The Beatles: All US Number Ones Ranked Worst To Best
17. I Feel Fine
6th Number One, 1964 - Written by John Lennon
The last number one of 1964, the year in which The Beatles took over America, was fittingly a song of their very own. It is said that I Feel Fine was the first recorded track to leave in the sound of guitar feedback as a technique and not a goof - a notion that John took pride in, and one that showcases how innovative The Beatles were. Though that innovation might be counterbalanced by the fact that John 'borrowed' the riff from an older Bobby Parker song.
The simplistic lyrics (the narrator feels fine because 'she' is in love with him) were written after the riff, and John always maintained that they were lousy. We can all disagree on that, but this is still the weakest of their first batch of number ones.
Fun Fact: This song alternated at the top of the charts with The Supremes' Come See About Me. The Diana Ross-led group was the second act with the most number ones during the '60s, and they would quarrel with The Beatles for the pole position many times over. In 1966, The Supremes' You Can't Hurry Love even kept Yellow Submarine from the top spot - so (spoiler alert) you won't find that song ranked here.