# Favorite Beatles song? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 12, 2017, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468 "2017-08-12T21:47:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/61 "2017-08-14T02:47:52Z")
Not my favorite one, but a remarkable fact: in eight bars of the 1964 throw-away EP track “I Call Your Name,” the Beatles casually invented\* ska. \*Not quite, but not too far off! ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/62 "2017-08-14T15:01:26Z")
Can’t pick just one either… I like their earlier music the best: I Should Have Known Better Tell Me Why Do You Want to Know a Secret If I Fell You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away 8 Days a Week ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/63 "2017-08-14T16:14:06Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > After reviewing the video, I must also note that Prince’s solo at the 4:00 mark is the moment I realized he is a god. Oh yeah he was. Watch him play the bass live. Funky! > [@Yookeroo](#): > > Tomorrow Never Knows > > I’m in a small minority, but I stick by my choice. Still sounds ahead of the time. I’ve always liked that song too. I saw the Dead at RFK stadium in 1992 and they closed the show with that song as a second encore. It was awesome coupled with the special effects the Dead had. Here is the set list from that show (another note, apparently the Deadheads were in a huge kerfluffle over the fact that they unveiled Casey Jones live for the first time in what I heard mentioned was over twenty years): [https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~./gdead/dead-sets/92/6-20-92.txt](https://www.cs.cmu.edu/~./gdead/dead-sets/92/6-20-92.txt) I found a video on YouTube of this exact show (is _anything_ the Dead ever did _not_ chronicled to death?). Tomorrow Never Knows is at the 1:23.40 mark as “Baba O Riley” ended and flowed into “Tomorrow”. I had a lot of fun at that show. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0rKSRtYBgdI/hqdefault.jpg "Grateful Dead RFK Stadium, Washington DC on 6/20/92 Second Set Master Audience Shot") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rKSRtYBgdI) ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/64 "2017-08-14T16:17:27Z")
Aaarrgh, it is too hard to pick just one, but I can narrow it down to two: “We Can Work It Out” and “Blackbird”. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/65 "2017-08-14T17:11:53Z")
‘Blackbird’ ‘Day in the Life’ ‘While my Guitar Gently Weeps’ ‘Back in the USSR’ ‘Oh Darling’ Because reasons ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/66 "2017-08-14T17:13:09Z")
Let It Be ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/67 "2017-08-14T17:22:12Z")
“I’ll Be Back” is a good favourite of mine from earlier days. ETA: Funny though, times were different then and some of The Beatles and indeed a lot of early Love songs smack of mysogeny today. I know that wasn’t the intent, but the world was a different place a half century ago. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/68 "2017-08-14T17:25:00Z")
Right this moment it’s [Her Majesty.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKmnW6NWPZY) I remember the first time I heard it at the end of the _Abbey Road_ album. It was like a wonderful unexpected gift. It was like rich whipped cream on a fresh strawberry sundae. It’s still always a bit of a lovely surprise. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/69 "2017-08-14T17:30:55Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > “I’ll Be Back” is a good favourite of mine from earlier days. > > ETA: Funny though, times were different then and some of The Beatles and indeed a lot of early Love songs smack of mysogeny today. I know that wasn’t the intent, but the world was a different place a half century ago. And I misspelled misogyny. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/70 "2017-08-14T18:18:15Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > Changes from month to month, but “Something” and “Long and Winding Road” are two of the most frequent. > > ETA: and I read somewhere that LAWR was the final straw that broke the Beatles up, when Paul hated the arrangement with the added strings and choir. I like strings and choir. Yes, that’s part of why I pick LAWR. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/71 "2017-08-14T18:20:14Z")
Definitely “Love Me Do”. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/72 "2017-08-14T21:55:57Z")
as many have said, my answer would change depending on when you ask me. just now, I think it’s Paperback Writer. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/73 "2017-08-15T01:15:23Z")
Leaffan, I swear I almost picked “I’ll Be Back.” I love the major-and-minor-of-same-key. I grew up with it on Beatles '65 (US album from December 1964). Only recently did I realize it was recorded much earlier in the year, for the U.K. Hard Day’s Night album. Have you heard the 3/4-time failed take, on Anthology? Fascinating. John:“It’s too hard to sing!” ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/74 "2017-08-15T02:54:49Z")
The fact that there are so many different answers to this question is a testament to the Beatles greatness. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/75 "2017-08-15T03:32:33Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Leaffan, I swear I almost picked “I’ll Be Back.” I love the major-and-minor-of-same-key. I grew up with it on Beatles '65 (US album from December 1964). Only recently did I realize it was recorded much earlier in the year, for the U.K. Hard Day’s Night album. > > Have you heard the 3/4-time failed take, on Anthology? Fascinating. John:“It’s too hard to sing!” No. In fact I have not heard anything from the anthology release. It’s like a secret vault that I’ll eventually open, but I like having it locked away for now. Weird, eh? I do that though with other bands that I like too. I like knowing that I still have undescovered gems to eventually unwrap. I know zero about music, but I know what I like, and yes, I like “I’ll Be Back” because of the chords. I know there’s something going on with minor chords, but I’m clueless. I just know what I like. “No Reply” gives me a similar reaction. Major? Minor? Beats the hell out of me. Maybe someone like Wordman can elaborate. Sent from my XT1635-02 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/76 "2017-08-15T09:59:41Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Major? Minor? Beats the hell out of me. Maybe someone like Wordman can elaborate. Theory stuff? Not me! **pulykamell**? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/77 "2017-08-15T10:16:08Z")
🙂 A lot of songs have both major and minor chords in them – think of, say, “Let it Be,” which uses major chords except for the first chord of the chorus (on the word “be”), which is minor. But it’s unusual to have a major and minor of the same root (for example, A major and A minor) in the same song. “I’ll Be Back” features this prominently. Starts out with the minor (“you KNOW”), ends the phrase with the major (“a-GAIN”). The acoustic guitar riff alternates between the two chords. Another example of this you might have heard is Jethro Tull’s “Aqualung.” The gentle, acoustic-guitar verses start with the minor, but the third chord is the major of the same root. Poignant. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/78 "2017-08-15T13:38:26Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Theory stuff? Not me! **pulykamell**? Hey! You’re perfectly knowledgeable to explain the difference between minor and major! 🙂 But, since you rang, I’ll add a little tidbit. **JKellyMap** gave a solid explanation of what’s going on in the song, but I’ll add a name to it: the way it’s being used in that song is known as a “Picardy third.” It’s kind of a cliche, and I hear it a lot in modal church music (you know, like the Gregorian chanty/old timey sounding stuff you hear in Catholic mass, not the happy hippy 12-string guitar type of modern church music.) But basically, it’s when you, say, have a chord progression in a minor key, and then, instead of ending on the minor chord of the key you’re playing in, you end on the major chord. The most in-your-face pop example that I can think of off the top of my head is the Turtles’ “Happy Together.” Take a listen [here to the outro chorus](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZEURntrQOg&feature=youtu.be&t=150). It’s alternating E minor and B major, but the final chord, instead of being E minor, as normally would happen, is a bright E major, which gives the song a sense of finality. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/79 "2017-08-15T14:12:24Z")
Actually, I quickly recorded an example using “I’ll Be Back” to show the difference. The first time through, I end on the minor chord. The second time through I end on the major chord (as in the recording.) [Link](http://www.pawinskiphotography.com/public/picardy.m4a). (I probably could have made it more obvious by playing the vocal harmony that’s a third above, but you should still hear the difference.) ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2017, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468/80 "2017-08-15T17:32:43Z")
My favorite is “Hey Jude”. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/favorite-beatles-song/793468.md?page=5)