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Beatles forums => Polls => Topic started by: sgt. peppie on November 28, 2009, 01:27:07 AM

Title: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: sgt. peppie on November 28, 2009, 01:27:07 AM
I gotta say Paul.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: emmi_luvs_beatles on November 28, 2009, 01:29:03 AM
Yah It's Paul. His was by far the best, and he is still going. But if John hadn't died this might not be as simple.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: sgt. peppie on November 28, 2009, 01:31:20 AM
^^
I sorta agree with you there. Yet John's music was probably the best in the early seventies.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: BlueMeanie on November 28, 2009, 09:00:34 AM
I think in fairness this should be limited up to 1980.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Kevin on November 28, 2009, 01:49:04 PM
(http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3664/vulturecrew3.jpg) (http://img163.imageshack.us/i/vulturecrew3.jpg/)
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: sgt. peppie on November 29, 2009, 04:22:07 AM
I think in fairness this should be limited up to 1980.
Of course. :)
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: lucy~(-_-*... on November 30, 2009, 05:03:25 PM
paul.
;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes ;yes
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Eliza on November 30, 2009, 07:40:14 PM
Paul's solo stuff was very good but I have to say George had the best
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: HarriGirl_44 on January 04, 2010, 07:52:41 PM
I voted John.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Bobber on January 05, 2010, 09:03:28 AM
Looking at who's carreer was the best, it is undoubtedly (sp?) Paul. Simply because he had the most hits. It's a different question to ask 'whose songs during the seventies you like best'?
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Hello Goodbye on January 13, 2010, 02:13:40 AM
^

It would still be Paul.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Bobber on January 13, 2010, 08:13:26 AM
^

It would still be Paul.

lol. But that's not just a matter of statistics.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Jane on January 13, 2010, 01:15:09 PM
Paul`s, as you haven`t stated the frames. Up to now it has been Paul`s.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Andy Smith on January 17, 2010, 03:10:11 PM
looks like its Paul for me.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: AngeloMysterioso on January 20, 2010, 08:00:22 PM
I had first to ask myself: do I have to consider the body of solo works done during the Beatles era (Paul worked on a solo project back in 1966)? Or should I intellectually blindfold myself and do as if the Beatles had never existed, prior to the four solo careers? In that scenario, which body of works would stand out in itself and best endure the test of time and history?

As already hinted, all of the Beatles’ individual solo careers began a while before the Beatles’ end (let’s say, for discussion purposes, on April 10, 1970 when Paul announced he called it quits to the press. Eventhough anyone can say the split occured a long time before that). To my recollection, many songs issued on McCartney (Teddy Boy, Junk, between others), had been rehearsed and previously played by the Beatles, as we can hear on many bootlegs; equally, a few of George compositions (that appeared on All Things Must Pass) had also been rehearsed during the Let it Be and Abbey Road sessions. John composed Look At Me prior to the White Album sessions; eventhough it appeared only on Plastic Ono Band.

My point is that most of the early solo material was directly influenced by the Beatles sound, context and era. So, It took a while for the boys to distance themselves from all the Beatles 60’s rumble and hype.

Hence, in my opinion, John was the first to achieve musical independence with Imagine. Both Paul and Ringo had to wait a little longer, with Band on the Run and Ringo respectively. And, in my view, since a lot of what would appear on All Things Must Pass had already been rehearsed and, in a sense, ”withheld” from being released on a Beatles’ record, George genuinely came to age only in 1987 with Cloud Nine. No doubt I can already hear the upcoming general outcry (I know, I know, George has done good stuff – and bad too – before that). But his sound, musicality, creativity and artistic sensitivity had yet to find freedom from the Beatles’ shadow.

One should not be surprised that John was the first to get there since, according to himself, he was ready to leave the Beatles as early as 1966. And George was the individual who had the hardest time achieving emotional distance, away from the initial resentment he publicly expressed.

So, to me, the best overall solo career is Paul. Before the split (and/or around, since it is so hard to trace the line), I’d say George; with John a very, very close runner-up. And after? Again, George achieved early commercial success, but on the long run, I would say Paul has been the best.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: I_Will on January 20, 2010, 08:38:08 PM
I'm not sure if the question means best in the commercial sense, in ther personal favorite sense, or in the sense of great music?

Commerically: Paul, no doubt about it wins this one, with George and John next (though John's work may not have been popular at the time, it certainly is now), and then Ringo's (which on the other hand, may have been successful at the time, but is not so much now)

Personal favorite: Unquestionably Paul for me, but with John close behind. Then would be George (but I still only like a select bit of his solo work) and sorry, but I'm just not a big solo Ringo fan.

Great music: I'd say Paul and John are tied for this one, because their music is both fantastic but also very different, and cannot really be compared too much. George would be next for me, and then sorry, Ringo is last once again.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Kate on January 27, 2010, 11:00:23 AM
well, that's easy....Paul is the most successful up until now. Whom would he compete with anyhow, two aren't with us anymore and Ringo....hmmm
Don't get me wrong I think they all had their share....but Paul had the best (=successful) solo career so far
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: dr marvalo on January 27, 2010, 06:23:20 PM

The only Beatle who really attempted to reach a new audience was Paul, and in many ways his is the only REAL solo career.   The other Beatles made records and some of the solo albums are excellent, but George, John, or Ringo weren't on the road like Paul was back in the seventies, in short they weren't doing all of those things that bands do to try to create a following.     

I know.... they all had solo careers, but still, if you've ever been in a band and worked to establish a following, you'll know what I mean when I talk about Paul having the only true post-Beatle career.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: LennonStarrFan on January 29, 2010, 12:23:42 AM
I would say John, but I accidentally clicked Paul. LOL! But all four had respected solo careers, with Ringo's being the most underrated.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Jema on June 20, 2011, 04:39:38 PM
I've really only listened to John and George's solo work so I could only choose between those two,I chose George.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Hombre_de_ningun_lugar on June 22, 2011, 02:27:23 PM
The best solo time for every Beatle was 1970-1975, and I think that at that period John was the best of them.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Walrus on July 14, 2011, 10:05:30 PM
Whoever said Ringo...  ha2ha
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Beatles96 on July 28, 2011, 03:36:06 AM
Hmm...It's a close tie between John and Paul.

Unfortunately, John's solo career was cut short  :( But he probably would've been even more successful throughout the 80's, 90's, and 2000's.

Paul, who is still touring, is very successful and has been in his solo career since the late 60's/early 70's.
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Hello Goodbye on July 28, 2011, 03:42:43 AM
Hi Beatles96.  Welcome to the Forum!!
Title: Re: Which Beatle's solo career was the best?
Post by: Rooftopconcert on December 17, 2011, 02:17:19 PM
   Hi guys !! Purely on the strength of total units sold , sell out concerts and longevity of his solo career , one would have to say Paul, but  if pushed my personal preferences are for Johnny and George,s material.I listen regularly to all three , and not just the "more popular" albums and I can understand how Paul catalogue would perhaps appeal more to the casual fan as well as hard core followers of all things "Beatle" but John and George for me bared their souls ,warts and all ,and in doing so moved us to feel and experience along with them those inner emotions, common to us all, that inspired the song to be written in the first instance. I love Paul,s music for all the obvious reasons  but John and George,s material,by which  I mean their whole "commercial" output, reflects the place where I reside , both emotionaly and as a thinking human being,yes regardless of sales figures and enduring legacy of much of Paul,s work my heart and mind belong to his two band mates who managed to reach me on a totaly different level .