Who’s the best Beatle? That has been the debate among music fans for nearly the past 50 years. At the forefront of this question are two musical giants, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Whether you side with John’s undeniably beautiful lyrics or Paul’s mesmerizing melodies, an argument could be made for either Beatle to be the best.
I’m here to tell you that neither are my favorite.
Yes, there is no denying that those two clearly had the most success of the four band members, and were clearly the most talented. However, the one Beatle who was often under-appreciated by his band members during their historic time together is my favorite. Often dubbed as “The Quiet One," my favorite Beatle is George Harrison, and here’s why.
Most of The Beatles song catalog is dominated my Lennon/McCartney tracks, and for good reason. There will probably never be another songwriting team that is capable of creating art with such breathtaking lyrics and catchy melodies. However, because of this, Harrison was overshadowed. It wasn’t until the band’s fifth album, Help!, when George Harrison had his first own original song “I Need You."
From then on, the general pattern of attack from the band resulted in mostly Lennon/McCartney songs with one or two tracks from both George Harrison and Ringo Starr. While Harrison had limited opportunities, he definitely made the most of them. A good amount George’s songs he wrote for the band are considered to be some of the best The Beatles have ever recorded. Tracks like “Something," “While My Guitar Gently Weeps," “If I Needed Someone," etc. showcase George’s beautiful soul in the form of pure art. George didn’t speak very often as a Beatle, but when he did he had the power to surrender a moment in time and captivate anyone who listened.
After The Beatles broke up in 1970 and the four members started their own solo careers, you could easily hear what each musician had to offer during their time together. John Lennon was able to tell vivid stories through the lyrics of his songs, while Paul McCartney made it seems as though coming up with a famous melody was as easy as breathing. However, when you listened to their solo music, you could easily tell they were no longer making music as The Beatles.
George’s solo career was a little different. Many people don’t realize how great of a guitarist George Harrison was. He was able to play the guitar with ease and bring his rifts to life, and because of this George was very much responsible for the overall sound of The Beatles. Harrison’s first solo album, All Things Must Pass, clearly sounds the most like The Beatles music of any of the other members solo work and is often regarded as the best solo album of any Beatle. This shows us how instrumental (no pun intended) Harrison was in the overall sound of The Beatles.
George Harrison was probably not the most talented Beatle, nor did he have the most impressive solo career of the four Beatles, but what George was able to showcase throughout his career was love and passion. Each and every one of George Harrison’s famous songs, as a Beatle and a solo artist, ooze raw emotion in the most beautiful way possible. Without a doubt, George Harrison’s work and himself were, sincere, sensitive, and genuine, which is why he will always be my favorite Beatle.
