10 of the Best Beatles Love Songs
The Beatles wrote some of the most famous love songs ever. They were masters of romantic tunes and devised new ways of telling love stories. Some are about someone loving another. Others are more vulnerable and aching for affection. Here are 10 of the best Beatles love songs.
1. ‘Ask Me Why’
The lyrics of “Ask Me Why” are so incredibly romantic. In the song, one person is singing to another about how glad they are that they found love together. The person is even moved to tears. There will be no more sadness because the other person loves them. John Lennon sings, “Now you’re mine, my happiness still makes me cry/ And in time, you’ll understand the reason why/ If I cry, it’s not because I’m sad/ But you’re the only love that I’ve ever had.”
2. ‘Do You Want to Know a Secret’
The secret in “Do You Want to Know a Secret” is, of course, that one person loves another. It’s the same sort of love song as “Ask Me Why,” where a person is talking to their lover. The exciting part of this tune is that their love is a secret between them. It’s almost scandalous.
3. ‘It Won’t Be Long’
“It Won’t Be Long” is one of The Beatles’ general “missing you” love songs. In the lyrics, the person speaks to their love about longing to be together again. They talk about their loneliness, living without their love, and being happy that they are returning. It won’t be long until they reunite.
4. ‘All My Loving’
“All My Loving” is one of The Beatles’ classic love songs. Like “It Won’t Be Long,” it speaks about leaving one’s love behind and thinking of the day they will reunite. The person vows to send them all their love and be faithful while they’re away. They will also dream of kissing them and writing to them every day. It oozes love.
5. ‘She Loves You’
“She Loves You” tells a different love story than all the rest. Someone is telling and reassuring their friend that their lover does love them. It’s all in the lyrics: “You think you’ve lost your love/ Well, I saw her yesterday/ It’s you she’s thinkin’ of/ And she told me what to say/ She says she loves you.” The only annoying thing about this song is that we never find out if the person eventually listens to his friend and realizes his love loves him.
6. ‘Hold Me Tight’
“Hold Me Tight” speaks about being insecure in a relationship. The person asks their love to tell them they’re the only one, to reassure them that they’ll never be lonely again, and to hold them tight. Being alone with their love is the only thing they want. It’s about how vulnerable everyone is, being in love with someone.
7. ‘And I Love Her’
In his book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present, Paul McCartney said that he wrote “And I Love Her” around the time that he wanted to tell his then-girlfriend, Jane Asher, he loved her. “And I Love Her” is one Beatles love song that doesn’t involve someone speaking to their love. The person in the song thinks about their passion and how much they love them.
8. ‘I Need You’
George Harrison’s Help! track is a classic tragic love song. The person in “I Need You” almost begs their lost love to return. You can hear the desperation in the way George sings the song too. He sings, “You don’t realize how much I need you/ Love you all the time, never leave you/ Please come on back to me/ I’m lonely as can be/ I need you.”
9. ‘Got to Get You Into My Life’
Although Paul has said “Got to Get You Into My Life” is an ode to pot, it can still be seen as a love song. Someone is taking a drive when they spot someone who they instantly fall in love with. Like in “Hold Me Tight,” there’s a desperation to hold someone close and tell them they love them. By the time this song came out on Revolver, The Beatles were making fewer love songs. However, they never lost touch with them.
10. ‘Something’
George’s “Something” is one of the most famous love songs on the planet, and for a good reason. It’s moody, extremely romantic, and unlike any other romantic song. It’s chilling, especially during the perfect guitar solo that sounds tender and loving. George claimed he wrote it about his then-wife, Pattie Boyd, but he is also quoted saying it’s about his love for Krishna. Either way, it’s a beautiful love song.
The Beatles never wrote a bad love song or a cheesy one. There was always a more profound message, even in the simpler songs. After Revolver, The Beatles started to veer away from love songs. They wrote about more complex stories and characters as their songwriting developed. However, they never forgot how to write a lovely romantic tune.
