Different Styles but Together Brilliant (Lennon & McCartney)

Member Name: fordoo

Product:	Lennon & McCartney
Date:	05/03/01 (102 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Variety, imagination and melody

Disadvantages: None

I'm sure anyone reading this will know a number of Lennon and McCartney compositions and most will be at the very least impressed by the quality.
My reason for writing an opinion is something that fascinates me about the Beatles music (from 1962 and Love Me Do to 1970 and Let it Be) and that is the contrasting musical styles of the two writers.
I think that sometimes McCartney's contribution is a little underrated due to Lennon's sheer force of personality that publicised his efforts and indeed the mystique that surrounds him since his death.
McCartney was very much the 'melody man' and wrote such outstanding songs as 'Hey Jude', 'Yesterday' and 'Let it Be' alone. The harder edge of 'Help' and 'Ticket to Ride were Lennon's.
Nearly all the tracks from 1965 were virtual solo compositions by one or other of them although some later tracks were even two songs moulded together. I find the moulded tracks some of the most interesting. 'We Can Work It Out' is a great example where the basic tune is McCartney's but it is brought to even greater heights by Lennon's 'Life is very short...' excerpt. 'A Day in the Life' on Sergeant Pepper blend John's song with Paul's passage of 'Woke Up Got Out of Bed...' again the song becomes so memorable because two grat styles combine on one track.
Another thing that amazes me about Lennon and McCartney is the apparent ease with which they wrote these classic songs. Apparently once successful they would joke to each other 'I'm just going home to write a new swimming pool now!' It was that simple for them. John Lennon was told the name of the film was to be 'A Hard Day's Night, and he went home and came in with the basic song the next morning!
You might have gathered I am a big Beatles fan and have been for 30 years. My recommendation to anyone too young to own the albums is to ignore th
e compilations, they do not tell half the story. Start with Revolver and if you like this collect all the albums released from 1962 to 1970 and you will see these great songwriters earned their reputations.

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