The Beatles

One of the earliest Lennon-McCartney compositions, written when they were teenagers.

One of the Beatles' early hits, inspired by a column title in New Musical Express.

Cover of a song originally recorded by The Top Notes in 1961, popularized by The Isley Brothers.

Title came from a Ringo Starr malapropism, written for the Beatles' first feature film.

Written by Paul McCartney while the Beatles were in Paris, reflecting on fame and money.

Written by John Lennon, partly inspired by "I'm Wishing" from Disney's Snow White.

Built around a guitar riff by John Lennon, featuring early use of guitar feedback.

Written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon, inspired by McCartney's experiences at dance halls.

Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, inspired by their desire to write a song with mass appeal for the American market.

This is the Beatles' recording of the song associated with Little Richard, credited to Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell and Richard Penniman. Their version was recorded in March 1964 with George Martin producing and...

Influenced by Roy Orbison's writing style and Bing Crosby's "Please" (1932).

Based on a conversation between Paul McCartney and his father about the use of "yeah, yeah, yeah" in songs.

Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for the film "A Hard Day's Night."

Cover of a song originally recorded by The Top Notes in 1961, popularized by The Isley Brothers.

This Lennon-McCartney song, developed from McCartney's original idea, was recorded at EMI Studios in October 1964 with George Martin producing. It appeared on Beatles for Sale in December 1964; the US single followed...

John Lennon wrote the song as a cry for help during a difficult period in his life.

Written by Paul McCartney as a homage to Little Richard.

Paul McCartney recalled that the central idea was largely John Lennon's and that they then worked on it together. The single was promoted while the group was making the Help! film. This account avoids treating...

This Paul McCartney composition presents a melancholy reflection on a relationship that has ended. The recording pairs his voice and acoustic guitar with a string quartet, without the other Beatles performing. The...

Primarily written by Paul McCartney, the song centers on loneliness and overlooked lives rather than a conventional romance. George Martin's arrangement uses a double string quartet. These documented subject and...

John Lennon's feelings of isolation and identity crisis

Paul McCartney's aunt asking him to write a song that wasn't about love

Paul McCartney's relationship struggles with Jane Asher

Ringo Starr sings the lead on this Lennon-McCartney recording. It appeared on Revolver in 1966 and shared a single with Eleanor Rigby before becoming the title song of the 1968 animated film. The official song notes...

The ideals of the Summer of Love and the hippie movement

Paul McCartney's childhood memories of Liverpool

John Lennon drew on childhood memories of the garden at Strawberry Field, a Salvation Army home near where he grew up. Originally recorded during work toward Sgt. Pepper, the song instead appeared as a double A-side...

Paul McCartney developed the song from an idea called "Hey Jules," intended to comfort Julian Lennon during his parents' separation. The piano-led ballad gradually expands into a long communal-sounding ending. The...

The Beatles recorded this song in February 1968 before leaving for India. The basic track paired McCartney's piano with Starr playing drums using brushes. Released with George Harrison's The Inner Light on the...

The Beatles were the Liverpool group of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their early music drew on rock and roll, pop harmonies and R&B, and their growing emphasis on original songs...

John Lennon's account of his marriage to Yoko Ono

John Lennon wrote this Abbey Road opener, which carries the Lennon-McCartney credit. The band recorded it at EMI Studios in July 1969 with George Martin producing. It also shared a double A-side single with George...

John Lennon's plea to Yoko Ono for love and support

The song was central to the project first known as Get Back, intended to capture the band playing together rather than relying on extensive overdubs. The single paired "Get Back" with "Don't Let Me Down" in April...

Combination of two unfinished songs by Paul McCartney and John Lennon

George Harrison's love song, possibly inspired by his wife Pattie Boyd

Combination of two unfinished songs by Paul McCartney and John Lennon

This song was released as a single before the album of the same name, which became The Beatles' final studio album.

The recording grew out of the Let It Be project, originally conceived around live-in-the-studio performance. Phil Spector later added an orchestral and choral arrangement. The official album history explains that...

McCartney wrote this brass-colored Motown homage for Revolver. The Beatles recording first appeared in 1966, while its US single release followed in 1976 alongside the Rock 'n' Roll Music compilation. That later...