Abbey Road: John Lennon Vs. Paul McCartney (“Most Valuable Beatle”)
By BrainFace on Sep 26, 2009 in Features
Continuing with my series on who is the “Most Valuable Beatle” (which basically turns into a John Vs. Paul battle) for each Beatles album, I’ve made my way to Abbey Road today (I’m going by release date, not recording date as Let It Be was the last album released, but Abbey Road was the last album The Beatles recorded together.)
Previous Results: Please Please Me (John), With The Beatles (John), A Hard Day’s Night (John), Beatles For Sale (John), Help! (John), Rubber Soul (John), Revolver (Paul), Sgt. Pepper (Paul), Magical Mystery Tour (Paul), The White Album (John), & Yellow Submarine (George).
So John has won the “MVB” for seven albums thus far, Paul for three, and George for one. I actually think those totals exaggerate John’s dominance because for most of the albums that he won, it was really a very close call. You also have to consider that Paul has won some of The Beatles true classics like Revolver & Sgt. Pepper’s. Anyway, now I’m at Abbey Road and it’s time to take a song by song look at it.
01. “Come Together” – John
Definitely John’s song but Paul also definitely deserves an assist for his swampy piano licks and bass line that give the track much of it’s character. It’s one of The Beatles most “modern” sounding songs/recordings and it’s among the most popular Beatles songs on the Last.FM website.
02. “Something” – George
Many would say that Abbey Road is where George really blossomed as you can make a good argument that “Something” & “Here Comes The Sun” are the best songs on the album. Paul lays down another great bass line, although it’s not as essential as the bass on “Come Together.”
03. “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer” – Paul
Abbey Road is often seen as Paul’s baby because he was largely behind the side two suite (along with George Martin) but his first song on the album isn’t until track 3 and his track 3 is a lot of people’s least favorite song on the album. I actually quite enjoy “Maxwell.” It’s such a ridiculous song and I happen to enjoy ridiculous. Have you ever heard a more joyous song about a serial killer?
04. “Oh! Darling” – Paul
This is definitely among my favorite songs on the album. It’s my favorite song on the album to sing along with. Even John praised it and you know a Paul song has to be great for John to go out of his way to praise it. And like me, John loved to sing it, in fact he wanted to sing it on the album and claimed he would have done a better job than Paul.
Maybe. But I think Paul’s vocals are great. He apparently came in early every day to sing the song (without recording it) so that would have that “lived in” sound he was going for when his vocals were finally recorded.
05. “Octopus’s Garden” – Ringo
George deserves a big assist for this one as he helped Ringo write it (although Ringo got sole songwriting credit) and his guitar licks are probably the best thing about the track.
06. “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” – John
This is the song where The Beatles most sound like great musicians rather than great songwriters. Not that it’s not a great song too. Apparently Paul hated the white noise that comes in at the end (according to Geoff Emerick’s book) but I think Paul was wrong, that white noise is perfect.
07. “Here Comes The Sun” – George
George says he wrote this song in Eric Clapton’s garden on one of his acoustic guitars. How about that? This song opens side two on the vinyl LP which was a brilliant way to open up side two, but I think it works even better on the CD version coming in right after the white noise overtakes “I Want You (She’s So Heavy.)”
08. “Because” – John
What a beautiful song. George Martin gets an assist for helping The Beatles arrange the vocal harmonies that really make this song special.
09. “You Never Give Me Your Money” – Paul
I think this is one of Paul’s most underrated songs. It’s also the beginning of the side two suite that Abbey Road is most known for.
10. “Sun King” – John
Another very underrated song. I love the spaced out psychedelic sound of this track and the vocal harmonies are truly delicious.
11. “Mean Mr. Mustard” – John
I’ve always loved this song and his sister “Pam.” (Originally “Shelley” as you can hear in Anthology 3.)
12. “Polythene Pam” – John
I love the lyrics.
13. “She Came in Through the Bathroom Window” – Paul
This is a highlight in a suite full of highlights. The slow version heard on Anthology 3 is definitely worth checking out too.
14. “Golden Slumbers” – Paul
This feels like a real emotional release. Another great one to sing along with!
15. “Carry That Weight” – Paul
The echo of the melody from “You Never Give Me Your Money” (with different lyrics) is a big part of what ties the whole “suite” together. It helps to make everything sound more connected than it really is. A bit of sleight of hand that works brilliantly.
16. “The End” – Paul
It’s hard to imagine a much better ending to the album (and really The Beatles entire career.)
17. “Her Majesty”- Paul
Except for this! “Her Majesty” was added to the end of the album accidentally but it was The Beatles decision to keep the accident in place. Even after the huge “statement” of “The End,” there’s still a little joke to be had. Their sense of humor is an essential part of what makes their music so lasting. Even at their most serious, they had a tendency to add a little wink.
VERDICT: Paul had 8 songs, John had 6 songs, George had 2, and Ringo had 1. Now you could argue that giving Paul credit for the 23 seconds that makes up “Her Majesty” isn’t quite fair but when you consider Paul’s outrageously great bass playing and that the side two suite was largely his idea, I think it’s clear that Paul deserves the “MVB” for this album.
This makes the total count so far: John 7, Paul 4, & George 1. Let It Be is next and then Past Masters 1 & 2!
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Revolver goes to Paul?? Are you serious?? If you are a musician and actually try to ‘cover’ their songs, John’s are BY FAR the hardest. Before Revolver, John did about 70% of the songs too.
Now, The White Album and Abbey Road clearly go to John as well unless you just prefer the catchy happy jingle?? WTF??
Paul wins Sgt Peppers because the album was his project but I’d still argue the best songs on the album are written by John.
People who like Paul also prefer top 40 radio. Musicians don’t. What does that tell you??
ssc73 | Jan 6, 2010 | Reply
ssc73 — Your facts are incorrect and your assertions are nothing more than poorly formed opinions.
And how difficult a song is to cover is not of much importance when saying whether or not a song is good. There’s plenty of prog rock jams that may be extremely difficult to cover, but does that mean they’re necessarily good? Of course not.
Personally I don’t prefer Paul or John – they were both essential to The Beatles music. I think that was the ultimate point of this exercise by BrainFace.
Marvin Marks | Jan 7, 2010 | Reply
I agreed with everything You said up until, Sgt Pepper…
Some great songs on that album by Paul, But Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds is the second best song on the album for Me behind A Day in The Life, Both written by John. Paul had the pointless part in the middle which He had floating around in his head, The majority of the lyrics are written by John and that dreary Lennonesque vocals makes the song, Paul does deserve credit for requesting the orchestra a nice touch! Magical Mystery tour is also another Lennon victory for Me, Strawberry Fields, I am the Walrus, All You Need Is Love 3 monumental hits which for Me gives Him the victory…
Matt Elwood | Mar 8, 2010 | Reply
Indeed Marvin Marks. They both were great. There will be no Beatles without one of them. Combination of their music makes it perfect. So no one better. They both great, once more…
Hey by the way I think Ringo Starr’s cool too. He plays the drum just like the drum is his bestfriend. And he’s funny! It’s funny when we watch his head ‘dancing’ when he plays the drum
George’s cool though
Come on Beatles you’re all superb!!!
Scarlett Widenaldo | May 27, 2010 | Reply
This track reminds me of some song by another atrist that I very much enjoyed listening to , but I can’t remember which one is it :/ someone know which track I’m talking about?
Amir Thompson | Jun 5, 2010 | Reply
What track are you talking about? This post is about an album.
Marvin Marks | Jun 7, 2010 | Reply
I love the 4 of them very much, i can’t i mean i do not want to tear them by telling whos the best. especially the duo Lennon/McCartney was the best and the strongest&most successful in the whole world and music indusry. They all had their own fabulous talents maybe differnt from each other bujt thats the magic of it, thats why theyre the fab 4. LOVE THEM. THE BEATLES 4EVER.
BeatlesLover4ever | Jun 14, 2010 | Reply
IT IS SILLY YOU CAN’T COMPARE PAUL JOHN RINGO AND GEORGE 4 IN 1 FULL STOP.JOHN NEEDED THE OTHER 3 AS WELL AND VISE VERSA.
jack | Sep 9, 2010 | Reply
Musicians prefer John? Are you serious?! Intellectuals who are more lyric based prefer John but there is absolutely no debate, Paul was by far the most musically advanced Beatle. George Martin, John Lennon and virtually every Beatle biographer ever agree. Brian Wilson saw Macca as his central rival because McCartney was a musical virtuoso. And as for McCartney dominating revolver, that’s also a point that is rarely disputed. Even the highly critical Lennon gave McCartney the Revolver title. Lennon went on record numerous times saying that Revolver was the first time that Paul’s songs were better than his.
alex headley | Dec 2, 2010 | Reply
@Alex
Because McCartney could play multiple instruments, it does not follow that he was “more musically advanced”. Lennon produced in a brief solo career music that excels (musically), and towers over McCartneys long lived solo career. McCartney lives off of his Beatles connection.
James Alsbury-Stewert | Dec 9, 2010 | Reply
I cSure, you can give Paul Sgt. Peppers. Though Day in the Life is by far the best song on the album.
Revolver is also a tie. I don’t think you can’t give that album to either one.
White Album is also an absolute tie. Blackbird is amazing, but so are Julia and Cry Baby Cry. Though, if I had to choose between the two, it would be John. But just barely.
Abbey Road is George. He wrote the two best songs, and 2nd is John.
Let it Be is Paul, but again Across the Universe is untouchable. Might be my favorite Beatles track ever (especially the Naked version).
And everything prior to Revolver is probably John, but the truth is they were best together. I probably prefer John’s sensibilities, but McCartney’s a genius, and his harmonies compliment almost every great John song and vice versa. They wouldn’t have reached such levels of songwriting greatness if they hadn’t been working together and in competition. McCartney wouldn’t be McCartney without John, and Lennon wouldn’t have been Lennon without Paul. Many of their best songs were true collaborations.
betterstudio | Jan 28, 2011 | Reply
john is greater than paul. but paul is also greater than john.
jerald | Mar 16, 2011 | Reply
Comparison is pointless. John and Paul edited each others songs constantly anyway. Without each other not a single one of their songs would have been as good as it turned out. They both win equally.
JHiggins | May 23, 2011 | Reply
i believe that all four added diverse flavors to each others music which gave a kicky taste to each of all of the songs they all wrote which this combination of creativity proved to make the collaboration of the beatles one of the most successful bands in history
although, heres some songs i liked from each artist which i like best from each,
John Lennon – In My Life, Revolution 1 & 9
George Harrison – Here Comes The Sun, If I Needed Someone, All Those Years Ago
Paul McCartney – I’ll Be Back
Ringo Starr- Octopus’s Garden
and the rest where they collaborate, etc.
shushi | Jun 4, 2011 | Reply
jerald,
You’ve summed it up perfectly. That was Zen.
DD | Jun 11, 2011 | Reply
John’s solo career never matched McCartney’s in terms of music. Lennon’s best music is probably off of Imagine, followed by Walls and Bridges, while McCartney’s would definitely be Ram (all imo). But Lennon was still brilliant, and McCartney is brilliant, and these comparisons are quite silly.
Lennon fans come off as though they hate McCartney, and McCartney fans do the same to Lennon. Both wrote brilliant songs for the Beatles, and both contributed a lot of songs (More than you are giving them credit for, as they helped one another on many songs you are giving full credit to one writer).
Tom | Jul 5, 2011 | Reply
John and Paul’s approach to music after ’65 was different. John had no clue what he was doing and some of the more tricky bits were accidental. He sort of hammered his ideas out until they worked. Paul’s approach was very calculated and planned out.
As far as ‘difficulty’ in covering the songs, ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ was ONE bloody chord. Paul took the lead in creating special effects for that one.
John sort of wrote from the heart while McCartney wrote from the head. “I want you” sounds from the heart, while ‘Maxwell’s Silver Hammer’ came from nowhere near the heart!
John reportedly wanted to do a straight up rock and roll album and Paul wanted to create an epic. Side one was supposedly John’s idea of an album. Side two was supposedly Paul’s baby.
If you read Mark Lewishon’s book “The Beatles Recording Sessions”, John didn’t bother to turn up for George’s songs, while Paul was keen to give his best effort for everybody’s tunes. And John sat around with Paul figuring out the best way to create the Medley, and was far more involved that revisionist history would have you think.
John’s emotional splatter on the album was dressed up by Paul’s musical styleings and Paul’s calculated creations were balanced by John’s jagged edges. A Beatle album full of ‘Maxwells’ would be intolerable as would an album of only “Come Together”s.
I have a strong dislike for most top 40, but Paul’s solo albums are my favorites. Although John’s ‘Plastic Ono Band’ is my favorite of all the solo albums, with Paul’s ‘Ram’ a very close 2nd. Very different albums by two very different people.
John was lazy while Paul was driven. John’s idea was to make an album of songs with as few takes as possible, while Paul wanted a cohesive shiny attractive package.
George Martin just wanted to produce a bloody Beatles album to wash away the bad taste of the “Get Back” sessions and unconsiously, everybody wanted to do a GOOD album to sort of wrap everything up and call it a day.
These are just random points of interest concerning the two main protagonists, but the fact is, that The Beatles were all four of them, no matter how much George and Ringo were dominated by the other two. Abbey Road would not have been the same album with out all four of them.
When John said to Paul, “Let’s get Clapton in”, after George quit during the ‘Get Back’ sessions,,,,,Abbey Road would’ve been a very different album then.
What’s my point? I don’t know. You either like the album or you don’t! Just shut up and listen! It’s the bloody Beatles’ Abbey Road you know!
Amadeus | Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
P.S. All the ‘cool’ groups and singers go on about how they love ‘St. John’ the martyr.
I applauded the day I read that Ozzy Osbourne adores Paul McCartney.
Amadeus | Jul 6, 2011 | Reply
Abbey Road Goes to Harrison ;His two songs SOMETHING & Here Comes The Suns ;are better than Lennon/McCartney.
Alex | Jul 22, 2011 | Reply
john meilleur c tout
paix | Jul 24, 2011 | Reply
Come on, Abbey Road should go to Harrison.
He did Something and Here comes the Sun, which for me are the biggest songs in the album.
Next are Come Together, I Want You and Because..
McCartney? Oh well Maxwell Silver Hammer.. Not because he did more songs than the others will we give him the credit of the album. Its in the Quality not the Quantity.
louie | Jul 28, 2011 | Reply
I give abbey road to goerge,and the white album to Paul (mother natures son,blackbird,and helter skelter are untouchable) all albums prior to the song yesterday are John because the younger Paul hadn’t truly come into his own writing yet,although (like goerge) you could see flashes of things to come,oh and I give rubber soul to ringo,I LOVE what goes on
Chris | Aug 10, 2011 | Reply
I try not to think about let it be at all
Chris | Aug 10, 2011 | Reply
The Beatles complimented each other,ringo would have a clever word twist which John would sharpen into a sword,pauls lead guitar gave sound to goerges anger on taxman
Chris | Aug 10, 2011 | Reply
rubber soul egalite revolver egalite white album john sans aucun doute abbey road john pour les chansons paul pour ligne de basse enorme let it be paul mais bonne chanson john carriere solo john meme si paul en a fait plus de tou ces album on peut sortir5 6 bonne chansons et souvent ce sont des collaboration sinon a 4 c etait les meilleur
paix | Aug 23, 2011 | Reply
paix: it’s tricky to say for the White album; John without a doubt. It had to be equal too I think.
I don’t think John’s solo stuff was the best. Have you listened to Mind Games and Sometime in NYC?
But yes, together they were the best because of the competition. Even without collaborating on a song, the other affects it anyway because the writer doesn’t want to be shown up!
Amadeus | Aug 23, 2011 | Reply
As a musician and songwriter myself I respect John and Paul equally and will say without either one of them missing there would of been no Beatles. But I have always liked John Lennon’s singing better than Paul McCartney’s. So I guess it really boils down to personal preference vs who wrote what and when LOL
Simcoe | Aug 27, 2011 | Reply
Paul is my favorite beatle. come on it’s easy to play a Lennon song.,honestly. try playing martha my love in your piano. besides Paul is the Greatest bass player, greatest guitar playing, and piano player among the Beatles.John and Georgw is not good at playing bass, and John lennon’s piano part are easy to do. But i think John’s melodic singing ability is great compare to Paul and George. John Lennon is a sicko that’s why he love Yoko, both of them are sicko. a bird that flock together stays together. and why the hell they picture themselves naked?its stupid
pakoy101 | Sep 23, 2011 | Reply
Amadeus you’re certainly correct. John is not as talented as Paul. And Paul is not as sicko as John.
pakoy101 | Sep 23, 2011 | Reply
Trying to do a scorecard for “the MVB” of The Beatles seems like a ridiculous waste of time. W/all due respect, Anyone who knows anything about music knows that it was the sum greater than the parts just to begin w/. Beyond that you have to take into account so many variables (I can’t be bothered to list them now since I’m not impressed w/your “reasoning” thus far) that your entire premise becomes flawed. How old are you & what are your qualifications other than running a blog?
RJ Mariner | Jan 13, 2012 | Reply
So many variables? What? BrainFace is only taking into account one variable as far as I can see: How many songs were contributed to each album by each of the songwriters.
Just about everything is a ridiculous waste of time from some point of view or another. I think this is just a method of creating a discourse about The Beatles music… one that can easily be knocked off course by people who would rather make personal insults.
Marvin Marks | Jan 14, 2012 | Reply