The Beatles Top 10 - A Personal Selection
A list of the ten greatest Beatles songs, in the humble opinion of one fan.The Beatles have created more wonderful songs during their one-decade career than any other band in the history of pop music. A Beatles top 10, or top 20, 50, 100, is close to a sacrilege, but what true fan can resist it? I surely can't, so here is my list of the greatest Beatles songs.
1. Yesterday. Hugely popular 'Yesterday' is truly a thing of beauty. The ultimate break-up song, its melancholy is catching, and its gentleness and deceiving simplicity speak to our innermost feelings.
2. Strawberry Fields Forever. John Lennon's dreamy masterpiece is one of those songs that seem new each time you hear them and you can't believe how good they are. I know many critics regard 'Strawberry Fields Forever' as the band's best song. Have I written this list on another day, it could have been my number one too.
3. While My Guitar Gently Weeps. My favourite George Harrison track, 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', featured on 'The White Album', should be the official anthem of all guitar players.
4. Helter Skelter. While it's no longer the heaviest song around (a lot of things have happened in music during the last 40 years), I simply cannot listen to 'Helter Skelter' sitting down. Its energy and spirit are enough to propel me through the room. I love the cover post-punk band Siouxsie and the Banshees did in the late 70s, though of course, not as much as the original.
5. Across the Universe. This cosmic ballad is one of the first Beatles songs I've ever heard and the first to touch me. I was only a few years old when 'Across the Universe' first came into my life, but it stayed with me ever since. That's why it holds a special place in my heart and a high position on this list.
6. A Day in the Life. The closing track on 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band', 'A Day in the Life' was number one on the Rolling Stone's 2010 list of the 100 greatest Beatles songs. While it's not my top Beatles track, I can definitely see its appeal. A day in our lives, with its routine and tragedy, is just like this song describes it. I just wish it had the same melodic beauty as this masterpiece.
7. We Can Work It Out. A potential relationship-saver, 'We Can Work It Out' has an infectious tune and wise lyrics. The 'Life is very short…' part is brilliant in more ways than one.
8. I Want You (She's So Heavy). One of the coolest Beatles songs, 'I Want You' has few lyrics, despite its eight-minute length, but it's nevertheless interesting and exciting. The Beatles didn't need much to create greatness.
9. Eleanor Rigby. Chiefly penned by Paul McCartney, 'Eleanor Rigby' is one the saddest Beatles songs. There's something truly touching about its story of loneliness, told in simple lyrics, with a simple string arrangement. I see it as a requiem of sorts for all the people who have ever died alone.
10. Something. George Harrison's 'Something', released on 1969's 'Abbey Road', is perhaps the most romantic of all Beatles songs. The track is charming in its gentleness and perfect for Valentine's Day.