Most of his points were easily dismissed. The Stones don't make it here without the Beatles. I think it's hard to argue otherwise.
On the other hand, he did have a point when it comes to the post-Beatles era. He argued that the 70s were the heyday for the Stones, and during that time, the Beatles were already gone. My argument was that they were still around, and still producing music. It just wasn't together. Imagine, I suggested, if all of their best efforts were on one album every year or two. That would still blow away the Stones.
Well, this morning I actually went through the solo Beatles catalogue to see if I was right. First, lets take a closer look at the early 70s, and tell me what you think.
If the united Beatles released an album in 1970, it would have contained the following songs...
Maybe I’m Amazed (Paul)
Come and Get it (Paul..given to Badfinger)
Every Night (Paul)
Cold Turkey (John)
Give Peace a Chance (John)
Working Class Hero (John)
Mother (John)
Love (John)
Instant Karma (John)
God (John)
Isn’t it a Pity (George)
My Sweet Lord (George)
What is Life (George)
That's a pretty great album. Three of the top 100 songs of the year (Instant Karma, Come and Get It, and My Sweet Lord--which technically became a hit in 1971). Plus, one of the greatest songs of all-time ("Maybe I'm Amazed") And they also put out "Let it Be", which included "Let it Be", "Get Back", and "The Long and Winding Road". I also say that if they were still together, John would have pushed Paul to have better lyrics, and Paul would have pushed John to have better production, and all of their songs would have been even better.
The Stones put out a pretty good album in 1971 too, but not as good as this. They put out Sticky Fingers, which included the following songs...
"Brown Sugar"
"Sway"
"Wild Horses"
"Can't You Hear Me Knocking"
"You Gotta Move"
"Bitch"
"I Got the Blues"
"Sister Morphine"
"Dead Flowers"
"Moonlight Mile"
Pretty damn good. Only "Brown Sugar" was one of the top 100 songs of the year, but let's face it, "Wild Horses" and "Bitch" stand the test of time, and so does "Can't You Hear Me Knockin". But does it eclipse the Beatles output? I'd argue no way.
Let's say the Beatles combined to put out another album in 1972. These are all songs that the individual members of the group put out in 1971/72. Again, pretty good batch of songs.
Jealous Guy (John)
Imagine (John)
Oh Yoko (John)
Power to the People (John)
Happy Xmas (War is Over) (John)
Woman is the Nigger of the World (John)
Another Day (Paul)
Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey (Paul)
Too Many People (Paul)
C Moon (Paul)
Give Ireland Back to the Irish (Paul)
Hi Hi Hi (Paul)
Bangladesh (George)
It Don't Come Easy (Ringo)
Back Off Boogaloo (Ringo)
Pretty strong album, right there. Three of the top 100 hits of the year ("Another Day", "Uncle Albert" and "It Don't Come Easy"), and a few of the most timeless classics ("Imagine" and "Jealous Guy").
Top that, Rolling Stones.
Well, it turns out the Stones had a pretty good one that year too. They came out with Exile on Main Street which includes the following songs...
"Rocks Off"
"Rip This Joint"
"Shake Your Hips"
"Casino Boogie"
"Tumbling Dice"
"Sweet Virginia"
"Torn and Frayed"
"Sweet Black Angel"
"Loving Cup"
"Happy"
"Turd on the Run"
"Ventilator Blues"
"I Just Want to See His Face"
"Let It Loose"
"All Down the Line"
"Stop Breaking Down"
"Shine a Light"
"Soul Survivor"
No huge hits on that album, but the album itself was a mega-hit. It was the #1 album for half the summer of 1972. Sorry, but I still give the edge to the Beatles.
In the next two years, the Stones put out two great albums, Goat's Head Soup and It's Only Rock and Roll. Those two albums contained the following songs...
Stones--Goat’s Head Soup
"Dancing with Mr. D"
"100 Years Ago"
"Coming Down Again"
"Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)"
"Angie"
"Silver Train"
"Hide Your Love"
"Winter"
"Can You Hear the Music"
"Star Star"
Stones--It's Only Rock and Roll
"If You Can't Rock Me"
"Ain't Too Proud to Beg" (writers: Norman Whitfield, Eddie Holland)
"It's Only Rock 'n Roll (But I Like It)"
"Till the Next Goodbye"
"Time Waits for No One"
"Luxury"
"Dance Little Sister"
"If You Really Want to Be My Friend"
"Short and Curlies"
"Fingerprint File"
Some big hits ("Doo Doo Doo", "Angie", "It's Only Rock and Roll" and "Ain't Too Proud to Beg") and some classics ("Star Star" and "Dancin' with Mr. D"), but does it hold up to the Beatles output in 1973 and 1974. Judge for yourself...
Band on the Run (Paul)
Helen Wheels (Paul)
Jet (Paul)
Let Me Roll It (Paul)
Live and Let Die (Paul)
Mrs. Vanderbilt (Paul)
My Love (Paul)
Picasso’s Last Words (Paul)
Juniors Farm (Paul)
Mind Games (John)
Whatever gets you through the Night (John)
#9 Dream (John)
Give Me Love (George)
Oh My My (Ringo)
Photograph (Ringo)
You’re Sixteen (Ringo)
Goodnight Vienna (Ringo)
I’m the Greatest (Ringo)
No No Song (Ringo)
That's a pretty good list, right there. Paul was really on his game, and Ringo must have been hit by lightning or something (John wrote a few of those songs for him). Nine of those songs were in the top 100 hits of the year in either 73 or 74. ("Band on the Run", "Helen Wheels", "Jet", "Live and Let Die", "Give Me Love", "You're Sixteen", "Oh My My", "Photograph" and "My Love"). Several others were also hits ("Junior's Farm", "Whatever Gets You Through The Night", and "Mind Games"). This would have been a multi-platinum album, to say the least.
Now, both Stones albums were also #1 hits. But the Beatles songs contained above came from three different #1 albums, including the best selling album of all of them--Band on the Run.
Have to give this one to the Beatles too. The Beatles also win 1975/1976 because the Stones didn't release any albums. The list of Beatles songs, however, do start going downhill a bit, thanks to John essentially dropping out...
Stand By Me (John)
Be Bop a Lula (John)
Listen What The Man Said (Paul)
Magneto and Titanium Man (Paul)
Venus & Mars (Paul)
Rock Show (Paul)
You Gave Me the Answer (Paul)
Let Em In (Paul)
Silly Love Songs (Paul)
Crackerbox Palace (George)
But the Stones win 1977-1979 with ease. The Beatles put out crap, except for a track or two on Paul's London Town. And the Stones put out "Some Girls" which includes "Miss You", "Beast of Burden" and "Shattered".
I think the last fair year to check is 1980, which I also give to the Beatles. The Stones put out "Emotional Rescue", which wasn't exactly their greatest album. The songs are...
"Dance (Pt. 1)" – 4:23
"Summer Romance" – 3:16
"Send It to Me" – 3:43
"Let Me Go" – 3:50
"Indian Girl" – 4:23
"Where the Boys Go" – 3:29
"Down in the Hole" – 3:57
"Emotional Rescue" – 5:39
"She's So Cold" – 4:12
"All About You" – 4:18
A couple of good ones, but really only "She's So Cold" is considered a classic. Meanwhile the Beatles (led by John) put out...
(Just Like) Starting Over (John)
Watching the Wheels (John)
Stepping Out (John)
Woman (John)
I'm Losing You (John)
Beautiful Boy (John)
Cleanup Time (John)
Coming Up (Paul)
Blow Away (George)
After that, the whole death of John makes comparisons a bit unfair, but I will give the Stones the early and mid 1980s ("Tattoo You" is a classic, and "Dirty Work" is pretty good), and I'll give the Beatles the late 1980s (George was at the top of his game with Cloud Nine and his work with the Wilbury's, and Paul had a great album Flowers in the Dirt).
Both the Beatles and Stones have been underwhelming since then, but again, to be fair--George died in 2001. His Brainwashed album (released after his death) is fantastic, and Paul had two good albums Flaming Pie and New. The Stones have released five albums in that time, but let's face it, only Steel Wheels (1989) had anything memorable.
To be fair, I'll call it a draw during the past three decades.
I'm obviously a Beatles partisan, but I still think the Beatles were better.
What do you think?
