Lennon or McCartney

Taking it as a Beatles comparison.


Personally it's Lennon for me, but at different stages of The Beatles they both had purple patches.

John at the start, they would never have broken only for his writing. Paul wrote some fine ballads then and for a few years both their output was similar quality. with Lennon always scoring lyrically over McCartney.

John then had his amazing purple patch circa Strawberry Fields only for Paul to surpass himself circa Lady Madonna , Back in the USSR, Hey Jude, Get Back.

Paul lost his way a bit then, Lennon still producing some good stuff but Abbey Road needed those 2 humdingers from George to make it the great album it is. Hard to forgive Paul for bang bang Maxwell!

Lennon.I preferred his acidic tone. Paul-"you've got to admit its getting better all the time" John-- "it couldn't get much worse". I guess that all the beatles have been brilliant & crap at different times.
Whats all this wanting to change the order of the songwriting credits to "mcartney-lennon"? It seems undignified at best.
Someone said that the beatles are dying in the wrong order. If it's not too offensive, I agree.
Only my opinion.
matt.

McCartney for me. I liked some of the 'Wings' stuff.

The early co-written Beatles singles were of course simple pop excellence.

The majority of Lennon's solo material does nothing for me, and 'Imagine' and '#9 Dream' are turgid inconsequential drivel, as far as I'm concerned.

Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?

Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?

I rest my case!

John.

Well Paul wrote "Hello Goodbye", "Eleanor Rigby", "Yesterday", "Let It Be", "Back in the USSR", "Hey Jude", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" ... the list goes on "Waterfall", "Band on the Run", "Live and Let Die".

John wrote some great stuff too "Tomorrow never knows", "Stawberry Fields", "I am the Walrus", "Polythene Pam", "Across the Universe" and lots more including "Cold Turkey". "Instant Karma", "Jealous Guy"

On balance, I'd go for Paul (just)

However don't forget "Taxman", "While My Guitar" and "Something" by George, not to mention the amazing triple album "All Things Must Pass".

And we should never forget "Octopus's Garden" by Ringo

They were quite a group and never better than on the Lennon/McCartney collaboration: "A Day In The Life".

Lennon & McCartney

When Frank Sinatra would sing Something, he would annouce it as his favorite Lennon/McCartney song. Of course no one would dare correct the chairman!

quote:

Originally posted by manicatel:
Whats all this wanting to change the order of the songwriting credits to "mcartney-lennon"?

As most of the songs were largely written by Lennon or McCartney, Paul wanted to change the credit order only on the songs for which he was mostly responsible.

Seems only fair, but unfortunately too long after the horse is out of the barn.

As for my preference, I have none ... at their best both were equally brilliant.

Fred

To me, not a single piece of their individual work was even close to what they achieved together. Often, with songwriting teams, one writer will do 95% of the work on a given song, but it would not be what it was without the other's 5% contribution.

I think the same is true of Simon & Garfunkle. While Paul Simon was obviously the driving force, his work, IMO, was never as poetic without Art's input. Did Paul ever write anything on a par with "Sounds of Silence" on his own? Same deal with Hall & Oates.

Silly thread based on ignorance. They were a potent combination who produced some of the best music of all time. Individually they were much less. Any serious observer of their music wouldn't even ask such a silly question.

Chayro and Tom

I couldn't agree more.

Nothing that either achieved after the Beatles split was remotely close to the brilliance of what what they achieved together.

I venture to suggest that, if all four Beatles had gone down in a plane crash in late 1969, their posthumous estimation would be even greater than it is currently. Apologies for this ghoulish thought.

Graham.

quote:

Originally posted by thirty three and a third:
When Frank Sinatra would sing Something, he would annouce it as his favorite Lennon/McCartney song. Of course no one would dare correct the chairman!

Shame Frank didn't go for Octopus's Garden in the Shade.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by J.N.:
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?

Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?
Ah! b'wakawa pouss?, pouss?

I rest my case!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mull of Kintyre.

I rest my case!

quote:

Originally posted by TomK:
Silly thread based on ignorance. They were a potent combination who produced some of the best music of all time. Individually they were much less. Any serious observer of their music wouldn't even ask such a silly question.

If you thought this thread was ignorant then why respond? This thread was started for those to share their opinions on this matter for sake of a discussion and fun. Also I do take my music seriously and so does everyone here who has contributed their opinions. I respect your opinion on how they were potent together, however to add insult by saying this is based on ignorance and calling it a silly question I believe was out of line on your part.

I do thank everyone for their positive input and enjoy reading your responses.

Regards,
Charles

Has to be Lennon for me.
" Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans "
How very true

quote:

Originally posted by Van the man:
Has to be Lennon for me.
" Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans "
How very true

Van, please could you let me know the source for your Lennon quote
thanks
SJ

quote:

Originally posted by stephenjohn:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by Van the man:
Has to be Lennon for me.
" Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans "
How very true

Van, please could you let me know the source for your Lennon quote
thanks


" Beautiful boy "
From the double fantasy album.


Close your eyes, Have no fear,
The monsters gone, he's on the run
and your daddy's here.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy,
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy,

Before you go to sleep,
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way, it's getting better and better,

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy,
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy,

Out on the ocean, ship sailing away
I can hardly wait
To see you come of age
But I guess we'll just have to be patient
Cause it's a long way to go, a hard row to hoe
Yes it's a long way to go, but in the meantime,

Before you cross the street,
Take my hand,
Life is just what happens to you while you're busy making other plans,

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy,
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy,

Before you go to sleep,
Say a little prayer,
Every day in every way, it's getting better and better,
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Boy,
Darling, darling, darling, darling Sean.
Goodnight Sean, see you in the morning.

Thank you

quote:

Originally posted by stephenjohn:
Thank you

Welcome

Neither - George Harrison is the one who was the best imho. Sinatre said 'something' was the greatest song ever written.

Absolute tosh (to suggest that G Harrison was better than the Lennon-McCartney team). And why rely upon a gangster who couldn't sing and didn't know a Lennon-McCartney song from a Harrison song in any event?

Graham

It's encouraging to see contributors getting passionate about their chosen songwriters and performers. As ever, the enigma of musical appreciation defies logical explanation.

What about the musical gems of Richard Starkey then?

John.

John

Ringo's own greatest "hit" was, of course, "Back Off, Boogaloo". But don't forget that he sang "Yellow Submarine" and "Octopus's Garden" on earlier classic LPs.

Ripe for canonisation, anyone?

Graham

Ringo sung 'With a little help from my friends' too. On Abbey Road, Ringo is credited with writing that wonderful song, though I suspect George made a significant contribution. As they say "You know it don't come easy", which was again written by Richard Starkey.

As for 'Something' being the Beatles best ever song, it's not even the best song on side one of Abbey Road - IMHO that's Maxwell's Silver Hammer (McCartney). Side Two of Abbey Road remains to me on the greatest elpee sides ever - and largely because of the contributions of Lennon and McCartney.

'Something' is a good song and I much prefer the Beatles version to Sinatra's, but then I rarely see the point of cover versions. Can't think of one cover version of a Beatles song that stands up to the original - probably 'With a little help from my friends' by Joe Cocker comes closest.

quote:

Originally posted by graham55:
Absolute tosh (to suggest that G Harrison was better than the Lennon-McCartney team). And why rely upon a gangster who couldn't sing and didn't know a Lennon-McCartney song from a Harrison song in any event?

Graham

Was it not the case the most lennon/macartney songs were in fact written by one or the other and not by both? Sinatra may have been a gangster but that doesn't alter the face that he knew a thing or too about good songs. As for my opinion being absolute tosh I care not, having as i do a similiar view of your opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by erik scothron:
... Sinatra may have been a gangster but that doesn't alter the face that he knew a thing or too about good songs.....

Then why did he sing that awful song 'My Way' and he didn't attempt a single Half Man Half Biscuit cover. Sorry Erik, I guess I just don't like crooners.