18 Comments

I’ve worked in a record store for years, and the Who’s-The-Best-Beatle discussion comes up every so often. Here’s my definitive answer:

Best solo song: John

Best solo album: George

Best solo career: Paul

Best human being: Ringo

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This seems like a pretty fair pov

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This is one of my all-time favorite records. Incredible songwriting and production!

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Let It Roll - personal favourite.

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Isn’t it a Pity is a top ten Beatles Solo song and certainly George’s best.

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Taking a shot here at the top ten

Jealous Guy

#9 Dream

Isn’t it a Pity

Maybe I’m Amazed

Let Me Roll It

Instant Karma

Photograph

My Sweet Lord

I’m Losing You

Getting Closer

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Left so many good ones out. Need to keep going

Imagine

Isolation

Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five

Jenny Wren

Remember

Band on the Run

Mother

Crippled Inside

Oh Yoko

Uncle Albert

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I think it’s difficult to beat Imagine, although I’ve probably listened to it so much that I’m a bit bored of it now. Photograph and Jealous Guy are also up there

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Good point on Imagine. Heard it so often am now tired of it.

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And you have to mention the controversial yet incredible production by Phil Spector! The album has a beautiful, carefully layered “wall of sound” without being overwhelming.

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the only Beatle i care about!

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I like George Harrison. Definitely underrated, especially his song writing skills. Have you ever seen the documentary about him called George Harrison: Living in the Material World? Recommend. It's good.

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Never seen it, read a few books about him but that’s all

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George is a constant wonder. He wasn’t intimidated by Lennon-McCartney, but as the expanded Peter Jackson “Get Back” shows, they did give him the short shrift as a younger member of the group.

ATMP is a wonder. I just wish George would have Sir George Martin or really, anyone else other than Phil Spector produce it. As George lamented later, the songs are a bit muddled into the wall of sound mix.

This is the sound of an artist taking off in full flight. Soaring and majestic. Confident and in control. The collaborators here and the musical connections to The Band, Dylan, Bonnie and Delaney and Clapton and where this would ultimately go (hello Derek & the Dominoes) is simply fascinating.

Absolutely essential. It is and will always be the best musical statement by a former Beatle. Yes, even the jams that fill out the final disc are touchstones to the future.

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Thanks mate, really great to hear your passion for Harrison. I think it really shows George’s individuality, and although you can hear elements of his influence in The Beatles, this album truly shows who he is as a person.

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George lived in a beautiful English village (“Henley-On-Thames”) that my future in-laws lived in as well just down the road from Friar Park (google it). Loved it so much we named our daughter after the town.

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I think I know Henley-on-Thames. I went to uni in Reading and think I walked there along the river during the Covid summer

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Jan 21
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He’s wicked

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