Serious Contenders: The Beatles, "I Call Your Name"

You could easily make the argument that virtually any Beatles song is a "serious contender," other than "Maxwell's Silver Hammer." It's not hard to point out how brilliant the latter-day Beatles were, but sometimes this happens at the expense of their early work. I think that's a shame, because I'm always a champion of direct, simple rock and roll statements, and in the spirit of the times this is some great stuff. The lyrics juxtapose vulnerable, lovable popstar fluff -- the material of the Beatles' early "work songs," -- with a bit of a tough-guy facade, something Lennon was known for. The lyrics, simple and direct, do a great job of conveying loneliness and frustration without saying in so many words, pinpointing the feeling and the exact right way of saying it. For an early Beatles composition, this is one of the many that they got spot-on.