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

Rachael B

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I just revealed in another thread that I adore Mike Harrsion & Spooky Tooth doing I AM THE WALRUS. I think it's rulz. Can you name a brilliant Beatles cover?

I have some others but I'll wait and see what comes around...
 

DonaldB

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"Happiness is a Warm Gun" by The Breeders, on their album Pod. It's hard to believe anyone could make Lennon/McCartney material sound palatable, but The Breeders were a great enough band to swing it.
 

Clint B

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While I love the Beatles original, I think Joe Cocker's version of "With A Little Help From My Friends" beats it.
 

AnthonyC

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There aren't any for me.

I love some of them (Cocker's WALHFMF for one) but none of them top the originals.

Richie Havens did a great album of Beatles/Dylan covers...I used to have it on tape but I don't have it anymore.
 

ChuckSolo

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Beatles songs should never be covered. No one can do them justice, especially any songs during and after "Sgt. Pepper." To me, this is the same as someone trying to cover "Stairway to Heaven.":frowning:
 

Cees Alons

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None.

There are a few that I like to listen to now and then as well, e.g. I was about to post Joe Cocker's version of With a Little Help.
But in the end, I always prefer the OAR (of course) - the Original Album Recording.
Mostly, it's George Martin making all the difference (except for Let It Be :) ).

Cees
 

andrew markworthy

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I agree with Cees, with one exception, which is the version of 'Across the Universe' by Tina Apple [? - the one on Pleasantville]. And that is simply because of Pavlovian conditioning - I associate a pleasant event with that particular version of the song. I couldn't claim that the interpretation is necessarily better in its own right (though in fairness, it's a good interpretation).
 

Carl Miller

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I absolutely love Aerosmith's cover of Come Together. One of the few Beatles covers that I can manage to listen to without thinking it was musical heresy. :D
 

Ruz-El

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Across the Universe By Fionna Apple. Agreat cover that I was going to list but was beaten to by Andrew.

The vidoe for this is just as good, and directed by P.T. Anderson.
 

Rachael B

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Dan, Crosby, Stills & Nash did a purr-dy fair cover of Blackbird at the Woodstock Festival. I have that Kenny Rankin album. I have most of his albums. I'd forgotten about that one when making my Covered Music Dishes project, hmnnn...I'm stille adding to it. That Rankin track will be on the next disc.
 

Rachael B

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For ya'all that say that there are no worthy covers, I'd suggest that you simply haven't heard enough of them to be stuck on this conclusion. I'm quite sure there must be atleast 500 Beatles' covers in my expansive music collection...? There be some nuggets amongst the ore.
 

Carlo_M

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Count me in with those who can't really think of a Beatles cover that I prefer over the original, though I'm definitely not of the camp that believes they should never be covered.

In fact, two of my favorite bands, The Dave Matthews Band and Toad the Wet Sprocket (now defunct), have both covered Hey Bulldog quite well! In live settings, I love their renditions (nothing like the raw energy of live sound to really give "umph" to that song), but it's a different creature from what The Beatles put on tape, and I can't say I find it superior.

Somewhat hypocritically though, I do find some covers done by The Beatles to be superior to the original (Twist and Shout comes immediately to mind).

Damn it, just replying to this thread reminds me how much we need either remastered CDs, or hi-res versions (or both!) of The Beatles catalog! :angry:

Talk about something that would drive a hi-res music format (since porn's not an option) ;)
 

Rachael B

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Cees, what if the original-album-recording of a Beatles song, well, Lennon-McCartney song is by somebody else? ...like, say, Peter & Gordon's A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE...? ;) I know that's a cheap trick! Speaking of Cheap Trick, they do Day Tripper with gusto!:)
 

Rachael B

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OK, I'll reveal another monster cover of the Beatles. YESTERDAY by Marvin Gaye. He's simply a better singer. I bet I've heard 25 versions of Yesterday and most are dull and without luster. Marvin's is compelling!
 

Rachael B

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Grand slam, Cees, do they have them in foot-sey ball too?;) I have to admit I like's dat Fiona Apple Universe too...alot! But, the only ball that cleared the fence, NOT!:)
 

Ricardo C

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These don't surpass the originals, but are fantastic covers nonetheless:

"I Am the Walrus" by Oasis + The Bootleg Beatles, from the "There and Then" concert DVD, NOT the drunken, tuneless, altogether shitty version from "The Masterplan" CD.

"Strawberry Fields Forever" by Ben Harper.
 

Marvin

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This probably doesn't count, but in The Concert for George, I think there are some songs that I prefer to the original versions.
 

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