I write this on what would have been John Lennon’s 85th birthday – October 9.

People love to categorize, and especially to categorize in dualities – yin/yang, Apollo/Dionysius…  Lennon/McCartney, Jagger/Richards… or think of many couples you know, work or personal. One is this… the other must be the opposite.

This is probably why some pairs don’t stay together (including L/M?) – they feel choked by their role; it doesn’t really fit them… or maybe in some cases it really does fit them, but they just don’t see it that way.

John Lennon has certainly received his due over the last 50 years, posthumously even more so. And, as acclaimed as he is, Paul McCartney has at times been in Lennon’s artistic shadow; often quite unfairly. Lennon is seen as the ‘rebel’, Paul as the more conventional, ‘establishment’ type. Although there’s truth to this, it has to do with their images as much as their songwriting.

When it comes to writing melodies, however, McCartney is generally considered the genius of the two.

There’s some justification for this. McCartney’s tunes are in the tradition of the great melodists – rangy, a lot of step motion interspersed by thrilling leaps, strong rhythmic momentum… Think of his antecedents – Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, many of the great popular pre-rock and roll songwriters who focused on melody. Or think of Lennon/McCartney’s contemporary, Brian Wilson (probably the greatest pure melody writer of that generation).

Then think of McCartney’s Yesterday, Michelle, When I’m 64, Fixing A Hole, For No One, Maybe I’m Amazed… you could make a long list.

Lennon’s songs and melodies are a little gnarlier (no surprise there) but at times at least as rangy, melodic, and satisfying.

One of the reasons it’s easy to miss this is that Lennon often wrote melodies, or parts of melodies, that depended on a single note, or one note with slight variations and changing harmonies underneath – listen to the Chorus of All You Need Is Love, the Verse of Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, the first lines of the Verses of I’m Only Sleeping, the Verse of Julia… This was a trademark of his songwriting.

Also, some of John’s most famous songs – Imagine, Give Peace A Chance, Woman, etc. – are quite simple melodically.

I’m not going to do what I described in the first paragraph and take anything away from McCartney – whose greatness as a songwriter and musician speaks for itself – but at his best Lennon was right up there with anyone in terms of writing consistently surprising, even soaring (but always singable) melodies when he chose to.  Listen to (or just hum to yourself) If I Fell, Girl, In My Life, It’s Only Love, Across The Universe…  Consider how lively, interesting, and unusual are the melodies of She Said She Said,  Tomorrow Never Knows, and Strawberry Fields Forever.

I think Lennon thought of himself as more of a rocker and less, as McCartney did, in the larger tradition of popular song, so John was at times less focused on pure melody. But when he wanted to bring it, Lennon was up with the great ones.

If you’re not acquainted with the songs mentioned above, please listen to them. Also, check out my friend John Stevens’ book – The Songs Of John Lennon: The Beatles Years by John Stevens.

And listen to the melody in the video below.

Let me know your thoughts, additions, disagreements in the Comments section below:

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