My favourite Beatles song: Something

Four readers tell us why they think Something, written by George Harrison, is the Beatles' best song

We continue our series in which readers tell us about their favourite songs from the Fab Four. If you'd like to take part in future weeks, simply visit this page and use the form to tell us about the Beatles song that means the most to you.

This week's track of choice is Something, the second song on the band's 1969 album Abbey Road. Written by George Harrison, who also performs lead vocals, the track was supposedly inspired by Harrison's wife at the time, Pattie Boyd, although rumours abound as to its real origins, with Harrison himself once stating he was thinking of Ray Charles when he wrote it.

A critical and commercial success, Something has been covered over 150 times, although Harrison picked James Brown's version as his personal favourite, keeping a copy in his jukebox. Lennon and McCartney both praised the song, with Lennon describing it as the best track on the album, and McCartney as the best track George had written at that point.


'This was the song that had it all'

"My parents had Abbey Road on a BASF double cassette that I wore out single-handedly. For me as a three-year-old, this was the song that had it all – a great intro that gradually swells, easy lyrics, and a chorus that demands to be belted out at full volume. As I grew older I realised that this wasn't the definitive Beatles sound I had imagined it to be – their songs hurdled genres and leapfrogged topics. And as I grew, and fell in love (several times), this song remained completely topical as the soundtrack through it all. I have a lot of favourite Beatles songs but this one is my favourite favourite." – chhavi

'A beautiful song'

"Had to be something off Abbey Road as the vinyl copy my Dad owns is completely shredded due to the amount myself and my sister listened to it when we were kids/teens. Something is a beautiful song." – Tim Robinson

'The best love song for the last 93 and a half years'

"My favourite Beatles song should be Glass Onion, as my dad's cousin, Norman Lederman, played violin on it. However, 'The Quiet One' was the real dark horse throughout the Beatles canon. He was so much more than the junior partner to Lennon and McCartney. His guitar added texture and counter melody which made good songs great. A George song has to be my number 1. Something was described by no lesser light than Frank Sinatra as "the best love song for the last 50 years". Frank was right, except now it's the best love song for the last 93 and a half years. Rather oddly, I have a copy of the handwritten lyrics hanging above my loo and am therefore guaranteed to sing the song to myself daily." – Paul Maxin

'Sung from the heart'

"George Harrison's finest piece of writing (well it must be if Lennon and McCartney thought so). It is a sublime love song, that is sung from the heart. It was recorded at a time when the Beatles' songs were cryptic and not very often about love. The beauty of it, is that it is exactly not that." – Richard Harrris


http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/musicblog/2013/apr/10/my-favourite-beatles-song-something?

Edited by Joffa: 13/4/2013 03:52:35 PM

Edited by Joffa: 22/4/2013 08:43:03 PM

Edited by Joffa: 31/5/2013 09:29:23 PM