Bruce Springsteen’s favorite singer in the Beatles
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Everyone has their own opinion about who the best Beatle is. Paul McCartney, who contributed enormously to the Fab Four as a songwriter, certainly speaks for himself, but others are drawn to Ringo Starr or the so-called quiet Beatle George Harrison. However, if we change the question slightly and ask which Beatle had the best voice, ignoring all other factors, who is the best? Bruce Springsteen has an answer.
While some Beatles sang more than others, every member of the band took lead vocals at some point during their ten-year existence as a band. Although he wasn’t the main lyricist, Ringo Starr also sometimes took over drums and vocals, such as on the playful “Yellow Submarine” and the beautiful “With a Little Help from My Friends.” It almost feels like a rare treat to hear him on the mic, but he’s not quite Springsteen’s favorite.
George Harrison also occasionally showcased his vocal abilities, such as on the sparkling “Here Comes The Sun,” which remains one of the band’s warmest and most popular songs. This is partly thanks to Harrison’s lead vocals, which are as tender and full as the twangs that surround them. He continued to demonstrate his talent on the microphone when he embarked on a solo career after the Beatles.
As one of the band’s main songwriters, McCartney was often behind the microphone. His gentle voice gave his melodies and lyrics even more emotional power, and his voice has become one of the most recognizable in music history. Melancholy pieces like “Yesterday” and “Let It Be” make a good case for McCartney being crowned the Beatles’ best singer, but even he is not Springsteen’s favorite.
Rather, the so-called Boss gives the title to McCartney’s early songwriting partner John Lennon. The rhythm guitarist was the only Beatle to make Springsteen’s list of his all-time favorite singers, which he Rolling StoneLennon ranks fourth on his list, just behind Bob Dylan, his icon of the 1960s, and just ahead of soul legend Aretha Franklin.
Like McCartney, Lennon often took lead vocals on songs in the Beatles that he had guided during the writing process. Lennon had the ability to adapt his tone to each piece he took on, enhancing the emotion contained in the lyrics and instrumentation, and perhaps that’s why he’s the only Beatle to make Springsteen’s list.
He lent his distinctive voice to songs such as “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” and “Strawberry Fields Forever,” both of which have a more playful sound. His lyrics on “A Hard Day’s Night” contain the energy of early rock’n’roll, but Lennon could also evoke emotion with his voice, as solo pieces such as “Imagine” and “Beautiful Boy” demonstrate. He allowed the song itself to blossom, adapting his voice at will to suit the needs of each composition while maintaining a certain raw, genuine quality.
Some Beatles fans will disagree with Springsteen’s choice because they find McCartney’s tone more warm or appreciate the rarity of a song sung by Starr, but Lennon is a solid choice. He knew what each song needed, whether he wrote it himself or not, and he used that knowledge to adjust his singing style accordingly.
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