The Equally Fab Four

Last week marked an important date for Beatles fans everywhere - John Lennon's birthday. As always, there was an outpouring of richly deserved tributes to a true musical icon. However, the occasion also highlighted something that has bothered me for a long time, namely the fact that the other three Beatles are too often overlooked.

I am a Beatles fanatic, and I love John Lennon as much as anyone could. But let's be honest here. He was a human being, and he had many flaws. He was not a saint, though since his tragic death in 1980, he has been painted as such by many people. On the day of his birthday I read a tribute which proclaimed that he was "the greatest songwriter of all time." I refuse to accept that statement, the reason being that you simply cannot talk about Lennon's importance as a songwriter without also mentioning Paul McCartney. Together they were the greatest songwriting partnership in the history of popular music, even though we all know that they tended to write separately as the band's career progressed. Both men wrote wonderful material in their respective solo careers (and Paul continues to do so) but I think it's fair to say that their work as members of The Beatles has never been bettered.

There are plenty of people out there who will try to tell you that John was the driving force behind The Beatles. Maybe in the early days he was, and of course it's true that he did found the band. I have had this debate many times, and each time I make the same point - it was Paul who was the experimental one. If it weren't for him, Sgt. Pepper would never have come about, and neither would Magical Mystery Tour (though the film was a bit of a mess... but that's another story). How someone can profess to be a Beatles fan and then belittle McCartney's contribution is beyond me. It's something that really irritates me. Think about it - there are only two Beatles left now. You would think these people would be grateful for that fact. Paul McCartney is a living legend, and every lover of great music on this planet should treat him as such.

It's not just the disparity between Lennon and McCartney that riles me, however. There is nothing worse than those who make out that George Harrison and Ringo Starr were nothing more than passengers. Aside from the fact that George was a great songwriter himself, his guitar playing made the band's sound what it was. As it happens, he is my favourite Beatle. Then there's Ringo. Only last week I was sitting in a lecture hall at university and overheard a remark about Ringo supposedly being a useless drummer. It took a lot for me not to turn around and put the speaker straight. Ringo was not simply there as an easy-going personality to complement the more forceful Lennon and McCartney - he had a unique sound that has influenced so many drummers over the years.

All of this does not detract from the fact that John Lennon was one of the all-time greats. The point I'm making is that Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr are right there alongside him - not beneath him. Take any one of them out of the equation and the whole thing would have fallen apart. They don't call them the Fab Four for nothing.