From the very beginnings of the Beatles, Paul McCartney and John Lennon decided to publish their songs under both their names. So all their songs have the dual Lennon/McCartney writing credit.
Later, when they wrote separately (and still took co-writer credits as Lennon/McCartney), the one who wrote the song would sing the lead.
Some songs in the second part of their career is actually co-written, usually mixing part of John’s work with part of Paul’s, as in A Day in the Life or I’ve Got a Feeling.
Here’s a list of all songs officially recorded by the Beatles until 1970, where you can see who is the main composer and who sing.

Please Please Me
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
I Saw Her Standing There | McCartney | McCartney |
Misery | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Anna (Go to Him) | Alexander | Lennon |
Chains | Goffin/King | Harrison |
Boys | Dixon/Farrell | Starr |
Ask Me Why | Lennon | Lennon |
Please Please Me | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney |
Love Me Do | McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
P.S. I Love You | McCartney | McCartney |
Baby It´s You | David/Williams/Bacharach | Lennon |
Do You Want to Know a Secret | Lennon | Harrison |
A Taste of Honey | Scott/Marlow | McCartney |
There´s a Place | Lennon | Lennon |
Twist and Shout | Medley/Russel | Lennon |
With The Beatles
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
It Won´t Be Long | Lennon | Lennon |
All I´ve Got to Do | Lennon | Lennon |
All My Loving | McCartney | McCartney |
Don´t Bother Me | Harrison | Harrison |
Little Child | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Till There Was You | Wilson | McCartney |
Please Mr Postman | Holland/Bateman/Garrett/Dobbins/Gorman | Lennon |
Roll Over Beethoven | Berry | Harrison |
Hold Me Tight | McCartney | McCartney |
You Really Got a Hold on Me | Robinson | Lennon/Harrison |
I Wanna Be Your Man | Lennon/McCartney | Starr |
Devil in Her Heart | Drapkin | Harrison |
Not a Second Time | Lennon | Lennon |
Money (That´s What I Want) | Bradford/Gordy | Lennon |
A Hard Day’s Night
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
A Hard Day´s Night | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney |
I Should Have Known Better | Lennon | Lennon |
If I Fell | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney |
I´m Happy Just to Dance With You | Lennon | Harrison |
And I Love Her | McCartney | McCartney |
Tell Me Why | Lennon | Lennon |
Can´t Buy Me Love | McCartney | McCartney |
Any Time at All | Lennon | Lennon |
I´ll Cry Instead | Lennon | Lennon |
Things We Said Today | McCartney | McCartney |
When I Get Home | Lennon | Lennon |
You Can´t Do That | Lennon | Lennon |
I´ll Be Back | Lennon | Lennon |
Beatles For Sale
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
No Reply | Lennon | Lennon |
I´m a Loser | Lennon | Lennon |
Baby´s in Black | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Rock and Roll Music | Berry | Lennon |
I´ll Follow the Sun | McCartney | McCartney |
Mr Moonlight | Johnson | Lennon |
Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey | Leiber/Stoller/Penniman | McCartney |
Eight Days a Week | McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Words of Love | Holly | Lennon/McCartney |
Honey Don´t | Perkins | Starr |
Every Little Thing | McCartney | Lennon |
I Don´t Want to Spoil the Party | Lennon | Lennon/Harrison |
What You´re Doing | McCartney | McCartney |
Everybody´s Trying to Be My Baby | Perkins | Harrison |
Help!
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Help! | Lennon | Lennon |
The Night Before | McCartney | McCartney |
You´ve Got to Hide Your Love Away | Lennon | Lennon |
I Need You | Harrison | Harrison |
Another Girl | McCartney | McCartney |
You´re Going to Lose That Girl | Lennon | Lennon |
Ticket to Ride | Lennon | Lennon |
Act Naturally | Morrison/Russel | Starr |
It´s Only Love | Lennon | Lennon |
You Like Me Too Much | Harrison | Harrison |
Tell Me What You See | McCartney | McCartney |
I´ve Just Seen a Face | McCartney | McCartney |
Yesterday | McCartney | McCartney |
Dizzy Miss Lizzy | Williams | Lennon |
Rubber Soul
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Drive My Car | McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) | Lennon | Lennon |
You Won´t See Me | McCartney | McCartney |
Nowhere Man | Lennon | Lennon |
Think for Yourself | Harrison | Harrison |
The Word | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Michelle | McCartney | McCartney |
What Goes On | Lennon/McCartney | Starr |
Girl | Lennon | Lennon |
I´m Looking Through You | McCartney | McCartney |
In My Life | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon |
Wait | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
If I Need Someone | Harrison | Harrison |
Run for Your Life | Lennon | Lennon |
Revolver
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Taxman | Harrison | Harrison |
Eleanor Rigby | McCartney | McCartney |
I´m Only Sleeping | Lennon | Lennon |
Love You To | Harrison | Harrison |
Here, There and Everywhere | McCartney | McCartney |
Yellow Submarine | McCartney | Starr |
She Said She Said | Lennon | Lennon |
Good Day Sunshine | McCartney | McCartney |
And Your Bird Can Sing | Lennon | Lennon |
For No One | McCartney | McCartney |
Doctor Robert | Lennon | Lennon |
I Want to Tell You | Harrison | Harrison |
Got to Get You Into My Life | McCartney | McCartney |
Tomorrow Never Knows | Lennon | Lennon |
A Collection of Beatles Oldies
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
She Loves You | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
From Me to You | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
We Can Work It Out | Lennon/McCartney | McCartney |
Help! | Lennon | Lennon |
Michelle | McCartney | McCartney |
Yesterday | McCartney | McCartney |
I Feel Fine | Lennon | Lennon |
Yellow Submarine | McCartney | Starr |
Can´t Buy Me Love | McCartney | McCartney |
Bad Boy | Williams | Lennon |
Day Tripper | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney |
A Hard Day´s Night | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney |
Ticket to Ride | Lennon | Lennon |
Paperback Writer | McCartney | McCartney |
Eleanor Rigby | McCartney | McCartney |
I Want to Hold Your Hand | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Sgt. Pepper´s Lonely Hearts Club Band | McCartney | McCartney |
With a Little Help From My Friends | McCartney | Starr |
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds | Lennon | Lennon |
Getting Better | McCartney | McCartney |
Fixing a Hole | McCartney | McCartney |
She´s Leaving Home | McCartney | McCartney |
Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite | Lennon | Lennon |
Within You Without You | Harrison | Harrison |
When I´m 64 | McCartney | McCartney |
Lovely Rita | McCartney | McCartney |
Good Morning Good Morning | Lennon | Lennon |
Sgt. Pepper´s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) | McCartney | Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starr |
A Day in the Life | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Magical Mystery Tour
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Magical Mystery Tour | McCartney | McCartney |
The Fool on the Hill | McCartney | McCartney |
Flying | Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starr | |
Blue Jay Way | Harrison | Harrison |
Your Mother Should Know | McCartney | McCartney |
I Am the Walrus | Lennon | Lennon |
Hello, Goodbye | McCartney | McCartney |
Strawberry Fields Forever | Lennon | Lennon |
Penny Lane | McCartney | McCartney |
Baby You’re a Rich Man | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
All You Need Is Love | Lennon | Lennon |
The Beatles (White Album)
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Back in the USSR | McCartney | McCartney |
Dear Prudence | Lennon | Lennon |
Glass Onion | Lennon | Lennon |
Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da | McCartney | McCartney |
Wild Honey Pie | McCartney | McCartney |
The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill | Lennon | Lennon |
While My Guitar Gently Weeps | Harrison | Harrison |
Happiness is a Warm Gun | Lennon | Lennon |
Martha My Dear | McCartney | McCartney |
I´m So Tired | Lennon | Lennon |
Blackbird | McCartney | McCartney |
Piggies | Harrison | Harrison |
Rocky Raccoon | McCartney | McCartney |
Don´t Pass Me By | Starr | Starr |
Why Don´t We Do It in the Road? | McCartney | McCartney |
I Will | McCartney | McCartney |
Julia | Lennon | Lennon |
Birthday | McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Yer Blues | Lennon | Lennon |
Mother Nature´s Son | McCartney | McCartney |
Everybody´s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey | Lennon | Lennon |
Sexy Sadie | Lennon | Lennon |
Helter Skelter | McCartney | McCartney |
Long Long Long | Harrison | Harrison |
Revolution 1 | Lennon | Lennon |
Honey Pie | McCartney | McCartney |
Savoy Truffle | Harrison | Harrison |
Cry Baby Cry | Lennon | Lennon |
Revolution 9 | Lennon | |
Good Night | Lennon | Starr |
Yellow Submarine
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Yellow Submarine | McCartney | Starr |
Only a Nothern Song | Harrison | Harrison |
All Together Now | McCartney | McCartney |
Hey Bulldog | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon |
It´s All Too Much | Harrison | Harrison |
All You Need is Love | Lennon | Lennon |
Abbey Road
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Come Together | Lennon | Lennon |
Something | Harrison | Harrison |
Maxwell´s Silver Hammer | McCartney | McCartney |
Oh! Darling | McCartney | McCartney |
Octopus´s Garden | Starr | Starr |
I Want You (She´s So Heavy) | Lennon | Lennon |
Here Comes the Sun | Harrison | Harrison |
Because | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney/Harrison |
You Never Give Me Your Money | McCartney | McCartney |
Sun King | Lennon | Lennon |
Mean Mr Mustard | Lennon | Lennon |
Polythene Pam | Lennon | Lennon |
She Came in Through the Bathroom Window | McCartney | McCartney |
Golden Slumbers | McCartney | McCartney |
Carry That Weight | McCartney | McCartney |
The End | McCartney | McCartney |
Her Majesty | McCartney | McCartney |
Let It Be
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Two of Us | McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
Dig a Pony | Lennon | Lennon |
Across the Universe | Lennon | Lennon |
I Me Mine | Harrison | Harrison |
Dig It | Lennon | Lennon |
Let It Be | McCartney | McCartney |
Maggie Mae | Trad. | Lennon/McCartney |
I´ve Got a Feeling | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
One After 909 | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney |
The Long and Winding Road | McCartney | McCartney |
For You Blue | Harrison | Harrison |
Get Back | McCartney | McCartney |
Songs not released on LP
Song | Main composer | Singer |
---|---|---|
Thank You Girl | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon |
I´ll Get You | Lennon/McCartney | Lennon/McCartney |
This Boy | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney/Harrison |
Long Tall Sally | Johnson/Penniman/Blackwell | McCartney |
I Call Your Name | Lennon | Lennon |
Matchbox | Perkins | Starr |
Slow Down | Williams | Lennon |
She´s a Woman | McCartney | McCartney |
Yes it is | Lennon | Lennon |
I´m Down | McCartney | McCartney |
Rain | Lennon | Lennon |
The Inner Light | Harrison | Harrison |
Lady Madonna | McCartney | McCartney |
Revolution | Lennon | Lennon |
Hey Jude | McCartney | McCartney |
Don´t Let Me Down | Lennon | Lennon |
The Ballad of John and Yoko | Lennon | Lennon |
Old Brown Shoe | Harrison | Harrison |
You Know My Name (Look up the Number) | Lennon | Lennon/McCartney/Starr |
Never realized how many songs John sang, him and Paul sound similar to me on some songs
Not to dis Paul! Everyone says John Lennon didn’t write as many songs as Paul, And his material was below par!!! Poppycock! She so heavy is testament to what he could do! And that alone speaks volumes!! They we’re a great team, and John! With no disrespect to Paul could hold his any time any place
Where the hell is Sargent peppers
Oh, found it nvm
Sorry
If not in the Beatles, Harrison would have been a star with « here comes the sun », « something » or « my guitar gently weeps ». What a team.
I just posted a comment about George Harrison. He was amazing, and I also like his solo career. Do you know “Give me love”? It’s so sweet.
George’s work is terrific ! I love “Give Me Love”
Harrison WAS a star in the Beatles.
I dispute that McCartney is the main composer of “Every Little Thing”, “Tell Me What You See” and “Eight Days a Week”. Not only does Lennon sing lead on these songs, but they all have Lennon’s songwriting essence about them.
I should ammend my comment with:
The verses of “Every Little Thing” is pure Lennon, whereas, I admit, the chorus may be McCartney’s.
Thank you Scott ! I do agree that John’s songwriting is somehow present in all of those !
Tell Me What You See – Paul said, “I seem to remember it as mine. I would claim it as a 60-40 but it might have been totally me.” and John, in his interviews with Playboy said that was written completely by Paul.
Eight Days a Week is probably a 50/50, based on Paul’s inspiration
Every Little Thing is by Paul, who is not the lead singer. Strange… but true
Wait a moment! A half of Beatles for Sale (including NoReply, Eight Days a Week and Every Little Thing) is sung by John AND Paul in the unison. Look carefully through a stereo headphone and you will recognise Paul’s timber mimicking John’s. So there is NO exception about the rule composer(s) = singer(s)
A good reason to listen again ! 😉
hey! trying again to leave a comment here. I just found out that George wrote “I me mine”, which I think is one of the most sensible Beatle’s songs. No wonder he was into the zen deal… it seams that John didn’t even record the track with the band! Well, I’m just trilled to discover some new facts about the greatest band of all times (don’t you all agree??)
In the late work of the Beatles (1969 expecially) John wasn’t always there at the sessions. “I Me Mine” was (re)recorded in 1970 to complete the release of Let It Be (disc) because the song was in the movie. And John did’t took part at the final recordings..
And there’s something else: whoever says Paul is superficial has to remember he wrote fucking Le it be!!! You can sing that in a church, for God’s sake! It’s simply amazing. <3
John was amazing
Always liked the Beatles but was not a fan too much. (Radio listener) However, in my re- entry into playing the guitar I have been getting into the Beatles music pretty heavy lately.
I have been watching old videos of songs.
Can’t buy me love is listed above as a McCartney song and as McCartney singer but the video shows John singing intro, first verse then Paul singing second verse then both for chorus ending with John singing third verse twice
So just wanted to give a heads up
I thank you for the list
I was looking because my voice fits John better than Paul…..
My guitar playing matches Ringo
Thanks for your comment.
You’ve probably watched this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srwxJUXPHvE in which John sings lip-sync, while is actually Paul who sings.
Watch instead NME Poll Winners’ Concert (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxha1IUsSPI) where you can see Paul singing. A great performance !
In A Hard Day’s Night movie the song is played while the Beatles escape their manager, so no one is really singing 😉
You have an error on “Beatles for Sale”. The song should be “No Reply ” not “No Replay”.
!! Thank you !
I did not know George wrote Piggies… I thought that was Lennon and surprised about the tunes on Abbey Road – they all flow so well together. A lot of surprises here.
:thumbsup:
I have been a huge Beatles fan for years and own more than 50 books analyzing Beatles songs. In my opinion, both during The Beatles and after the break-up, Paul has shown himself to be the superior composer and musician. This is easily shown with his 22 No, 1 post-Beatles hits and his 5 No. 1 post-Beatles albums. Parenthetically, Paul has asked Yoko Ono for years to change the credits on songs written primarily by him to “McCartney-Lennon” and she has always refused. That is why you can find many “I Hate Yoko” t-shirts on the web.
Not really a fair comparison. John didn’t have all the extra years that Paul has had. Plus John’s solo work is far more memorable and lasting. Either way, they were better all together. They brought out the best in each other’s musical abilities. Just listen to “free as a bird”, or “real love” if you need any reminder of that fact.
I hear absolutely zero McCartney writing style in the song “In my life”. That’s a John Lennon song through and through.
In my life was disputed by both of them…. Paul stated in an interview that of all the Lennon/McCartney songs that in my life is the only song with uncertainty of who was the main composer
Well, first of all I should say I’m amazed that “I don’t want to spoil the party” is sung by John and George as I always hear Paul’s voice there with John. And quite clearly actually. And I don’t hear George nowhere in the song. The other thing is the song “Help!”. Paul said in 1973 that John had only one verse when he went to him with the song. And they both finished it, with Paul composing most of the music. I have nothing more to say about “In my life”. It is quite clear the melody is Paul and the words by John.
I read that Lennon and McCartney co-wrote With a Little Help from my Friends
By 1965 they often collaborate just giving some hints each other, but hardly writing together. With a little help is Paul’s work.
The Beatles were the best. All four were equal parts of a great band.
I disagree with this, we all know Ringo secretly wrote every song