Legendary Singer Frank Sinatra Called This Beatles Song the Greatest Love Song Ever Written

Published Sep 6, 2026, 4:13 PM EDT Karly B. is a music news journalist at Collider, specializing in the Western and Asian music industries. With a Bachelor of Science degree in Digital Media and Web Technology, she has dedicated part of her career to covering the latest music trends, breaking news, and album releases. Her work also appears in various other publications, such as the South Korean-focused music publication Kpop Wise, where she serves as a contributor and interviewer. Beyond her work in IT and journalism, Karly is an avid Tudor history buff. She operates her own historical blog, 'Before the Queen's Crown, ' which explores the life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth I. Frank Sinatra, born in the early 1900s in humble New Jersey beginnings, went on to become one of the most famous American singers and actors of all time. Known for his velvety, smooth voice and timeless hits such as "New York, New York" and "Fly Me to the Moon," he also lit up the screen in several successful films, including "Paris When It Sizzles" and "It Happened In Brooklyn." For generations, Ol Blue Eyes (as he was affectionately known) has delighted audiences, and his impact on pop culture can still be felt today on stage and screen by countless other performers. On the other end of the music genre spectrum, you have The Beatles, the famous British rock band formed in 1960, who have become one of the most revered and successful musical acts in history. Their classic hits such as "Here Comes The Sun", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "All You Need Is Love" helped the Fab Four to change the face of popular music forever. And although the two acts certainly had their differences, Sinatra nonetheless once praised one of the famous quartet's songs as the greatest love song ever written. Frank Sinatra Hailed "Something" as One of the Greatest Love Songs Ever As ardent music fans will know, Frank Sinatra had a love-hate relationship and opinion when it came to The Beatles. For example, in a press release for his 1965 released album A Man and His Music, Sinatra didn’t hold back when it came to criticizing the British band and their new-age sound, choosing instead to prop up his own music, “If you happen to be tired of kid singers wearing mops of hair thick enough to hide a crate of melons…it should be refreshing.” However, at the same time, he also begrudgingly gave the group their much-deserved props when the moment called for it. Case in point, Sinatra praised the George Harrison-penned song "Something", even going so far as to call it "the greatest love song of the past 50 years." In fact, Sinatra loved the song so much that he performed and recorded two of his own versions. "Something" isn't the only song Sinatra liked or covered; he also sang their track "Yesterday". In fact, according to singer Billy Joel, it was Sinatra that helped to propel The Beatles into stardom, stating, “Even Sinatra covered it. He wasn’t a big fan of a lot of pop music. The fact he did that was very important to some people who didn’t take The Beatles seriously,” and “Like, ‘Wait a minute, this must be a pretty damn great song if Frank is doing it." Elvis Presley Also Praised the Beatles Song "Something" Image via Archive Photos//CNN Frank Sinatra wasn't the only established artist who disliked The Beatles but still praised some of their music. Another famous artist who shared similar sentiments was none other than the King of rock n roll, Elvis Presley. The main reason behind the "Jailhouse Rock" singers' dislike for The Beatles had to do with their left-leaning political stance. Presley, who was a staunch conservative, even went so far as to inform then-President Nixon during an infamous meeting the two had in 1970 that: "The Beatles had been a real force for anti-American spirit..." and that "they came to this country, made their money, and then returned to England where they promoted an anti-American theme." According to a report in Far Out Magazine, the following year, Presley attended a tour of the FBI offices, where he informed FBI director J. Edgar Hoover that “The Beatles laid the groundwork for many of the problems we are having with young people by their filthy, unkempt appearances and suggestive music.” But despite all of that, according to Presley's step-brother, David Stanley, the crooner still had a soft spot for some of the Beatles' discography. Most notably, Stanley informed the Daily Express in a March 2025 interview that his step-brother "loved George Harrison. He thought George was the most prolific writer. He really liked his writing." Stanley went on to reveal that the four songs by The Beatles that he loved the most were predominantly penned by Harrison, including "Something", "Here Comes the Sun", and "If I Needed Someone." Stanley added that Presley begrudgingly praised the song "Norwegian Wood," which was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.