The Beatles Top 10 most popular songs
The Beatles have 213 songs, released between 1962 and 1970 (four of which exist in different versions): 188 originals and 25 covers. Through the amount streams of each song, and number of covers, these are their top 10 most popular songs.
10. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Writer: George Harrison
This song is viewed as George Harrison’s first great Beatles number. Harrison composed the song during a trip to India in 1968, but wrote the lyrics when the Beatles returned to England. Harrison got inspiration from a book at his parent’s house. From the book, he pulled the words “gently” and “weeps” and put them together.
9. I Want to Hold Your Hand
Writer: John Lennon and Paul McCartney
This was the song that exposed Americans to the genius songwriting of Lennon and McCartney. This was the song that truly set off Beatlemania. This was the first phase in the Beatles’ development in worldwide recognition.
8. Yesterday
Writer: Paul McCartney
This is the most covered song in history. That being said, this iconic song from the Beatles was initially called ‘Scrambled Eggs' by McCartney. Interestingly, the song began in a dream Paul McCartney had.
7. In My Life
Writer: John Lennon and Paul McCartney
This is the most personal song of Lennon’s at the time of its release in 1965. It is also one of the few Lennon-McCartney songs in which the two writers disagreed strongly over who wrote which part.
6. Something
Writer: George Harrison
Bandmates Lennon and McCartney both declared their admiration for the song. Lennon called the track unexpected but also recognised the song’s brilliance, he called it ‘the best on Abbey Road.’ McCartney added: “the best song (Harrison has) written.”
‘Something’ has been declared one of the greatest love songs of all time. George Harrison wrote it for his then wife, actress and model, Pattie Boyd.
5. Strawberry Fields Forever
Writer: John Lennon (credited to Lennon-McCartney)
This song is one of the more personal ones for John Lennon, as this song was written about a youth home in Liverpool called Strawberry Field, which was close to where Lennon grew up. John Lennon said: “growing up was scary because there was nobody to relate to.” This song represents Lennon’s haunting childhood visions, and by writing the song, he triumphed over them.
4. A Day in the Life
Writer: John Lennon and Paul McCartney
This song is the ultimate Lennon-McCartney collaboration; however, this masterwork was not recognised as such until the Eighties, following Lennon’s death. The writing is inspired by John Lennon’s own life and it was Paul McCartney’s idea to have classical musicians perform in the middle of the song, and at the end.
3. Hey Jude
Writer: Paul McCartney
The inspiration for ‘Hey Jude’ was the then five-year-old son of John and Cynthia Lennon, Julian. McCartney wrote the song for Julian as a way to portray how Julian was feeling, and as a way to help him through the turmoil of his parent’s marriage and divorce.
However, John Lennon initially believed Paul McCartney had written the song for him and his relationship with Yoko Ono.
2. Let It Be
Writer: Paul McCartney
This is another song written by McCartney that was inspired by a dream. At this time of the Beatles, it was very troubled times, and McCartney’s mother (who passed away when he was 15) came to him in his dream and told him to let it be, inspiring the title and the lyrics of the song. It was released in 1970, and then in the following month, McCartney announced the Beatles had broken up.
1. Come Together
Writer: John Lennon and Paul McCartney
This song is famous for being the last song all four Beatles cut in the studio together. Lennon originally wrote the song as a campaign song for LSD guru Timothy Leary when he ran for governor of California in 1970.
This was during John Lennon’s lengthy LSD era.