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Top 5 Beatles Covers

frau sally benz

It’s BEATLES TIME! I know your resident Beatles freak is the lovely Cara, but please allow me to fill that role for you today. The post below was originally posted on my blog as part of Blogathon 2009. ENJOY!

This post is inspired by Cara’s Top 5/Top 10 Beatles posts that feed my Beatles addiction from time to time. I decided to put together my top 5 favorite Beatles songs covered by other artists — not to be confused with the top 5 songs the Beatles themselves covered. A lot of these might seem random to people because they’re not the more popular versions of Beatles songs or fan favorites or anything, but I really love ’em so hopefully you’ll at least enjoy listening along.

1. Joe Cocker – With a Little Help From My Friends

Like most other people of my generation, I was introduced to this song from watching The Wonder Years. I loved it then and I love it now. I didn’t even realize that it was a Beatles song and not a Joe Cocker song until years after first hearing it and I’ve actually had to convince people that it’s a Beatles song! If that’s not a successful cover, I don’t know what is.


(click here if you can’t see the video.)

2. Jim Sturgess – I’ve Just Seen a Face

I really love his version of this song from Across the Universe. The original version kind of bores me a little (sorry, am I not supposed to say Beatles songs bore me?), but this one is the perfect mix of good singing, refreshing emotion and a cute face.


(click here if you can’t see the video.)

3. Aimee Mann & Michael Penn – Two of Us

This is from the movie I Am Sam and it’s the first song that pops into my head whenever I think of that movie. I love the original version of this song, so I guess it doesn’t hurt to start with a great song. This version sounds so new and fresh and adorable. It just makes me happy.


(click here if you can’t see the video.)

4. Fiona Apple – Across the Universe

I think the reason I like this cover so much is because it’s so haunting. I’m a big fan of songs that put you in a strange sort of mood and that you keep with you after you’ve heard them. That’s what this version of the song does for me and it’s why I like it more than other covers of Across the Universe.


(click here if you can’t see the video.)

5. Eddie Izzard – Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite

So it’s not the best vocal performance for a Beatles cover, but the overall performance is just so hilarious and entertaining, you gotta love it! If you don’t crack a smile even once during this, I don’t think you’re human.


(click here if you can’t see the video.)

What are your favorite Beatles songs covered by other artists?

35 thoughts on Top 5 Beatles Covers

  1. Ah, well I don’t usually post about the Beatles here anyway. Which means: be careful how you respond, folks! Lots of positive comments might result in more than you bargained for 😛

    I really, really love both Let It Be and While My Guitar Gently weeps from Across the Universe. But other than that soundtrack, I can’t claim to be a huge fan of Beatles covers in general.

  2. The best Beatles cover (imho, of course) is Ella Fitzergerald’s version of “Got To Get You Into My Life.” I can’t find a full version to listen to online, but it’s definitely worth tracking down. I know it’s a heretical to say this about a Beatles song, but I think her version might just be better than the original.

    Also, Aretha Franklin’s interpretation of “Eleanor Rigby” is excellent, and it’s pretty powerful hearing it sung, first-person, by a woman. (She changes the lyrics, slightly, to “I’m Eleanor Rigby/I picked up the rice in the church where the weddings had been yeah/I’m Eleanor Rigby/I’m keeping my face in a jar by the door/You want to know what it is for?”)

    It’s also a really powerful version because it’s being sung by Aretha Franklin. They didn’t call her the Queen for nothing.

  3. Even though I’m loath to cite yet another Across the Universe song, I want to get my vote in for “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. Complete re-imagination of the song. Roger Ebert said it best in his review :

    “I realized how wrong I was to ever think that was a happy song. It’s not happy if it’s a hand you are never, never, never going to hold. The love that dare not express its name turns in sadness to song.”

  6. I really do love While My Guitar Gently Weeps in AtU. Ugh, makes me cry every time!

    Really, I have to say that a lot of the songs in that movie were so good. I was tempted to just pick 5 AtU songs and call it a day.

  10. Elton John’s cover of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. I hated it when it first came out, but over the years it’s really grown on me how much fun it is to listen to.

  11. Oooh this is fun!

    I really like Elton John’s cover, Elayne. I haven’t heard most of these other covers.

    Also, Chally, you’re just now becoming a Fiona Apple fan?!

  12. Patricia Barber’s covers of “Norwegian Wood” or “Blackbird.”

    As a jazz musician she covers them a little differently every time, and she’s an amazing live performer. If you’re ever in Chicago on a Monday night, go to the Green Mill, where she has a standing gig whenever she’s not on tour.

    (and bonus points in my book for not changing the gender in “Norwegian Wood”)

  13. It’s a tossup between Aerosmith’s version of “Come Together” and the Across the Universe version of the same song. I dunno what it is about that song that lends itself so handily to remakes, but it does.

    Bast

  14. Possibly my favorite Beatles cover, is the Steve Martin cover of Maxwell’s Silver Hammer. Which is from a horrible movie that I can’t help but adore.

    For more straightforward covers, also oddly from that movie, I like Billy Preston’s cover of “Get Back”, the ‘Smith cover that’s already been mentioned, and Earth Wind and Fire’s cover of “Got to Get You Into My Life”

  15. Type O Negative put a pretty incredible Beatles cover medley at the end of their “World Coming Down” album. They used “Day Tripper” to splice together “If I Needed Someone” and “I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” The effect is full of fuzz, bass, and Pete’s low voice making the whole thing sound about as far from the originals as you can get (which is what I like in a cover).

  16. Oooh, John Farnham with help shows what a heart wrenching song can be if you would remove the happy bouncing, and the muppets doing “While my guitar gently weeps” is a morsel of melancholy that makes me feel calmer for hours.

    I’m going to assume that the mash up “Come closer” wouldn’t count, although I may try to slide it in without anyone noticing in a stealthy kind of way. Nope, don’t think I can manage it, oh well.

  17. I’m going to assume that the mash up “Come closer” wouldn’t count, although I may try to slide it in without anyone noticing in a stealthy kind of way. Nope, don’t think I can manage it, oh well.

    This just made me laugh out loud. I needed that!

    I love the Aerosmith cover! I somehow completely forgot about it when I was putting this together. Maybe I need to reassess my list…

  20. ooo replace AtU’s “Mr Kite” with “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” from that movie and this top five would represent my absolute favorite Beatles covers. ♥

  21. Yay! *claps excitedly* I’m glad I came close to matching somebody else’s top list.

    Also wanted to say that even looking at my own list, I’d give an honorable mention at least to Alanis’ Dear Prudence and/or Norwegian Wood. Cuz I love her oh so much and she does a great job. She also gets victoria’s bonus point for not changing the gender in Norwegian Wood.

  22. I <3 this thread! I'd like to second Greg's mention of "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" from Across the Universe. Besides just plain being GORGEOUS, the song just gets so many interesting layers in this version.

    Like, in the original, "My love, I can't hide" is just a generic love sentiment and throw-away line.

    In the movie's context, "I can't hide" is INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. In 2009, it's STILL dangerous too many times for young queer teens to not hide their loves (e.g., Lawrence King). So even more dangerous in 1960-something.

    Now when I hear the original, Beatles fan though I may be, I can't help thinking, "Oh, I wish I was listening to the AtU version."

  23. I’m totally on board with Greg (#3):

    Even though I’m loath to cite yet another Across the Universe song, I want to get my vote in for “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. Complete re-imagination of the song. Roger Ebert said it best in his review :

    “I realized how wrong I was to ever think that was a happy song. It’s not happy if it’s a hand you are never, never, never going to hold. The love that dare not express its name turns in sadness to song.”

    I also love Siouxie’s cover of “Dear Prudence.”

  24. The cover of “Here Comes the Sun” by Richie Havens!! Love, love his guitar work on it and his voice is so warm and rich.

  26. I second P on Ritchie Havens and Here Comes the Sun. As I was scrolling down the comments, I was thinking, “I know someone did Here Comes the Sun.” And P got it.

    I also am partial to a version of “Help” that Deep Purple did.

  34. I’d give an honorable mention at least to Alanis’ Dear Prudence and/or Norwegian Wood.

    I am a huge Alanis fan and I have YET TO HEAR EITHER. 🙁

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