# If you had to pick one song with Lennon's best vocals **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 11, 2016, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614 "2016-03-11T02:35:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [March 11, 2016, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/21 "2016-03-11T17:38:04Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > That sounds suspiciously like John Denver’s [The Ballad of Richard Nixon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zC9U_PvC8Fs). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2016, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/22 "2016-03-11T18:11:17Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I might second this. One thing Lennon did really well was soulful ballads, and he tore into this one particularly well… better than the [original,](http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=anna+arthur+alexander+youtube&view=detail&mid=81A6141CB4883FE3E6FF81A6141CB4883FE3E6FF&FORM=VIRE) I’d say. While he had a cold, no less. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/23 "2016-03-12T03:14:06Z")
Liked his Elvis impersonation at the beginning of “Starting Over”. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/24 "2016-03-12T03:20:53Z")
Yesterday ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/25 "2016-03-12T03:23:58Z")
Twist and Shout is, in my mind, the greatest rock vocal of all time. My other favorite Lennon vocal is [I Should Have Known Better](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwo4VYWi8GA) mmm ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/26 "2016-03-12T03:25:15Z")
I assume that’s a whoosh. Great cut, but I think that’s Ringo. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/27 "2016-03-12T03:29:42Z")
> [@Personal](#): > > I assume that’s a whoosh. Great cut, but I think that’s Ringo. 😉 ---
**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:** [March 12, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/28 "2016-03-12T03:32:12Z")
I really like _All I’ve Got to Do_. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Richard\_John\_Marcej](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_John_Marcej)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/29 "2016-03-12T04:15:24Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > But there are so many other great Lennon vocals. It’s hard not to pick something from _Plastic Ono Band._ I could name many Beatles tracks by John, but if pressed to choose a song that showcases a pure emotional vocal, it’d have to be _ **“Mother”** _. ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/30 "2016-03-12T04:36:04Z")
. The way JL kicks off “Hey Jude” - great job! ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/31 "2016-03-12T05:20:05Z")
A Day in the Life is not only my favorite rock song of all time (and IMHO _is_ the best), but is definitely up there with the best of Lennon’s vocals. ---
**Author:** ![Lorne\_Armstrong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@Lorne\_Armstrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorne_Armstrong)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/32 "2016-03-12T06:30:55Z")
> [@Stephe96](#): > > I know I’ve said this before in another thread, but the great Lennon vocal that doesn’t exist was his version of Oh Darling from Abbey Road. Lennon said in some interview that he thought the song was far better suited for his own voice than McCartney’s. I tend to agree. > > Lennon’s version of Stand By Me is amazing. McCartney nailed it, though. And to be honest, Lennon didn’t even want to be in The Beatles by that time. ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2016, 7:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/33 "2016-03-12T07:24:12Z")
Personally, I’d go with Jealous Guy. Maybe not the best vocals, technically, but they fit the lyrics perfectly. ---
**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:** [March 12, 2016, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/34 "2016-03-12T23:11:26Z")
Tomorrow Never Knows, too. Simple “bugle-call” melody, but wow. Even without the Tibetan monks on a mountaintop, nor John suspended upside down and spinning in the studio (two of his early ideas for the song). ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/35 "2016-03-13T14:35:29Z")
To me it would be _Wheels Go Round_. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/36 "2016-03-13T15:23:06Z")
Here’s a decent Lennon vocal: [Too bad it’s not him (it’s Tony Hendra)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clkX-x5UOK8). Strong language, probably NSFW. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/37 "2016-03-13T17:16:52Z")
Anything from Rubber Soul: It’s only Love, Girl, esp Norwegian Wood. ---
**Author:** ![Chicagojeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b19c9b/32.png) [@Chicagojeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chicagojeff)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2016, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614/38 "2016-03-17T09:35:27Z")
Across the Universe… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-had-to-pick-one-song-with-lennons-best-vocals/748614.md?page=1)