Songs The Beatles Gave Away

It’s no secret that The Beatles were the most creative musicians of all-time. They progressed over a few short years from Love Me Do to I Want To Hold Your Hand to Strawberry Fields Forever to Hey Jude to I Am the Walrus to Get Back to Let It Be to Something to the Abbey Road Medley, with a ton of good songs in between. After the band broke up each member of the group had tremendous success as well. To name just a few of their best songs, John Lennon had the classics Imagine, Give Peace a Chance, Mind Games, Working Class Hero and Nobody Told Me. Paul McCartney had amazing songs like Band on the Run, Maybe I’m Amazed, Jet, Junior’s Farm and Live and Let Die. George Harrison? Well, the man who stood in the shadows of John and Paul, when free to do his own thing, unleashed My Sweet Lord, Give Me Love, What Is Life, Crackerbox Palace and This Is Love on the masses. Even Ringo, who many thought would suffer the most in the break-up, had hits with It Don’t Come Easy, Photograph, You’re Sixteen, Back Off Boogaloo and Oh My My.

The point is the lads were creative geniuses from the get-go and it never abated while they were still alive. They have been so overflowing with music that they’ve actually given away a bunch of good songs. Let’s take a look at a few . . .

A World Without Love – Peter and Gordon

Believe it or not, Paul McCartney wrote this song when he was 16-years old. When Paul moved into the London home of his then-girlfriend Jane Asher in 1963, sharing a room with her brother Peter Asher, Asher asked him if he could use the song after Asher and Gordon Waller had signed a recording contract as Peter and Gordon. The rest, as they say, is history. Paul was simply doing his brother’s girlfriend a solid, and it launched Peter and Gordon’s career.

Remember, Paul wrote this when he was 16.

Bad to Me – Billy J. Kramer With The Dakotas

This tune was written by John Lennon in 1963 when he was on vacation in Spain, especially for Billy J. Kramer. Billy J. Kramer With The Dakotas had been wildly popular in England even before The Beatles shocked the world. Of course, the single went on to became their first #1 single.

So Beatles it hurts.

I Wanna Be Your Man – Rolling Stones

McCartney had only written the chorus for I Wanna Be Your Man when the Beatles’ former PR agent, 19-year old Andrew Oldham, mentioned that he needed a single for the new group he was managing, a little band called The Rolling Stones. Lennon and McCartney, who had met the Stones just a few weeks earlier, joined them in the studio and finished off the song for them in 20 freakin’ minutes. Jagger and Richards would then be inspired to form their own songwriting duo. The Stones’ version of the song came out on November 1st, 1963, and made it to No. 12 in the U.K., giving the Stones their first Top 20 hit. You cannot make this stuff up, kids.

Come and Get It – Badfinger

Paul wrote this for Badfinger, the first band signed by The Beatles’ new record label Apple, in 1969. When you listen to it below, you can clearly imagine Paul singing it. The single was released on Apple Records on December 5th, 1969 in the UK and January 12th, 1970 in the US. Of course Come and Get It was a hit single for the band and peaked at #7 in the United States and #4 in the United Kingdom. Amazing song.

This has McCartney written all over it.

Badge – Cream

George Harrison co-wrote this song with Eric Clapton in 1969 and it was included on Cream’s last album. Fun Fact- Badge was originally an untitled track. During the production transfer for the album Goodbye, the original music sheet was used to produce the liner notes and track listing. The only discernible word on the page was “bridge”, indicating the song’s bridge section. Due to George Harrison’s messy handwriting, however, Clapton misread it as “badge” and the song was titled as such soon thereafter. Be honest. You didn’t know that did you?

Fame – David Bowie

John Lennon and Bowie wrote this song together in 1975 for Bowie’s excellent Young Americans LP. The song was a major commercial success in North America (shocking I know), becoming Bowie’s first number #1 single on both the United States of America. Oh, and the song is one of four of Bowie’s songs to be included in The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll. Lennon, man.

Veronica – Elvis Costello

Paul McCartney has always admired Elvis Costello, and Paul even played his iconic Hofner bass on this 1989 song they wrote together. Many music sites have named Veronica as one Elvis Costello’s Top 10 greatest songs, with good reason. Once again, Paul McCartney’s golden touch wins the day.

Amazing song.

FourFiveSeconds – Kanye West/Rihanna

Paul McCartney, Kanye West and Rihanna? Yep, it happened in 2014. And as you’re getting used to hearing, the song was a certified gold record in the United States. The song was one of three collaborations between West and McCartney to be released, with one of the other two being Only One. More proof that Paul McCartney is respected and admired by everyone.

Keep in mind that those are just eight of my favorite songs The Beatles wrote for or co-wrote for others. They’re just a testament to the brilliance of these four guys who somehow came together to form a group around 60-years ago. Incredible really.