Top 20 Beatles Songs and Why They Rock Out as the Best

Because the Beatles boasted such a vast repertoire of musical mementos, this Top 20 list will be revealed in alphabetical order:

A Day In The Life: This happy little number eruped around the time that the Beatles' magnificent, "Paul is dead" publicity stunt reared its brazen head. "He didn't notice that the lights had changed," was the alleged "clue" embedded in "A Day in the Life."

The sparse instruments are laid back during the verses, yet rhythmically potent during this Lennon and McCartney masterpiece. There have been various stories that have surfaced over the years regarding the song's true meaning, although the world may never know for sure. Some say the song was sparked after a close friend of John's and Paul's passed away, others claim the dynamic lyrical duo were visualizing a politician sitting at a red light who is under the influence of something or other.

Next time you hear "A Day in the Life," you can make your own judgment call about the song's true meaning. Personally, I always thought it was cool because the Beatles were extending the offer to turn me on. And based on their typical mind-warping song contents, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad idea.

Across the Universe: This is one of those clever Beatles' songs where they subtly lapse into another language and spout phrases that the majority of mankind doesn't recognize.

Beneath the surface, rumor has it that John was facing marital difficulties, which may have stimulated the ultimate song result. Does this sound like a disgruntled, insomniac hubby with a wife who has a lot to say: "Words are flowing out like endless rain into a paper cup."

This is one of those songs I liked much better before I stumbled into the knowledge that he was mad at his ex-better half when he wrote it. The instruments emanate an outer-spacey sort flavor, and the chord structures are breathtaking. Even though the song may not have been stimulated by the best of circumstances, it's a gorgeous piece of musical literature.

Come together: John wrote most of this 1969 classic hit, with a little help from Paul. Upon hearing it for the first time, I knew I liked it, but it was difficult to figure out what the words were. To this day, I am still trying. It's also a mini-goal of mine to master that opening whisper/lyric: "Shoooompah," you know, the sound they make just before they start talking about "old flat top."

This mind-altering tune rocked, but in a most unusual way. By this point, I felt like I didn't recognize the Beatles anymore. Their hair was getting longer, their lyrics were getting deeper, and their status in the rock 'n roll world was nearing untouchable. I began to doubt whether they'd still be interested in turning me on.

"Come Together" is the first song on the Abbey Road album, and it was paired up with "Something" on the Beatles' 21^st single, which ultimately resulted in a double-A side win/win release. It held the #1 spot for quite awhile because by this point, just about anything the Beatles released was destined to climb up somebody's chart.

Do you want to know a secret: This song marks a happier Day in the Life of the Beatles. They were spinning out hit after hit, primarily short & sweet love songs, and their energy level was tremendous. It's an invitation to an innocent sort of intimacy, punctuated by oooh aaaah oooohs as the words ask the listener to promise not to tell.

This ballad appeared on the Beatles' 1963 album "Please Please Me." It was a Lennon/McCartney collaborative effort that George sang.

Ironically, one can only wonder if the real secret might have been that one day, George would be forced to defend himself in a court of law for styling "My Sweet Lord" so closely after "He's So Fine" by the Chiffons.

Eleanor Rigby: This didn't start out as one of my favorite Beatle tunes. I really didn't pay much attention to it until a few years ago. I actually focused on the song's meaning, and almost started to cry because it's so very sad. "Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in a church where a wedding has been, lives in a dream." Sniffle sniffle. It describes the pathetic existence of an isolated, lonely soul, a story which is punctuated by the chorus "Ah, look at all the lonely people."

This song, which was primarily penned by Paul, was released in 1966 on "Revolver." It owns two 1^st place slots in the filing cabinet known as my brain:

1. Best instrumental usage: The strings in this song are completely amazing. Without that classical touch, it would lack the depth of sadness that it emanates.
2. Winner in category of how two fictional characters' lives intertwine dramatically, Eleanor's and Father Mackenzie's.

Lonely people, lonely hearts clubs. It almost seemed that the more successful the Beatles became, the more "lonely" popped up in Beatles' lyrics. Odd for a band who crashed into the music scene with a batch of happy little love ditties.

Glass onion: I love this song because its title and hook contain a completely bizarre pair of words. Musically, it extends a creative "recap" of the band's lyrical and conceptual escapades thus far.

John throws off at least a half-dozen references to other Beatles' tunes, as if to update us on what has happened since those songs were released.

Some of the lyrics are just plain life-dissonant: "Looking through the bent back tulips to see how the other half lives, looking through a glass onion." Either there was some really good acid making the rounds, or Lennon possessed one of the most profound perspectives ever.

"Glass Onion" was the first track on the Beatles' renowned "White Album." In an ensuing interview, John did allude to the fact that he referred to other Beatles' tunes in "Glass Onion" because he found who Paul-is-dead hoax to be rather comical.

Happiness Is a Warm Gun: This feisty musical adventure offers what I perceive to be the Beatles' most juvenile lyrics: "Bang bang shoot shoot." These deep words are backups that are heard after "Happiness is a warm gun."

Then there's that sisterly reference that makes absolutely no sense: "Mother Superior jumped the gun," which is repeated melodically. This armed piece was mostly written by John, but credit was given to Lennon/McCartney. Word is that this may have been Paul's favorite cut from the "White Album," possibly because he's such a "hot shot."

Here Comes the Sun is a refreshing change of Beatle pace. It was authored and sung by George Harrison on The Beatles' Abbey Road album from 1969. The harmonies are broad and soothing, and this tune seemed to fit nicely with the Beatles' journey from simple songs to complex musical collections. It possesses an overture-esque overtone, multiple layers of harmony, and a rhythm that is driving, but not harsh.

Overall, its superb mixture of aaahs, instruments and chord structures have been known to evoke waves of relief that wash stress away. Try it sometime. Also, the song features a drib of Spanish and a drab of romantic sounding Italian lyrics that don't make much sense. Another clue perhaps?

Sadly, though, this number missed out on an historic opportunity. It was thought that "Here Comes The Sun" would add a nice touch to a collection depicting our human civilization for future beings to enjoy. There were legal complications, and the song was not included.

Personally, one can only wonder why a brand new song wasn't written to commemorate our chapter of existence: "There Goes The Earth."

Hey Bulldog: The honky-tonk piano gone awry that opens this song is a real attention grabber, because the piano was not a key instrument in most Beatles' hits. I fell for this song for one reason and one reason only: I really like the way the Beatles bark at the end.

This canine-oriented rocker debuted on the Yellow Submarine soundtrack album in 1969. It was chalked up to the Lennon/McCartney duo, and was originally slated to be "Hey Bullfrog." With a handful of barks thrown in for good luck, the song was transformed into "Hey Bulldog." Those who worked closely with the fab four during this period assert that this was one of the last tunes the Beatles' recorded before things started to turn sour between bandmates.

That makes sense because I always thought they sounded happy. Whenever I listen to this song, I wait for my favorite part, the barking. They sound like a group of playful terriers. It's a real howl.

Hey Jude: This mega classic is to be admired for its straightforwardness. It offers a sort of complicated simplicity, an element unique to the Beatles' music since day one. It sounds easy, and it's pleasant to the ear. But behind those attributes lie a complex array of musical symmetry.

Legend is that the song was originally called "Hey Jules," and that Paul wrote the comforting words to bolster John Lennon's son, Julian, when his mom and did were in the throes of a breakup.

Most commercial radio hits at this time ran four minutes or less, but this saga of a song ran over seven minutes, with was a four-minute sing-fest conclusion: Na na na nananan-a nananan-a hey Jude. Next time I'm bored maybe I'll count how many times that musical phrase is repeated. Or not.

If I Fell: Here's one of those catchy little happy songs that enamored women to the point that they went mad, screaming, and clutching at themselves. The Beatles hit the shores of the US running. What they were running with was a handful of very simple, basic love songs, which is what their deepest musical roots grew upon during that phase of their spectacular career.

This song showed up on the album, A Hard Day's Night in 1964, a collection of tunes that conveyed remarkable energy and raw talent. The flowing harmonies throughout the duet are laced with complex chords which allow for the song's melodic appeal.

To add to the Beatles' mystique, John and Paul enjoyed singing the dual harmonies into the same mic, a technique which was rarely seen so early on in the development of rock 'n roll.

I'm So Tired: Here's a lament that still works in everyday life. I still sing it on a regular basis, and it makes me feel slightly better. It's easy to sing solo because there's not a whole lot of instrumental activity.

John Lennon was the key contributor, although it is listed Lennon/McCartney on the album The Beatles aka The White Album. It' extremely laid back, and rather relaxing. My favorite part, which took me years to figure out, is where John curses "Sir Walter Raleigh, he's such a stupid git." He's angry at cigarettes and is calling SWR a bastard of sorts.

Rumor is that John was in India with a whole lot of meditatin' goin' on, and he was yearning for his bride-to-be, Yoko Ono, when he wrote about the depth of his fatigue. The result is a comforting little tune that still hits home 40 years after its origin.

Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds: The structure of this song is one of my favorites because it starts out all psycho-delically laid out, with a waltz-y rhythy. Then Ringo offers four heavy whacks and the rock kicks into 4/4 time, where rock 'n roll belongs. The lyrics are verbally colorful and present great visualizations. It was written by John and Paul for "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," the group's notoriously distinctive 1967 collection.

According to wikipedia.com, "Inspiration for the song came from a drawing by John Lennon's son, Julian, which Julian called "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"."

But wait, there's more. Wikipedia contines, "The song also sparked controversy when released, including being banned by the BBC because of the supposed reference to the drug LSD, with the letters of the title spelling Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

So that leaves us to wonder this all-important question: What it for the kid or the buzz?

Norwegian Wood: This is such a beautifully harmonized ballad with an acoustical grab that blends beautifully with the vocals.

I always appreciated this song because it confronts the previously "shocking" notion of a man and a woman sleeping in the same home, something my grandma wouldn't let me do even after I was married. ". . .I crawled off to sleep in the bath." Sounds innocent, but grandma would have a lot of crowing to do if anyone every pulled that sort of illicit activity while she was around.

Speaking of our feathery friends, the alternate title of "Norwegian Wood" was "This Bird Has Flown." This delightful song first showed up on the Beatles' 1965 Rubber Soulalbum, where we first start noticing that songs such as "She Loves You" and "I Saw Her Standing There" were evolving into more realistic romantic scenarios that didn't always have a happy ending.

Oh Darlin': This song wins the award for most creative use for the traditional 3-chord combo that most of rock and roll is built upon. The moving bass runs up and down the fret, and the jagged guitar accents are brought to the surface with Ringo's rock-steady rhythm.

Foundation music tracks were laid down, then Paul struggled for the perfect delivery with his singing style. Eventually the song was put to "bed," and it turned into one of this bassist's favorite songs of all time to play. Paul wrote the song and shared credit with John, and it was featured on "Abbey Road."

The funny part of this song is that Paul was never quite pleased with his vocal performance. It's clear and clean, but he wanted gravelly and raunchy. Good luck with that.

Rocky Raccoon: When my children were little, they liked this "White Album" song. It sounds child-friendly enough on the surface, but it darkens noticeably as the story progresses. This was truly one of the Beatles' more interesting ballads. It tells a story that seems normal, but is ultimately nonsensical, and it deteriorates into a pretty grim yet optimistic ending.

The song was written by John and Paul, and the latter sings the tale of a guy named Rocky who attempts to gun down the man who lured away his girlfriend. Rocky, however, ends up wounded instead of the wife-thief. "Now the doctor came in, stinking of gin, and proceeded to lie on the table." To this day, I can't figure out why the doctor would lie on the table. Maybe he was too trashed to operate on poor old Rocky.

How curious that Rocky even knew who his girlfriend really was, her "name was Magill, and she called herself Lil, but everyone knew her as Nancy." This British "Beatlebilly" classic culminates with some nice scat-like vocal work from Paul.

She Loves You was a ground-breaking encroachment that spearheaded the British invasion. The overzealous vocals, the raw yet potent harmonies, and superior guitar work gave the "Twisters" and "Limbo Rock" participants a run for their rock 'n roll money in 1963.

John and Paul collaborated, and the result was a fast-paced rocker that snagged a spot on the American music charts, where it stuck like a magnet. It wound up one of five Beatles tunes that were on U.S. charts simultaneously, a musical feat which has yet to be duplicated.

From a personal perspective, I always liked the fact that the main riff's notes are descending right after "and you know that can't be bad." Such a brief descent helped trigger such a massive ascent.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps: Hands down, this hard-wound rocker earns my Award for most Dramatic Lyrics.Chances are it was inspired by deep-seeded conflicting emotions that were whittling away at the band's cohesiveness. That fact makes it even more melancholy. "I look at you all, see the love there that's sleeping, while my guitar gently weeps."

Eric Clapton sat in on this recording, but there is some disagreement over whether or not his complete guitar track made the final cut onto the infamous "White Album." George Harrison wrote and sang this

To perpetuate the legend of Paul's death, one of the well-known clues from that bogus case were buried into "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." As the song nears its end, Harrison allegedly calls out, "Paul, oh Paul," which sounds suspiciously like he's lamenting his band mate's demise.

Why don't we do it in the road? In this lesser-known Beatles tune, the repetition is preposterous, but the idea is somewhat tantalizing, n'est-ce pas?

Here is the complete set of lyrics: "Why don't we do it in the road? - No one will be watching us, why don't we do it in the road?" How profound. This "White Album" gem was penned by John and Paul, and was allegedly spawned after Paul witnessed two monkeys performing fornication in the road.

Yellow Submarine showed up on the movie horizon in 1968 feature film featured a whole lot of imagination, some great Beatles tunes, and a glimpse into what life might look like through an acid-laced haze.. This animated

My eldest daughter gave me this move for Christmas because she knows how much I love the Beatles. The result was shock and horror when I figured out that the people talking as animated Beatles were not really Beatles at all. Luckily, the musical track was true-blue, which helped ease my trepidation at listening to Beatle wannabes.

Back to the song. I usually cringe at Ringo's lack of intonation, but he managed to deliver "Yellow Submarine" nicely. The core of the song is juvenile and jolly, which allowed him some vocal wiggle room.

And anyone who ever watched "Yellow Submarine" knows full well that somebody was passing out some really good drugs to induce that hallucinogenic cartoon classic. Besides, Ringo already admitted this to an extent when he sang, "I get high with a little help from my friends."

Beatles music can be purchased in most music stores, internet music sites, ebay and specialty shops.

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Active links in this story are courtesy of Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org