The Beatles were a not unknown British pop music group who recorded from 1962 to 1970. The
Beatles recorded so many great songs, just picking the ten best is a difficult assignment. The Beatles
recorded about 214 songs There are so many choices that the list could change from one day to the next.
So here, at least for this day, is a list of their top ten songs, with brief descriptions of each.
10) She Loves You. One of the early Beatles’ hits from 1963/4. Americans came late to Beatlemania.
The group had recorded their first single in late 1962, and had already released two albums the
year after, before they became a sensation in the U.S. in early 1964. The song was a hit in the UK
in 1963, and in the US in 1964, being one of the five that held the top five positions on the charts,
the only time that has happened. It is a fast, infectious tune with a driving beat and the famous
‘Yeah, yeah, yeah’ chorus. A prime example of the early Beatle hits and still one of their best
early songs.
9) Help! Help! was the Beatles’ second movie, and the first in color. The title song was released
in the summer of 1965, and became a #1 hit in both the UK and the US. It was one of the first
Beatles song not strictly about love. Written for the most part by John Lennon, it is his response to all the
madness that was happening in the first blush of Beatlemania. It was time to slow things down
before they went off the track. The song itself is another fast-paced rocker with sing-along chorus.
The Beatles score again.
8) And Your Bird Can Sing. This song was not released as a single. It appears on the Beatles’ 1966
album Revolver. It is propolsive from start to finsih with a driving guitar part. There is disagreement
about what the lyrics mean, with a number of varied interpretations. Whatever they do mean, the song
keeps things energetic for all of its short two mintue running time.
7) Yellow Surmarine . This song also appears on the 1966 album Revolver and was released as
a single in 1966. It was written by Lennon/McCartney, but sung by Ringo. Ringo was usually given at
least one song to sing on each Beatles’ album. Yellow Submarine is a charming children’s song with lots of
strange voices and aural special effects from the studio to replicate the sounds of the submarine. It is a great sing-along song with an upbeat, hard to resist chorus. The song went to #1 in the British charts, but only
made it to #2 in the US. It reminds one of the most lovable of Beatles’ songs.
6) Hello Goodbye. Hello /Goodbye, Yes/ No, Stop/ Go. This song is built around a fairly simple lyric of
contradictions. Nothing very profound, but like so many Beatles’ songs, it has a irrestible melody and
a hypnotic chorus, with a propolsive beat driving the song along. It was released as a single in late
1967 and hit #1 in both Britain and the US. It also appeared on the longer American version of the
1967 album Magical Mystery Tour.
5) With a Little Help from My Friends. Ringo is back for his second song. A whimsical little number written
by Lennon/McCartney specifically to fill Ringo’s one song per album quota. It is from the 1967 Beatles’
album Sgt .Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. It’s another great sing-along with clever lyrics to boot, and
just about anyone can sing along with Ringo. The song was widely covered by other artists, perhaps
the most famous cover version being that by Joe Cocker. Another Beatles’ winner.
4) Hey Jude. Hey Jude was released in the summer 1968, and became the most popular of the Beatles’
U.S .singles, remaining at #1 on the U.S. charts for nine straight weeks, longer than any other U.S. single by the group. It was also the longest Beatles’ single, running over seven minutes, at a time when most pop hits lasted around 3 1/2 minutes. The song was written by Paul McCartney to pick up the spirits of John Lennon’s son,
Julian. The title was changed from Hey Jules to Hey Jude. The song starts with a mellow piano part and
McCartney’s solo voice. Other instruments come in as the verses progress. Halfway through the song
changes into a long fade-out with repeated calls of Hey Jude.
3) Savoy Truffle. Savoy Trufle is a song written and sung by George Harrison, and appears on the album
officially called The Beatles, but better know as The White Album, released in late 1968. With two great
songwriters like McCartney and Lennon in the band, George Harrison sometimes found it difficult
to get his songs on albums. He usually had about two per record. Since The White Album was a double,
he got four. Savoy Truffle is a swinging little rock song. The lyrics aren’t very deep, but the sound is
good, with a nice saxophone break and a good beat.
2) Sexy Sadie. Another song from The White Album, written by John Lennon. In early 1968, the Beatles had
traveled to India to take meditation lessons from the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Lennon became disillusioned with the Maharishi, and decided to express his disappointment in the song Sexy Sadie. In a cross between a ballad
and a straight ahead rock song, Lennon takes the Maharishi, and in analogy all type of gurus, to task for
thier egotism and controlling ideas. Lennon’s vocals shine on this song, delivering a very convincing, and
melodic, putdown of guruism.
1) Across the Universe. Across the Universe has a somewhat convoluted history. It was first recorded in
early 1968 for possible release as a single. This idea didn’t pan out. In late 1969 in appeared on an
album to aide the Britsih environmental group World Wildlife Fund. In early 1969 the Beatles went into
the studio to record a get back to their roots album. Things didn’t quite work out as planned and the material
was kept in storage, as the Beatles later went into the studio in mid 1969 to record the songs that would
appear on the Abbey Road album, which was released later in 1969. The Beatles went back to the roots
material to try to salvage an album out of the sessions. This album, after numerous changes in producers,
was finally released in May 1970 as Let It Be, which turned out to be the last Beatles studio album to
be released. As there was a need for extra songs to round out the short album, Across the Universe, in a
slightly altered version from that which had appeared in 1969, was included on the album. Lennon thought
it was one of his best songs, and he is right. A moving ballad with lovely and deep felt lyrics about the intertwining of life and each individual’s place within the cosmos with a lovely vocal by Lennon, it is, for this time, the top song by the Beatles.
