The Beatles benefited from the embarrassment of riches when it comes to the individual talents of the group members. This certainly applies to singing, as all four members of the group can stand at the microphone and perform.
To capitalize on this, many songs feature at least two singers, and sometimes more, taking turns on the lead vocal. Here are five amazing tracks from the band’s career that fit this category.
“A Hard Day’s Night” from Difficult night (1964)
In many cases, especially in the early days of the band, the use of multiple lead singers was a necessity. There are many instances where John Lennon sang most of the main vocal part (because he was the main writer of those songs), but another section of those songs came with melodies that were too high for him to sing comfortably. Perhaps the most famous example of this is the title track of the band’s first movie. Lennon sings the verses, and Paul McCartney comes in with the vocals When I’m at home part.
“She’s Leaving Home” from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Here’s a case where the use of two different lead singers was not only necessary, but added something extra to the quality of the song. Paul McCartney wrote and sang the bulk of the heartbreaking “She’s Leaving Home,” based on a newspaper article about a teenage runaway. He then handed the song over to John Lennon so that Lennon could play the role of the aggrieved parents in the song, giving their perspective on their daughter’s decision. Hearing Lennon as the father slowly realizes that they have misjudged their daughter all these years is a heartbreaking moment.
“A Day in the Life” from Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
The closing track of The Beatles’ landmark concept album, A Day in the Life, is often chosen by many Fab Four list-makers as the greatest song of their history. The complimentary roles played by John Lennon and Paul McCartney in the song are highly influential. Lennon’s main part is ethereal and dreamy, albeit tinged with a palpable sadness at the futility of ordinary life. McCartney comes in with a volatile middle section that expresses emotion about the endless rush of it all. Putting it all together allowed the Beatles to present a comprehensive overview of the ups and downs of modern existence.
“I Have a Feeling” from Let it be (1970)
By the time the Beatles made let it beThe Lennon/McCartney songwriting partnership was more of a back-up title than an actual working relationship. “I’ve Got a Feeling,” one of the best moments from their album The Swan, features a collaboration between the two that is more of a combination than the product of a give-and-take writing session. McCartney had the main part of the song in place, then allowed Lennon to distort the song Everyone’s had a rough year department in the middle of it. The way they combine the two together is very ingenious.
“Free as a Bird” from anthology I (1995)
John Lennon made some demos of skeletal songs shortly before his death in 1980, with the alleged intention of eventually passing them on to Paul McCartney. Yoko Ono followed up on this plan, which was the basis for the three live Beatles reuniting and adding them to the demos. “Real Love” was the first of these songs to be released. The truth is that it’s still a strange listening experience, with Lennon sounding as if he’s being broadcast from a mysterious radio, while McCartney and George Harrison come in loud and clear on Whatever Happened parts. Still, it’s undoubtedly emotional to hear them together in this way.
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