While chatting about Beatles songs with a friend of mine,¹ he mentioned that he had noticed a Beatles song do an unusual trick: it started with vocals unaccompanied by instruments. This is unusual, partly because most singers need a lead-in to hit the right note. The effect is very powerful, however, adding a strong sense of authenticity to the performance.

I decided to listen to every Beatles, McCartney, and Lennon song to list the tracks that carried out this gambit. This was quicker than you might expect, because a) I only had to listen to the opening few moments of each track, and b) I already have complete playlists of their songs curated on Spotify.² I excluded songs that were entirely unaccompanied.

The Complete List Of Beatles Songs That Start With Unaccompanied Vocals

• It Won't Be Long, With The Beatles
• All My Loving, With The Beatles
• Long Tall Sally, Past Masters
• If I Fell, A Hard Day's Night
• Can't Buy Me Love, A Hard Day's Night
• No Reply, Beatles For Sale
• I'm A Loser, Beatles For Sale
• Mr Moonlight, Beatles For Sale
• Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby, Beatles For Sale
• Another Girl, Help!
• You're Going To Lose that Girl, Help!
• I'm Down, Past Masters
• Nowhere Man, Rubber Soul
• Girl, Rubber Soul
• Wait, Rubber Soul
• Paperback Writer, Red Album
• Yellow Submarine, Revolver
• Hey Jude, Blue Album
• Happiness Is A Warm Gun, The Beatles [White Album]
• I Will, The Beatles [White Album]
• (Revolution 9, The Beatles [White Album])
• The Long And Winding Road, Let It Be

The Complete List Of Paul McCartney³ Songs That Start With Unaccompanied Vocals

• 3 Legs, Ram
• Uncle Albert / Admiral Halsey, Ram
• Heart Of The Country, Ram
• Another Day, Ram [extended]
• She's My Baby, Wings At The Speed Of Sound
• San Ferry Anne, Wings At The Speed Of Sound
• After The Ball/Million Miles, Back To The Egg
• The Other Me, Pipes Of Peace
• Good Times Coming/Feel The Sun, Press To Play
• My Brave Face, Flowers In The Dirt
• Don't Be Careless Love, Flowers In The Dirt
• That Day Is Done, Flowers In The Dirt
• Follow Me, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard
• Fuh You, Egypt Station
• Deep Down, McCartney III

The Complete List Of John Lennon Songs That Start With Unaccompanied Vocals

• Power To The People, single
• Happy Xmas (War Is Over), single
• Aisumasen (I'm Sorry), Mind Games
• One Day (At A Time), Mind Games
• (Just Like) Starting Over, Double Fantasy