The Beatles: All US Number Ones Ranked Worst To Best
15. Paperback Writer
12th Number One, 1966 - Written by Paul McCartney
No true misses from here on out, but when you have so many timeless hits, some are bound to be relinquished to the bottom ranks. Such is the case with Paperback Writer.
As stated already, The Beatles have always faced some harsh critics, but criticism is needed now and then, especially of the constructive kind. In this case, it came from Paul's aunt Lil, who asked him why he only wrote love songs. Paul was therefore challenged to address a different subject matter, so why not the act of writing in itself?
Paperback Writer assumes the form of a letter from an aspiring author to a nondescript publisher, though it's evident from the start that the writer has no idea what they're doing or how to sell themselves. It's a song that evokes both pity and sympathy for the character, one who is easy to relate to in a world where it's so difficult to find a job doing what you love. The song packs an extra punch because John demanded that the bass be louder - he thought it was too quiet in their previous records.
Fun Fact: The Beatles' music is sometimes criticised for being childlike. Well, in Paperback Writer, John and George actually sing Frère Jacques in the background.