# Best Post-Beatles Career, who made the music you liked the best? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [August 22, 2024, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045 "2024-08-22T12:20:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/1 "2024-08-22T12:20:56Z")
This should include albums and singles. Solo works and works with bands not the Beatles. So _Wings_ and _Travelling Wilburys_ count as does the _Plastic Ono Band_ and _Ringo’s All Star Band_. _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/1))_ Note you have to assign 1-4 or it won’t accept your vote. **List of Singles** > **[John Lennon discography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lennon_discography#Singles)** > > John Lennon was a British singer-songwriter and peace activist, best known as the co-founder of the Beatles. After three experimental albums with Yoko Ono, using tape loops, interviews, musique concrète, and other avant-garde performance techniques, Lennon's solo career properly began with the 1969 single "Give Peace a Chance". Lennon then released two more singles, "Cold Turkey" (1969) and "Instant Karma!" (1970), and a live album, Live Peace in Toronto (1969), before the official break-up ... > **[Paul McCartney discography](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_McCartney_discography#Singles)** > > The discography of British musician Paul McCartney consists of 26 studio albums, four compilation albums, nine live albums, 37 video albums, two extended plays, 111 singles, seven classical albums, five electronica albums, 17 box sets, and 79 music videos. Before his career as a solo artist, McCartney enjoyed success as a member of the rock band the Beatles. > After the Beatles disbanded, he debuted as a solo artist with the 1970 album McCartney and went on to form the band Wings with his first... > **[List of songs recorded by George Harrison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_George_Harrison)** > > George Harrison (1943–2001) was an English musician who gained international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. With his songwriting contributions limited by the dominance of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Harrison was the first member of the Beatles to release a solo album. Wonderwall Music (1968), a mostly instrumental soundtrack album combining Western and Indian sounds, was followed by Electronic Sound (1969), an experimental album containing two lengthy pieces performed on Moo Wh... > **[List of songs recorded by Ringo Starr](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_songs_recorded_by_Ringo_Starr)** > > Ringo Starr is an English musician who has recorded hundreds of songs throughout his long career. As the drummer for the Beatles, Starr occasionally performed lead vocals, usually for one song an album. He wrote two songs for the group, "Don't Pass Me By" and "Octopus's Garden", and was credited as co-writer of others, including "What Goes On" and "Flying". Before their break-up in April 1970, he released his debut solo album, the George Martin-produced Sentimental Journey in March 1970, In 1973,... ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/4 "2024-08-22T12:40:58Z")
I don’t think I like the way this poll works. I might scrap it shortly and start over. Poll restarted. Ranked doesn’t seem to work well. Now just going by most votes. My apologies. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/5 "2024-08-22T13:09:49Z")
It is too close between George and John for me to decide so I voted for both. Both are way ahead of Paul and Ringo for me. ---
**Author:** ![dirtball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dirtball/32/18772_2.png) [@dirtball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dirtball)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/6 "2024-08-22T13:26:03Z")
I would say Ringo overall, although George’s “What Is Life” is my favorite single solo track from the four contestants. Paul’s stuff has its moments, but there’s just too much lightweight pop, or a lightweight pop sensibility, for my liking (considering his solo career in its entirety). “Temporary Secretary” is so damn cringey I get muscle cramps when I hear it (fortunately, I’ve been inflicted with it only a very times), and it alone is almost enough to disqualify him altogether. And odd as it may sound, John really hasn’t come up on my radar prominently enough to consider him, although I think “Instant Karma” is quite a nice track. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/7 "2024-08-22T13:27:52Z")
Not close to me. Imagine is the only genuinely great track any of them made solo, so it has to be John Lennon. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/8 "2024-08-22T13:37:08Z")
**For Lennon** : “[Give Peace a Chance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_Peace_a_Chance)”, “[Instant Karma!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_Karma!)”, “[Imagine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_(John_Lennon_song))”, “[Happy Xmas (War Is Over)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Xmas_(War_Is_Over))” and “[Working Class Hero](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Class_Hero)” are all great songs. **For George** : “[Got My Mind Set on You](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Got_My_Mind_Set_on_You#George_Harrison_version)”, “[What Is Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Is_Life)”, “[My Sweet Lord](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Sweet_Lord)”[and even “[When We Was Fab](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_We_Was_Fab)”. And then his work as the center of the Wilburys which had several great songs. **For Paul** : Live and Let Die is great. **For Ringo** : Nothing great, but seeing him live with the All Star Band was great. * * * @griffin1977, I think you forgot to vote. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/9 "2024-08-22T15:08:30Z")
McCartney hands down. I like a lot of work by the other three but over the last 50+ years Paul’s music has meant more to me than the others combined. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/10 "2024-08-22T15:09:12Z")
All four have songs I like, even Bitter Ol’ John. But Paul made the most good stuff. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/11 "2024-08-22T15:21:15Z")
Paul, for _Mull of Kintyre_, _Pipes of Peace_, _Ebony and Ivory_ but ultimately really for _We All Stand Together_. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/12 "2024-08-22T15:38:23Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > “[Got My Mind Set on You](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Got_My_Mind_Set_on_You#George_Harrison_version)”, Not a Harrison song, it’s a cover from 1962 by James Ray. Harrison’s version was orchestrated and produce by Jeff Lynne and members of ELO were the backing band. My vote goes to Paul, I think he was always the better song writer of the bunch. Anyone that brings the remaining members of Nirvana out to play with him and his band during a concert in Seattle is the winner. Hearing Paul sing Smells Like Teen Spirit with Dave Grohl on the drums and Christ Novoselic on bass was a truly memorable event. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/13 "2024-08-22T16:32:00Z")
I voted George: I like the music (especially TW) and gave him a mental bonus point for his uneven but occasionally excellent career as a movie producer. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/14 "2024-08-22T16:33:46Z")
I also give him a bonus for the Monty Python Movies. I have to. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/15 "2024-08-22T16:38:27Z")
[There’s a lot more great stuff besides those, too.](https://rockandrollgarage.com/the-25-movies-that-were-produced-by-george-harrison/) Some stinkers, of course. But a couple of genuine classics in the mix, beyond the Python. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/16 "2024-08-22T16:43:21Z")
It was a hard choice for me. I love them all for different reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/17 "2024-08-22T17:08:41Z")
Paul put out the most good stuff imo. George put out the best stuff imo, but had a lot of garbage too. So to me, the best post-Beatles stuff came from George, but Paul is the one I could make a playlist for and listen to it for hours. Wings and a Wilburys were both great. John and Ringo were the ones whose musical output/songwriting was most helped by being with the other Beatles (again, imo). I will say that if Ringo had decided to just go full-blown country artist in the 70s, I suspect I’d like his post-Beatles stuff much more. _Beaucoups of Blues_ was amazing. He works much better as a C&W guy than a “rocker.” ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/18 "2024-08-22T18:42:47Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > **For Lennon** : “[Give Peace a Chance](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Give_Peace_a_Chance)”, “[Instant Karma!](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instant_Karma!)”, “[Imagine](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_(John_Lennon_song))”, “[Happy Xmas (War Is Over)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happy_Xmas_(War_Is_Over))” and “[Working Class Hero](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_Class_Hero)” are all great songs. > > **For George** : “[Got My Mind Set on You](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Got_My_Mind_Set_on_You#George_Harrison_version)”, “[What Is Life](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_Is_Life)”, “[My Sweet Lord](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Sweet_Lord)”[and even “[When We Was Fab](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_We_Was_Fab)”. And then his work as the center of the Wilburys which had several great songs. > > **For Paul** : Live and Let Die is great. > > **For Ringo** : Nothing great, but seeing him live with the All Star Band was great I’d say those are all good (or at least ok) songs. Imagine is the only _great_ song. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/19 "2024-08-22T18:52:40Z")
McCartney, easily. Sure, he had plenty of mediocre songs, but his best solo stuff - Live and Let Die, Maybe I’m Amazed, Band on the Run, Tug of War, Let ‘Em In, Wonderful Christmastime (just kidding) - rivals his work with the Fab Four. Lennon’s solo stuff is good, but nowhere near as memorable as McCartney’s. And you can only listen to so many songs about his life with Yoko Ono, IMHO. There is plenty of good solo George stuff, and Ringo has his moments. But most of Ringo’s good tunes were written by the other Beatles. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/20 "2024-08-22T19:03:52Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Imagine is the only _great_ song. I got to agree with this, but I voted for George because of the Traveling Wilburys. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/21 "2024-08-22T19:12:04Z")
I voted Paul and George, but probably more George songs stick out for me than Paul. Never listened to much Ringo stuff. John, I can’t think of more than one or two songs. To be fair, he’s also been dead 40 years. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2024, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045/22 "2024-08-22T19:12:47Z")
Lennon had way more than _Imagine_. (I do love the song) Good grief, listen to _Watching the wheels_ Paul’s pop songs and Ringo needing help with every album(the Man can only sing about 3 notes) I love them both. But come on, they aren’t at Johns level. George was brilliant but less prolific. I agree the Wilburys were a great idea and took much talent. George wasn’t the best talent there. He certainly held his own. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-post-beatles-career-who-made-the-music-you-liked-the-best/1006045.md?page=2)