The Best and Worst Song From Every Beatles Album of the Psychedelic Era

The most loved and most hated Beatles songs are all a matter of personal taste. And when it comes to the band’s psychedelic era, there are a few amazing Fab Four songs that deserve all the love… and others that just don’t meet the mark.

For this list, I made two potentially controversial omissions. Rubber Soul from 1965 does have psychedelic elements, but to many a music historian, this album is more of a “transitional” album between the Fab Four’s Beatlemania era and their psychedelic era. Likewise, I also skipped the White Album. While that record does have psychedelic jams throughout, I find that it was the band stepping away from the psych-heavy sound of the mid-1960s toward the avant-garde and more eclectic rock music.

Best Song on ‘Revolver’ — “Tomorrow Never Knows”

This is the easiest entry I could have written. This song is absolutely amazing. And, personally, I’m a big fan of this cut take of “Tomorrow Never Knows”.

Worst Song on ‘Revolver’ — “Yellow Submarine”

I know this song is a retrospective classic. And while I appreciate the band’s attempt to dish out children’s music, I can’t help but think that “Yellow Submarine” sticks out in an immature way on any otherwise trippy and forward-thinking album.

Best Song on ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ — “A Day In The Life”

Someone once said that this song sounds like the final song that plays during the end credits of one’s life. I’m inclined to agree. “A Day In The Life” is unbelievably gorgeous.

Worst Song on ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ — “Good Morning Good Morning”

Considering Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is the Fab Four’s best album according to many fans, picking the worst song was a heavy process of elimination. “Good Morning Good Morning” is the worst song on the band’s best album, meaning it’s still honestly a fantastic song in the end.

Best Song on ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ — “I Am The Walrus”

From the US LP (i.e. the film’s soundtrack), I’ve always been so fond of how odd and unique “I Am The Walrus” sounds. It’s one of John Lennon’s finest, honestly. I really can’t think of another song from 1967 that sounds anything like it.

Worst Song on ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ — “Your Mother Should Know”

Perhaps a controversial choice, but this Paul McCartney-penned track just doesn’t hit the same way the other songs on Magical Mystery Tour do.

Best Song on ‘Yellow Submarine’ — “Hey Bulldog”

Yellow Submarine isn’t my favorite Beatles album, but “Hey Bulldog” has always been the one song to stick out to me. Lennon is a bluesy delight throughout this song, and his lead guitar riff will put some stank on your face.

Worst Song on ‘Yellow Submarine’ — “All Together Now”

It was between “Sea Of Holes and “All Together Now” for this entry, both of which are songs that aren’t bad by any stretch. If anything, both of them, especially “All Together Now”, are just not particularly memorable compared to other songs on Yellow Submarine.

Photo by Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images

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