# Lennon's best ballad, McCartney's best rocker **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2017, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175 "2017-10-18T01:25:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/21 "2017-10-18T16:18:07Z")
In My Life/Twenty Flight Rock (or I Saw Her Standing There) ---
**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:** [October 18, 2017, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/22 "2017-10-18T16:27:17Z")
Because/ Back in the USSR. ---
**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:** [October 18, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/23 "2017-10-18T16:51:07Z")
These guys have a catalogue so big that it’s impossible to mention one song for each. Paul tears up the vocals on “Oh, Darling” though. (And gets his Little Richard “Oooo!” in there as well.) ---
**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:** [October 18, 2017, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/24 "2017-10-18T17:24:02Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > The common conception seems to be that Paul is the king of the ballads, while John was the rocking soul of the guys. Of course that’s simplistic, because there are many exceptions on both counts, but well, the gist is true IMHO. But then, what were the great exceptions? I’m counting original Beatles, original solo songs and cover versions done by one of them. > > For me it’s “If I Fell” in Lennons’s case and “Long Tall Sally” in McCartney’s. I don’t know how much the two still collaborated in songwriting in 1964, and of course Paul provided great harmonies, but I think that “If I Fell” is John’s song, and it’s just beautiful. I’m sorry that I took “Long Tall Sally” over his own “I’m Down” in Paul’s case, but I think his rocking soul shines best when he’s doing Little Richard, which he obviously also does on “I’m Down”, but “Long Tall Sally” is just a tad more frenetic. IMO you just opened and closed the thread in one swell foop. Agree 100% with both choices. Not that it matters, LTS was recorded in ONE take, George Martin seeing no reason to waste time attempting to improve an almost perfect performance. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/25 "2017-10-18T17:40:42Z")
Band on the Run rocks for Paul Imagine is John’s best ballad ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2017, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/26 "2017-10-18T17:51:26Z")
Got a soft spot for Beautiful Boy. ---
**Author:** ![Greekfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@Greekfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greekfreak)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/27 "2017-10-19T18:02:23Z")
Yes It Is/Paperback Writer ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/28 "2017-10-19T18:38:09Z")
Oh. I’m very fond of _Julia_ (John ballad) and _Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)_ (Paul rocker). But there are lots more. Maybe: Strawberry Fields (John ballad) and The End (Paul rocker). ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/29 "2017-10-19T19:10:43Z")
Beatles: In My Life / Got To Get You Into My Life Post Beatles: Hold On / Let Me Roll It. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/30 "2017-10-19T19:12:58Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Oh. I’m very fond of _Julia_ (John ballad) and _Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)_ (Paul rocker). > > But there are lots more. Maybe: Strawberry Fields (John ballad) and The End (Paul rocker). Ooo, Julia, yeah! ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2017, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175/31 "2017-10-19T19:17:28Z")
“Julia” for Lennon “Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?” by McCartney. Interestingly, both are solo efforts. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lennons-best-ballad-mccartneys-best-rocker/799175.md?page=1)