# Who's your favorite Beatle? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156 "2009-12-13T23:46:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/41 "2009-12-14T15:01:37Z")
Dung ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/42 "2009-12-14T16:05:11Z")
What? ---
**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:** [December 14, 2009, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/43 "2009-12-14T17:57:42Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > At a San Francisco Dopefest, the subject of why everybody likes George came up. I concluded that it’s not so much that everybody _likes_ George, it’s just that nobody _dis_likes him, with the possible exception of The Chiffons. What’s there to dislike, really? I don’t like George. Always seemed self-righteous (“try thinking more if just for your own sake”) and a woowoo guy (his suggestions for the Sgt. Pepper montage were ALL gurus.) “Taxman” is about his discovery that the gov’t was taking a bunch of his money. I think John was probably an asshole, but he was my favorite… mostly because he wrote my favorite Beatles songs. I think Paul was a better melodist than Elton John, Billy Joel, Carol King or anyone else you care to name. John was as good as anyone except Paul; and had a solid core of “fuckall” that made him a more interesting talent. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/44 "2009-12-14T18:08:15Z")
Oh, and after it was correctly decided that he had unconsciously ripped off “He’s So Fine,” George wrote “This Song” moaning about the unfairness of the matter. Real classy. (At least that’s how I interpret “This Song.” Maybe it was just an unfunny joke.) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/45 "2009-12-14T18:13:12Z")
They were far, far more than the sum of their parts. Apart they were very, very talented musicians; together they were _the freakin’ Beatles_. Often imitated, never duplicated. I hate having to pick just one. But oh, OK: Paul. Smart, funny and talented. I always just liked him. Seems like he was having fun and relishing the experience all along, and I respect that. ---
**Author:** ![Arkcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@Arkcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arkcon)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/46 "2009-12-14T18:18:47Z")
Ringo. He the funnest, funniest Beatle. You asked for my favorite – not who was the best singer, best musician, most philanthropic, coolest, smartest, musically prolific, eloquent, or anything else. Kinda too close for me to call, 'tho. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2009, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/47 "2009-12-14T18:38:13Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Oh, and after it was correctly decided that he had unconsciously ripped off “He’s So Fine,” George wrote “This Song” moaning about the unfairness of the matter. Real classy. George was also sued by Bernie Krause, who taught him how to use the Moog Synthesiser. Krause claimed that side 2 of George’s \*Electronic Sound \* (“No Time or Space”) was his training session with Harrison, who took credit for “writing” the track with “the assistance” of Krause. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/48 "2009-12-14T19:41:05Z")
John and then George in my book. ---
**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:** [December 14, 2009, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/49 "2009-12-14T20:24:56Z")
I voted Ringo for his personality and his drumming. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/50 "2009-12-15T18:47:47Z")
I’m finding people’s reasons for their choices interesting. For me, it’s all about who wrote which songs, and “Here Comes the Sun” is one of my most favoritest songs ever. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/51 "2009-12-15T21:33:24Z")
Nobody’s said Stu Suttcliffe yet? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/52 "2009-12-15T22:23:59Z")
[http://www.fanpix.net/gallery/barbara-bach-pictures.htm](http://www.fanpix.net/gallery/barbara-bach-pictures.htm) Ringo has been married to Bach for a long time. he wins. ---
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/53 "2009-12-15T22:29:54Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I’m finding people’s reasons for their choices interesting. For me, it’s all about who wrote which songs, and “Here Comes the Sun” is one of my most favoritest songs ever. But that’s only one song; if you’re really going by who wrote which songs, Lennon and McCartney wrote more great Beatles songs than Harrison by a significant factor. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Rieux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Dr.Rieux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Rieux)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/54 "2009-12-15T22:49:25Z")
Ringo. He’s the only one who never got pretentious on us. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/55 "2009-12-15T23:13:01Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > But that’s only one song; if you’re really going by who wrote which songs, Lennon and McCartney wrote more great Beatles songs than Harrison by a significant factor. “Great” – matter of opinion. He wrote most of my favorites: “Something,” “Long, Long, Long,” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” in addition to “Here Comes the Sun.” ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/56 "2009-12-16T00:22:41Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > Thirded. John was not a very nice person, sometimes, Paul was very success driven and he’s way too bubble-gummy for me (with and without the Beatles), Ringo seems to be nice enough but not really bright enough to want to have a long conversation with. George, though, was quietly intelligent, and even if he was extremely rich and famous, didn’t appear to want to be a celebrity with a celebrity’s perks. Fourthed, by and large. Ringo actually doesn’t strike me as dumb exactly and he certainly seemed the least egotistic. Personality-wise, he might be my favorite by a small margin. But George had the best combination of _perceived_ personality, artistic ability and post-Beatles relevance. In particular his backing of[HandMade Films](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HandMade_Films) is a very big deal in my book. I agree that _All Things Must Pass_ is the best of the solo albums. And his Beatles work was generally high enough in quality, if not quantity. Plus he was the lead guitarist, which automatically makes him the coolest :D. ---
**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:** [December 16, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/57 "2009-12-16T00:54:50Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > “Great” – matter of opinion. He wrote most of my favorites: “Something,” “Long, Long, Long,” and “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” in addition to “Here Comes the Sun.” What she said. Granted, Paul dominates my top ten (6 him, 3 George, 1 John, with a Ringo just off the end of the list), but I rank George’s entries higher. And I can’t think of a single of George’s songs that I don’t like - neither John nor Paul manages this feat. ---
**Author:** ![Pray\_for\_peace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Pray\_for\_peace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pray_for_peace)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/58 "2009-12-16T01:56:55Z")
I would like to know whether **eleanorigby** votes for Paul. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/59 "2009-12-16T02:12:41Z")
> [@Sidney Evgeni Jordan](#): > > I would like to know whether **eleanorigby** votes for Paul. 😃 Nope. John wins. BUT, Paul is the most versatile of musicians, and if he had more taste, his post-Beatle’s work would be better. John, while he could be (and often was) a dick, was also a seeker and an asker of the hard questions (unlike shallow Paul). John and George shared that introspective aspect. Ringo just seems like a nice guy. He truly was the glue that held all the egos (and anti-ego; George could be fairly righteous about his humility) together. IMS, Ringo walked out at one point and all the others petitioned him to return. I prefer more intellectual lyrics and think that Lennon had the quintessential “rock” voice. But Paul is no slouch, nor is George or Ringo. At bottom, I love them all and am grateful for their music enriching my life. When I was a teen, I crushed heavily on John and George. I saw that Paul was cute and all, but I was always attracted to moody, “difficult” men. (or course, I was 8 when the Beatles broke up, but I benefited from having older sibs who revered them). ---
**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:** [December 16, 2009, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156/60 "2009-12-16T03:45:54Z")
I just can’t see the man who could write _Eleanor Rigby_, _She’s Leaving Home_ and _For No One_ as shallow. Just because Paul’s best lyrics tend to be about specific people rather than Grand Ideas doesn’t mean he wasn’t addressing raw, deep truths about human emotions and circumstances. Paul was much more direct/literal than John, who excelled at poetic/abstract lyrics. John certainly could get analytical, cynical, introspective, and dark, and he did so more often. And yet there’s a purity and honesty in Paul’s lyrics and melodies that actually feel more truthful to me. That’s purely subjective, I know. I just think he gets a bum rap. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whos-your-favorite-beatle/521156.md?page=4)