The best, the worst and the weirdest cover versions of Beatles songs

[The Internet]

A couple of you tube favourites.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6BKhvhSehc Mercy Me do Obli dee Obli Da
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1OdbPpvFYg Fats Domino does Lady Madonna

Wolfman! Thanks, I don't know the Mercy Me version of Obladi! A uke version! Thanks!

But I will match you a Fats Domino!

Fats Domino: Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me & My Monkey

*photo: Fats Domino meets The Beatles, New Orleans, 1964

 

[teamtickleguy]

I'm not sure how I forgot this one in my original contribution:



An old crackly recording (I've heard better quality recordings on the radio, but this is all I could find online).

The singer is Alma Cogan, known in her heyday as 'The girl with the giggle in her voice', but who ultimately had a sad tragedy to her tale and died very young.

She recorded and performed a number of Beatles songs, including Help, Ticket to Ride, Yesterday, I Feel Fine.... but this is my favourite of her covers - it's kind of in two parts - she starts with some lush balladry, at times yearning and at times absent-minded, before moving to a ballsy big-band feel.

I particularly love the way she sings the line 'I love you all the time' the first time round.

Cheers
TTG

 

[The Internet]

I'm not sure how I forgot this one in my original contribution:

An old crackly recording (I've heard better quality recordings on the radio, but this is all I could find online).

The singer is Alma Cogan, known in her heyday as 'The girl with the giggle in her voice', but who ultimately had a sad tragedy to her tale and died very young. She recorded and performed a number of Beatles songs, including Help, Ticket to Ride, Yesterday, I Feel Fine.... but this is my favourite of her covers - it's kind of in two parts - she starts with some lush balladry, at times yearning and at times absent-minded, before moving to a ballsy big-band feel.

I particularly love the way she sings the line 'I love you all the time' the first time round.

Cheers
TTG

TTG, thanks for the Alma! You know she had a bit of fling with John Lennon, a little known factoid! Can you imagine the "Girl with the Giggle In Her Voice" being tickled by a Beatle? Neither can I! But it just might have happened!

This "slow" arrangement of "Eight Days A Week" was imitated many times, with varying degrees of success. (The Runaways, for instance, did it this way)

I know Alma covered many Beatles songs, as you said, but I'm drawing a blank as to what my favorite is....so I'm going to volley back with a song in a similar vein....or is it vain?.......Alliekat, are you here? I'll bet she knows....anyways, a really grand and sincere rendition of "PS I Love You" by Keely Smith.


Keely Smith: P.S. I Love You

 

[MuadDib211]

I'm a fan of this one by Elliott Smith:



This one by Soundgarden:



And in the "Weirdest" category, I present this little gem that I heard this past Christmas season:

 

[The Internet]

I'm a fan of this one by Elliott Smith:

Awww, I was hoping someone would post this. Poor Elliott. That's another guy I met, about a month before he died. Very humble guy, exactly how you'd hope he'd be, but also obviously troubled. Thanks for your other contributions, MuadDib. Don't know the wacky Xmas one!

But for now, let's remember Elliot:

Elliot Smith: I Me Mine


And not to be maudlin, but while we're remembering the dearly departed, including GH & JL:

David Bowie: Across The Universe


Prince with Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne, Dhani Harrison, et al: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

 

[wolfman28]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu2mEkhcrQA

Marmalade's uk no.1

 

[The Internet]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lu2mEkhcrQA

Marmalade's uk no.1

Ha! Forgot about this one!

I happen to have over 80 hours of "Let It Be" rehearsal sessions, which started on January 2, 1969. And that first day, they greet each other with "Happy New Year's" and the like....and at several points talk about or joke about two recent cover versions. One was the Marmalade doing "Obla Di...", the one you just posted.... and the other was Wilson Pickett's version of "Hey Jude", featuring Duane Allman. Harrison is particularly taken with it, and you can hear him practicing Duane's wicked lick that comes in on the "na na nas" throughout the first few days of rehearsals.

So here 'tis:

Wilson Pickett (with Duane Allman): Hey Jude

 

[The Internet]

Franz Ferdinand: It Won't Be Long


Deerhoof: The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill

 

[The Internet]

Best, worst, weirdest....I won't make that call.....but you have to admit.....these are probably not what the boys originally had in mind! Puts the white in "white album" if you know what I mean....

The Brothers Four: Revolution


The Assembled Multitude: I Want You (She's So Heavy)

 

[The Internet]

Ray Charles: Eleanor Rigby


Stevie Wonder: We Can Work It Out

 

[The Internet]

Good morning! What better way to start the day than with this one!

Paul the McCartney has cited these as his all-time favorite cover versions of his own work:


Roy Redmond: Good Day Sunshine

Esther Phillips: And I Love Him


and George always cited this one as being his favorite:

James Brown: Something

 

[The Internet]

Two wicked "Why Don't We Do It In The Road"s

Today Is The Day: Why Don't We Do It In The Road?



Lydia Lunch with Clint Ruin: Why Don't We Do It In The Road?

 

[The Internet]

Willie Nelson: One After 909



Roseanne Cash: I Don't Want To Spoil The Party

 

[The Internet]

The Skatalites: I Should Have Known Better


Joe White: If I Needed Someone

 

[The Internet]

A beuatiful one from Madagascar...

Les Surfs: There's A Place


...and one from Thailand

Sodsai Chaengkij: Lady Madonna

 

[The Internet]

Ted Nugent: I Want To Tell You


Coroner: I Want You (She's So Heavy)

 

[The Internet]

Three completely different "Drive My Car"s, one from the 60s, one from the 70s, and one from the 80s.....

The Neurotic Sheep: Drive My Car


Black Heat: Drive My Car


Gina X: Drive My Car

 

[chicago]

best:

Black Keys -"She Said"
Maroon 5 - "If I Fell"
Aretha Franklin "Let It Be" and "Eleanor Rigby"
Ray Charles "Yesterday"
Fiona Apple "Across The Universe"
Joe Cocker "Help From My Friends"

Worst:

Aerosmith - "Come Together"
Michael Jackson "Come Together"
Every song redone for the Across The Universe movie

 

[Wolf]

Worst:

Every song redone for the Across The Universe movie

DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!

 

[The Internet]

best:

Black Keys -"She Said"
Maroon 5 - "If I Fell"
Aretha Franklin "Let It Be" and "Eleanor Rigby"
Ray Charles "Yesterday"
Fiona Apple "Across The Universe"
Joe Cocker "Help From My Friends"

Worst:

Aerosmith - "Come Together"
Michael Jackson "Come Together"
Every song redone for the Across The Universe movie

Ah, who could dispute such a list! I knew them all EXCEPT the Maroon 5 "If I Fell", just saw it now, beautiful job! Better than the three "If I Fell"s I have (Lou Christie, Rita Lee and Chet Atkins), so thanks! He really did a beautiful job with it.

Yeah, I'm not a fan of either of those "Come Together"s. However.....I LOVE this extremely bizarre rendition, almost something out of a 70s porn movie or something! Definitely a contender for one of the "weirdest" Beatle covers! How they arrived at this arrangement, I'll never know!


Tony Motolla's Guitar Factory: Come Together


and I will match your Aretha with MY favorite from her!

Aretha Franklin: The Long And Winding Road


(...and just to make the distinction, it's the LIVE Woodstock version of "With A Little Help From My Friends" which is the truly killer, classic version and what I presume people mean when they cite Joe Cocker doing this song.....)

Joe Cocker: With A Little Help From My Friends

 

[The Internet]

DING! DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!

lol! Yes! That and the soundtrack for the movie "Sgt. Pepper's Lonley Hearts Club Band" (which Aerosmith's "Come Together" comes from). Flush those down the toilet!!

However, I do like this one - or I should say, I like Rod's performance - from another similar failure-of-a-movie, "All This & World War II", where it's made up entirely of Beatle songs....oof....when will they learn?!

Rod Stewart: Get Back

 

[chicago]

Totally agree on Arethas "Long and Winding Road" and the live version of "Help From My Friends"

 

[The Internet]

Totally agree on Arethas "Long and Winding Road" and the live version of "Help From My Friends"

I love agreement!!! Especially when it's with.......me! lol

Well..... I'm sure we'll all agree that these next two are rough, unpolished and completely informal.....but they are also interesting, historic and maybe with a charm all their own....

Bob Dylan: Yesterday


Keith Richards: Please Please Me

 

[The Internet]

Gary US Bonds: It's Only Love


Nils Lofgren: Anytime At All

 

[kopfhorer]

Would you believe - a punk version of "Help"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O9HCWTfohA