Covers of Beatles' songs U favour over the original (1 Viewer)

[Rachael B]

I think what set The Beatles apart from other groups was their compositional ability way more than their performing ability. Thusly, I think that they can be covered and out-done. Take Peter & Gordon, all their best songs are the ones that Lennon & McCartney wrote for them. The others are generally average to below or worse.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Actually, Rachael, The Beatles were outstanding performers. The band got bad, though, by 1966 because of all the raucous noise during performances. Ringo said that, on a few occasions, he wasn't even able to hear the song and therefore drummed to whichever song he thought was being played.

No band can endure that as performers.

But everyone who knew the four and saw them rehearse commented on how damn good The Beatles are as performers. Look, Paul is one of the all-time great bass players. George's lead guitar was stunning. John was terrific, too, while Ringo's drumming perfectly suited this group.

So, I guess what I'm saying is, don't sell The Beatles short as a performing band.

(I saw them in 1966, and, interestingly, the band could be heard rather well, despite the screaming girls in the audience. But in those days, there were no monitor speakers in front of the band, and the overall sound technology was crude and limited compared with what bands get to use today. Really, it was two guitars, a bass, drums, and an overworked P.A. system -- and that's it.)

 

[Jack Briggs]

Also, John and Paul's vocals and harmonies are among the very, very best in rock. Their sound was unique. Thrilling.

 

[Rachael B]

Jack, I never said they were not great performers, obviously they were. However, on the performance side is where they are most approachable, IMO. We're stille waiting for writers as good AND as prolific as they to come around again, IMO.

I can think of a group every bit the equal of the Beatles on vocal harmonies....NRBQ (New Rhytmn & Blues Quartet). I'm quite certain you're familiar with them. I bet you's like-y them's...?

The Beatles quit touring just about the time I became a concert leech. Poor, pitful me had to settle for The Monkees as a first concert. In 1968, here in Pixley, The Monkees was the only concert that wasn't kuntry or klassical to the best of my knowledge, or well, bluegrass, but doesn't that go without saying, hare en Tanase!

My only taste of The Beatles live was watching the Ed Sullivan Show and owning a vinyl copy of The Beatles' Live At The Hollywood Bowl, and the other thingies recorded for posterity... Insectial opportunity never was afforded to I, whom was living here in a holler infested with fox, coon, possum, and other varmits. I said my nightly prayers but they never came to Knoxville and I never recieved a phone call from Paul either as requested...!

Cheap Trip did Day Tripper better than The Insects when I saw them in person, IMO.

I've had a revelation, just now, I like all the covers of Savoy Truffle that I've heard over the Beatles. Fortuneatly, however and so forth, I've only heard about 2.

Nothing is too particularly too holy to me....

 

[Zen Butler]

I've yet to hear cover I prefer to the original in regards to the Beatles.

Some that are worth mention , and are damn close, IMO:

Fiona Apple-Across the Universe(surpringly okay version, I like her voice)

Sarah McLachlan--Blackbird (love this woman's voice, pretty emotional...dern good.)

Elliott Smith-Because- beautiful, just gorgeous. One of the best modern-day songwriters that has left us way too early.

 

[Cees Alons]

Unlike Meryl Streep, who admitted sitting at their New-York concert holding up a sign stating her love for Paul McCarthy.

It's funny, cover tracks that are considered good often try to be as close to the original Beatles's ones as they can (as can be without really looking a copy). And even when I like a cover, my ears often "bounce" against slight deviations from the way the song is "supposed" to sound.


Cees

 

[Jack Briggs]

Which, Cees, seems uniquely related to The Beatles. How many other artists whose material is covered are regarded in such a way? (Though, I must admit, I prefer Johnny Cash's version of "Hurt" to Nine Inch Nails'.)

 

[Rachael B]

I certainly don't mind covers that inject their own twist, like Spooky Tooth having a chorus of female singers for a bar on I AM THE WALRUS. Yes put their own stamp on EVERY LITTLE THING. The Dillards made WE CAN WORK IT OUT into 1st class bluegrass.

Paul McCartney never could sing YESTERDAY like Mavin Gaye could. Some students always out-pace their teachers. That's the way of the world, c'est la vie.

 

[Cees Alons]

But Yesterday should sound as it does - an apparently untrained voice in an almost classical musical arrangement.


Cees

 

[AnthonyC]

Has anyone heard Ozzy Osbourne's cover of "In My Life"? It's horrible. Up there with Shatner's "Lucy."

 

[Joe Karlosi]

Oh, I think McCartney's classic rendition of YESTERDAY is pretty secure in history.

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

Here is where I'd like to point out Pete Townshend, Elvis Costello, Billy Joel, Elton John, and Joe Jackson. Less prolific but still very deserving mentions go to Sam Phillips, Peter Gabriel, Sting, Fagen and Becker, and McCartney post-Beatles.

Lennon and McCartney were geniuses and pioneers, but their genius was neither completely unique nor even once in a generation. The demon said "Be you angels?" They replied "We are but men!"

 

[Rachael B]

Andrew, how come artists don't cover those other guys like they do Insect music? Those other guyz all wrote a few enduring classics, the Insects wrote beaucoups of them's.

Songs so good, that they get covered again and again, plus get carried forward in time, eh...I'd say the Insects are the leaders with maybe songs sung by Elvis second...? I bet Leon Russell s higher on this list than you think...?

I'm flabbergasted, like totally, by how many Beatle covers are in my music collection. I imagine I could easily make 10 eighty minute discs of just Insect kovers. There's some real stinkers in there. There be some true nuggets too.

Maybe I should of titled this thread, " Beetles kovers, deface the music part 2" with all regards to Todd Rundgren.

"...everybody else is wrong..." - Todd Rundgren

 

[Rachael B]

Cees, are you suggesting that Marvin Gaye's voice was trained anyplace other than, say, singing in church? Have you actually heard Marvin's.

I've heard more kovers of Yesterday than any other Insect tune, asolutemente! Many are quite despicable, gag me with a spoon, Marrianne Faithful's! Marvin's is true to the spirit of the song, and his pipes is movin'.

My bet is Marvin didn't attend Julliard either...?

 

[DavidBC]

Emmylou Harris' version of "For No One" is stunning!

Joan Baez has worthy versions of "Let It Be" and "Imagine".

I also like Rufus Wainwright's "Across The Universe"

 

[AnthonyC]

Speaking of Marianne Faithfull, one of the most-praised covers of a Lennon song is her version of "Working Class Hero." I can't even listen to it. Her voice is horrible. She only got a record deal because of Mick.

 

[Cees Alons]

Nope. Because I wouldn't know.


Cees

 

[Henry Gale]

I'm sure you are correct Anthony!
While you're on a roll, could you explain the careers of Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Joe Cocker?

 

[Dennis Nicholls]

Bob Dylan. Born into wealth and spent most of his life pretending to be working class. Real name Robert Allen Zimmerman. Immoral wife beater. Can't hold a tune when he sings. Decent lyrics writer.

Neil Young. Lyrics are constantly of the "poor me, I'm a victim" sort. Cracked voice even worse than Dylan's.

Joe Cocker. Small time rock vocalist. Did he ever write any music?

 

[DavidBC]

I think it's brilliant. And her version of "Isolation" is really powerful. I think Marianne Faithfull's abilities as an interpretive vocalist are exceptional. I for one, adore her voice.