Entertainment Weekly Tries To

[futureman]

Well, seeing as Rockband and all the remasters are on their way in a few days, EW took it upon themselves to countdown the "top 50" Beatles songs of all time and the "worst 5". here's part of the article

 

And here are their selections

 

50 "All You Need Is Love"

49 "I'm So Tired"

48 "Here Comes The Sun"

47 "Helter Skelter"

46 "Ticket To Ride"

45 "Lovely Rita"

44 "Come Together"

43 "I Want To Hold Your Hand"

42 "I'm Down"

41 "Day Tripper"

40 "With a Little Help From My Friends"

39 "Taxman"

38 "You Won't See Me"

37 "She Said She Said"

36 "Dear Prudence"

35 "Nowhere Man"

34 "I've Got a Feeling"

33 "I Should Have Known Better"

32 "I Am The Walrus"

31 "All My Loving"

30 "I Want You (She's So Heavy)"

29 "I Saw Her Standing There"

28 "Rain"

27 "Happiness Is A Warm Gun"

26 "Paperback Writer"

25 "I'm A Loser"

24 "I'm Only Sleeping"

23 "We Can Work It Out"

22 "If I Fell"

21 "Revolution" (single version)

20 "Can't Buy Me Love"

19 "Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End"

18 "Blackbird"

17 "You've Got to Hide Your Love"

16 "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"

15 "In My Life"

14 "Hey Jude"

13 "Help"

12 "Penny Lane"

11 "Eleanor Rigby"

10 "Across The Universe"

09 "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"

08 "Tomorrow Never Knows"

07 "Let It Be"

06 "She Loves You"

05 "Something"

04 "Strawberry Fields Forever"

03 "Yesterday"

02 "A Day in the Life"

01 "A Hard Day's Night"

and here are their least favorites

05 "Flying"

04 "Don't Pass Me By"

03 "Dig It"

02 "Wild Honey Pie"

01 "All You Need Is Love"

 

I find this list to be a little uninspired. it seems like little work was done to incorporate some of their personal favorites, and i'm still trying to figure out if they cheated on the #19 selection. Feel free to list some songs you think should be on the list or make your own. i'm just going to list my bottom 5 Beatles songs.

 

5. "All Together Now"

4. "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite"

3. "Act Naturally"

2. "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)"

1. "Mr. Moonlight"

[bleedorange]

I find this list to be a little uninspired. it seems like little work was done to incorporate some of their personal favorites, and i'm still trying to figure out if they cheated on the #19 selection. Feel free to list some songs you think should be on the list or make your own. i'm just going to list my bottom 5 Beatles songs.

 

5. "All Together Now"

4. "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite"

3. "Act Naturally"

2. "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)"

1. "Mr. Moonlight"

 

Is it fair to put covers in here? And Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite deserves to be nowhere near the bottom five.

[Beltmann]

It's a list, made by some people at a magazine addicted to lists. Rather than challenge their readers, or suggest some kind of "official" doctrine, Entertainment Weekly's main goal is merely to reflect conventional taste while sprinkling a few surprises along the way. Like all such lists, this one is interesting primarily for the discussion it provokes.

 

Just for fun, I made a playlist of all 50 songs in the order prescribed by EW--had to join a few mp3s to account for #19--and then added at the end an extra 25 songs that I wouldn't want to overlook. Been listening with the kids all day. Does the order of the songs carry special significance? Of course not... but it's been a treat for our ears, and not a bad way to get the kids talking about the Beatles.

 

Incidentally, I have no frickin' idea what I would name as the Number One best Beatles song. That's a fool's errand, isn't it?

[bleedorange]

Incidentally, I have no frickin' idea what I would name as the Number One best Beatles song. That's a fool's errand, isn't it?

 

Yes. But my stock answer for this question is always "A Day in the Life."

[Sweet Papa Crimbo]

Yes. But my stock answer for this question is always "A Day in the Life."

 

For me, late summer and early fall 1968 will always be HEY JUDE and REVOLUTION.

[mountain bed]

Yes. But my stock answer for this question is always "A Day in the Life."

Me too.

 

I try to separate the "b/w Beatles" from the "techincolor Beatles". It's almost like two different bands. The best of both worlds collide with Rubber Soul imo.

[Guest Alan]

Something seems to always be my number 1.

[PopTodd]

I voted "Yes".

Not because I think that "Hard Day's Night" is the best Beatles song, but because I think that it can certainly be considered the best song by somebody, without embarrassment.

 

For the record my favorite Beatles song is either:

"I'm Only Sleeping"

"Happiness Is a Warm Gun"

"Hey Bulldog"

"Elanor Rigby"

or one of about 50 others.

[Sir Stewart]

To me, they may have peaked with I Want To Hold Your Hand. Or Dear Prudence.

[jff]

Idiots, Flying RULES!

 

I wonder what was their rationale for naming "A Hard Day's Night" #1. They were probably taking the impact of the film into consideration more than the actual song.

 

Agree or disagree with the list, but they get bonus points for the subtle "Paul is Dead" cover photo.

[Gobias Industries]

"Hey Jude" is the best song. Ever. But I'm not gonna vote, because I couldn't do that to the Beatles, man.

[cryptique]

I can't pick just one favorite Beatles song, but I love the "naked" version of "Across The Universe" so much that it might be my favorite.

 

Other contenders are "I'm Only Sleeping" and "Rain."

[people are leaving]

04 "Strawberry Fields Forever"

[Winston Legthigh]

Ticket to Ride is my favorite right now.

 

Mr. Moonlight is a terrible choice for worst - it features one of Lennon's best vocals, and the mellowest organ solo ever.

 

And - a Buck Owens cover should never make the worst list of anything.

[Sir Stewart]

Ticket to Ride is my favorite right now.

 

Mr. Moonlight is a terrible choice for worst - it features one of Lennon's best vocals, and the mellowest organ solo ever.

 

And - a Buck Owens cover should never make the worst list of anything.

 

Yes and yes and yes

[Sir Stewart]

Over the weekend I went to the Lennon in NYC exhibit at the R&R Hall of Fame annex in Manhattan. Well done - my favorite bits: a press kit for Walls & Bridges that included a presskit interview of Ringo's (for his previous album) with Lennon writing over Ringo's answers, a projection of super 8 footage of Lennon the pied piper being followed around Central Park in (I'm guessing) 1979 - plus him going into Tiffany's and coming out with a hot dog. Comedian Lennon. Awesome.

[bobbob1313]

"She Loves You" is their best pop songs. "I've Got a Feeling" is probably their best song.

[OOO]

I don't think I can comprehend naming a best Beatles song. It doesn't make sense to me.

[futureman]

Ticket to Ride is my favorite right now.

 

Mr. Moonlight is a terrible choice for worst - it features one of Lennon's best vocals, and the mellowest organ solo ever.

 

And - a Buck Owens cover should never make the worst list of anything.

 

Mr. Moonlight for me is just another lounge song (i do like the organ part though)

 

and the only reason act naturally is on the list is because ringo butchers it (dammit ringo)

 

these songs aren't particularly bad covers by any means, just not good.

[The High Heat]

I don't think I can comprehend naming a best Beatles song. It doesn't make sense to me.

 

I have found it impossible to even burn a cd of Beatles favorites, let alone narrow it down to one.

 

"In My Life" has special meaning for me, though, as I've lost a few people close to me in the last few years. It's always in my Beatles mix. When I go, I want it played at my funeral.

[cryptique]

I can't pick just one favorite Beatles song, but I love the "naked" version of "Across The Universe" so much that it might be my favorite.

 

Other contenders are "I'm Only Sleeping" and "Rain."

I forgot to include "Don't Let Me Down" in this post.

 

I guess my favorites tend to be Lennon tunes.

[watch me fall]

Yes. But my stock answer for this question is always "A Day in the Life."

 

Same here. This song was done by our philharmonic orchestra a few years ago and it's one of the best things I've ever seen/heard in my life.

[Moss]

Impossible so I'm going to cheat and say RIGHT NOW it's probably "We can work it out". I just watched the anthology DVD where they are doing that song and by the end Paul is laughing so hard at John's clowing around he can hardly stand up. Dear Prudence has to be up there, Day in the Life, here there, and everywhere. It's impossible.

[jakobnicholas]

Impossible so I'm going to cheat and say RIGHT NOW it's probably "We can work it out". I just watched the anthology DVD where they are doing that song and by the end Paul is laughing so hard at John's clowing around he can hardly stand up. Dear Prudence has to be up there, Day in the Life, here there, and everywhere. It's impossible.

 

 

Those are 3 songs that quickly come to mind for me. Also...Ticket to Ride, Everybody's Got Something To Hide, You Never Give Me Your Money...(yeah, it's impossible).

 

 

 

She's Leaving Home should make the top 50.

[Winston Legthigh]

I Feel Fine should make the top 50 too.