My favorite Beatles songs that were written by just one Beatle:
HELTER SKELTER (Paul)
So, so, so ahead of its time. Nothing sounded like this in 1968. I love every single thing about this song: Paul’s rip-roaring vocals, the driving guitar, the amazing cymbals, the cryptic lyrics, and the almost gospel feel of the background singing. Everything is perfect, and I know every note of this incredible song by heart. I don’t know what I’d do without it.
ACT NATURALLY (Ringo)
Okay, I’m cheating a bit here. Ringo didn’t write this song. Johnny Russell wrote it, and Ringo covered it. However, I grew up thinking that Ringo wrote it because my dad owned a vinyl 45 of the “Yesterday” single, and “Act Naturally” was the B side. I always just assumed. And I listened…and listened…and listened to it. I adored it. Maybe it’s because I’m Southern, but I’ve always loved the country twang of this song, and the fact that Ringo, who’s British, is singing a twangy song. Plus, it’s just so darn cute, isn’t it?
LONG, LONG, LONG (George)
There are just some songs that take root inside of you and stay there forever. “Long, Long, Long” is one of those for me. There’s just something about the dynamic of it mixed with the achingly romantic lyrics that stir my emotions up. The song has perfect keys and guitar, as well as George’s haunting vocals, and it wanders in and out of itself so beautifully that I don’t know how anyone couldn’t love it.
COME TOGETHER (John)
To me, everything about this song screams “John”. Somehow it perfectly echoes who he was as a songwriter—it’s an undeniably cool, innovative, vaguely political little hymn. And isn’t that just what John was?
This post was written by Tori.
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