The Beatles being unquestionably the greatest pop/rock band ever, what are people's views here on the great Lennon or McCartney question? In their most celebrated period, the 2nd half of their great career, the difference between their roles and their sounds became very evident. Much has been written and speculated about their failing relationship and the real tensions that appeared between them.
Even though they admirably kept to their agreement to always use Lennon/McCartney on their own songs, it is easy to go through the last few albums and pick out the Lennon songs and the McCartney songs.
So who do you root for here? Who was the greatest Beatle? Not who was your favourite Beatle, but who would you genuinely, hand on heart say was the greatest influence within the band or the man who gave them their best sound or best songs or best hits or best albums or best period. (So it has to be either Lennon or Macca).
The debate's always intrigued me, it's a very complex one to sort out, because they went through several classic Beatles sounds over a short time. The consensus has usually pretty firmly beenin the Lennon camp, overall as being the most influential or giving them the best sound or material.
As much as I love Lennon I myself have always been in the McCartney camp. I feel he's been unfairly overlooked by the madness of the Lennon legend among his fans. Yes Lennon was a genius probably, a supreme song writer and performer who definitely gave the early Beatles their most distinctive sound. BUT, in the really creative period they are most famous for, it is McCartney who outshone Lennon, IMO. For some others (Lennon fans) it was still Lennon, but personally I rate Macca's latter career influence as the most important.
On the albums talked about most, Sgt. Peppers, White Album, Abbey Road, Paul wins it fairly comfortably on influence and contribution. That is mainly my reason for saying Paul, but also that he was under rated at the time, his musical ability was always the equal of Lennon's, very probably better, and while his singing is generally rated 2nd to John's, I actually prefer it, it's fantastic, especially on the later album songs where he took more of a lead.
So, I'll stop waffling and let people make their choices, preferably giving reasons.
