Monday, February 05, 2007

Music Monday - The Best Solo Beatle

A question asked many times is who was the best solo Beatle, now as Beatles John Lennon & Paul McCartneys song writing is what people talk about but I reckon George Harrison also played a part writing classics such has "Something" and While my guitar gently weeps".

If you purely judge record sales Paul as been the most successful but you could argue John was a legend until he was sadly assasinated by Mark Chapman in New York in 1980. George despite been the quiet one was the first of this talented trio to have a solo No1 record, he sadly passed away of Cancer in Los Angeles in 2001.

There is so much I could write about these blokes but I think we'll let the music talk so the songs I pick for you to judge are :-

John - Starting Over - This song although released shortly before John's Death made number one in both the US and UK 3 months following that sad day.

Paul - Live and Let Die - Arguably one of the best James Bond movie themes, this 1973 classic made No 7 in the UK and No2 in the US.

George - Any Road - From the Album "Brainwashed this song only reached No37 in the UK chart but I reckon its got a real good beat to it.

What do you reckon ?

12 comments:

Rachel said...

I don't know what you guys think across the pond, but I will tell you John Lennon was admired for his musical talent but basically considered an ass.

Paul always comes across as the gentleman but maybe that's because Linda was an American and so we were all partial to her?!

What about Ringo?!!

I'm not a Beatles fan though so can't really pick a song.

celtic_girl said...

Purely on the basis of the songs you have highlighted my choice is

1. Paul
2. John
3. George

I always had a soft spot for George though.I think his "My Sweet Lord" knocks all of these off.

Mick & Cathy said...

Rachel,
They all took different routes in their solo career but were all talented muscicians.

Ringo wasn't an origional Beatle and didn't write too many songs, thats why I didn't include him. The Origional Drummer was called Pete Best.

Celtic,
Bond Movie themes always seem great songs, just something about them. This is arguably Paul's best song but I think you make the point with George. Most of Johns fans would go for Imagine.

Moby Dick said...

You really should have included Ringo, I got his Greatest Hits before I got any of the other Beatles solo records, and he has some good tunes. I also got to see him in concert a couple of times with his All Starr Bands.

Paul & George are my favorites; George had some great spiritual songs. Paul has a lot of good love songs and many fun songs. I was able to see Paul in concert in 1990, and he was great.

The only time George was ever around in Miami (in recent times), the tickets were astronomically priced (for that era) due to the fact that George never toured, so I was unable to get one. I would have liked to have seen him in concert, and I still regret that I did not get tickets. The money it would have cost to see him is money that I have long ago spent on forgotten things.

John wrote some good songs, but here in America, we got a steady diet of YOKO on TV all the time, and that really spoiled Lennon for me. It is hard to listen to any of his solo songs without imagining YOKO screaching in the background.

Jenny said...

I have to say that I think Paul was the better one given the breadth of his career.

Mick & Cathy said...

Spider,
Most people in the UK love John but hate Yoko for the influence she had on him.

Jenny,
Paul has had a great solo career but we can only dream about what John may have done had he lived longer.

Mick & Cathy said...

NOTE :-
Everyone check out Celtic Girls blog she has posted Georges "My Sweet Lord" and a Ringo song.

TitanThirteen said...

Well Paul's career then went to Wings, and technicaly that wasn't "solo" coz other people have to take some of the credit for Wing's success.
I really like Wings, But John had so many awesome hits on his own!
Dunno, i'm torn.

Meow Meow said...

I personally am a Paul fan. I grew up on the Beatles (dad is a huge fan). I think Jogn could have been MUCH larger had he been given more time to share his talents with us. Although, I am NOT a Yoko fan. I like Julian Lennon. I'll agree with celtic girl and go:

Paul
John and
George

TitanThirteen said...

WRB have you seen that blasted blog address i sent you yet?!?

Mick & Cathy said...

Cactus,
Yeh I checked it out, quite a decent blog.
Was there a particular post ?

TitanThirteen said...

Oh bloddy hell! yes there was! lol
It was a You Tube video clip of Billy Sqwuier. The video clip that ended his career. It was REALLY funny to watch!
Now go and find it and i'll re-start hassling you! lol