Ranking Beatles

Continuing and inspired by the discussion from Not Feminism 101:

  • Rank the members of the Beatles from most favorite to least.
  • Beatles members may include Billy Preston and George Martin.
  • Favorite album and song (that does not appear on your favorite album)
  • Favorite solo work(s) by former Beatles.
1 Like
  1. George
  2. John
  3. Paul
  4. Ringo

Favorite Album: Rubber Soul
Favorite Song: If I Fell

Favorite Solo Work(s):
All Things Must Pass - George Harrison
Double Fantasy - John Lennon & Yoko Ono

2 Likes

Well, okey dokey. I’m not a huge Beatles fan (I respect them more than I enjoy them), but I guess I do have opinions.

  1. George
  2. Ringo (largely for attitude)
  3. John
  4. Paul (largely because of post-Beatles music)

I don’t have all their albums; the only ones I’ve heard all the way through are the ones I’ve owned: Sgt Pepper and The White Album and their first compilation record A Collection Of Beatles Oldies (But Goldies!). Even though that last one was a naked cash grab by EMI so they could sell something for Christmas '66 while the band worked on Sgt Pepper, it was my first introduction to the band, and I still kinda love every song on it. The tracklist, played in that order, reminds me of Saturday afternoons in my sister’s room, playing the Life board game while listening to that record.

Favorite song? Hell, I dunno. Might be “Paperback Writer,” might be “Yellow Submarine,” might be the reprise of “Sgt Pepper,” might be “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.” Honestly can’t choose one.

Favorite solo work: might be the music George did for the Time Bandits soundtrack. Nah, probably “Imagine.”

Bonus! Least favorite post-Beatles work: Paul McF*ckingCartney, “Wonderful Christmastime.” The absolute worst song ever.

9 Likes

Bombardier
Goliath
Stag
Ladybird

16 Likes

You, Sir, have clearly not listened to We All Stand Together!

7 Likes
  1. Yoko Ono
  2. Murray the K
  3. Apu Nahasapeemapetilon
  4. Clarence Walker, Man

Album: Letter B
Song: Sgt. Pepper outgroove

Solo Work: Self Portrait (Lennon)

7 Likes
  1. George Martin
  2. Geoff Emerick
  3. Norman Scott
  4. A composer who won’t let me use his name.
    5=: John (Singing about no possessions while having an entire apartment full of fur coats)
    : Paul (because, reasons.)
    : George
    : Ringo

The Beatles were really the first electronically generated band. Not to ignite any flame wars…

5 Likes

Oh, alright. I’ll play.

  1. George
  2. Ringo
  3. Paul
  4. John

Album: Grey Album
Song: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

So there.

6 Likes

George
John
Ringo
Paul
Honorable mention: Harry Nilsson

Favorite Album: Sgt. Pepper’s
Favorite Song: It’s All Too Much

Favorite Solo Work(s):
Too Many People (Ram) - Paul and Linda McCartney

3 Likes

Everybody surely knows frogs go “brek-eck-eck-ex ko-ax ko-ax”?

3 Likes

I still have a fondness for their early work.

11 Likes

But seriously, if I were to rank the Beatles, it would be like this:

1-John, George, Ringo
4-Paul

I don’t think Paul made any compelling contributions to the group after 1965. He seems to have been a dominant, bossy type who didn’t always have the best ideas.

5 Likes

So much of their music from round then was extraordinarily influential.

5 Likes

Besides music…

George - Producer of “Life of Brian” and "The Ruttles"
Ringo - Conductor for "Thomas the Tank Engine"
John - Gripweed, soldier in "How I Won the War"
Paul - Husband to Vegan Frozen Food magnate, Linda McCartney

9 Likes
  1. George
  2. Paul
  3. Ringo
  4. John

Favorite album: Abbey Road
Favorite song: Either Let It Be or the B-side to Abbey Road, start to finish

Best solo work: All Things Must Pass

My dad was a huuuuge Beatles fan and I thought John was the coolest Beatle with his snarky attitude and humor. But as I’ve listened to all of the solo stuff I quickly realized how crazy talented Goerge was. And while his songs are often silly vaudeville pop stuff in later years, Paul’s just a natural songwriter. If you listen to stuff like their Christmas fan-club albums, he can toss off catchy excellent songs like he’s breathing.

8 Likes

These are my second through fifth favorite Beatles, in order.

My first favorite is:

8 Likes
  1. ladybird
  2. firefly
  3. stag beetle

What? Not the insects? The musicians?

oh…my bad

9 Likes

Oh HELL yes.
I hold fast to my theory that we wouldn’t have any of the creativity of late Beatles stuff without them being inspired by Harry.

5 Likes

John
George
Paul
Ringo (only because someone has to be last)

album: toss-up between Revolver & Rubber Soul

song: Here Comes The Sun, but really all of side 2 of Abbey Road is just stellar

solo work: lennon’s “Double Fantasy” (but i also deeply love george’s early stuff, and lots of paul’s work during Wings.

4 Likes
  1. George
  2. John
  3. Paul
  4. Ringo

Album- Abbey Road
Single- I need you

Favourite solo work by an ex-Beatle- Imagine - John (yeah, it’s cliche, I know)
Favourite post-Beatles work by an ex-Beatle- Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 (for the sheer air of joyful fun the pervaded the entire thing. Also applies to most of George’s work in the 80s).

8 Likes