The Beatles are rightly recognized for the unequalled songwriting partnership of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, supplemented by an more and more excessive customary of composition from George Harrison. In direction of their ultimate years, Ringo Starr additionally started to pitch in with originals. Collectively, the group created a physique of labor that raised the bar for everybody – and, in flip, impressed no scarcity of covers from these they influenced. Taking in a broad vary of kinds and artists, the perfect Beatles covers are a testomony to the standard of the group’s songwriting, revealing the sheer breadth and depth of their work. Right here’s our collection of the ten most notable Beatles covers, adopted by an additional ten honorable mentions.
Hearken to the perfect of The Beatles on Apple Music and Spotify.
Esther Phillips: And I Love Him
The place higher to begin than with one among The Beatles’ personal favourite covers? When pushed on the topic, Paul McCartney has persistently praised Esther Phillips’ studying of his 1964 track “And I Love Her” (retitled to reverse the gender). She carried out the track on The Music of Lennon & McCartney, a 1965 TV showcase of their work, and he nonetheless praises her interpretation right this moment.
Click on to load video
Ray Charles: Yesterday
The Beatles cherished American R&B, and far of their pre-fame setlist comprised music by Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Arthur Alexander, and numerous different Black American artists; having their songs lined by such artists was all the time a thrill again within the 60s. Ray Charles tackled greater than Beatles cowl in his time, and it was a troublesome name to choose between his model of “Yesterday” or “Eleanor Rigby.” In the long run, we plumped for the previous, however each are nicely worthy.
Wilson Pickett: Hey Jude
Sticking with US R&B acts, Wilson Pickett’s 1969 cowl of “Hey Jude” was an train within the seemingly inconceivable – how do you enhance on perfection? Pickett enlisted an unknown younger gunslinger named Duane Allman to play guitar on the monitor, which, on prime of a brassy association and Pickett’s screaming vocals, was the sweetest icing on a really wealthy cake. When he heard the report, Eric Clapton was knocked out. He not too long ago recalled, “To this day, I’ve never heard better rock guitar playing on an R&B record. It’s the best.”
Click on to load video
Al Inexperienced: I Need To Maintain Your Hand
With reference to US R&B covers, subsequent up we salute Al Inexperienced’s tackle “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” By the point Inexperienced got here to report the track, The Beatles had been wrapping up, and the heady days of Ed Sullivan TV appearances felt like historical historical past. And but the funky soul the Reverend Inexperienced infused into the track breathed new life into one among The Beatles’ most seismic moments.
Click on to load video
Jimi Hendrix Expertise: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Membership Band
There could be few better compliments for an artist than when revered contemporaries pay homage. Take the second in June 1967 when The Jimi Hendrix Expertise opened their present at London’s Saville Theatre (run by Beatles supervisor Brian Epstein) with the title monitor from the brand-new Beatles album, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Membership Band. Doing so with members of The Beatles in attendance confirmed the Seattle guitar participant to be as assured as he was well timed. As Paul McCartney would later recall: “Jimi opened, the curtains flew back and he came walking forward, playing ‘Sgt Pepper,’ and it had only been released on the Thursday so that was like the ultimate compliment. It’s still obviously a shining memory for me, because I admired him so much anyway, he was so accomplished.”
Click on to load video
Joe Cocker: With A Little Assist From My Pals
Sheffield singer Joe Cocker’s cowl from The Beatles’ 1967 opus took slightly longer to emerge, however has remained one of the vital iconic Beatles covers ever since. “With A Little Help From My Friends” went to No.1 within the UK singles chart in 1968, and Cocker’s efficiency of the track was one of many highlights of the legendary Woodstock live performance the next yr. It discovered a brand new viewers within the late-80s because the theme tune to the hit TV sequence The Marvel Years. Paul McCartney has described first listening to Cocker’s model as “mind-blowing.”
Click on to load video
Booker T & The MGs: Medley: Solar King/Imply Mr Mustard/Polythene Pam/She Got here In By way of The Toilet Window/I Need You (She’s So Heavy)
Such was The Beatles’ love of the Memphis Stax label (dwelling to Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Rufus Thomas) that their supervisor, Brian Epstein, investigated the probabilities of recording what turned Revolver there. Whereas that concept by no means got here to fruition, they remained large followers of the label, whose artists put out many nice Beatles covers. However none may fairly surpass the ambition of Booker T & The MGs, who had been so enamored by The Beatles’ Abbey Highway album that they lined the entire thing in 1970 – together with recreating the album cowl as they crossed the street in entrance of the Stax studio on McLemore Avenue, which gave The MGs’ album McLemore Avenue its title.
Click on to load video
Stevie Marvel: We Can Work It Out
When Stevie Marvel and Paul McCartney first frolicked collectively in a London nightclub in 1966, neither may have predicted the place their burgeoning friendship would lead them. Sixteen years later, they’d take pleasure in a No.1 on each side of the Atlantic with their “Ebony And Ivory” single, and in 2010, Marvel carried out his infectiously funky cowl of The Beatles’ “We Can Work It Out” in entrance of Paul and US President Barack Obama at The White Home.
Click on to load video
Siouxsie & The Banshees: Pricey Prudence
By the early 80s, The Beatles had begun to draw new audiences – and from some unlikely quarters. Siouxsie & The Banshees had been an uncompromising punk outfit who had already lined The Beatles’ “Helter Skelter” in visceral model (on their 1978 LP, The Scream) earlier than returning as soon as extra to the Lennon-McCartney songbook in 1983. That includes The Treatment’s Robert Smith on guitar, their jangly model of “Dear Prudence” gave the band its greatest hit, with the only reaching No.3 on the UK singles chart.
Click on to load video
Oasis: I Am The Walrus
Britpop within the mid-90s was arguably the brightest time for UK guitar bands because the glory days of the 60s, and no one flew the flag increased than Manchester’s Oasis. Their self-confessed obsession with all issues Beatles noticed them reinvent John Lennon’s psychedelic masterpiece “I Am The Walrus” as a brawling, barre-chord powerhouse, infusing it with the swagger for which they’d quickly turn out to be well-known.
Honorable mentions
If our Prime 10 has whet your whistle, listed below are ten extra excellent reinventions worthy of inclusion among the many finest Beatles covers:
Nina Simone: Right here Comes the Solar
Taken from her 1971 album of the identical title, Nina Simone’s spin on George Harrison’s track is even brighter and extra optimistic than the unique.
Click on to load video
The Rolling Stones: I Wanna Be Your Man
Lennon and McCartney gave this 1963 track to their buddies Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, who used it as The Rolling Stones’ second single, which they took to No.12 on the UK chart.
Click on to load video
The Seaside Boys: I Ought to Have Recognized Higher
Their paths would cross many occasions through the years, with California’s biggest concord group protecting The Beatles a minimum of thrice on their 1965 Social gathering! album alone.
Click on to load video
The Jam: And Your Hen Can Sing
Whereas not massively completely different to the unique, Paul Weller and co introduced a punk power to this Revolver monitor.
Alison Krauss And Tony Furtado: I Will
This light, lilting studying of Paul McCartney’s 1968 love track provides a rustic tinge to the unique.
Click on to load video
The Breeders: Happiness Is A Heat Gun
The US alt.rock outfit that comprised members of Pixies and Throwing Muses introduced a darkish edge to John Lennon’s 1968 composition.
Sweet Flip: Strawberry Fields Perpetually
This 1990 acid home cowl got here out of the underground rave scene and into the UK singles chart, peaking at No.3.
Click on to load video
David Bowie: Throughout the Universe
For his 1975 Younger People album, David Bowie enlisted the assistance of John Lennon, who co-wrote the hit single “Fame,” in addition to contributed to the Skinny White Duke’s cowl of his Beatles track.
Click on to load video
U2: Helter Skelter
Eire’s greatest band opened their 1988 stay album, Rattle and Hum, with a swaggering cowl of Paul McCartney’s “White Album” track.
Click on to load video
Otis Redding: Day Tripper
The sensible Georgia soul singer provides candy horns and his pressing vocal stylings to the 1965 Beatles hit.
Click on to load video
In search of extra? Uncover the perfect Motown Beatles covers.
