The Beatles were not shy about exchanging pointed remarks with each other, even prior to their separation at the beginning of the 1970s. Some of their criticisms could be incredibly cutting and direct.
Prominent instances of this internal conflict include Paul McCartney‘s “Too Many People,” George Harrison‘s “Not Guilty,” and John Lennon‘s “How Do You Sleep?” In fact, after their breakup, the Beatles‘ disputes intensified to such an extent that songs not intended to be about their feud were often misinterpreted as responses to each other.
For example, “3 Legs” from McCartney‘s 1971 album Ram was widely perceived to be addressing his former bandmates – however, the inspiration behind the song actually stemmed from a drawing of a friendly dog made by his daughter, Heather. McCartney’s initial demo was titled “A Dog Is Here.”
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The Beatles also directed their critical lyrics towards a range of other significant subjects. The following compilation of 20 Beatles Diss Tracks also targets corrupt politicians, profit-driven corporations, egomaniacs, the judicial system, and even a few contemporary figures.
If there is a prominent theme, it’s that the seemingly peaceful, Krishna</b-chanting Harrison was always ready to deliver a sharp critique. He provided some unforgettable jabs at his bandmates while trying to navigate the Lennon-McCartney impasse, but Harrison also aimed his barbs at the greedy and the misguided.
Here’s a retrospective on 20 memorable Beatles Diss Tracks:
No. 20. “Only a Northern Song”
From: The Beatles, Yellow Submarine (1969)
Target: The unscrupulous music industry
While still a teenager, Harrison was tricked into signing a contract with Dick James‘ newly established Northern Songs. Harrison held no rights to the music he created under this arrangement. “I thought, ‘Great, somebody’s gonna publish my songs!'” Harrison later recounted in Billboard. “But he never mentioned that by signing this document, I was assigning the ownership of my songs to him. It was nothing short of outright theft.” After establishing himself as a songwriter, he delivered this incisive critique during the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band sessions.
Key Lines: “It doesn’t really matter what chords I play, what words I say or time of day it is – as it’s only a northern song.”
No. 19. “Dear Friend”
From: Paul McCartney, Wild Life (1971)
Target: John Lennon
John Lennon came out swinging following the dissolution of the Beatles, famously labeling McCartney‘s 1970 album McCartney as “rubbish” in Rolling Stone magazine. “I was sort of responding here, asking, ‘Does it have to be this hurtful?'” McCartney reflected in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present. “It could have been titled ‘What the F—, Man?’ but I wasn’t sure we could’ve gotten away with that back then.” Of course, McCartney wasn’t above the conflict himself: the back cover of Ram, released earlier that same year, features an image of two beetles copulating.
Key Lines: “Dear friend, what’s the time? Is this really the borderline? Does it really mean so much to you? Are you afraid, or is it true?”
No. 18. “This Song”
From: George Harrison, Thirty-Three and a Third (1976)
Target: Dim-witted judicial system
Harrison had just spent a week unsuccessfully defending his No. 1 single “My Sweet Lord,” which had been accused of plagiarizing “He’s So Fine” by the Chiffons. A judge ruled against Harrison, claiming he had committed the unique offense of subconscious plagiarism. “I wrote ‘This Song’ as a lighthearted commentary,” Harrison shared in I Me Mine, “and as a way to dispel the anxiety about songwriting that had begun to build within me.” He later returned to court to create the whimsical accompanying video.
Key Lines: “This tune has nothing bright about it. This tune ain’t bad or good and come ever what may, my expert tells me it’s okay.”
No. 17. “Piggies”
From: The Beatles, The Beatles (1968)
Target: Greedy businessmen
This sharp-tongued song was created during the same time Harrison penned “Taxman,” which is also featured later in our list of 20 Beatles Diss Tracks. Due to a derogatory term that later became widely used, many assumed Harrison was targeting law enforcement. (One of those individuals was the disturbed mass-murderer Charles Manson.) In reality, Harrison was critiquing materialism and class warfare. “Piggies” had “absolutely nothing to do with American policemen,” he clarified in George Harrison on George Harrison. “It was a social commentary.”
Key Lines: “In their styes with all their backing, they don’t care what goes on around. In their eyes, there’s something lacking. What they need’s a damn good whacking.”
No. 16. “Steel and Glass”
From: John Lennon, Walls and Bridges (1974)
Target: Corrupt former manager?
Late-period manager Allen Klein played a significant role in the Beatles‘ breakup, far more than the wrongfully blamed Yoko Ono. McCartney vehemently opposed hiring him, which eventually led to a lawsuit that shattered the band. Lennon was so trusting that he even delegated his personal finances to Klein. By the time Lennon expressed his frustrations through “Steel and Glass,” their relationship had soured. He was, however, cautious about revealing the song’s subject matter. “I would prefer everyone think, ‘Who’s it about?’ and try to piece it together,” Lennon later confessed. “For sure, it isn’t about Paul.
Key Lines: “There you stand with your L.A. tan, and your New York walk and your New York talk … Well, your teeth are clean but your mind is capped. You leave your smell like an alley cat.”
No. 15. “Wah-Wah”
From: George Harrison, All Things Must Pass (1970)
Target: Lennon and McCartney
Harrison began crafting “Wah Wah” in a surge of emotion after he briefly quit during protracted sessions that would ultimately yield the 1970 album Let It Be. “It never escalated to violence, but I thought, ‘What’s the point of this?'” Harrison recounted in Anthology. “I got up and thought, ‘I’m done with this. I’m out of here.’ So I grabbed my guitar and went home, and that afternoon I wrote ‘Wah-Wah.'” It became the first track recorded during full-band sessions in May 1970 for his defining solo album, All Things Must Pass.
Key Lines: “And I’m thinking of you and all the things that we used to do … and I know how sweet life can be, if I keep myself free.”
No. 14. “Sexy Sadie”
From: The Beatles, The Beatles (1968)
Target: A lecherous spiritual mentor
Lennon was still embroiled in a failed pursuit of transcendentalism with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India when he began writing “Sexy Sadie.” An unverified rumor had circulated that their spiritual guide made inappropriate advances towards one of Lennon‘s fellow travelers. McCartney attempted to convince Lennon to remain, but he insisted on hailing a taxi. Later, Lennon expressed regret that the resulting lyric wasn’t more direct: “I wimped out,” Lennon told Rolling Stone, “and I wouldn’t write ‘Maharishi, what have you done? You made a fool of everyone.’
Key Lines: “One sunny day the world was waiting for a lover. She came along and turned on everyone … Sexy Sadie, you’ll get yours yet – however big you think you are.”
No. 13. “Sue Me Sue You Blues”
From: George Harrison, Living in the Material World (1973)
Target: Lennon and McCartney
At this point, the Beatles were embroiled in legal battles with one another. Bright Tunes was suing Harrison. Additionally, there were legal complications surrounding the Concert for Bangladesh that would keep the majority of the funds tied up for years. The result was “Sue Me Sue You Blues.” “I wrote it during the intense suing period and it’s loosely based on the square dance type of fiddle lyric: ‘You serve me, and I’ll serve you; swing your partners, all get screwed,” Harrison stated in I Me Mine. The song title actually originated from Harrison during a 1971 appearance on The Dick Cavett Show.
Key Lines: “It’s affidavit-swearing time, sign it on the dotted line. Hold your Bible in your hand – now all that’s left is to find yourself a new band.”
No. 12. “She Said She Said”
From: The Beatles, Revolver (1966)
Target: Stoned Peter Fonda
During a break from their U.S. summer tour in 1965, the Beatles hosted a party at a rented house on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles. The atmosphere quickly devolved as acid was passed around. Among those who drifted in was Peter Fonda, who had yet to achieve fame with the 1969 film Easy Rider. He “kept coming over, wearing shades, saying, ‘I know what it’s like to be dead,’ and we kept leaving him because he was so tedious!” Lennon shared in All We Are Saying by David Scheff. “Don’t tell me about it! I don’t want to know what it’s like to be dead!”
Key Lines: “She said, ‘I know what it’s like to be dead. I know what it is to be sad.’ And she’s making me feel like I’ve never been born.”
No. 11. “Back Off Boogaloo”
From: Ringo Starr, Blast from Your Past (1975)
Target: Paul McCartney
Starr mentioned that the title of this glam-rock-inspired single, co-written with Harrison, was influenced by a catchphrase from the equally glam-rock-inspired Marc Bolan of T. Rex. In other respects, “Back Off Boogaloo” seems to be directed at McCartney as Starr makes several not-so-subtle allusions to his early solo career missteps. Starr had burst onto the 1970s with the gold-selling international Top 5 hit “It Don’t Come Easy,” while both of McCartney‘s 1971 albums received widespread criticism. (Ram later earned a well-deserved critical reevaluation.)
Key Lines: “I gotta flash right from the start … Get yourself together now and give me somethin’ tasty. Everything you try to do, you know it sure sounds wasted.”
No. 10. “I Me Mine”
From: The Beatles, Let It Be (1970)
Target: Selfish people
The last song from the 1960s completed by the Beatles was inspired by thoughts on ego and self-centeredness during one of Harrison‘s experiments with LSD. Unsurprisingly, he found himself grappling with similar personality conflicts during the sessions for Let It Be, as highlighted by the way Harrison is heard introducing the song in the accompanying documentary film: “‘I Me Mine,’ it’s called. I don’t care if you don’t want it.” The finished track provides its own context for these times: Lennon doesn’t appear since he had already departed the band.
Key Lines: “No one’s frightened of playing it, everyone’s saying it – flowing more freely than wine. All through your life: I me mine.”
No. 9. “And Your Bird Can Sing”
From: The Beatles, Revolver (1966)
Target: The Rolling Stones
Perhaps Lennon initially viewed the Rolling Stones as mere imitators because they first gained attention with a cover of “I Wanna Be Your Man.” His lyrics here can be reminiscent of Bob Dylan in their stubborn refusal to make sense, yet the “bird” in question appears to be their longtime associate Marianne Faithfull. Like many Beatles songs, Lennon later dismissed “And Your Bird Can Sing.” Nevertheless, the dual guitars from McCartney and Harrison were captivating enough to feature as the theme for the late 1960s Beatles cartoon.
Key Lines: “You tell me that you’ve got everything you want, and your bird can sing – but you don’t get me. You don’t get me.”
No. 8. “Run of the Mill”
From: George Harrison, All Things Must Pass (1970)
Target: Paul McCartney
Another song from Harrison‘s brief Let It Be-era hiatus from the Beatles – and a personal early favorite. His songwriting was evolving rapidly: “It was the first song I ever wrote that looked like a poem on paper, whereas most of them don’t seem much until you pair the lyrics with the melody,” Harrison acknowledged in I Me Mine. “Run of the Mill” expresses the sound of someone embracing responsibility for their own destiny. Even if circumstances had remained unchanged, Harrison likely would not have been with the Beatles much longer.
Key Lines: “Though I’m beside you, I can’t carry the blame for you. I may decide to get out with your blessing, where I’ll carry on guessing.”
No. 7. “Glass Onion”
From: The Beatles, The Beatles (1968)
Target: Rumor-mongering Beatles fans
Lyric-obsessed fans had been dissecting Beatles songs for years, searching for hidden meanings. This was before rumors regarding McCartney‘s death and replacement began circulating. Lennon responded with a complex song filled with non sequiturs, callbacks, narrative blind alleys, and inside jokes that would keep fans engaged for years to come. He even reveals the true identity of the Walrus. Well, not really: “I threw the line in,” he admitted in All We Are Saying, “just to confuse everybody a bit more.”
Key Lines: “I told you about the walrus and me, man. You know that we’re as close as can be, man. Well, here’s another clue for you all – the walrus was Paul.
No. 6. “Taxman”
From: The Beatles, Revolver (1966)
Target: The British government
The Beatles had achieved success – but then Harrison made a shocking discovery: they were paying 19-and-a-half shillings to the British government for every 20 they earned. “You are so thrilled to finally start making money – and then you realize the reality of taxes,” Harrison explained in the Anthology series. “With supertax, surtax, and tax-tax, it was ludicrous – a hefty penalty for making money.” Lennon provided lyrical support, while McCartney took a blistering turn on guitar as Harrison completed his first-ever album-opening song.
Key Lines: “If you try to sit, I’ll tax your seat. If you get too cold, I’ll tax the heat. If you take a walk, I’ll tax your feet – ’cause I’m the taxman.”
No. 5. “God”
From: John Lennon, Plastic Ono Band (1970)
Target: Everything but Yoko Ono
Lennon‘s first legitimate solo album gradually built toward this monumental declaration of intent. “God” marked his rejection of everything that preceded it (his parents, religion, key influences, and even his old band) – except for Yoko Ono. “I don’t know when I realized I was renouncing all these things I didn’t believe in,” he recounted in Lennon Remembers. “I could have continued indefinitely. It was like a Christmas card list – where do I stop?” In the end, it was the Beatles. As Lennon bid farewell, the 1960s came to a definitive close.
Key Lines: “I don’t believe in Jesus, I don’t believe in Kennedy … I don’t believe in Elvis. I don’t believe in Zimmerman. I don’t believe in Beatles. I just believe in me – Yoko and me.”
No. 4. “Not Guilty”
From: George Harrison, George Harrison (1979)
Target: Lennon and McCartney
Harrison expressed his frustrations regarding the deteriorating dynamics within the Beatles through several songs like “Wah-Wah” and “Run of the Mill,” which later appeared on solo albums. “Not Guilty” also addressed these issues, but Harrison was not reluctant to voice these frustrations directly to the others: The Beatles even performed a rough version of “Not Guilty” that was later released as part of the Anthology series, igniting Harrison‘s original demo. However, the song would not see its first official release until the late 1970s.
Key Lines: “No use handing me a writ while I’m trying to do my bit … I won’t upset the apple cart. I only want what I can get.”
No. 3. “Gimme Some Truth”
From: John Lennon, Imagine (1971)
Target: President Richard Nixon
Lennon initiated this song while he was still disillusioned with the Maharishi, who he believed had exploited attendees at a transcendental meditation retreat. The Beatles also worked on “Gimme Some Truth” during the Let It Be sessions. By the time Lennon completed it for Imagine, he had a new target to criticize: Richard Nixon. Unfortunately, this made Lennon a target as well – particularly since this period marked an increase in activism. He nearly faced deportation before finally securing a green card some five years later.
Key Line: “I’ve had enough of reading things by neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians. All I want is the truth. Just give me some truth.”
No. 2. “Too Many People”
From: Paul McCartney, Ram (1971)
Target: John Lennon
McCartney had not yet faced Lennon’s most damaging post-breakup attack, which tops this list of 20 Beatles Diss Tracks. However, he had experienced enough to feel a response was necessary. “John was launching missiles at me with his songs, and some of them were quite cruel,” McCartney remarked in The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present. “I decided to return fire, but I’m not really that kind of writer, so it was quite indirect.” Lennon caught every reference loud and clear. He would respond later that same year on Imagine.
Key Lines: “That was your first mistake: You took your lucky break and broke it in two. Now what can be done for you? You broke it in two.”
No. 1. “How Do You Sleep?”
From: John Lennon, Imagine (1971)
Target: Paul McCartney
There was nothing subtle about “How Do You Sleep?” Lennon outright dismissed McCartney‘s songwriting contributions, labeling his work “muzak to my ears,” before delivering a sharp jab with a nod to the “Paul is Dead” conspiracy theories. (His original lyrics were even more scathing.) “There were a few little digs on his albums,” Lennon confessed in David Sheff‘s All We Are Saying. “So I thought, ‘Well, let’s stop being vague! I’ll just get right down to the nitty-gritty.'” Mission accomplished.
Key Lines: “Those freaks was right when they said you was dead. … The only thing you done was yesterday and since you’re gone, you’re just another day.”
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