Learn and Play Articles

Which Beatle was your favorite?  You may suppose that this question is horribly outdated since the only ones who could really give an informed opinion are those that are baby boomers. The Beatles have not recorded as a group since August twentieth of 1970.  They all had their solo careers and though many fans hoped that they would one day play together again, John Lennon’s untimely death at the hands of a madman in 1980, certainly put an end to that possibility. Yet, over thirty years since they last got together as a group, the question is still asked and honestly it is not just the over forties who are answering it.  The Beatles’ music touches all generations. What you think of the individuals may be reflected in what you think of their musical abilities.

Ringo Starr is said by some to have lucked into the hottest gig in England by nothing more than being in the right place at the right time. Others will tell you that it was George Martin, familiar with the talents of Starr, who was a known nightclub drummer, who recommended this fourth member of the group because he was certain it would benefit the other three. None of them were against this addition to the group and later when they broke up Ringo played on albums reordered for both Lennon and for Harrison. His own solo career continues to this day. He may not be as popular as Lennon or McCartney, but he has a loyal following. He is the only Beatle to not reach the top ten in the United Kingdom during their solo career. Ringo was the one everyone said was the funny one.

George Harrison was a very talented guitar player. He played lead guitar during his career with the Beatles. Although most fans did not seem to realize it he wrote at least one song or sang lead one song on each Beatle album. After the break-up of the group Harrison was the first one whose success as a solo performer brought him not only a number one single but also a number one album.  He played the sitar after his early visits to India and was a fan of the ukulele, which he enjoyed playing.  George was called the quiet Beatle.

Paul McCartney, often referred to as the cute one, may have had the most successful solo career of them all. He was a prolific song writer, though his need to change the Beatles songs from those written by Lennon/McCartney to written by McCartney/Lennon angered a lot of fans and made him look foolish. McCartney is listed as the single most successful composer/musician in modern musical accounts. He sold over one hundred million singles and had sixty gold records. He continues to perform today.  Few are aware that he played drums on a few of the Beatles songs when Starr was unavailable to record. Paul is also a poet and artist having shown his work in galleries in New York and London.

Then there was John Lennon. He was seen as the mouthy one, the one who spoke his mind even when it got him into trouble. He played the guitar, harmonica and keyboards. Lennon’s solo career was not the success he had hoped for and with his anti-war stance and his deportation fight he was not as prolific a composer as he had once been. It wasn’t until 1980, after taking some years off to be with his second son, that his career began to return. His murder in 1980 put an end to what is believed by many to have been one of the all time great musicians of our time.