10 Amazing Songs Written Out Of Competition

It's hard to see the work of John Lennon and Paul McCartney as anything but a competition. From the start of the Beatles to their eventually breakup, most of the collaborative efforts between Lennon and McCartney were always the result of trying to outdo each other in terms of lyrics, melody, or even complete songs unto themselves. Even when it was time to get serious though, that rivalry still reared its head.

After deciding to not tour anymore, the Beatles assembled in Abbey Road trying to work out new material. While initially skeptical of where to go next, John Lennon's Strawberry Fields Forever proved to be a watershed moment, with lyrics that were a strange journey through Lennon's childhood. Despite having a certified hit on their hands with this song, McCartney tried to outdo his partner yet again on Penny Lane, which reflected the sunnier side of the Liverpool childhood.

Though both of these songs were unprecedented for the time, they were released before their landmark album Sgt. Pepper to give fans a hint of where they were going. Not wanting to be outdone, the songs were actually issued as one of the first-ever double A-side singles, with the band electing not to relegate any of the tracks to Side B. For two songs that were all about growing up in Liverpool, it's strange to consider how different both Lennon and McCartney interpreted their upbringing.