Ah, the eternal dispute that persists to this day between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, which every fan of classic rock demands to hear. The Fab Four and The Stones were very different from one another in terms of how they came to be and the kind of music they performed. Some musicians will always like to compare the two groups. They compare who wrote better songs, performed better live, and had a bigger influence on society as a whole. George Carlin acknowledged that The Beatles are unquestionably superior to The Stones. Most people already had their opinions formed.
Take a look at The Stones’ discography, if nothing else. They had performed numerous covers of classic blues songs before they had even begun to work independently. Not unusual, but if you look at their first official hit song, John Lennon and Paul McCartney are listed among the most well-known songwriters.
It’s much simpler to defend The Beatles than The Stones, even though that shouldn’t matter in the big picture. Even though they continued to tour with the Fab Four, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards eventually discovered their signature sound. They have stuck with it ever since the 1970s.
Even though there were still many excellent songs. You didn’t necessarily need to be concerned about a complete Rolling Stones project after about 1978.
Fans weren’t overly excited to see their favorite band suddenly doing something entirely different. Even when they attempted to break the mold on albums like Dirty Work. At that point, they had figured out a formula, and Jagger and Richards were more than willing to play the music they enjoyed.
George Carlin acknowledged The Beatles’ wealth of incredible moments. However, he recognized The Stones’ ongoing struggle for enduring longevity. He said, “There are things the Stones did that I couldn’t ignore, but I’ve always listened to the Beatles four to one over the Stones”.
To be sure, The Beatles’ ability to transcend genres was one of their greatest assets. Their beautiful ballads, exemplified by “Eleanor Rigby,” and experimental tracks like “I Am the Walrus,” distinguish them from all contemporaries. Even excluding straight-ahead rock, their repertoire remains unparalleled.
It’s not as though The Beatles couldn’t surpass The Stones in their field. Richards forged one of rock and roll’s greatest riffs in “Satisfaction.” Lennon swiftly matched him with the iconic “Day Tripper” riff a few months later.
But The Beatles were at their best when they attempted to challenge the status quo, much like Carlin did in his stand-up routine. The Fab Four crafted transformative journeys, eschewing bland rock for engaging narratives that captivated their listeners. This was true for any artist who aspired to reach the top and ride the success wave. Carlin was all about breaking the rules of comedy, and he saw The Beatles as a group that shared his ambition to push the boundaries.
