John Lennon was the clear frontman in the early days, taking the majority of the lead vocals. Even though Paul McCartney had his share of lead vocals from 1963-65, he was often sharing the spotlight with Lennon. But then, things began to change, with McCartney becoming a more prolific songwriter and taking greater control in the studio.
Please Please Me (1963)
John Lennon – 8: “Misery,” (with McCartney) “Anna (Go to Him),” “Ask Me Why,” “Please Please Me” (with McCartney), “Love Me Do” (with McCartney), “Baby It’s You,” “There’s a Place” (with McCartney), “Twist and Shout”
Paul McCartney – 7: “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Misery” (with Lennon), “Please Please Me” (with Lennon), “Love Me Do” (with John), “P.S. I Love You,” “A Taste of Honey,” “There’s a Place” (with Lennon)
George Harrison – 2: “Chains,” ‘”Do You Want to Know a Secret”
Ringo Starr – 1: “Boys”
With the Beatles (1963)
John Lennon – 7: “It Won’t Be Long,” “All I’ve Got to Do,” “Little Child,” “Please Mister Postman,” “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” (with Harrison), “Not a Second Time,” “Money (That’s What I Want)”
Paul McCartney – 3: “All My Loving,” “Til There Was You,” “Hold Me Tight”
George Harrison – 4: “Don’t Bother Me,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “You Really Got a Hold on Me” (with Lennon), “Devil in Her Heart”
Ringo Starr – 1: “I Wanna Be Your Man”
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
John Lennon – 9: “A Hard Day’s Night” (with McCartney), “I Should Have Known Better,” “If I Fell” (with McCartney), “Tell Me Why” (with McCartney and Harrison), “Any Time at All,” “I’ll Cry Instead,” “When I Get Home,” “You Can’t Do That” “I’ll Be Back”
Paul McCartney – 7: “A Hard Day’s Night” (with Lennon), “If I Fell” (with Lennon), “And I Love Her,” “Tell Me Why” (with Lennon and Harrison), “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Things We Said Today,” “I’ll Be Back” (with Lennon)
George Harrison – 2: “I’m Happy Just to Dance With You,” “Tell Me Why” (with Lennon and McCartney)
Beatles for Sale (1964)
John Lennon – 9: “No Reply,” “I’m a Loser,” “Baby’s in Black” (with McCartney), “Rock and Roll Music,” “Mr. Moonlight,” “Eight Days a Week,” “Words of Love” (with McCartney), “Every Little Thing,” “I Don’t Want to Spoil the Party”
Paul McCartney – 5: “Baby’s in Black” (with Lennon), “I’ll Follow the Sun,” “Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey,” “Words of Love” (with Lennon), “What You’re Doing”
George Harrison – 1: “Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby”
Ringo Starr – 1: “Honey Don’t”
Help! (1965)
John Lennon – 7: “Help!” “You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away,” “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” (with McCartney and Harrison), “Ticket to Ride,” “It’s Only Love,” “Tell Me What You See,” (with McCartney), “Dizzy Miss Lizzy”
Paul McCartney – 6: “The Night Before,” “Another Girl,” “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” (with Lennon and Harrison), “Tell Me What You See,” (with Lennon), “I’ve Just Seen a Face,” “Yesterday”
George Harrison – 3: “I Need You,” “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” (with Lennon and McCartney), “You Like Me Too Much”
Ringo Starr – 1: “Act Naturally”
Rubber Soul (1965)
John Lennon – 8: “Drive My Car” (with McCartney), “Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown),” “Nowhere Man,” “The Word,” “Girl,” “In My Life,” “Wait” (with McCartney), “Run for Your Life”
Paul McCartney – 5: “Drive My Car” (with Lennon), “You Won’t See Me,” “Michelle,” “I’m Looking Through You,” “Wait” (with Lennon)
George Harrison – 2: “Think for Yourself,” “If I Needed Someone”
Ringo Starr – 1: “What Goes On”
Revolver (1966)
John Lennon – 5: “I’m Only Sleeping,” “She Said She Said,” “And Your Bird Can Sing,” Doctor Robert,” “Tomorrow Never Knows”
Paul McCartney – 5: “Eleanor Rigby,” “Here, There and Everywhere,” “Good Day Sunshine,” “For No One,” “Got to Get You Into My Life”
George Harrison – 3: “Taxman,” “Love You To,” “I Want to Tell You”
Ringo Starr – 1: “Yellow Submarine”
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
John Lennon – 5: “Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds,” “She’s Leaving Home” (with McCartney), “Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” (all four), “A Day in the Life” (with McCartney)
Paul McCartney – 8: “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Getting Better,” “Fixing a Hole,” “She’s Leaving Home” (with Lennon), “When I’m Sixty-Four,” “Lovely Rita,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” (all four), “A Day in the Life” (with Lennon)
George Harrison – 2: “Within You Without You,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” (all four)
Ringo Starr – 2: “With a Little Help From My Friends,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)” (all four)
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
John Lennon – 5: “Flying” (all four), “I Am the Walrus,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Baby, You’re a Rich Man,” “All You Need Is Love”
Paul McCartney – 6: “Magical Mystery Tour,” “The Fool on the Hill,” “Flying” (all four), “Your Mother Should Know,” “Hello, Goodbye,” “Penny Lane”
George Harrison – 2: “Flying” (all four), “Blue Jay Way”
Ringo Starr – 1: “Flying” (all four)
The Beatles (White Album) (1968)
John Lennon – 12: “Dear Prudence,” “Glass Onion,” “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill,” “Happiness Is a Warm Gun,” “I’m So Tired,” “Julia,” “Birthday” (with McCartney), “Yer Blues,” “Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey,” “Sexy Sadie,” “Cry Baby Cry,” “Revolution 9”
Paul McCartney – 12: “Back in the U.S.S.R.,” “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da,” “Wild Honey Pie,” “Martha My Dear,” “Blackbird,” “Rocky Raccoon,” “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road?” “I Will,” “Birthday” (with Lennon), “Mother Nature’s Son,” “Helter Skelter,” “Honey Pie”
George Harrison – 4: “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” “Piggies,” “Long, Long, Long,” “Savoy Truffle”
Ringo Starr – 2: “Don’t Pass Me By,” “Good Night”
Yellow Submarine (1968)
John Lennon – 2: “All Together Now,” (with McCartney), “Hey Bulldog”
Paul McCartney – 1: “All Together Now” (with Lennon)
George Harrison – 2: “Only a Northern Song,” “It’s All Too Much”
Abbey Road (1969)
John Lennon – 7: “Come Together,” “I Want You (She’s So Heavy),” “Because” (with McCartney and Harrison), “Sun King” (with McCartney and Harrison), “Mean Mr. Mustard,” “Polythene Pam,” “Carry That Weight” (all four)
Paul McCartney – 10: “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer,” “Oh! Darling,” “Because” (with Lennon and Harrison), “You Never Give Me Your Money,” “Sun King” (with Lennon and Harrison), “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window,” “Golden Slumbers,” “Carry That Weight” (all four), “The End,” “Her Majesty”
George Harrison – 5: “Something,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “Because” (with Lennon and McCartney), “Sun King” (with Lennon and McCartney), “Carry That Weight” (all four)
Ringo Starr – 2: “Octopus’s Garden,” “Carry That Weight” (all four)
Let It Be (1970)
John Lennon – 7: “Two of Us” (with McCartney), “Dig a Pony,” “Across the Universe,” “Dig It,” “Maggie Mae” (with McCartney), “I’ve Got a Feeling” (with McCartney), “One After 909” (with McCartney)
Paul McCartney – 7: “Two of Us” (with Lennon), “Let It Be,” “Maggie Mae” (with Lennon), “I’ve Got a Feeling” (with Lennon), “One After 909” (with Lennon), “The Long and Winding Road,” “Get Back”
George Harrison – 2: “I Me Mine,” “For You Blue”
Past Masters (singles collection) (1988)
John Lennon – 16: “From Me to You” (with McCartney), “Thank You Girl” (with McCartney), “She Loves You,” “I’ll Get You” (with McCartney), “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (with McCartney), “This Boy” (with McCartney and Harrison), “I Call Your Name,” “Slow Down,” “I Feel Fine,” “Bad Boy,” “Yes It Is” (with McCartney and Harrison), “Rain,” “Revolution,” “Don’t Let Me Down,” “The Ballad of John and Yoko,” “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)” (with McCartney)
Paul McCartney – 15: “From Me to You” (with Lennon), “Thank You Girl” (with Lennon), “I’ll Get You” (with Lennon), “I Want to Hold Your Hand” (with Lennon), “This Boy” (with Lennon and Harrison), “Long Tall Sally,” “She’s a Woman,” “Yes It Is” (with Lennon and Harrison), “I’m Down,” “Day Tripper,” “We Can Work It Out,” “Paperback Writer,” “Lady Madonna,” “Hey Jude,” “You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)” (with Lennon)
George Harrison – 4: “This Boy” (with Lennon and McCartney), “Yes It Is” (with Lennon and McCartney), “The Inner Light,” “Old Brown Shoe”
Ringo Starr – 1: “Matchbox”
