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Missing Beatle

One of the four Beatles is entirely absent from this recording

30
songs
30 Beatles recordings are made without one of the four, from 1965 to 1970. It starts with 'Yesterday' and ends with 'I Me Mine'. More of them come from 1967 on than from the first four years, 25 against one. Paul sings lead on thirteen of them, George on eight, John on four and Ringo on two. Three of them share it on 'Because'. Harrison wrote eight of the 30, such as 'Here Comes the Sun' and 'Love You To', 32% of his songs against 16% of McCartney's. On 'Within You Without You' it is no John Lennon, Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr - Harrison is the only Beatle on the track. On 'The Ballad of John and Yoko' it is no George (abroad) and no Ringo (filming The Magic Christian). Of those, 'Love You To' is in C minor, and only three of their recordings are.
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30 Beatles songs were recorded without one or more of the four present, among them 'Yesterday' (1965), 'Long, Long, Long' (1968), and 'I Me Mine' (1970).

Analysis

By Year

Song count per year

By Songwriter

% of each member's catalogue with this tag (by writing credit)

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Songs(30)

Year
Album
Writer
Lead vocal(s)

Yesterday

1965·Help!·Paul

3 of the four are absent

Eleanor Rigby

1966·Revolver·Paul

1 of the four are absent

For No One

1966·Revolver·Paul

No Lennon, no Harrison

Love You To

1966·Revolver·George

No John Lennon

She Said She Said

1966·Revolver·John

No McCartney - walked out after argument

She's Leaving Home

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·Paul

2 of the four are absent

Within You Without You

1967·Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band·George

No John Lennon, Paul McCartney or Ringo Starr - Harrison is the only Beatle on the track

The Inner Light

1968·Past Masters·George

1 of the four are absent

Back in the U.S.S.R.

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

Ringo had walked out; no Ringo on track

Blackbird

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

3 of the four are absent

Dear Prudence

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John

Ringo had quit; Paul on drums

Don't Pass Me By

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Ringo

No Lennon; no Harrison

Good Night

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Ringo

2 of the four are absent

I Will

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

No George

Julia

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John

3 of the four are absent

Long, Long, Long

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George

Lennon absent from sessions

Martha My Dear

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

No Lennon

Mother Nature's Son

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

3 of the four are absent

Piggies

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George

No Ringo on basic tracking; he plays tambourine overdub

Revolution 9

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)

Lennon and Harrison on the piece itself; McCartney and Starr reach it only through the Revolution take it was built from

Savoy Truffle

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George

No Lennon

Why Don't We Do It in the Road?

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

No Lennon or Harrison

Wild Honey Pie

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Paul

Three Beatles absent - McCartney played every instrument

The Ballad of John and Yoko

1969·Past Masters·John

No George (abroad); no Ringo (filming The Magic Christian)

Because

1969·Abbey Road·John

1 of the four are absent

Golden Slumbers

1969·Abbey Road·Paul

No Lennon, recovering from car accident

Her Majesty

1969·Abbey Road·Paul

McCartney recorded it alone

Here Comes the Sun

1969·Abbey Road·George

No Lennon - recovering from car accident

Maxwell's Silver Hammer

1969·Abbey Road·Paul

No John Lennon; recovering from car accident

I Me Mine

1970·Let It Be·George

No Lennon (on holiday in Denmark)

Updated