It pairs lyrics inspired by the newspapers and Lennon’s own life with McCartney’s idea to have classical musicians perform what producer George Martin called an “orchestral orgasm.”For more on “A Day in the Life” and the rest of the 100 greatest Beatles songs, pick up Rolling Stone: The Beatles 100 Greatest Songs on sale at barnesandnoble.com now. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
© Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images Harrison composed most of the music during the Beatles’ February-April 1968 trip to Rishikesh, India, but wrote its words after the band returned to England. On one hand, it’s as moving a melody as McCartney has ever written; he ranks it among the very best he’s ever composed, and when you hum it to yourself, it’s hard to disagree.
According to Lennon, this No. “...they were really a law unto themselves in the studio,” he claimed. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article.
A welcome throwback to The Beatles’ R&B roots courtesy of Paul McCartney, “Lady Madonna” is a piano-driven riot recorded right before the band traveled to India to study Transcendental Meditation under the dubious tutelage of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.
Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. It was probably the last time the band connected musically, so this is something to be cherished.A great McCartney track and a fitting farewell from The Beatles (it was released a month after their breakup), the song was absolutely travestied by Phil Spector, who went way overboard with his orchestral rearrangement. The accidental amplifier buzz that kicks off the song was, according to Lennon, the first time feedback had been included on a commercially released single. In terms of performance, it’s definitely Paul’s song (John and George lend backing vocals, while Ringo sits it out entirely), with a major assist from George Martin’s string arrangement. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. © Penny Tweedie/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images They took their cues from Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Carl Perkins, Motown and, of course, Elvis Presley, and gifted us with some of the greatest songs ever recorded. But the rooftop performance of this song is lightning-in-a-bottle magic; the band is in the pocket, and it’s hard to believe they could’ve pulled this performance off without Preston manning the keys. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. “The sun is up, the sky is blue/It’s beautiful, and so are you.” Due to Ringo’s brief absence from the band, the percussion is mostly limited to tambourines and handclaps. The title track of what many consider to be the greatest rock 'n' roll album of all time establishes The Beatles’ alter-egos before deftly segueing into “With a Little Help from My Friends” by Billy Shears aka Ringo.
McCartney has kept the song in his post-Beatles set list, as he should.
© Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images This was Lennon surveying the landscape and saying “I’m with you up to a point, but I need to see more organization.” That William F. Buckley approved of the song’s message gives you a sense of how wide open to interpretation the song was at the time. Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. This is a top-five track from the Fab Four regardless of which era or style you prefer. The lyrics are a little more opaque than the usual love-crazy business the lads dabbled in, but the overall tone, particularly the double-time outro, is relentlessly upbeat.This is a classic “letter song” from McCartney that’s got an infectious girl-group energy, a country-and-western instrumental break and a third-verse harmony (showcasing Paul’s tenor range) that sends it into the stratosphere.
Microsoft may earn an Affiliate Commission if you purchase something through recommended links in this article. We go through a roller coaster of a chord progression before resolving to the song’s G major key, and it’s magic every time you listen to it. It’s one of the greatest novelty songs ever recorded. © Copyright 2020 Rolling Stone, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC.