George.
for some reason, john’s lyrics don’t appeal to me. that’s because my overall requirement for pop is the tune. i would definitely say ‘paul.’ shear genius in songwriting.
I like them all, but I voted John for the shallow reason that he’s cooler. Paul was far too nice.
I listened to the Beatles a lot as teenager (many years after they were first popular) and never really realised that there were different inputs to the songs. They had very similar voices (neither of which are particularly good) - I can tell them apart, but they could sing each other’s songs equally well.
I couldn’t pick one. All four were great, and all four had their faults.
Very well put! My sentiments exactly.
However, if I absolutely positively had to favor one over the other as a solo musician I would vote for Paul.
Whatever greatness Lennon achieved was negated by allowing Yoko Ono access to a microphone and recording equipment.
It’s all about Lennon.
I don’t know who carried the load in the songwriting, but I always enjoyed John singing more than the others.
I like to think it Lennon doing those lyrics, but who knows?
I voted Harrison, but way to dis Ringo in the poll options. Ringo’s drums were a pretty big part of their sound, since rock ‘n’ roll carries the rhythm in drums and bass as a rule.
Which is bizarre. McCartney had a lot of good output all along.
Not really my sexual preference, but I think George was a lot hotter than Paul, lookswise. Though more so after 1980, admittedly. Harrison aged well.
Paul was personable compared to George, perhaps.
Ringo even more personable, really, which may have made him the best Beatle. The friendliest Beatle.
John was smart, & probably still more handsome than Paul.
Ringo once put it like this: Paul got the teenies, John got the intellectuals, George got the mystics, Ringo got mothers and kids.
Given the options in the topic title, I favour Paul over John.
Given the whole of the band - George. A disproportionate number of my favourite Beatles songs are his. (A disproportionate number are Ringo, too, because despite his low output, a Ringo composition manages to slip into my top 10. Octopus’s Garden. Yes, I love that song.)
Yeah…60s George was weird looking, but he aged into his face.
So did Ringo, for that matter - although, whereas George I’d just say was kind of weird looking, Ringo, I’d call ‘a goofy kind of cute’.
This page starts with a aerial shot of the Beatles queue in Edinburgh in 1964. The cinema entrance is on the corner of the building towards the upper left. If you scroll down, there are several colour pictures of some of the people queuing for tickets.
My vote would be for Paul, I think.
Thanks Meurglys for drawing the above to my attention. Noted the ticket stub and yes it was 15/- (Fifteen shillings or 15 bob) I paid for my ticket.
Can’t vote - each of them was my favorite at one time or another.
I always thought John was somehow more depressing, especially after the split. Paul’s music was more fun.
I didn’t read the OP properly. I just voted for “favorite Beatle” (Ringo) not “favorite songwriter.” Were I voting for the latter, it’d be tough. I think I’d give the edge to Lennon over McCartney, just barely, although I’d be tempted to give it to Harrison, just for “Something.” (I’m exaggerating a bit on that last one, but not too much.)
That fact that all four had successful solo careers says something about their talents.
They were all fab.
Too close to call, but I went with Paul.
A Hard Day’s Night:
“Are you a mod or a rocker?”
“I’m a mocker.”
That’s the right answer, just as The Beatles is the right answer for this question. Besides, John and Paul worked so tightly together on their early stuff that trying to separate the contributions gets you nowhere. Man.
Looking at the last couple of albums… Its pretty clear to me that George should have gotten more run. The best songs on Abbey Road (imo their best album) are George’s… His stuff on Let it Be… and his solo album All things must pass… George was gettin screwed…
As for the two … I lean to Lennon. He put out some indulgent shit… “Woman is the Nigger of the world”?? Really John?? I like a lot of Paul’s stuff… but man… he can put out some schlocky crap… the other day i heard “Take it away” and i was stunned how badly that shit has held up!!