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© 2026 Nadav (Nahdi) Lazar. Beatles music © Apple Corps. Fan-made – not affiliated with The Beatles or Apple Corps.

“In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

Negative toneText · Vocabulary · 66 songs
CategoriesTextVocabularyNegative tone
Text · Vocabulary

Negative tone

Lyrics are sad, angry, bitter, fearful, or otherwise dark in overall tone. Cynicism or resignation counts (e.g. Eleanor Rigby, Don't Bother Me, Sexy Sadie).

66
songs
See alsoVocabulary:Casual languageVocabulary:Positive toneVocabulary:Limited vocabularyMotif:SadnessNarrative:ConfessionalSong family:Fragile LennonRecurring words:you don'tLyric shape:you don't [VERB]
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George Harrison's songs lean negative more than any other tone (10 songs).

George Harrison

Analysis

By Year

Song count per year

By Songwriter

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

By Era

Early16 · 28%
Mid-period27 · 47%
Late15 · 26%

By Album

Rubber Soul8
Beatles For Sale6
Help!6
Revolver6
The Beatles (The White Album)6
Past Masters6
Abbey Road5
A Hard Day's Night4
With The Beatles3
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band3
Let It Be2
Please Please Me1
Magical Mystery Tour1
Yellow Submarine1

Songs(58 of 66)

Year
Album
Writer
Lead vocal(s)
#TitleYearAlbumLead Vocal(s)Notes
1Misery1963Please Please MeJohn, Paul–
2Don't Bother Me1963With The BeatlesGeorge–
3Not a Second Time1963With The BeatlesJohn–
4Little Child1963With The BeatlesJohn, Paul–
5This Boy1963Past MastersJohn, Paul, George–
6I Call Your Name1964Past MastersJohn–
7You Can't Do That1964A Hard Day's NightJohn–
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8I'll Be Back1964A Hard Day's NightJohn–
9I'll Cry Instead1964A Hard Day's NightJohn–
10Tell Me Why1964A Hard Day's NightJohn–
11I'll Follow the Sun1964Beatles For SalePaul–
12Baby's in Black1964Beatles For SaleJohn, Paul–
13I'm a Loser1964Beatles For SaleJohn–
14No Reply1964Beatles For SaleJohn–
15What You're Doing1964Beatles For SalePaul–
16I Don't Want to Spoil the Party1964Beatles For SaleJohn–
17Ticket to Ride1965Help!John–
18Yes It Is1965Past MastersJohn, Paul, George–
19I'm Down1965Past MastersPaul–
20Help!1965Help!John–
21I Need You1965Help!George–
22The Night Before1965Help!Paul–
23Yesterday1965Help!Paul–
24You've Got to Hide Your Love Away1965Help!John–
25Day Tripper1965Past MastersJohn, PaulCynical put-down of a teaser and a fake hippie
26Girl1965Rubber SoulJohn–
27I'm Looking Through You1965Rubber SoulPaul–
28Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)1965Rubber SoulJohn–
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29Nowhere Man1965Rubber SoulJohn–
30Run for Your Life1965Rubber SoulJohn–
31Think for Yourself1965Rubber SoulGeorge–
32What Goes On1965Rubber SoulRingo–
33You Won't See Me1965Rubber SoulPaul–
34For No One1966RevolverPaulBleak portrait of a relationship's end
35Eleanor Rigby1966RevolverPaul–
36Taxman1966RevolverGeorge–
37And Your Bird Can Sing1966RevolverJohnPut-down framed as polite address
38She Said She Said1966RevolverJohnDissociation, madness, no resolution
39Love You To1966RevolverGeorge–
40Good Morning Good Morning1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandJohnBleak suburban ennui under cheerful greeting
41A Day in the Life1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandJohn, PaulDetached despair beneath the dream-middle
42She's Leaving Home1967Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club BandPaul, JohnPainful generational rupture; sympathetic but sad
43Blue Jay Way1967Magical Mystery TourGeorge–
44Yer Blues1968The Beatles (The White Album)JohnDespair frames the song despite parodic register
45Don't Pass Me By1968The Beatles (The White Album)RingoAnxious waiting; partner may have left
46I'm So Tired1968The Beatles (The White Album)JohnExhaustion, frustration, insomnia
47Piggies1968The Beatles (The White Album)GeorgeSatirical contempt for the establishment
48Sexy Sadie1968The Beatles (The White Album)JohnBitter accusation of betrayal
49While My Guitar Gently Weeps1968The Beatles (The White Album)GeorgeLament over dormant love and world's failures
50Only a Northern Song1969Yellow SubmarineGeorgeSarcastic self-deprecation masking resentment
51The Ballad of John and Yoko1969Past MastersJohn–
52I Want You (She's So Heavy)1969Abbey RoadJohnObsession, madness, oppressive weight
53Carry That Weight1969Abbey RoadPaul, John, George, RingoBurden imagery; 'I break down'
54Oh! Darling1969Abbey RoadPaulDesperate pleading, fear of abandonment
55Mean Mr. Mustard1969Abbey RoadJohnSqualor and contempt undercut the comic tone
56You Never Give Me Your Money1969Abbey RoadPaul–
57The Long and Winding Road1970Let It BePaulYearning unresolved; pleading from loneliness
58I Me Mine1970Let It BeGeorgeCynical observation of ego

Misery

1963·Please Please Me·John

Don't Bother Me

1963·With The Beatles·George

Not a Second Time

1963·With The Beatles·John

Little Child

1963·With The Beatles·John

This Boy

1963·Past Masters·John

I Call Your Name

1964·Past Masters·John

You Can't Do That

1964·A Hard Day's Night·John

I'll Be Back

1964·A Hard Day's Night·John

I'll Cry Instead

1964·A Hard Day's Night·John

Tell Me Why

1964·A Hard Day's Night·John

I'll Follow the Sun

1964·Beatles For Sale·Paul

Baby's in Black

1964·Beatles For Sale·John

I'm a Loser

1964·Beatles For Sale·John

No Reply

1964·Beatles For Sale·John

What You're Doing

1964·Beatles For Sale·Paul

I Don't Want to Spoil the Party

1964·Beatles For Sale·John

Ticket to Ride

1965·Help!·John

Yes It Is

1965·Past Masters·John

I'm Down

1965·Past Masters·Paul

Help!

1965·Help!·John

I Need You

1965·Help!·George

The Night Before

1965·Help!·Paul

Yesterday

1965·Help!·Paul

You've Got to Hide Your Love Away

1965·Help!·John

Day Tripper

1965·Past Masters·John

Cynical put-down of a teaser and a fake hippie

Girl

1965·Rubber Soul·John

I'm Looking Through You

1965·Rubber Soul·Paul

Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)

1965·Rubber Soul·John

Nowhere Man

1965·Rubber Soul·John

Run for Your Life

1965·Rubber Soul·John

Think for Yourself

1965·Rubber Soul·George

What Goes On

1965·Rubber Soul·Ringo

You Won't See Me

1965·Rubber Soul·Paul

For No One

1966·Revolver·Paul

Bleak portrait of a relationship's end

Eleanor Rigby

1966·Revolver·Paul

Taxman

1966·Revolver·George

And Your Bird Can Sing

1966·Revolver·John

Put-down framed as polite address

She Said She Said

1966·Revolver·John

Dissociation, madness, no resolution

Love You To

1966·Revolver·George

Good Morning Good Morning

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

Bleak suburban ennui under cheerful greeting

A Day in the Life

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

Detached despair beneath the dream-middle

She's Leaving Home

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

Painful generational rupture; sympathetic but sad

Blue Jay Way

1967·Magical Mystery Tour·George

Yer Blues

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John

Despair frames the song despite parodic register

Don't Pass Me By

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·Ringo

Anxious waiting; partner may have left

I'm So Tired

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John

Exhaustion, frustration, insomnia

Piggies

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George

Satirical contempt for the establishment

Sexy Sadie

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·John

Bitter accusation of betrayal

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

1968·The Beatles (The White Album)·George

Lament over dormant love and world's failures

Only a Northern Song

1969·Yellow Submarine·George

Sarcastic self-deprecation masking resentment

The Ballad of John and Yoko

1969·Past Masters·John

I Want You (She's So Heavy)

1969·Abbey Road·John

Obsession, madness, oppressive weight

Carry That Weight

1969·Abbey Road·Paul

Burden imagery; 'I break down'

Oh! Darling

1969·Abbey Road·Paul

Desperate pleading, fear of abandonment

Mean Mr. Mustard

1969·Abbey Road·John

Squalor and contempt undercut the comic tone

You Never Give Me Your Money

1969·Abbey Road·Paul

The Long and Winding Road

1970·Let It Be·Paul

Yearning unresolved; pleading from loneliness

I Me Mine

1970·Let It Be·George

Cynical observation of ego

Updated 2026-09-02

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