Which of the four Beatles do think had the best solo work? For me the choice in easy...John. Paul has some good solo stuff, but overall his career has been really uneven. I think that George got off to a great start, but I think his solo work was only good until about the mid-70's. I've never liked any of Ringo's solo songs.

John...hands down. What a fascinating life he had! What a talented musician. It's so sad he didn't have a happy ending. :rip: I like McCartney/Wings, too, but that music didn't seem nearly as personal as John's.

1. John
2. George
3. Ringo
4. Paul

I didn't care much for P.M. & Wings.

1. John
2. George
3. Ringo
4. Paul

I didn't care much for P.M. & Wings.

Really? I think that Paul's Wings music from the 1970's was by far his best solo work. I thought his 1980's music was he worst. I hated that album he did with Elvis Costelllo.

Paul McCartney
George Harrison
John Lennon
Ringo Starr

John was the best with the Beatles ( He was the one who wrote the best songs and had the best voice...nice the way Paul is trying to take all the credit, now that John's dead ), and he was the best one without them....Imagine, Starting over, Beautiful Boy, Give Peace A Chance, Happy Xmas.....all classics that were as good as anything he did in the Beatles days, John was and always be the leader and soul of the Beatles!

Yay!!!!! John is listed FIRST! My man John Lennon Rulez!!!!!!! Though his murder was and always will be a shocking moment, he lives on in my heart with his music. Yoko Ono was a lucky woman to have such a loving man. LONG LIVE JOHN LENNON!!!!!:notworthy :guitar: :rock:

Ringo, It Don't Come Easy is by far my favorite song from any solo Beatle.
Paul
John
George

Really? I think that Paul's Wings music from the 1970's was by far his best solo work. I thought his 1980's music was he worst. I hated that album he did with Elvis Costelllo.


I just never cared for P. M. and Wings. I can't explain it; they just didn't appeal to me. I guess I'm in the minority on this one. ;)

Really? I think that Paul's Wings music from the 1970's was by far his best solo work. I thought his 1980's music was he worst. I hated that album he did with Elvis Costelllo.
I'm with you on that one. Paul's solo work of the 70's brings back memories, especially of summer.

I just never cared for P. M. and Wings. I can't explain it; they just didn't appeal to me. I guess I'm in the minority on this one. ;)
i thought Wings were pure shlock....just like Pauls Beatles stuff: Michelle, Baby you can drive my car and Norweigan wood, for examples :barf:

in order i liked:
John
Ringo
George
Paul< big shock, huh? :lol:

JOHN of course! then george! then ringo.
Paul is a tit!

i thought Wings were pure shlock....just like Pauls Beatles stuff: Michelle, Baby you can drive my car and Norweigan wood, for examples :barf:

"Norweigan Wood" is a John song. One of his best, I think. :)

Wasn't Yesterday a Paul song? Getting back to John - my personal favorite of his solo songs is Woman. I hope someday that the man of my dreams will sing it to me (if he can carry at tune, that is. If not, then play the recording for me over a candlelight dinner). My other favorites include Starting Over, Whatever Gets You Thru the Night, Beautiful Boy, I'm Losing You, and Beautiful Boy. His cover of Ben E. King's Stand By Me was awesome! John was a musical genius and is missed to this day by millions. :rip:

"Norweigan Wood" is a John song. One of his best, I think. :)
Then why is Paul the lead singer??? :confused: ( At least it sounded like Paul to me....hate that song )

George Harrison has unique distinction of being the first & last solo Beatle to hit #1 on the Billboard singles charts. The first was in 1970 with My Sweet Lord and the last in 1987 with I Got My Mind Set On You.

George Harrison has unique distinction of being the first & last solo Beatle to hit #1 on the Billboard singles charts. The first was in 1970 with My Sweet Lord and the last in 1987 with I Got My Mind Set On You.
That's true, and I believe John was the last of the four to reach #1 solo, believe it or not. He only lived to see Whatever Gets You Thru the Night become #1. Starting Over only hit #1 after his passing.

Then why is Paul the lead singer??? :confused: ( At least it sounded like Paul to me....hate that song )

Nope, John is infact the lead singer of that song.

weird....oh well, i still like Paul the least of all the Beatles and John the most!

I voted for John, but I also like Paul.
*goes off singing Imagine now that it's stuck in my head*

My favorite Solo Beatle is Paul. I must be one of the minorities here because I like most of his stuff with wings. I think Paul is a very talented musician. He had a show on PBS not long ago that he did Live from the Abby Road Studios going thorough a bunch of his songs from Beatles to present showing how each instrument was used during these song and how they all come together in each song it was really good in my opinion. The only song I don't like that Paul did was Uncle Albert that song is so boring but otherwise he is my favorite then George, Ringo and John. I know a bunch of you are big John Lennon fans but I just couldn’t get into him once he started protesting and stuff I thought that was a bit weird but that was way before my time and I’m not a huge Yoko Ono fan either. I do like John's song Women that is a very good song.

Paul McCartney. I think he had the best solo career of the four and the most successful too. He is still making music.

Honestly, the more I think about it, John's career is quite uneven.

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band and Imagine are both great albums, but Sometime In New York City is a turd, Mind Games and Rock And Roll are mediocre at best, Walls And Bridges is pretty good, and John's songs on Double Fantasy are wonderful.

I think George had the best solo catalog overall. Out of eleven albums, only two stinkers, in my opinion (Dark Horse and Extra Texture).

Paul's been pretty consistent, too. He hit a slump in the '80s, but since 1989's Flowers In The Dirt, has been releasing solid albums.

nice the way Paul is trying to take all the credit, now that John's dead

Paul just wanted to flip the songwriting credits from "Lennon/McCartney" to "McCartney/Lennon" for the songs of which he was the sole or majority writer. He wasn't trying to take credit for John's work.

The credits actually did read "McCartney/Lennon" on the Beatles first album, as well as their first few singles and EPs.

Then why is Paul the lead singer??? :confused: ( At least it sounded like Paul to me....hate that song )

Paul provides harmony vocals during certain parts of the song ("she asked me to stay and she told me to sit anywhere;" etc.), but John sings lead.

To be fair, all of the members of the Beatles had some success as solo artists
and produced some memorable songs, including (but not limited to): John's
"Imagine," "Happy Xmas" (War Is Over"), "Woman," and "Grow Old with Me" (also covered by Mary Chapin Carpenter); Paul's "My Love," "Silly Love Songs,"
"Ebony and Ivory (duet with Stevie Wonder) ," and "Mull of Kintyre"; George's "My Sweet Lord," "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace on Earth)," "What Is Life and "Got My Mind Set on You";
and Ringo's "It Don't Come Easy," "You're Sixteen," "Photograph" (co-
written by George) and "Act Naturally" (duet with Buck Owens).

Paul, for me. I don't know if it's true or not, but it seems to me that he had the most successful mainstream songs and career.

Paul, for me. I don't know if it's true or not, but it seems to me that he had the most successful mainstream songs and career.

Yeah, he's definitely the most successful solo Beatle.

Yeah, he's definitely the most successful solo Beatle.
perhaps in quantity, but, John had him beat in quality

perhaps in quantity, but, John had him beat in quality
:yeahthat I agree 100%. John's music was very deep, thoughtful and personal. Paul's music was much more mainstream and "fluffy". Not that Paul's solo/Wings work isn't also good. But comparing the solo work of John and Paul is like comparing apples and oranges - they're completely different.

:yeahthat I agree 100%. John's music was very deep, thoughtful and personal. Paul's music was much more mainstream and "fluffy". Not that Paul's solo/Wings work isn't also good. But comparing the solo work of John and Paul is like comparing apples and oranges - they're completely different.

Well put, Monika.

Well put, Monika.
Why, thank you, Mike. ;)

Definitely John for me...Paul's a close second, but overall I just like John's solo work better :)

Walls and Bridges is my favorite, followed by John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band.

perhaps in quantity, but, John had him beat in quality

I'm referring to commercial success. That's why I used the word "definitely."

:yeahthat I agree 100%. John's music was very deep, thoughtful and personal. Paul's music was much more mainstream and "fluffy".
Give the Mind Games album another listen. There's so much fluff in it that you can use it in lieu of a pillow.

And Paul has written many personal songs, especially in the last twenty-five years.

I'm referring to commercial success. That's why I used the word "definitely."


Give the Mind Games album another listen. There's so much fluff in it that you can use it in lieu of a pillow.

And Paul has written many personal songs, especially in the last twenty-five years.
I never said Paul didn't do any personal music. I'm mainly talking about his output in the 1970s and early 1980s. Of course he wrote gorgeous songs for his wife Linda such as "My Love". John didn't have a perfect track record either. As I said earlier, both were outstanding musicians and songwriters in their own right.

I love them both and probably prefer John to Paul. I'm just saying that a lot of people put on the "John is dead" rose-tinted blinders when they look at his catalog (I was one of them).

Give the Mind Games album another listen. There's so much fluff in it that you can use it in lieu of a pillow.

And Paul has written many personal songs, especially in the last twenty-five years.


I can't disagree with you on Mind Games, Brad. That was certainly not one of John's better albums. The title track though is one of my favorites and the album artwork is really cool too. Still, it is a pretty weak album. You also mentioned Sometime In New York City as being pretty poor, and I agree with you there too.

The reason I think that John had the best solo career of the four Beatles is because when he was at his best (Plastic Ono Band, Imagine, Double Fantasy) none of the others could touch him. And like Monica said, John's music tended to be deeper than Paul's. Sure, Paul has written some pretty personal music too, but generally his musical output consists of commercial pop songs.

^ John was sadly cut off at his prime - both in life and in music. Had he lived and continued in show business, maybe his music wouldn't be either powerful or popular. Who knows? Plus, with Double Fantasy, John's songs were much more commercial and radio-oriented as opposed to album-oriented.

I like this discussion - it's fun to throw around these ideas and opinions! Keep them coming, guys!

The reason I think that John had the best solo career of the four Beatles is because when he was at his best (Plastic Ono Band, Imagine, Double Fantasy) none of the others could touch him. And like Monica said, John's music tended to be deeper than Paul's. Sure, Paul has written some pretty personal music too, but generally his musical output consists of commercial pop songs.
EXACTLY!!! :clap :clap :clap As i said, quality over quantity!

I like Ringo personally as he seems
The friendlier of the four
He had silly but likable songs
Paul I like as he wrote maily love songs
But heard he had an big ego which caused friction
Between him, George, & John
George due to being serious as well as writing
The occasional love song
John because of his serious songs that put
Politics as well as meaning to his craft
Someone on this board was right as he was
Cut down in his prime! So sad and how tragic a death.

I always loved Paul McCartney's music.

Paul McCartney! hands down. I like John's music, but I really disagree with something he was quoted saying before his death. I'm not going to bring it up for fear of being beaten to a pulp, but something like that really makes you think, especially since he was killed not too long after he said it. Scary. Anyway, I love Wings and all of Paul's solo stuff. I'm a sucker for his voice. :)

Paul McCartney.

I picked John but Paul is a very close 2nd!!!

John Lennon

Wow. Tied between George and Paul.

Ya mean Paul and John but not now,1 got a vote!!

Ya mean Paul and John but not now,1 got a vote!!

No. I mean personally me. I can't decide if I like George or Paul better? They both are my favorite of the Beatles.

Ahhhhhhhhh ok :)