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 Replay | 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
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 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