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Was McCartney better than Lennon?

The Waiting Trophy ManThe Waiting Trophy Man Niagara region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 12,158
edited September 2010 in Other Music
Sgt. Pepper was mainly Pauls concept. His songs on Revolver are far superior to Johns. He wrote Yesterday, the most popular song in history; Hey Jude, the Beatles' biggest hit song; he wrote most of their hits, especially the latter half. Was Paul a better songwriter than John?
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  • Newch91Newch91 Posts: 17,560
    I'd say they were the same. They had their own style, though. Lennon wrote Help, In My Life, Tomorrow Never Knows, Strawberry Fields Forever, both collaborated on A Day In the Life, Across the Universe (which I consider to be a lyrical masterpiece). Solo wise, Lennon hands down. Like I said, they both had their own styles of writing; Lennon was more personal and wrote about himself a lot, which some of the songs I named were about himself.
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  • The Waiting Trophy ManThe Waiting Trophy Man Niagara region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 12,158
    Paul wrote the music for In My Life. I've always been more of a Lennon fan myself but Paul seems to be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, more so than John. Afterall he's the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music.
    Another habit says it's in love with you
    Another habit says its long overdue
    Another habit like an unwanted friend
    I'm so happy with my righteous self
  • mookeywrenchmookeywrench Posts: 5,953
    edited September 2010
    Lennon had a knack for substance

    McCartney had a knack for melody

    In my book:

    Substance > Melody


    However, having said that, Helter Skelter is the Beatle's triumph
    Post edited by mookeywrench on
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  • ByrnzieByrnzie Posts: 21,037
    mookeywrench wrote:
    Lennon had a knack for substance

    McCartney had a knack for melody

    In my book:

    Substance > Melody

    This pretty much sums it up.
  • Newch91Newch91 Posts: 17,560
    The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:
    Paul wrote the music for In My Life. I've always been more of a Lennon fan myself but Paul seems to be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, more so than John. Afterall he's the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music.
    I have nothing wrong with Paul at all. He's the fucking man! It's just both of them as songwriters are different approaches.
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  • FenwayFaithfulFenwayFaithful Posts: 8,626
    Ringo's the real talent of the group. Everyone should know that by now.
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  • Newch91Newch91 Posts: 17,560
    FenwayFaithful wrote:
    Ringo's the real talent of the group. Everyone should know that by now.

    George is on another planet of talent.
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  • The Waiting Trophy ManThe Waiting Trophy Man Niagara region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 12,158
    FenwayFaithful wrote:
    Ringo's the real talent of the group. Everyone should know that by now.

    Yeah but who was second best, Lennon or McCartney? Or George?

    And I disagree with McCartney being all melody and no substance. Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Here There And Everywhere, Blackbird.....those are great lyrics. I agree though, he never wrote lyrics like Across the Universe.
    Another habit says it's in love with you
    Another habit says its long overdue
    Another habit like an unwanted friend
    I'm so happy with my righteous self
  • mookeywrenchmookeywrench Posts: 5,953
    The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:
    FenwayFaithful wrote:
    Ringo's the real talent of the group. Everyone should know that by now.

    Yeah but who was second best, Lennon or McCartney? Or George?

    And I disagree with McCartney being all melody and no substance. Eleanor Rigby, For No One, Here There And Everywhere, Blackbird.....those are great lyrics. I agree though, he never wrote lyrics like Across the Universe.

    I didn't say all melody and no substance. just he had a knack for melody. He had his moments with substance just as Lennon had his moments with melody.
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  • The Waiting Trophy ManThe Waiting Trophy Man Niagara region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 12,158
    Understood. And I agree.

    I didn't say all melody and no substance. just he had a knack for melody. He had his moments with substance just as Lennon had his moments with melody.[/quote]
    Another habit says it's in love with you
    Another habit says its long overdue
    Another habit like an unwanted friend
    I'm so happy with my righteous self
  • pjfaninindianapjfaninindiana Northeast Indiana Posts: 311
    That's a tough call!! Now, i will admit, i do not own any of the two's work outside of The Beatles. Lennon, i think is more critically praised and admired than Paul. But Paul was certainly on fire at the end of The Beatles career. I think Paul holds his own. If i HAD to pick i'd give it to Paul, but it is very close!
  • MysteryTrainMysteryTrain Singapore Posts: 1,189
    As solo acts, Lennon was definitely better than Paul. In fact, Lennon's music was the most important and influential.
  • youngsteryoungster Boston Posts: 6,576
    I would say that most of the songs George wrote were better than most of the songs Lennon/McCartney wrote. Personally, I think While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Something and are two of the most beautiful songs ever written.
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  • pjfan021pjfan021 Posts: 684
    lennon>mccartney. john's lyrics are hands down deeper and more important. Paul knows how to write a melody and is a good lyricsit as well but lennon's carried more weight and esp. his solo career. Paul always seems to be more uptight too. idk. Personally, my rankings are

    lennon
    george
    paul
    ringo
  • dimitrispearljamdimitrispearljam Posts: 139,721
    GEORGE BY FAR...
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  • MikeackMikeack Posts: 562
    Its a dead heat.
    I just remember Ringo as being useless !
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  • Newch91Newch91 Posts: 17,560
    youngster wrote:
    I would say that most of the songs George wrote were better than most of the songs Lennon/McCartney wrote. Personally, I think While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Something and are two of the most beautiful songs ever written.
    Yeah, even McCartney said to John during the making of Abbey Road that in the last year, George's songs were better than both of theirs. You can't forget Here Comes the Sun.
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  • kenny olavkenny olav Posts: 3,319
    The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:
    Paul wrote the music for In My Life. I've always been more of a Lennon fan myself but Paul seems to be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful, more so than John. Afterall he's the most successful songwriter in the history of popular music.

    John wrote In My Life - he said it himself in an interview.

    McCartney was great, but Lennon was a greater singer and songwriter in my opinion.

    Also, I don't think John ever wrote a bad song. But the The Long and Winding Road is the schmaltziest song ever put on a Beatles record.
  • kenny olavkenny olav Posts: 3,319
    Mikeack wrote:
    Its a dead heat.
    I just remember Ringo as being useless !

    Bite your tongue!
  • tcaporaletcaporale Posts: 1,577
    Not going to touch this one. Lennon is traditionally viewed as being more forward-thinking than McCartney, but they're two of the best songwriters to have ever lived.
  • The Waiting Trophy ManThe Waiting Trophy Man Niagara region, Ontario, Canada Posts: 12,158
    kenny olav wrote:
    John wrote In My Life - he said it himself in an interview.
    Also, I don't think John ever wrote a bad song. But the The Long and Winding Road is the schmaltziest song ever put on a Beatles record.[/quote

    Paul also said in an interview that he wrote the music to In My Life. Lennon never wrote a bad song? He wrote many, as a Beatle and as a solo artist - It's Only Love and Woman is the N of the world, to name a couple. I'm a huge Lennon fan, but he wasn't perfect.
    Another habit says it's in love with you
    Another habit says its long overdue
    Another habit like an unwanted friend
    I'm so happy with my righteous self
  • Newch91Newch91 Posts: 17,560
    The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:
    kenny olav wrote:
    John wrote In My Life - he said it himself in an interview.
    Also, I don't think John ever wrote a bad song. But the The Long and Winding Road is the schmaltziest song ever put on a Beatles record.[/quote

    Paul also said in an interview that he wrote the music to In My Life. Lennon never wrote a bad song? He wrote many, as a Beatle and as a solo artist - It's Only Love and Woman is the N of the world, to name a couple. I'm a huge Lennon fan, but he wasn't perfect.

    I love It's Only Love. Lennon may say it's a throw away song but I think it's a great song. I think every song is great.
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  • tremorstremors Posts: 8,051
    The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:
    Sgt. Pepper was mainly Pauls concept. His songs on Revolver are far superior to Johns. He wrote Yesterday, the most popular song in history; Hey Jude, the Beatles' biggest hit song; he wrote most of their hits, especially the latter half. Was Paul a better songwriter than John?


    Yes, I think he was even better than Lennon - in the Beatles. his solo stuff was shit by comparison to Lennon's and he didn't die - both of which count against his legacy.

    Harrison is completely underrated too - Paul and George RULE Abbey Road so bad it hurts, whereas Lennon was struggling to say much I think. Over the whole Beatles catalogue I would say I like McCartney's stuff about 20% more than I do Lennon's. Obviously there was such rivallry that each of their major influences as the band progressed were one another. Probably why they reached such dizzying heights!!
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  • FinsburyParkCarrotsFinsburyParkCarrots Seattle, WA Posts: 12,223
    Lazy fuckers often cite Paul McCartney's Frog Chorus - clearly written for kids - when they want to attack his output. Paul never wrote a song as horrendous as this:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GAMR0JPXDHo
  • pandorapandora Posts: 21,855
    Each one, awesome individually and great together, truly no comparisons, they are all epic.
  • benjsbenjs Toronto, ON Posts: 9,223
    FenwayFaithful wrote:
    Ringo's the real talent of the group. Everyone should know that by now.
    I'm just going to assume this was said in sarcasm, but I think Ringo and his significance to the Beatles is highly underrated. Think about early Beatles - Ringo stands out, more than any other Beatle, as the one who gave the Beatles' sound it's propelling force, done through powerful and consistent drumming. As a song-writer, I thought Ringo was lacking, but I personally believe what he contributed to the Beatles' sound was necessary for their on-going success.

    Now, back to the original question... Lennon and McCartney wrote as a team, as their styles contrasted each other so nicely, and I believe that with the two of them, they created something far greater than either one of them could (or ever did) produce in a solo career - they balanced each other perfectly. I like Paul's post-Beatles stuff better than John's for the most part, though.
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  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 30,508
    I don't know who was better but i def liked Lennon songs better for my taste ...
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  • veddertownveddertown Scotland Posts: 5,260
    The Beatles aren't supposed to be dissected in this way. They are the most perfect pop/rock group and were more instrumental in creating the link from the blues to the modern music we have now than any other band. The success wouldn't have been on the same scale if either Lennon or McCartney hadn't been in the band and they are just a one off who's legacy will live forever!! Look at the writing credits and almost every song says Lennon/McCartney! That's a seal of quality that tells everything you need to know about what you're listening to. They set a benchmark over 40 years ago that is still waiting to be beaten! Solo Lennon probably wins but not by much.
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  • dcfaithfuldcfaithful Posts: 13,076
    Of course he is, he didn't get murdered.

    :?

    Too soon?

    PS. I'll be leaving this thread now to avoid getting my ass verbally kicked.
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  • kenny olavkenny olav Posts: 3,319
    The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:
    kenny olav wrote:
    John wrote In My Life - he said it himself in an interview.
    Also, I don't think John ever wrote a bad song. But the The Long and Winding Road is the schmaltziest song ever put on a Beatles record.[/quote

    Paul also said in an interview that he wrote the music to In My Life. Lennon never wrote a bad song? He wrote many, as a Beatle and as a solo artist - It's Only Love and Woman is the N of the world, to name a couple. I'm a huge Lennon fan, but he wasn't perfect.

    I consulted Wikipedia (for what it's worth) and it told me this:

    "In My Life" is a song by The Beatles written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The song originated with Lennon, and while McCartney contributed to the final version, the extent of his contribution is in dispute.

    Composition
    According to Lennon, the song's origins can be found when English journalist Kenneth Allsop made a remark that Lennon should write songs about his childhood.[3] Afterwards, Lennon wrote a song in the form of a long poem reminiscing on his childhood years. The original version of the lyrics was based on a bus route he used to take in Liverpool, naming various sites seen along the way, including Penny Lane and Strawberry Field.[4]

    However, Lennon found it to be "ridiculous", calling it "the most boring sort of 'What I Did On My Holidays Bus Trip' song";[5] he reworked the words with Paul McCartney, replacing the specific memories with a generalized meditation on his past. "Very few lines" of the original version remained in the finished song.[4] According to Lennon's friend and biographer Peter Shotton, the lines "Some [friends] are dead and some are living/In my life I've loved them all" referred to Stuart Sutcliffe (who died in 1962) and to Shotton.[3]

    Regarding authorship of the melody, Lennon's and McCartney's recollections differ. Referring to McCartney, Lennon said "his contribution melodically was the harmony and the middle-eight itself."[6][7] McCartney claimed he set Lennon's lyrics to music from beginning to end, taking inspiration for the melody from songs by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.[8] "I liked 'In My Life'. Those were words that John wrote and I wrote the tune to it. That was a great one."[9] Of the disagreement, McCartney said, "I find it very gratifying that out of everything we wrote, we only appear to disagree over two songs",[8] the other being "Eleanor Rigby".

    Interesting... let's say that one is truly a work of Lennon/McCartney.

    And I still stand by my statement that Lennon never wrote a bad song, although some songs of his, like Woman, are certainly not great.

    Sorry Fins, I like that Angela song!
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