The Beatles: Abbey Road (1969) Songs Ranked

Rating: 9/10

Abbey Road, though it was not the last album to be released by The Beatles, was the last album to be recorded by the band. And honestly, what a great piece of work to end on (in the recording sense, of course). This album is often heralded as one of the greatest and most iconic of all time, and I can see why. It’s a very pleasant, creative, and polished record (not to mention that it’s arguably the most well-known and iconic album covers of all time).

In this post I’ll be ranking all of the songs (that includes the individual songs from the medley) on The Beatles’ eleventh studio album, Abbey Road, from worst to best, based on my personal enjoyment. Hope you enjoy, and feel free to let me know if you agree or disagree with my ranking!

17. Her Majesty (Track 17)

Okay, this isn’t a bad song (in fact, it’s very charming), but it’s only 23 seconds, so how could I rank it any higher?

16. I Want You (She’s So Heavy) (Track 6)

Let me just preface by saying that there isn’t a bad song on this entire album. There’s enjoyment to be had out of each and every track. But this song is just too long for my taste, and it’s a bit repetitive. Still, if it were shorter, I would really like it because it’s very catchy.

15. Because (Track 8)

This is an… interesting song. It’s very eerie, and it sounds like something off of Sgt. Pepper. The harmonies are great and all, but it’s just not my type of song. It’s good for what it was meant to be though.

14. Polythene Pam (Track 12)

Let me say that I love the medley. It was such a cool idea, and I think they did a really good job with it. And there are actually some songs that I really enjoy and wish were longer from the medley, and I just like the way they all flow into each other, one after the other. This is an an enjoyable song, but it doesn’t really stick out as one of the medley’s highlights.

13. She Came In Through the Bathroom Window (Track 13)

This and Polythene Pam are essentially two halves of the same song, so all my thoughts for Polythene Pam are basically the same as my thoughts on this song. Still, I guess I just enjoy the tempo and melody of this one more.

12. Carry That Weight (Track 15)

The transition from Golden Slumbers into this is absolutely seamless and awesome, and it always catches me off guard because I forget how short each of the medley songs are. I like this song for bringing back the piano line and melody from You Never Give Me Your Money, and it just does a good job of restating previous musical notions from the medley.

11. The End (Track 16)

This is some great musical instrumentation (Ringo’s drum solo is awesome, and the guitar solo towards the end is amazing). As a jam session, it’s pretty great. But usually I prefer songs that have lyrics, and this song only has, like, three lines. For that reason, I don’t imagine that I’ll listen to it often. Still, it’s a pretty rowdy end to the huge impact of the Beatles. And I love the complete tone and tempo change towards the end, where it all slows down, and there are some very wise closing words: “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.”

10. Sun King (Track 10)

Okay, this song gets pretty nonsensical towards the end, but before that it’s actually a really beautiful song. It’s very mellow and atmospheric and… I don’t know… vibey? I won’t lie, the first 50 seconds of pure music is my favorite part of the song, but I will say that the harmonies are absolutely angelic.

9. Mean Mr. Mustard (Track 11)

I don’t know why, but there’s something I really like about this song. I really like the characters that The Beatles create in their songs (especially in this album), and I think this song just reminds me of a classic Beatles story-based song, where it’s fun and playful but still has very interesting lyrics. And the vocals are great on this track.

8. You Never Give Me Your Money (Track 9)

Wow. I mean, what a great track to kick off the medley with. This song is basically a medley within itself. Paul’s vocal versatility in this song is really impressive. He sounds so different in the three sections of this song, one would almost think it wasn’t him on lead vocal the entire time. I really like the piano at the beginning (and how that piano line comes up all throughout the medley) and I also really like the “out of college” section of this song.

7. Oh! Darling (Track 4)

There’s something really pleasant about this song. It kind of has a bluesy feel to it, which I think Paul pulls off really well. Of course, this song takes a rather agressive turn a little over a minute in, but it’s still good. I suppose Paul is just giving a very emboldened profession of love.

6. Come Together (Track 1)

Okay, hear me out. I know most people would have this much higher, but as I said earlier, this ranking (as with all my other rankings) is based off my personal enjoyment of the songs. I’ve heard this song so many times, so it’s kind of lost it’s freshness for me. That being said, this song is absolutely legendary in so many ways. An amazing opener for an amazing album, this song is really trippy but also really anthemic. From John’s bizarrely descriptive lyrics in the verses to Paul’s ever-iconic bassline, there’s a lot to love about this song.

5. Octopus’s Garden (Track 5)

That opening guitar… I mean – wow. George really went off. I’ll admit, typically Ringo’s songs aren’t my favorites, but I really like this one. It’s so playful and wholesome, and it feels like you’re just swimming around in some beautiful underwater garden with cute little cartoon-octopi floating around you. So in summation, a really fun and enjoyable song! It has completely charmed me.

4. Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (Track 3)

I genuinely love this song, and I will forever defend it. I don’t care if the other Beatles weren’t stoked on it, I think Paul created a real gem here. Fun fact: the first time I listened to Abbey Road I was working on homework, so I didn’t pay too much attention to the lyrics, and I remember just happily bouncing along to this song. Needless to say, when I relistened and actually paid attention to the lyrics, I was a bit shocked. This is a song about a hammer-wielding serial killer named Maxwell, and it’s very sonically upbeat and playful. I actually love the juxtaposition. Normally I find it unsettling when dark subject matter is met with cheery presentation, but I really like it here.

3. Golden Slumbers (Track 14)

Take the fact that this song is a minute and a half long and it’s in the top three as a statement for how great it is. It’s so beautiful and enchanting. For starters, the phrase “golden slumbers” paints such a serene picture. Not to mention, the piano and strings combination is pretty much faultless, and Paul’s vocals are grandiose and passionate without feeling too overwrought. To conclude, this is just a gorgeous piece of music, and I wish it was longer, but at the same time, the fact that it’s so short just means that it’s pretty much perfect the whole way through. “Once there was a way to get back homeward. Once there was a way to get back home. Sleep, pretty darling, do not cry, and I will sing a lullaby. Golden slumbers fill your eyes, smiles await you when you rise.”

2. Something (Track 2)

Ah, what a lovely ode to the person in your life who absolutely captivates you in ways you can’t even explain. I tell you, love songs don’t get much better than this. The melody of this song is pretty simple, but oh so charming. George Harrison has always made standout tracks for me (which you’ll also see evidenced by my top choice from this album) and this song is no exception. This song is a highlight of pure excellence on an already exceptional album. “Something in the way she moves attracts me like no other lover. Something in the way she woos me… I don’t want to leave her now, you know I believe and how.”

1. Here Comes the Sun (Track 7)

This very well may be my favorite Beatles song ever, and even further, one of my favorite songs of all time. This song is pure beauty. When I tell you that I feel my soul ascend from my body when I hear those opening guitar chords, I’m not even exaggerating (okay maybe a little, but you get the point). Like I said, George has always made some of my favorite songs off of the Beatles albums I’ve listened to, and this song is the one that really cemented him and his talent in my eyes. I tell you, you can’t listen to this song and not feel instantly joyous. It’s like magic. The sound of this song is literally (as the lyrics describe) the sun coming out and shining down upon the world after a long and lonely winter. This song is flowers blooming and birds singing in the springtime air. It’s so beautiful, and honestly, this song to me demonstrates the true magic and power of music. To think that a three-minute recording could reassure me of how beautiful life can be is astounding, but it’s so true. Music has the power to make you feel happy when nothing else can, and that’s what this song is to me. I realize I probably sound like I’m being dramatic and overhyping this song, and that’s a valid point of view to have, but this song just means a lot to me personally (if you can’t already tell) and I really want to convey how much of an absolute masterpiece it is.