How do you write songs like the Beatles?

Answer 1

There were three songwriters in The Beatles and each had their own style; the following are generalisations - all three could (and did) write songs in a range of ways.

Lennon tended to write melodies largely on a single note - Across the Universe, much of Strawberry Fields, Hard Day's Night, Help - but with strong chord changes. Lennon also tended to write words first and and the music later.

McCartney, was more of a melody driven composer, starting with the melody and working out the chords and then adding the words.

Harrison found songwriting harder than Lennon or McCartney (both of whom could largely produce songs to order) but he was persistent and patient; he started with the chords, then worked out the melody and words.

With such a diverse range of skills, there was (not surprisingly) a wide range of songs that the band produced. To produce songs that sound like "Beatle" songs, I would suggest you decided what kind of songwriter you are; do you start with the chords, the melody or the words? Remember, Harrison started with chords, McCartney with melody and Lennon words so it will give you an idea of which Beatle you're going to sound more like.

Also, all the Beatles bounced ideas off each other and, as Ringo has said, they used the best ideas - they didn't care where they came from.