John Lennon's 10 Best Non-Beatles Songs

Everyone has their own favorite Beatle, but John Lennon is one of the more obvious choices. It's not hard to see why, as he contributed to dozens of songs that fans revere to this day. His partnership with Paul McCartney yielded some of rock's greatest songs of the 60s, and the tunes with Lennon as the lead vocalist rank among the band's most striking tracks. "Across the Universe" is a poetically acoustic meditation on existence, "Dear Prudence" turns a pretty repetitive picking pattern into something that manages to compellingly build on itself anyway, "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" was covered by none other than Sir Elton John himself, "All You Need is Love" is one of the 60s' best evocations of peace, and Lennon's throaty delivery for "Twist and Shout" was a big part of The Beatles' early success. The list is almost endless.

But what goes a bit underappreciated is Lennon's musical career outside the Fab Four. Besides the obvious hits, that is; more or less everyone still knows "Imagine," and that's not likely to change much in the years to come. The Plastic Ono Band had many more songs than people talk about nowadays, though. Despite Lennon being at the helm, it's still surprising to go through them and notice just how many catchy tunes there are. "Oh Yoko" has a similar energy as America's "Lonely People" (though not quite as good), "(Just Like) Starting Over" sounds like Elvis, "Whatever Gets You Thru the Night" is a fun boogie, and "Bring on the Lucie (Freda People)" calls for peace in an enticingly upbeat rhythm. Then there's "Watching the Wheels," "You Are Here," "I Know (I Know)," and more. Below are possibly John Lennon's best non-Beatles songs, ranked by their emotional power and creativity. Most of these aren't obscure, but they're all pretty timeless.

10 "Mind Games"

'Mind Games'

One of Lennon's more sentimental songs, "Mind Games" is driven by a piano and a host of other instruments that keep the tone relatively mellow in the background. The keyboard and slide guitar keep us floating around in this aura of "peace and love." From the get-go, this song begins on a somewhat climactic note, and that atmosphere never fades away. The way he repeats that melody kind of makes "Mind Games" feel like a constant chorus, a slower and less intense take on his penchant for positive anthems.

Though not on the same level as "Give Peace a Chance" or "Instant Karma," this is still a hard one to ignore. Lennon needs to put in enough passion and diversity in his performance to keep this song's momentum going, and he doesn't disappoint. It's especially fun the way he extends the word "mind" ("my-hi-hi-hiiiiind"), cementing this as another winner for Plastic Ono Band's early-to-mid-70s run.

9 "I'm Losing You"

'Double Fantasy'

John Lennon can be pretty unpredictable, but that seductive croak at the beginning of "I'm Losing You" is still something you don't expect. This is a solid rock song that leans on Lennon's heavier side, but it still can't go without nice keyboards in the background for a slightly spacey effect. The drums are simple and strong, but the glue that holds everything together is obviously that short (yet oh-so-sweet) riff.

Even on the final album released during his lifetime, Lennon was more than willing to go all out with his vocals—from a softer approach when singing "I'm losing you" to brief bursts of a rougher tenor to a "Woo!" at the beginning of the guitar solo. Much appreciated, as he maintains enough variety in every line to keep us engaged in a melody that otherwise might have felt repetitive. Speaking of the solo, that's also a nice touch.

8 "Power to the People"

Single

"Powerrrrr tooo the people!" starts off Lennon's famous hit, which is nice even when it's just a chorus and clapping hands. Of course it really kicks into gear when the rest of Plastic Ono Band joins in; the bass drum makes you want to get up and march through the streets, and the bass guitar fills in the remaining space very nicely. Lennon's voice comes in for the rest of the intro, and his voice makes this chant all the more powerful.

One of his numerous songs about revolution, "Power to the People" contains verses that are simple and direct—from talking about "A million workers workin' for nothin" to asking how men treat their wives at home. The direct address works just as well at grabbing the listener's attention as the chorus' invitation for everyone to sing together in a triumphant expression of freedom. Lennon brought the lingering sentiments of the 60s into the early 70s, resulting in one of the best songs of '71.

7 "Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)"

Single

"Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)" starts off casually enough for the first few seconds. Lennon counts "three, four." One piano note, a second. A pause, and then we're off! This song has a nice and springy step, thanks to the piano chords hammering down at the same time as the drums. Along with the shaker and the claps, the audience immediately wants to join the party.

Lennon does more talking than singing in the verse, almost as if he were a secular preacher telling people threatening people on the streets. It's playful in that respect, and the contrast between these casual moments and the more dramatic, intense declarations of how "we all shine on" is transcendent. With the likes of George Harrison and Billy Preston helping out in the background, "Instant Karma" still shines as one of the best rock songs of the 1970s.

6 "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier, Mama"

'Imagine'

Even simpler than the previous songs, "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier, Mama" nevertheless rocks harder. That lead guitar is as rough as sandpaper, and the groove on those drums can just keep on going until the end of time. The bass is totally in sync with everything else, and the repetitive nature of this underappreciated 6-minute whopper only makes the nuances all the more striking.

We also have George Harrison on the slide (this track does remind one of his epic "Out of the Blue"), and Nicky Hopkins is doing some great background work on that piano. As for Lennon, his vocals feel right. He deliberately pronounces every syllable at the same tempo, making it feel perfectly molded into yet slightly (and perfectly) off from the song's rhythm. Along with his message about societal expectations and that riveting saxophone, "I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier, Mama" is easy to play on repeat.

5 "#9 Dream"

'Walls and Bridges'

One of the pioneers of psychedelic rock, Lennon still knew how to crank out a beautiful space-session in the mid-70s. "#9 Dream" is proof of that, instantly whisking the listener away to a place that leaves the speaker wondering, "Was it just a dream?" Lennon's voice sounds so far away and yet so close, like the memory of a dream that was so powerful you can still remember how it made you feel even as you forget the specifics of what it was about.

The way the pre-chorus shifts to emphasizing the acoustic guitar is brilliant, and the chorus is a lovely continuation of this entrancing euphoria. You've got to love the whispered "John," and another unnecessary but totally fitting choice is when the band slows to a stop mid-way through the song. This only adds to the ecstasy, leaving fans thinking if only every dream could make us feel this way.

4 "Imagine"

'Imagine'

Imagine if "Imagine" weren't on this list. This is many a fan's favorite Lennon song, and, as overplayed as it is, there is a quality to it that makes it still so peaceful to hear. This is a simple track, with little flare and nothing particularly flashy in the production. All the better, as this harmless sway fits in with those gentle strings and lightly melancholy tone. The lyrics are the definition of idealism, as Lennon essentially imagines a world without religion, possessions, nations, or any of the various things that tend to create conflict. It's interesting that this hasn't received more push-back from religious communities, but maybe Lennon's phrasing of this as a hypothetical scenario helps it avoid the tenor of music with more aggressively atheistic sensibilities.

A beam of hope shines through as we bask in this impossible utopia. Meanwhile, the way Lennon sings "ah-ahh" and "yoo-hoo" at the end of the chorus is small but significant—bringing much-needed character to this subtle but lovely little tune. Needless to say, "Imagine" remains one of the most iconic rock ballads of all time.

3 "Happy X-mas (War is Over)"

Single

What better time to ask for peace than during the holiday season? The Plastic Ono Band passionately employs a couple of guitars as Lennon soothes us in the first verse, which feels so refreshing that the listener's troubles start to melt away like snow under morning light. Taking a positive approach to asking listeners to be nicer to each other, Lennon gives us one of his best post-Beatle melodies. Like practically every other work on this list, "Happy X-Mas (War is Over)" proves very easy to sing along to.

Even by the 70s, it wasn't easy to make an original Christmas song that was actually good. But Lennon makes it sound effortless, using a minimal amount of Christmas-y effects and banking on the children's choir and acoustic guitars to sufficiently present enough holiday warmth. They do, and those chimes in the background make us feel like we're riding on a sleigh headed towards a better, kinder world. Anyone who's heard it should recognize "Happy X-Mas" as a magical Christmas classic.

2 "Stand by Me"

'Rock 'n' Roll'

Plastic Ono Band's version of "Stand By Me" is one of the greatest covers ever. The acoustic guitar in the opening instantly breathes more life into this interpretation than Ben E. King's beloved 1961 original. The organ in the background is important, too, elevating this song to even greater heights. This is yet another uplifting work that feels like it was recorded for large crowds to recite together.

The percussion is minimal, making sure not to overwhelm that guitar while building in intensity. This song, like most, works very well as a vehicle for Lennon's singular voice. There are no major shifts here, and one can argue that the shimmering first minute is the best part (for being the most surprising), but these are still three and a half minutes of perfection. Along with a guitar solo and horns that uphold this hopeful tone, "Stand By Me" has never moved us more.

1 "Give Peace a Chance"

Single

Let's all take five minutes to stomp and clap along to John Lennon's best non-Beatles masterpiece. The acoustic guitar and shakers make this perhaps Lennon's most grounded-feeling track, one that was made for the people and can be covered by anyone with no more than a guitar and a few others to sing. The verses aren't the easiest to parse out, but that chorus is clear as a bell: "All we are sayyyyy-ing...is give peace a chaaaance!"

All the more fitting, when you think about it, that the lyrics are a bit mumbled. They are great when you read them, but when Lennon starts every verse with "Everybody's talking 'bout," he presents a whole list of things that to him are missing the point (often making fun of them with playful rhymes). After all, those aren't the words we need to hear; all we need to hear is "give peace a chance." Of all the songs in the world, peace on Earth has never sounded closer than in "Give Peace a Chance."