The Beatles admired Bob Dylan. John Lennon even went as far as to borrow elements of his musicianship during their tenure as a band. Luckily for the Beatles, the feeling was mutual. Dylan once named his favorite Beatles song. Find out which Fab Four anthem he enjoyed the most, below. It might not be what you would think.
[RELATED: Here’s Why Bob Dylan Thought the Rolling Stones Were the “Greatest Rock and Roll Band”]
Videos by American Songwriter
Bob Dylan’s Favorite Beatles Song
Oh, yeah, I’ll tell you somethin’
I think you’ll understand
When I say that somethin’
I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
“I Want to Hold Your Hand” isn’t considered one of the Beatles’ most impressive works. When you pin it up against songs that came later on in their career, it feels a little simplistic. That’s not to say this track isn’t beloved, but it’s not their most stunning bout of lyricism.
If we had to guess what Dylan’s favorite Beatles song was, we would pick something like “Yesterday” or “Let It Be”–something more similar to his own style of music. However, he picked “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” He once remarked on the song’s “outrageous” chord structure.
Oh, please, say to me
You’ll let me be your man
And please, say to me
You’ll let me hold your hand
You’ll let me hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
“They were doing things nobody was doing,” Dylan once said after picking “I Want to Hold Your Hand” as his favorite Beatles song. “Their chords were outrageous, just outrageous, and their harmonies made it all valid… I knew they were pointing the direction of where music had to go.”
It’s high praise from such a trailblazing force. But, great recognizes great and both Dylan and the Beatles are certainly music “greats.”
And when I touch you
I feel happy inside
It’s such a feelin’ that my love
I can’t hide
I can’t hide
I can’t hide
Despite this song being simple, it did help to put the Beatles on the map. It was catchy enough to begin growing their following–a following that would eventually explode into a fervor never before seen. “I Want to Hold Your Hand” was a catalyst behind Beatlemania and for that, it holds a high place amongst the Beatles’ catalog.
Revisit this track, below.
Yeah, you got that somethin’
I think you’ll understand
When I say that somethin’
I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
I want to hold your hand
(Photo by Larry Hulst/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
More Features
-
Billy Ray Cyrus on 6/28/92 in Chicago,Il. (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage) -
LOS ANGELES – APRIL 1980: Bruce Springsteen poses for a portrait in New York, N.Y., 1980.(Photo by Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images) -
Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images -
Photo by Christian Rose/Roger Viollet via Getty Images -
Photo by Rick Diamond/WireImage -
Jeff Cook performing with Alabama -
14th October 1963: The other Beatles, from left to right: George Harrison (1943 – 2001), John Lennon (1940 – 1980) and Paul McCartney, stare in disbelief at the plastic spider perched on drummer Ringo Starr's nose, backstage after their Sunday Night at the London Palladium show. (Photo by Peter Hall/Keystone/Getty Images) -
Rock music legend Janis Joplin performs at the free Woodstock Music and Art Fair. The festival took place on Max Yasgur's dairy farm, which he rented to event organizers for $75,000. About 450,000 people attended the three day concert, which turned into chaos due to the crowds, heavy rains, and traffic jams. It is nonetheless romantically remembered as a symbol of the liberal spirit of the hippie generation. (Photo by Henry Diltz/Corbis via Getty Images)