Having made some of the greatest albums of all time, it’s no surprise that the Beatles had a lot of great opening numbers. How would I rank them all?
Check out my other Beatles list below, where I rank all of their studio albums:
OK
13 – No Reply (Beatles For Sale)
Definitely not a bad song, it’s just a bit boring compared to the others on this list. You can kind of tell when listening to this that the rest of the album isn’t going to be great either, and “Beatles For Sale” ended up being one of their worst albums.
12 – Yellow Submarine (Yellow Submarine)
Obviously it’s a classic, but I’ve heard it so many times, and it already featured on “Revolver” before this.
Good
11 – Two Of Us (Let It Be)
A heartfelt song that really encapsulates the friendship Lennon and McCartney shared, Two Of Us is a nice way to open “Let It Be”, although they’ve definitely had better openers.
10 – It Won’t Be Long (With The Beatles)
Now we get to the really good album openers. It Won’t Be Long opens up their sophomore effort with a bang, but the rest of the album doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Great way to start things off on any album.
9 – Magical Mystery Tour (Magical Mystery Tour)
I’m sure most people would put this higher, but I think it’s a bit naff having an introduction to a concept album (and another band) for two albums in a row – the other being Sgt. Peppers. Don’t get me wrong – this is still a great song, I just wish they hadn’t pulled the same trick again.
Great
8 – I Saw Her Standing There (Please Please Me)
The song that started it all, McCartney’s slick bass and instantly iconic vocals elevate this song, making it possibly the best on the record. They would top themselves multiple times in the future, but this was a great start (and a good shout for best debut album opener ever).
7 – A Hard Day’s Night (A Hard Day’s Night)
One of their most famous tracks, A Hard Day’s Night opens their third studio album, and is the main song for what would be their debut feature film.
To be honest, the reason this song isn’t higher is that it has the same problem as other tracks on the album – the cowbell in the background is obnoxious and annoying. All good other than that though.
6 – Help! (Help!)
Easily one of their greatest early songs, Help! was Lennon at his most vulnerable.
His vocals are outstanding, and the music video is kind of funny as well.
Amazing
5 – Drive My Car (Rubber Soul)
Call me crazy for putting this in the “amazing” tier, but I absolutely bloody love this song.
McCartney’s vocals and bass are on point, and the little “Beep beep, yeah!” interjections fit the song perfectly. An amazing way to start an amazing album.
4 – Back In The USSR (The White Album)
Fun fact: it’s actually McCartney playing drums here, as they recorded it in the time where Ringo had unofficially left the band (they had a falling out, but he came back not soon after).
The way this song feeds into Dear Prudence is wonderful, and the lyrics are cheeky in a way that only the Beatles could manage.
All-Time Great
3 – Taxman (Revolver)
I’d probably say this is the best track on the album, and since this is an “all-time great” album anyway I have to put this tune in the same tier.
This Harrison-penned tune actually has McCartney to thank for it’s brilliance – he performs both the iconic bass-line and the fantastic guitar solo. Definitely one of the best songs of all time.
2 – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Sgt. Peppers)
This is one of the occasions where I’d say the song itself isn’t an all-time great, but the way it sets up the concept album is absolutely perfect.
The idea to use the alias “Sgt. Peppers” was a stroke of genius, and this tracks pulls you in to the world the Beatles have masterfully created.
1 – Come Together (Abbey Road)
For me, there was no debate for which track should take the number one spot.
One of the greatest songs of all time on THE greatest album of all time, Come Together is the Beatles on top of their game. Everyone has a moment to shine here, and between them they managed to craft possibly the greatest album opener ever.
Aaaaaand that’s my list. Check out my other lists below:
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