# What Are Your 5 Favorite Beatles' Solo Efforts? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 3, 2010, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537 "2010-09-03T20:54:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/21 "2010-09-04T05:20:27Z")
1. No More Lonely Nights - Paul 2. Instant Karma - John 3. Whatever Gets You Through The Night - John/Elton 4. Say Say Say - Paul/MJ 5. With a Little Luck - Paul Some non-standard replays, and my apologies to Ringo and George… ---
**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:** [September 4, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/22 "2010-09-04T12:22:27Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > 1. No More Lonely Nights - Paul > 2. Instant Karma - John > 3. Whatever Gets You Through The Night - John/Elton > 4. Say Say Say - Paul/MJ > 5. With a Little Luck - Paul > > Some non-standard replays, and my apologies to Ringo and George… You should be apologizing to all listeners of good music\* 😃 \*Instant Karma excepted mmm ---
**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:** [September 4, 2010, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/23 "2010-09-04T12:52:24Z")
Maybe these: Paul: Jet Ringo: Early 1970 John: Woman, Starting Over George: Crackerbox Palace ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/24 "2010-09-04T14:09:47Z")
Wow, this is tough. In no particular order, I’d go with… George: Beware of Darkness Paul: Live and Let Die Paul: Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five John: Instant Karma John: Watching the Wheels Sorry Ringo, you didn’t make the cut, although “Photograph” might get in my Top 10. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/25 "2010-09-04T14:18:32Z")
In no particular order, and with the exception of the first two I’d have different answers if asked tomorrow or yesterday: -[The Ballad of Sir Frankie Crisp](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPvCOoRQ-Y0) (George) \*-Live And Let Die (Paul) -[The No No Song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVGerWFYotQ) (Ringo) -God (John) -Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Paul) \*Would “Mull of Kintyre” or “Live and Let Die” count as solo projects since they were with Wings? If they don’t then I’ll substitute “My Sweet Lord” by George. Of course if solo can be extrapolated into meaning “without another Beatle” (i.e. post-breakup) I can think of some others. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/26 "2010-09-04T16:33:15Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > > [@Sateryn76](#): > > > > 1. No More Lonely Nights - Paul > > 2. Instant Karma - John > > 3. Whatever Gets You Through The Night - John/Elton > > 4. Say Say Say - Paul/MJ > > 5. With a Little Luck - Paul > > > > Some non-standard replays, and my apologies to Ringo and George… > > You should be apologizing to all listeners of good music\* 😃 > > \*Instant Karma excepted > mmm Meh…those are the ones that make me happiest most days. Perhaps because they haven’t been played into the ground. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/27 "2010-09-04T19:59:11Z")
This is a toughie. The temptation is to fill this list with Paul stuff. I can easily think of a half-dozen Paul songs I prefer to any John/George/Ringo song. But I’ll be catholic in my tastes and include one from each, with two from Paul. - George: _When We Was Fab_. I know, I know. But it’s a catchy song that grabs my ear, even if it is mostly pastiche. If this doesn’t count due to how heavily Beatles-influenced it is, I’ll go with _Got My Mind Set on You._ OTOH, if we’re allowed to include Traveling Wilburys, I might have to pick _Handle with Care_ (but this is a shared credit, so I don’t know if it counts – plus, I think of that as a Tom Petty song – sounds most like his style). - Ringo: _It Don’t Come Easy_. Let’s face it, not as much to choose from, alas. But it’s not just the ‘least worst’ of a not-very-promising lot, it happens to be a _good_ song. Very of its time, but what’s wrong with that? - John: _Instant Karma_ or _Imagine_. I know the latter is overplayed like whoa, but separating it from the hype, I think the lyrics are just lovely. I could have gone with _Jealous Guy_ too. Honestly I find it hard to listen to _Starting Over_ and _Woman_ – they’re so closely associated with his death, they make me cry every time. So I can’t really judge them as songs – too much emotion wrapped up in them. BTW, sort of off topic, but does anyone else find John’s vocal work post-Beatles to be rather… samey? Whereas during the Beatles years he had a _very_ flexible sound, as a soloist he totally ODs on the dubbing. The majority of his vocals sound like he’s in a room lined with tin foil. A shame, because he had a great set of pipes. - Paul #1: Yay! I get two Paul songs. Here I have a plethora of choices. _Maybe I’m Amazed_? _Silly Love Songs_? _Uncle Albert_? _My Love_? _Jet_? _Band on the Run_? _Listen to What the Man Said_? _With a Little Luck_? Even _Coming Up_ makes me smile. But no. I’ll go with a) _Live and Let Die_, because it kicks all kinds of ass. People call Paul fluffy? Maybe, but he also produced the rockinest song I can think of from a post-Beatle, and the only Beatles song I can think of that was _as_ heavy is _Helter Skelter_, which is also Paul’s. Anyway, LaLD is just a hella sexy song. The instrumental break wouldn’t have been out of place in a Led Zeppelin track. - Paul #2: The lovely little [Jenny Wren](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36dtjxUMWdM). A gem of simplicity that still highlights Paul’s trademark interesting chord progressions. Could easily hear this as a companion to _Blackbird_. I also love his vocals here. They’re a bit weak but effective as always. Sixtysomething and he’s still got it! ---
**Author:** ![kevja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/aeb1de/32.png) [@kevja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kevja)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2010, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/28 "2010-09-04T23:59:44Z")
Listen To what The Man Said What Is Life Working Class Hero #9 Dream All Things Must Pass ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/29 "2010-09-05T04:12:19Z")
Personally, I think “It Don’t Come Easy” is the best of the post-Beatle works. After that, would say: “Maybe I’m Amazed” by Paul “What is Life,” by George “Live and Let Die” by Paul “No More Lonely Nights” by Paul I don’t dislike John, just my opinion. ---
**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:** [September 5, 2010, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/30 "2010-09-05T17:15:02Z")
> [@choie](#): > > … BTW, sort of off topic, but does anyone else find John’s vocal work post-Beatles to be rather… samey? Whereas during the Beatles years he had a _very_ flexible sound… Absolutely, and I think it applies to his music in general. John was not nearly the same artist without Paul (and vice versa). The combination of the two was far greater than the sum of the parts. IMO they were immeasurably beneficial artistic influences on each other, right to the very end of The Fabs despite their having become sick of each other. Which was hardly surprising, considering they had worked hard (and more or less lived) together for over a dozen years, seven of those years being in the spotlighted heart of a cultural hurricane. . ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/31 "2010-09-05T20:50:14Z")
This one deserves mention Paul McCartney - Every Night [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE9nM6JtgE4) as does this [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Aw_Jao8hMPA/hqdefault.jpg ""Another Day" By Paul McCartney") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw_Jao8hMPA) ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/32 "2010-09-05T21:16:47Z")
George Harrison had some pretty good “feel good songs” My List) 1. “Blow Away” - Harrison 2. “It Don’t Come Easy” - Starr 3. “All Those Years Ago” - Harrison 4. “Band On The Run” - McCartney 5. “Jet” - McCartney ---
**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:** [September 6, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/33 "2010-09-06T12:32:08Z")
> [@choie](#): > > - Paul #2: The lovely little [Jenny Wren](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36dtjxUMWdM). A gem of simplicity that still highlights Paul’s trademark interesting chord progressions. Could easily hear this as a companion to _Blackbird_. I also love his vocals here. They’re a bit weak but effective as always. Sixtysomething and he’s still got it! Not in my top five, but I do really like the little-known Jenny Wren. Good choice. mmm ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/34 "2010-09-06T13:28:06Z")
I really like solo songs from all four, and considered listing “Starting Over” and “Apple Scruffs” among others to spread the love, but the truth is that my favorites are all McCartney. If I were to list another five, most if not all of those would be Paul too. 1. Magneto and Titanium Man 2. Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey 3. Let Me Roll It 4. Venus and Mars (and the reprise) 5. Jet ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537/35 "2010-09-06T14:51:32Z")
[ol] [li][“Working Class Hero”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziwsjE1O4Ow) - John Lennon[/li][li][“Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XsWufNDJl4M) - Paul McCartney[/li][li][“Isolation”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPjncaIv8R4) - John Lennon[/li][li][“It Don’t Come Easy”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uLvO9-BK0E) - Ringo Starr[/li][li][“What Is Life”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XFfUt7HQWM) - George Harrison[/li][/ol] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-your-5-favorite-beatles-solo-efforts/552537.md?page=1)