My Top 8 Favorite Beatles Covers

The Beatles, need I say more? I mean, this probably wouldn’t be a very interesting blog post if I didn’t, so yeah I probably should. They were a band that ruled the world in their time, and for good reason. With every new invention of themselves, they were more and more brilliant, and their music has influenced quite possibly everything about modern pop music. One of my favorite things about the Beatles is, as strange as it may sound, something that has nothing to do with the four guys themselves, at least at that moment. In the 20 years I’ve been listening to music (I’m 20 years old, math so easy even a liberal arts major such as myself can do it) I’ve probably heard Beatles covers done in just about every genre you can imagine. Seriously, everything from classical to techno to reggae to country, it really shows how many people these four dudes from Liverpool have touched with their music. I’ve seen websites that have lists up to Top 50 Beatles covers, and there are many more than that. In fact, “Yesterday” is I believe that Guinness World Record holder for most covered song.  However, I’ve narrowed my list down to my eight favorites. Now, before you get your panties in a bunch, I do realize that my list isn’t super diverse, in fact its quite the opposite. Two of them were done at Woodstock, and two of them are from Beatles related movies that a lot of people don’t like. If I talked about every awesome Beatles cover I’ve ever heard, I’d take up all the space on the internet (that’s right, all of it). Hell, the list of “honorable mentions” outside my top 8 could probably be its own separate post. That being said, here are my top 8 favorite Beatles Covers.

8. Johnny Cash- In My Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka2h0BMdUgU

It is rarely debated that Johnny Cash is probably one of the coolest dudes to ever walk planet earth, and that didn’t slow down one bit with age. Up until his death in 2003, the man made some incredible music. Though his cover of “Hurt” by Nine Inch Nails is definitely his most notable work of his late career (even Trent Reznor admitted that song now belongs to Cash) he did some really amazing covers in his last few years. His cover of “In My Life” definitely ranks among the top rung of those covers. To me, it really captures what I feel the song is about. When the Beatles did it, though they had a lot of life experience from being the biggest freakin band in the world, they were still pretty young. As far as they knew at the time, they still had many happy years ahead of them. On the other hand, Johnny is singing this song as a 70 year old man, a man who knows he’s in the twilight of his life, looking back on everything he’s done. Theres a bittersweetness in his voice that just tugs at your heartstrings. It’s the kind of stuff that makes me miss Mr. Cash, but also makes me so happy the world had the chance to know him as long as we did.

7. Greensky Bluegrass- A Day in the Life

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LpPhWont4qY

I’m going to go out on a limb here and guess most of you haven’t heard this cover before, unless of course you’re a massive bluegrass fan. The reason for that is because this band is probably the least known band on my list. Greensky Bluegrass is a band from Kalamazoo Michigan that has gained regional and even some national notoriety in the bluegrass community for the last decade or so. I first heard this cover during my first year of college, a hippie by the name of Tom used to come through out campus a few times a year and sell stuff to the students. Ya know, hippie stuff like hoodies, t-shirts, flags, etc. Anyway, he turned me on to some good bluegrass and started with this cover. I’ve been in love ever since. The things that find so interesting about this cover is the fact that, despite the fact that they’re playing bluegrass instruments, they stay impressively true to the original. The arrangement is about the same, the singer sings in what sounds like the same key, and the twang is, while of course present, surprisingly minimal. That plus the fact that they’re an entirely different genre of music provides a cover that’s not insulting to the original tune while still being interesting enough to make it worthwhile. So good job guys, you hit the nail right on the head! (Also, readers, you can buy the full verion on itunes, I realize this video doesn't start until about halfway through the first verse)

6. Come together- Aerosmith

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDtoZ8M3Q50

I would just like to start by saying that the Bee Gee’s “Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band” is without a doubt one of the most horrible movies I’ve ever seen in my life. The acting is abysmal, the attempt at a “quirky” story just ends up making no sense, and most of the covers in this movies are absolutely gut wrenching. However, it is also worth noting that two of those covers stand high above the rest. One of them is Earth Wind and Fire’s cover of “I Gotta Get You Into My Life” which would probably have been my ninth song had a chosen to go that far (unfortunately I couldn’t find a number 10 that looked good enough to balance out my list so I left it off) and the second is of course Aerosmith’s legendary cover of “Come Together.” Thanks to a great amount of influence from my dad, Aerosmith was my favorite band most of the time I was in grade school and well into high school. The fact that I always felt their “shtick” was nothing more than just writing really really good rock and roll songs always appealed to me. And Steven Tyler is still one of the greatest front men to ever live, period. So of course this cover is everything one would expect it to be. A true blue tribute to the original with an edge that only Aerosmith could provide. They’re not trying to be the Beatles, and I mean why should they be, there was only one Beatles, but theres only one Aerosmith too, and no one could have paid homage to the greatest band of all time quite like one of the other greatest bands of all time.

5. A Little Help From My Friends- Joe Cocker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8O7c-CP1fUU

I’m not going to waste too much time on this one. Joe Cocker is one of the most underrated talents of his time and it’s a damn shame. I would say this is one of those rare situations where the cover has become just as popular and notable as original in the history of music. Sure, sometimes the original is fairly unknown and the cover is the hit, but the idea that BOTH songs were big in the same era and were equally respected? That’s one in a million. And while some of us still get a kick out of his performance of it at Woodstock (I mean come on, that was hilarious) very few of us would ever disrespect Mr. Cocker or his brilliant rendition of a Fab Four classic.

4. Helter Skelter- Dana Fuchs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhknKwk3V3M

I know not everyone liked the film “Across the Universe,” and I can certainly understand why. It was very odd, very contemporary in many ways, and most of the songs were decent but not anywhere near comparable to the originals. All of that aside, I really enjoyed this movie when it came out. I thought it was interesting, fun, and did a good job tying songs from all over the Beatle’s career into a pretty good story. Now, a can say with absolutely authority that this is the only cover in the movie that would go anywhere NEAR this list, but I must admit that this cover pumps me up like you wouldn’t believe every time I hear it. Sadie, Dana’s character in the movie who is of course named after a Beatles song like every other character, is the strong, independent, intense but still very cool lead singer of a band. Obviously, her character is supposed to emulate Janis Joplin, and if its not obvious enough from her attire it sure as hell is the second she starts singing. Her raw passionate vocals drive the songs from the minute it starts all the way through. Accompanied by a great backing band, she takes this song and adds an edge only a killer female vocalist could add. So to anyone out there who thinks girls can’t rock, give this one a listen. If you still think that, you’re probably a sexist moron.

3. Richie Havens- Strawberry Fields Forever

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQG-xM62tQg

You know a lot of those points I’ve made earlier in this post? Well let me regurgitate a few. Richie Havens: Old, raw, passionate, underrated, played at Woodstock, legendary, stays true to the original while putting his own unique spin on things. I can’t quite put my finger on what exactly it is I like so much about Richie. I’ve never had a huge love affair with raspy singers though I do like some of them. Its hard to explain in any way except saying that he’s just really, really cool. Every time I listen to this cover, I find myself entranced, just getting lost in his dynamic guitar strumming and strained yet soothing voice. Not to mention the man sounds almost exactly the same live and recorded, and even by pre-auto tune standards that’s pretty hard to do.

2.Eleanor Rigby- Aretha Franklin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spXjauv0NSM&feature=related

There’s no other way to say it, I’m obsessed with Aretha Franklin. She is, without a doubt, my favorite vocalist of all time. There’s not a single imperfection in Aretha’s music, and that’s a fact Jack. I don’t care that I’m a 20 year old white boy, I would marry that woman if given the chance. Now, before I start getting too creepy (if its not already too late) lets talk about this cover. From the second that loud, intense, soul-filled piano comes in, you know the Queen of Soul ain’t here to mess around. She takes a song that’s originally very rigid and classical-esque and adds a heavy dose of…. Well…. Not “blackness” exactly but……. Actually, yeah, that’s probably the best way to describe it. She adds a little hot fudge to that vanilla ice cream and its never tasted so sweet. Wow, that was a kind of a creepy and sexualized metaphor….. I’ll quit while I’m ahead. This cover is amazing, dig it.

1.       Stevie Wonder- We Can Work It Out

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dL1GzbUdtfg

Ladies and Gents, every once in a while, a cover comes along that’s so good, it actually makes me angry. I get angry because I feel that perhaps the higher beings have hoarded all the talent of the world and given it to a select few people. Either that, or the person involved has to be some kind of super being, or robot, or alien, because no normal person can be that talented. Stevie Wonder is without a doubt that person. The first time I heard this cover, I could only think  one thing “dude, you are the only person ON EARTH that can take a cover of THE BEATLES and make it sounds like you wrote it.” Every bit of this cover is just jaw dropping. The arrangements, the vocal delivery, that brilliantly placed harmonica solo near the end, theres not a part of it that isn’t a picture of absolute musical perfection. Stevie is one of those people that is simply not capable of disappointing to this day, and that shines through tenfold in this song.

Well, that’s about it for this post. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope my opinions haven’t offended you too much. But, more importantly, I’d like to hear from anyone out there reading this, what are your favorite Beatles covers? Why? I’d love to hear ones I haven’t heard before so by all means, share away!

P.S. Sorry for the weird spacing on number 1, I'm a technological caveman and don't know how to fix it.

In defense of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame:

Do I agree with every decision the Rock Hall has ever made? Absolutely not, and probably never will. However, some people are way the heck out of line in the way they criticize the hall of fame. They get really personally offended and allow their own personal biases to cloud their judgment. Today, I’d like to share my opinion about the Rock Hall, and defend it to some extent. Because though it isn’t perfect, its far from a reality of the accusations people make.

First off, just because you’ve favorite band has been snubbed for a few years or, hey, a few decades does not mean the Hall of Fame is crap. Inversely, just because they let in someone you don’t like doesn’t make the Hall of Fame crap either. I know, Rush probably should have been in years ago, same deal with Chicago and the Dire Straits and KISS and Judas Priest and the Pixies and ELO and so, so many countless other bands. But the fact is just that, there are SO many acts out there, and the Rock Hall can only let in about half a dozen or so every year. So you’ve got to be patient, and realize that it might be many more years until you can call your favorite band an Inductee. For example, Phish has been my favorite band since I was 16 years old. They’ll be eligible coming up here in a few years. I know, given the fact that they’re not super mainstream, I might have to wait quite a few years until they make it in and in the mean time I’ll have to watch groups I don’t really care for get inducted. That’s just part of the life of someone who follows such things. The fact is that there’s so much music outside of one’s personal taste, which is why so many people vote for induction. Which is why, though I don’t agree with every induction, I can ALWAYS make a case that the person in question has influenced “a,b, and c” if you will and deserves it. I get tired of people thinking they know everything and can tell me exactly who DESERVES to get in and who doesn’t instead of who they WANTED to get in and who didn’t. I read an article the other day saying that of all the 2012 inductees, the author claimed that only Donovan (who was personally my bottom rung) deserved induction. Guns N Roses? Laura Nyro? Red Hot Chili Peppers? Really? NONE of those bands have had an impact on rock music? That’s a bold statement. He also went to slam some of my favorite bands like Steely Dan who I feel absolutely deserved it,  and at that point I stopped reading. The author, in my opinion, was an elitist moron who thought he was some kind of musical authority. That brings me smoothly into my next point (well, that sentence, and the fact that I didn’t mention the Beastie Boys yet)

Rock and Roll is a VERY subjective thing with COUNTLESS sub-genres and COUNTLESS outside influences. I get tired of people carrying on about how “that’s NOT rock and roll wah wah wah wah.” This especially comes up when talking about rap groups and pop groups like Madonna and ABBA. Now, if we’re going to apply this logic, lets say we remove anyone who isn’t purely “Rock and Roll.” Let’s start with anyone from Mowtown to start since really thats R&B and Soul, so bye bye Stevie Wonder, the Temptations, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, etc. Next, see ya Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff , you play reggae. Frank Zappa dips into jazz more than anything so he’s gone. Simon and Garfunkel were a folk group as far as I’m concerned and see ya Pete Seeger and Neil Young for the same reason. Pariliament-Funkadelic and Earth, Wind, and Fire, “funk” you guys, you’re out! (see what I did there) Now I’m sure I just pissed off a LOT of people with that, including myself because I LOVE all those artists. But hopefully you’re starting to see my point, even those who aren’t traditionally Rock and Roll have had a huge impact on Rock music through influence. The same can be said for a lot of artists people like to complain about. A lot of those pioneering rap groups influenced a lot of the Rap-Rock groups of the 1990’s. Now before you tear me a new one because you hate Limp Bizkit, look at things objectively for a second. Nu Metal was a huge thing, it was a chapter of Rock history whether you like it or not. So why shouldn’t people who had a major influence over that be recognized? Same with pop music, some of those bands have had colossal impact over many different genres, including rock. The fact is there isn’t a single person among us that can say for certain with absolute authority what is or isn’t rock and roll, its all a matter of opinion. And in my humble opinion, if we put in strictly bands that just about everyone on Earth likes and considers rock, it would be nothing more than a string of 60’s and 70’s bands with the same 3 guitar chords and snare drum on 2 and 4, how interesting would the Rock Hall really be? My guess: it wouldn’t be, at all.

My last point is this, to be completely fair, for every one band the Rock Hall has put in that’s been controversial; they’ve made the right choices that no one argues against about 95% of the time. For every one Grandmaster Flash or Neil Diamond, there’s been dozens of groups like The Beatles, The Who, Queen, and Aerosmith to name a few that no one doubts for a second deserve this honor. For every questionable decision the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame makes, they also make really really good decisions every single year. I know I’m sort of repeating myself here but I feel its relevant to this point, but for me, what would the Rock Hall be without controversial decisions? Those are the ones that keep me interested, and make me think. As a person who loves music, I really enjoy having to sit here and go “hmmm, I wonder what their thinking was on THAT choice” and work my way through it in my head. So really, in many ways, I give them kudos for that. They make the decisions they feel are right and keep enthusiasts like me fascinated. But also, for more casual music listeners, they really do a good job recognizing most important people in Rock history.

I do realize that theres a lot of politics in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction process. Some bands get snubbed for personal reasons and that isn’t fair. I will never claim for a second that the Rock Hall induction system is perfect. But in my opinion, it is the best system. People who live, eat, breathe, and sleep Rock and Roll have to really sit down and make decisions on who has contributed to the genre. I know I sort of touched on this already, but if any Joe Schmoe including myself could vote, people don’t seem to realize that it’d be more drab and dull than those people already think it is. Joy Division? Psh, please, they’d never stand a chance with their underground status, you’d better believe Bon Jovi would take their spot in a second. But, because the people with say typically have say for some REASON (mainly the fact that they know a hell of a lot about Rock and Roll music) who knows, maybe they will stand a chance some day. The fact is, any time one institution has to take claim for a whole massive subjective genre like Rock and Roll, people are going to be pissed off. But, if people are willing to calm down for a second, put their biases aside, and really look at things, I think they’d be surprised how reasonable the Hall of Fame typically is.