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TL;DR:

  • Michael Jackson said it was difficult to narrow down his favorites among The Beatles’ songs.
  • Jackson told George Harrison that two Beatles songs were so beautiful they didn’t need lyrics.
  • One of the songs appeared on the soundtrack of the movie Magical Mystery Tour.
The Beatles’ Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison standing
The Beatles’ Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison | John Pratt/Keystone/Getty Images

Michael Jackson‘s songs are very different from The Beatles’ songs. Despite this, the King of Pop had a lot of appreciation for the Prefab Four. Jackson told George Harrison that two Beatles songs were so beautiful they did not need lyrics.

Michael Jackson shared his opinions on some of The Beatles’ songs in 1985

During a 1985 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Jackson was asked to name his five favorite Beatles songs. He named “Yesterday” first, suggesting he liked that song more than anything else in the Fab Four’s catalog.

Subsequently, he named other favorites, specifically “Here, There and Everywhere,” “The Fool on the Hill,” “Let It Be,” “Hey Jude,” “Eleanor Rigby,” “Penny Lane,” and “Strawberry Fields Forever.” The King of Pop said it was difficult to narrow his favorite Beatles tracks down to five.

Michael Jackson discussed his melodies and The Beatles’ melodies with George Harrison

The book George Harrison on George Harrison: Interviews and Encounters says radio host David Jensen interviewed Jackson alongside Harrison in 1979. During the interview, Jensen said Jackson’s songs had strong melodies. “Uh, that’s true for the singles but for the other stuff, I mean it’s different,” he opined. 

“I mean I think melodies are always important, I mean especially like some of the old Beatle things, I mean I think the melodies are beautiful,” Jackson added. “I mean that’s what I think makes them stay around so long.”

Subsequently, Jackson praised two of The Beatles’ songs. “I mean if you just hum ‘Here Comes the Sun’ or ‘[The] Fool on the Hill,’ I mean the melody is so pretty you don’t … I mean the lyrics are beautiful too, but you don’t really need it,” he said.

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John Lennon’s Son Named His 2 Favorite Beatles Songs Even Though He Hates Being Asked About That

How The Beatles’ ‘Here Comes the Sun’ and ‘The Fool on the Hill’ performed on the pop charts in the United States

“Here Comes the Sun” was never a single, so it did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100. The track appeared on Abbey Road. The album topped the Billboard 200 for 11 weeks, staying on the chart for 475 weeks in total. 

“The Fool on the Hill” did not chart on the Billboard Hot 100 either. It appeared on the soundtrack of the movie Magical Mystery Tour. The soundtrack was No. 1 for eight of its 93 weeks on the Billboard 200.

“Here Comes the Sun” and “The Fool on the Hill” were not hits but they moved Jackson.

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