Spitball Army

(photograph: Bob Gomel/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Image)

I have an instant “out” whenever someone asks me who my favorite Beatle is, since I share a birthday with George Harrison. But for the rest of you, it may not be so easy.

Barring consideration of George and Ringo – who does that really groovy shaking thing with his head while drumming – it’s a duel between songwriting partners John and Paul. I loved Paul growing up, and was a huge fan of Wings, his post-Beatles group. But I find that, these days, I’d rather listen to John’s solo work. That is, when I’m not listening to George.

I thought it would be a fun game to try to compare just what makes both John and Paul great by focusing on what each was able to accomplish without the other as a creative cohort. Listen up, and keep your own score.

1. McCartney  “Another Day”  (1971)
2. Lennon  “Instant Karma!”  (1970)

45 RPM
Prior to releasing their first solo albums, Paul and John released little vinyl 45 RPM singles…remember those? “Another Day” was Paul’s first; “Instant Karma!” was John’s third (after “Give Peace a Chance” and “Cold Turkey”).

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3. McCartney  “Maybe I’m Amazed”  (1970)
4. Lennon  “Mother”  (1970)

Album One, Side One, Song One
Just as it says above, these are the first songs off the first sides of their first full-length solo albums: Paul’s McCartney and John’s Plastic Ono Band.

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5. McCartney  “All Shook Up”  (1999)
6. Lennon  “Stand By Me”  (1975)

Roots
John explored his rock & roll roots by recording an album of rock covers aptly named Rock ‘n’ Roll. Paul did it twice, with 1988’s Choba C CCCP and 1999’s Run Devil Run.

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7. McCartney  “Really Love You”  (1997)
8. Lennon  “I Found Out”  (1970)

Riffs
Though they may not have necessarily been built around them, this pair of songs seems to be propped up responsibly by some sturdy guitar and rhythmic riffing.

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9. McCartney  “Oh Woman, Oh Why”  (1971)
10. Lennon  “Woman”  (1980)

Women
John is so unapologetically in love here, but are those gunshots I hear in the background of “Oh Woman, Oh Why?”

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11. McCartney  “The Lovely Linda”  (1970)
12. Lennon  “Oh Yoko!”  (1971)

Wives
I think that Yoko wins the name-check sweepstakes (there’s also 1980’s “Dear Yoko”), despite John’s shorter recording career. Does that mean that her inspirations were necessarily a good thing? And what about tambourine-wielding backup singer Linda…?

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13. McCartney  “Junk”  (1970)
14. Lennon  “#9 Dream”  (1974)

Dreaminess
Even though you may say that John’s a dreamer, he’s certainly not the only one: “Junk” may, with the long view of history, turn out to be one of Paul’s most enduring melodies, a lullaby of lilting wistfulness.

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15. McCartney  “Looking for Changes”  (1993)
16. Lennon  “John Sinclair”  (1972)

Causes
Paul rallies here for PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and John makes the case to get imprisoned 1960’s activist Sinclair back on the streets.

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17. McCartney  “Freedom”  (2001)
18. Lennon  “Imagine”  (1971)

Anthems
Paul’s “Freedom” was written in response to the attacks of 9/11. You’re probably very familiar with the other song, some ditty about world peace.

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19. McCartney with Steve Miller  “Used to Be Bad”  (1997)
20. Lennon with Elton John  “Whatever Gets You Through the Night”  (1974)

Collaborations
Look! Here come Paul McCartney & Michael Jackson, arm in arm, singing about racial harmony. Let’s look the other way: there’s Paul jamming with Steve Miller, washing that awful prior vision from our minds. And John and Elton are jamming, too: this was John’s only #1 single in America during his lifetime. 

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21. McCartney  “The End of the End”  (2007)
22. Lennon  “Grow Old with Me”  (1980)

Aging
It happens to everyone.

Approximate playing time: 78 minutes.