The Beatles' Top Singles, 13-20
In this segment of our list of 25 of The Beatles' top singles, you will find "Paperback Writer" and "Yellow Submarine."13. "Day Tripper" (1965)
Though they fervently denied it for 40 years, Paul revealed in a 2005 interview that yes, "Day Tripper" is about drugs. At the time, nobody knew (or they didn't care), and this tune, released along with "We Can Work It Out" shot to number one right away.
14. "Nowhere Man" (1966)
This rather disturbing song, written by John about a man whose life is pointless and lonely, turned out to be somewhat autobiographical. Lennon reportedly had to come up with another song for the Rubber Soul album, but after several hours of writing nothing, he gave up. As soon as he did, this song simply came to him. "Nowhere Man" only reached the number-three spot in America.
15. "Paperback Writer" (1966)
This number one was penned by Paul after an aunt reportedly told him to write a song that wasn't about a girl. The song clips along at a fast pace and tells the story of an aspiring writer, possibly based on a book Ringo was reading at the time.
16. "Yellow Submarine" (1966)
Though Paul vehemently denied it, "Yellow Submarine" (the song that later inspired an animated movie of the same name) got a reputation for being about hallucinogenic drug use. Ringo sings lead vocals on this goofy-but-catchy song that hit number one in the U.K. and number two in the States.
17. "Eleanor Rigby" (1966)
This melancholy track further proved to the world that The Beatles were not just a flash in the pan. Paul wrote the lyrics to this song about "all the lonely people," and producer George Martin added a lush string score. It all meshed together to describe the loneliness of old age. It hit the top of the charts in the U.K. but only made it to number 11 on U.S. charts.
18. "Hello, Goodbye" (1967)
Spending several weeks at number one on both the U.K. and U.S. charts, "Hello, Goodbye" was released around Christmastime 1967 and later on the Magical Mystery Tour album.
19. "With a Little Help from My Friends" (1967)
The cheers and applause that accompany this Ringo-led tune came from earlier recordings of The Beatles' live shows, since they were no longer touring when the song was recorded. The single wasn't a chart-topper, but it has a sweet message and a catchy melody that make it a classic Beatles fan favorite.
20. "Lady Madonna" (1968)
Before The Beatles left for India in 1969 (and changed directions musically) they recorded one last song for Parlophone/Capitol before releasing on their own label, Apple Records. "Lady Madonna" was that song, and it hit the top spot in the U.K. and reached number four in the States.
On the next page, you will find the final 5 top singles from The Beatles on our list.
