagine was ok

Paul - Band on the Run

Ringo - You're 16 cheesy but it makes me smile

I'm not an expert on George's post-Beatles work by any means, but I think the one you listed is a Beatles song ("While My Guitar Gently Weeps").

[aceplace57]

You may be right. I always associate While My Guitar Gently Weeps with Harrison because of the incredible guitar work. But, maybe it was released on a Beatles album.

I didn't include Pauls duets. Ebony and Ivory and The Girl is Mine are fantastic. I rate them as personal favorites.

[Electric Warrior]

You may be right. I always associate While My Guitar Gently Weeps with Harrison because of the incredible guitar work. But, maybe it was released on a Beatles album.

It was indeed - The Beatles (aka the white album).

[TreacherousCretin]

Unfortunately, this is easy for me:


1- Wonderall Music (George; Top of the list, by a mile)
followed by, in order

2- My Sweet Lord (George; for me, this terrific song, plagiarized though it be, was the only good song on an otherwise vastly overrated album)

3- Just Like Starting Over (John)

4- Woman (John)

5- The No No Song (Ringo)

And that's it for me. Nobody loves the Fabs any more than I do (and have since 1964), but none of the rest their solo works have impressed me.

.

[TreacherousCretin]

You may be right. I always associate While My Guitar Gently Weeps with Harrison because of the incredible guitar work...

Which as you know was performed by Eric Clapton.


.

[digs]

Lame-o alert: ...this is based on personal favorites and not a list of what you think are the 5 Greatest / Most Influential / Well-known, etc. tunes. ...

Mull of Kintyre / McCartney. Some find this one monotonous and flat. I think it’s a big song with a great crescendo. Great lyric –certainly as good as anything Paul’s written and hey it’s got bagpipes.

Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey. –Just gimme a second alright. I just heard this on the radio a few days ago which is what set this idea in motion. It’s two songs rolled into one, it has a “Yellow Submarine / When I’m 64” feel to it and I think it was a gutsy choice for Paul coming after the tepid response from his earlier solo trials.


Just popped in to say I heard a live version of Mull of Kintyre and, even though I hate hate hate some of Paul's latest "efforts" (Nod Your Head? I think not), I love the Scawttish Priiide that infuses this.

And Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey was the song that convinced me that life would go on after the Beatles.

[digs]

I have no use for solo George.

I understand this attitude, but surely The Concert For Bangladesh was a ray of hope, coming as it did in a troubled time for Africa, for The 'Nam Generation, and for mourning Beatles fans.

[multimediac17]

1. Imagine - John Lennon
2. Say Say Say - Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson
3. Instant Karma! (We All Shine On) - John Lennon
4. Mother - John Lennon
5. Grow Old With Me - John Lennon

I do like songs by George & Ringo but not as much as I like those five. As you might be able to tell, John is by far my favourite solo Beatle.

[RealityChuck]

1. Picasso's Last Words (from Band on the Run)
2. Imagine
3. Band on the Run
4. Awaiting on You All (from All Things Must Pass)
5. Instant Karma

Special mention: Cold Turkey

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

1. Mother - John
2. My Sweet Lord - George
3. Working Class Hero - John
4. Isolation - John
5. Maybe I'm Amazed - Paul

mmm

(who also loves Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey)

[astorian]

Tough one, but I'll go with...

5- "What Is Life" by George Harrison
4- "It Don't Come Easy" by Ringo Starr
3- "Junior's Farm" by Paul McCartney & Wings
2- "#9 Dream" by John Lennon
1- "Venus & Mars/Rock Show" by Paul McCartney & Wings


I'd almost like to count some of the Travelling Wilbury songs as George solo material. I'd also love to include "On the Wings of a Nightingale," which Paul wrote for the 1984 Everly Brothers comeback.

[PlainJain]

George's Ohnothimagin (Extra Texture) album. This Guitar Can't Keep From Crying and You for starters.

[The Second Stone]

In no particular order:

George Harrison-Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)
and Crackerbox Palace

Ringo Starr-It Don't Come Easy

John Lennon-Imagine

Paul McCartney-Hope For Deliverance


The older I get the angry rocker stuff gets tougher to listen too. I find this to be the same with almost all Blues music.

[Sateryn76]

1. No More Lonely Nights - Paul
2. Instant Karma - John
3. Whatever Gets You Through The Night - John/Elton
4. Say Say Say - Paul/MJ
5. With a Little Luck - Paul

Some non-standard replays, and my apologies to Ringo and George...

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

1. No More Lonely Nights - Paul
2. Instant Karma - John
3. Whatever Gets You Through The Night - John/Elton
4. Say Say Say - Paul/MJ
5. With a Little Luck - Paul

Some non-standard replays, and my apologies to Ringo and George...

You should be apologizing to all listeners of good music* :D



*Instant Karma excepted


mmm

[Baal Houtham]

Maybe these:

Paul: Jet
Ringo: Early 1970
John: Woman, Starting Over
George: Crackerbox Palace

[Shoeless]

Wow, this is tough. In no particular order, I'd go with...

George: Beware of Darkness
Paul: Live and Let Die
Paul: Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five
John: Instant Karma
John: Watching the Wheels


Sorry Ringo, you didn't make the cut, although "Photograph" might get in my Top 10.

[Sampiro]

In no particular order, and with the exception of the first two I'd have different answers if asked tomorrow or yesterday:

-The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPvCOoRQ-Y0) (George)
*-Live And Let Die (Paul)
-The No No Song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVGerWFYotQ) (Ringo)
-God (John)
-Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Paul)


*Would "Mull of Kintyre" or "Live and Let Die" count as solo projects since they were with Wings? If they don't then I'll substitute "My Sweet Lord" by George.

Of course if solo can be extrapolated into meaning "without another Beatle" (i.e. post-breakup) I can think of some others.

[Sateryn76]

1. No More Lonely Nights - Paul
2. Instant Karma - John
3. Whatever Gets You Through The Night - John/Elton
4. Say Say Say - Paul/MJ
5. With a Little Luck - Paul

Some non-standard replays, and my apologies to Ringo and George...

You should be apologizing to all listeners of good music* :D



*Instant Karma excepted


mmm

Meh...those are the ones that make me happiest most days. Perhaps because they haven't been played into the ground. ;)

[choie]

This is a toughie. The temptation is to fill this list with Paul stuff. I can easily think of a half-dozen Paul songs I prefer to any John/George/Ringo song. But I'll be catholic in my tastes and include one from each, with two from Paul.

- George: When We Was Fab. I know, I know. But it's a catchy song that grabs my ear, even if it is mostly pastiche. If this doesn't count due to how heavily Beatles-influenced it is, I'll go with Got My Mind Set on You. OTOH, if we're allowed to include Traveling Wilburys, I might have to pick Handle with Care (but this is a shared credit, so I don't know if it counts -- plus, I think of that as a Tom Petty song -- sounds most like his style).

- Ringo: It Don't Come Easy. Let's face it, not as much to choose from, alas. But it's not just the 'least worst' of a not-very-promising lot, it happens to be a good song. Very of its time, but what's wrong with that?

- John: Instant Karma or Imagine. I know the latter is overplayed like whoa, but separating it from the hype, I think the lyrics are just lovely. I could have gone with Jealous Guy too. Honestly I find it hard to listen to Starting Over and Woman -- they're so closely associated with his death, they make me cry every time. So I can't really judge them as songs -- too much emotion wrapped up in them. BTW, sort of off topic, but does anyone else find John's vocal work post-Beatles to be rather... samey? Whereas during the Beatles years he had a very flexible sound, as a soloist he totally ODs on the dubbing. The majority of his vocals sound like he's in a room lined with tin foil. A shame, because he had a great set of pipes.

- Paul #1: Yay! I get two Paul songs. Here I have a plethora of choices. Maybe I'm Amazed? Silly Love Songs? Uncle Albert? My Love? Jet? Band on the Run? Listen to What the Man Said? With a Little Luck? Even Coming Up makes me smile.

But no. I'll go with a) Live and Let Die, because it kicks all kinds of ass. People call Paul fluffy? Maybe, but he also produced the rockinest song I can think of from a post-Beatle, and the only Beatles song I can think of that was as heavy is Helter Skelter, which is also Paul's. Anyway, LaLD is just a hella sexy song. The instrumental break wouldn't have been out of place in a Led Zeppelin track.

- Paul #2: The lovely little Jenny Wren (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36dtjxUMWdM). A gem of simplicity that still highlights Paul's trademark interesting chord progressions. Could easily hear this as a companion to Blackbird. I also love his vocals here. They're a bit weak but effective as always. Sixtysomething and he's still got it!

[kevja]

Listen To what The Man Said

What Is Life

Working Class Hero

#9 Dream

All Things Must Pass

[oliversarmy]

Personally, I think "It Don't Come Easy" is the best of the post-Beatle works.

After that, would say:

"Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul
"What is Life," by George
"Live and Let Die" by Paul
"No More Lonely Nights" by Paul

I don't dislike John, just my opinion.

[TreacherousCretin]

... BTW, sort of off topic, but does anyone else find John's vocal work post-Beatles to be rather... samey? Whereas during the Beatles years he had a very flexible sound...

Absolutely, and I think it applies to his music in general.

John was not nearly the same artist without Paul (and vice versa).
The combination of the two was far greater than the sum of the parts. IMO they were immeasurably beneficial artistic influences on each other, right to the very end of The Fabs despite their having become sick of each other. Which was hardly surprising, considering they had worked hard (and more or less lived) together for over a dozen years, seven of those years being in the spotlighted heart of a cultural hurricane.

.

[casdave]

This one deserves mention

Paul McCartney - Every Night

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE9nM6JtgE4

as does this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw_Jao8hMPA&feature=related

[Markxxx]

George Harrison had some pretty good "feel good songs"

My List)

1) "Blow Away" - Harrison
2) "It Don't Come Easy" - Starr
3) "All Those Years Ago" - Harrison
4) "Band On The Run" - McCartney
5) "Jet" - McCartney

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

- Paul #2: The lovely little Jenny Wren (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36dtjxUMWdM). A gem of simplicity that still highlights Paul's trademark interesting chord progressions. Could easily hear this as a companion to Blackbird. I also love his vocals here. They're a bit weak but effective as always. Sixtysomething and he's still got it!

Not in my top five, but I do really like the little-known Jenny Wren. Good choice.


mmm

[palindromemordnilap]

I really like solo songs from all four, and considered listing "Starting Over" and "Apple Scruffs" among others to spread the love, but the truth is that my favorites are all McCartney. If I were to list another five, most if not all of those would be Paul too.


1. Magneto and Titanium Man
2. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey
3. Let Me Roll It
4. Venus and Mars (and the reprise)
5. Jet

[MTCicero]

"Working Class Hero" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziwsjE1O4Ow) - John Lennon
"Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsWufNDJl4M) - Paul McCartney
"Isolation" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPjncaIv8R4) - John Lennon
"It Don't Come Easy" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uLvO9-BK0E) - Ringo Starr
"What Is Life" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XFfUt7HQWM) - George Harrison