Jump to content

Your preference as a songwriter; McCartney or Lennon?


Taylorman

Recommended Posts

  • Members

I take McCartney, hands down. His songs just move me like few other musicians' ever have. Great musician, funky bass player, superb melodical sense, cool lyricsist; I love the whole Macca package. I'm not putting down Lennon or anything, I just prefer Paul. Your pick?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 93
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members

Paul is a better songwriter. I heard stories that he'd come into the studio with his songs already arranged in his head. Lennon would come in with at the very most only his part. Ringo, George and Paul usually made up their own parts on John's songs. I remember reading an interview with Mitchell Froom who co-produced a couple tracks on McCartney's Flowers In The Dirt album. He said that Paul was the most natural musician you would ever see. He'd pick up any instrument and then instantaniously came up with a great sounding riff or melodic passage. He also said Paul was one of the easiest bassists to record because he knows how to control his dynamics and consistently has great tone.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

lennon, hands down.

 

he had more soul, and his songs moved me. especially solo.

 

lennon made more with less per se.

 

he's got a rock n roll heart and soul that's truly shown in songs like imagine.

 

 

lennon.

 

oh. and his voice is more appealing to me. mccartney just sounds bland.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Imagine isn't a beatles song, it's off John Lennon's first Solo album.

 

 

Lennon's was the better lyricist, hands down. McCartney could eat lead and crap melody. And he is one hell of an arranger, hence the Abbey Road medley.

 

Overall I prefer Lennon though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Originally posted by jesus, etc.



i can have an opinion, can't i?

 

 

I'm not a troll who thinks everything I say goes. Of course you're entitled to an opinion; it's a discussion forum. But you didn't say 'IMO' or 'I feel'; you categorically stated, 'McCartney just sounds bland.' That I object to.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Oh, and I hate when people say Paul wasn't much of a lyricist. The standard conception is 'Paul wrote great music, John wrote great words.' But Paul did write some great lyrics, just as John wrote some great songs. Also, Imagine wasn't a Beatles song. Anyone got any opinions about their solo work?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Saying Paul only wrote great melodies and John wrote great lyrics is just plain dumb. You could say either about both of them. They both had their moments of clever lyrics and melodies. Put it this way, Paul wrote about 75% of Sgt. Pepper. That should tell you something.

 

I really dig Lennon's music with the Beatles up to Magical Mystery Tour. After that, he seemed too drugged out and lazy to produce much worth listening to. He had a few shining moments, but compared to Rubber Soul and Revolver his work overall didn't hold up to that time period. His solo stuff I couldn't really care less for. On the other had, say what you will about McCartney, but he still produces some good songs. Everyone says his stuff now is crap, but how can you expect him to live up to the Beatles?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Technically this is out of the scope of the question, but Harrison, both before and after the Beatles, right up to 1986 (I Got My Mind Set on You and the Travelling Wilburys). He could acheive the magic balance that Paul and John got with eachother all by himself. His lyrics could be biting satire or beautiful poetry, and his sense of orchestration is beautiful. Even if he did use a ukulele.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

they both wrote some of the best music around, separately and together. so its really hard to decide which one IS THE BEST.

together they were absolutely THE BEST.

for a single preference, i think they are to different to choose one ...

 

but dont forget bout harrison, after the beatles split he proved that, if they let him, he could have contributed much more to the beatles music. he's a good songwriter, too

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I wonder what the end reult would have been if they HAD let Harrison have more of a contribution. One song can completely change an album- imagine 3 MORE Harrison songs on Abbey Road, for instance... Or Lennon-Harrison...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Originally posted by jthsmak


Taxman

 

 

the credits in the booklet say: Harrison

 

and i have an article:

 

TAXMAN (90% Harrison, 10% Lennon)

Lennon: " I threw in a few one-liners to help the song along."

Harrison: " I was pleased to have Paul play that bit on Taxman (1:13, 5 bars, guitarsolo). If you notice, he did like a little indian bit on it for me. With certain things like that, in those days, for me to be alloud to do one song on the album, it was like "Great!". I dont care who plays on it. This is my big chance."

 

so, its harrisons song with help from paul and john, but not much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Originally posted by ClusterOne


Lennon's was the better lyricist, hands down. McCartney could eat lead and crap melody. And he is one hell of an arranger, hence the Abbey Road medley.


Overall I prefer Lennon though!

 

 

I agree with all that. McCartney has a sixth sense for harmony, and he sings so beautifully. Lennon was more confrontational, and his song structures and lyrics reflected that. I definitely prefer Lennon's solo career, even the dead spots such as Menlove Ave are interesting in a way, but others such as Plastic Ono Band, Imagine, and Mind Games have a lot going for them. There's an emotional quality to his music and to his singing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Originally posted by zinzin



the credits in the booklet say: Harrison


and i have an article:


TAXMAN (90% Harrison, 10% Lennon)

Lennon: " I threw in a few one-liners to help the song along."

Harrison: " I was pleased to have Paul play that bit on Taxman (1:13, 5 bars, guitarsolo). If you notice, he did like a little indian bit on it for me. With certain things like that, in those days, for me to be alloud to do one song on the album, it was like "Great!". I dont care who plays on it. This is my big chance."


so, its harrisons song with help from paul and john, but not much.

 

 

I love Taxman, it's a great way to kick off the album. My favorite song on there though, actually, there's two: the John Lennon songs She Said and Tomorrow Never Knows.

 

I was listening to a bootleg of Jimi Hendrix and Jim Morrison (very drunk) playing Tomorrow Never Knows.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

Originally posted by Sherinian gonnabe



I'm not a troll who thinks everything I say goes. Of course you're entitled to an opinion; it's a discussion forum. But you didn't say 'IMO' or 'I feel'; you categorically states 'McCartney just sounds bland.' That I object to.

 

 

"oh. and his voice is more appealing to me. mccartney just sounds bland. (to me)"

 

happy? i thought it was implied in context and that most this thread is opinion anyways. sorry to confuse you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...