Probably you wrote the fairest and best answer. We’re all I think I can say just glad that they each wrote what they did and helped on the other’s songs in every way they could. I was always too struck by Penny lane but found fixing a hole and she’s leaving home as superb songs with superb vocals. Fixing a hole is possibly my favorite pepper song…astonishingly clear vocals and great lyrics fitting for the time yet timeless.
The problem is, you say something like what I said in the post you quoted and the big mouths come along and say you're a Paul fanboy. And this is simply not true. Regardless of anything, the coolest, most enigmatic Beatle for me has and always will be John. But that's a personal thing. Once I step out of my little bubble, I try to look at things more objectively. Nothing to do with being anyone's fanboy.
Well, I remember way back when we were fans of each of them….and could compliment each though maybe had a personal favorite.
Now, now...we all know a few died-in-the-wool Paul fanboys from the days of the great McCartney song by song thread.
Twas indeed a great thread though sadly some of the posted youtubes on it have now expired. The thread along with a few other Macca forum threads citing songs and YouTubes remind me how great his solo career is.
I find it interesting that the very time McCartney "equals" Lennon in the songwriting department (if we truly believe that) is also the exact time they quit being on the road. If I didn't know better I would have said John would likely be the one to excel and benefit the most from being free from the burden of touring, but as it turned out it seemed to be Paul who got the most from this new freedom. Go figure!
What?! Paul "misremembering" again to claim more credit (he always seems to take more, not less, credit when he comes up with his historical revisions -- "A Hard Day's Night", anyone?) on a hit Beatles song?! I'm shocked... truly shocked.
They're fine songs, I like them all. However, Fixing A Hole is pretty unremarkable through the first couple of listens, though I admit it does become better appreciated once you've exhausted the better songs on the album. She's Leaving Home (John's contribution on that one really elevates it) is good and maybe even great if you're a fan of the schmaltzier type of Beatle songs (Long and Winding Road, Let It Be etc.) but I think it drags side one a bit, Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite would've been a better closer. Penny Lane is great, but Strawberry Fields Forever is downright groundbreaking-- but I think when it comes to those two, preference matters more.
It was more of a group album this time around, as there was more interplay between the songwriters, including outside writers. John/George - SSSS George/John - Taxman John/Paul/George/Pete Shotten - Eleanor John/Paul/Donovan - Sub I think there were other odd combos here, but can’t recall them all. 3 George songs on a single LP, too!
I'd say John and George being less interested in touring coincided with their being less interested in being Beatles. Paul remained extremely interested, and the studio avenue became the only option for him. So he put his all into that and started pulling most of the weight there, writing more, playing more lead guitar, more piano, more involved arranging, and overdubbing more prominent bass lines. George started more focusing on Indian religion and sitar lessons, John started focusing more on drugs and an avant garde artist. Ringo learned to play chess.
Recent Poll on SHF... aka "The Paul McCartney Forum." I have noted who the composer / main singer next to each song was below. Hmmmm... kinda strange, eh? SONG RANKINGS, IN ORDER: A Day In The Life 2.891 --- mostly John Strawberry Fields Forever 2.840 --- John Here Comes The Sun 2.780 --- George Penny Lane 2.763 --- Paul Help! 2.755 --- John I Feel Fine 2.738 --- John Dear Prudence 2.724 --- John Ticket To Ride 2.721 --- John A Hard Day's Night 2.715 --- John Rain 2.711 --- John Revolution 2.711 --- John In My Life 2.709 --- John I Am The Walrus 2.694 --- John Paperback Writer 2.682 --- Paul Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) 2.679 --- John You Never Give Me Your Money 2.678 --- Paul Something 2.677 --- George And Your Bird Can Sing 2.676 --- John We Can Work It Out 2.670 --- mostly Paul The End 2.670 --- Paul All My Loving 2.667 --- Paul You've Got To Hide Your Love Away 2.667 --- John For No One 2.664 --- Paul I Saw Her Standing There 2.646 --- Paul Day Tripper 2.641 --- John Tomorrow Never Knows 2.632 --- John Eleanor Rigby 2.622 --- Paul Nowhere Man 2.617 --- John Hey Bulldog 2.617 --- John She Said She Said 2.608 --- John
Generally people like the later albums more then the earlier albums and Paul is more prominent on those albums, strange things indeed
That's because of the experimentation in their songs mainly driven by John. Both John and Paul produced their best songs in their later period, but John had a better song ratio than Paul despite being perceived as less prolific.
In what way is Paul "more prominent" on the later Beatles albums in general? With the exception of Sgt. Pepper, each album from Revolver onward is roughly an even split in terms of songwriting and lead vocals between them.
What’s up with the title “Love You To”? Love you to what? My theory is that the title should’ve been Love You Too. George *was* prone to misspellings, and after all, who was going to correct a Beatle on a spelling on a submitted track list?
Given the thread topic, I think what he pointed out is more than fair. This forum has an obvious warped view when it comes to McCartney. When people here are telling me 'Wild Life' is a masterpiece, it's hard to take them seriously when it comes to their assessment of Paul McCartney in any capacity. That being said, Paul was an absolute genius in his Beatle days, very much equal to John but rarely ever surpassed him.
Interestingly, later John sort of blamed Paul for "subconsciously sabotaging" his songs in the studio, saying how if it was Paul song they recorded and worked on it forever until perfection, but when it was John's track, "suddenly this atmosphere of looseness and experimentation would set in".
That was in retrospect, and I don't believe that was the whole truth, or at least that's not what he was referring to. He loved "I Am The Walrus" because it was so weird, and George Martin constantly recounted how John wanted experimentation on his songs. Just read the account on the making of Tomorrow Never Knows, John wanted real groundbreaking experimentation on that one, both him and Paul went home to mess with tape loops, and John happened to like a particular loop of Paul laughing and included that one among many other loops and effects made on John's insistence.
