Great list. I would throw in Hour Glass' (proto-Allman Brothers) "Norwegian Wood" and the live version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from Concert for the People of Bangladesh.
"Tomorrow Never Knows" is a rarity found on the Mas y Mas compilation. An impressive live interpretation. I'm guessing you need to be old and square to like the George Martin version from the Hard Day's Night soundtrack. There's a nice live version of "We Can Work It Out" by Stevie Wonder from a 2010 White House performance.
In my opinion, "Hey Jude" by Wilson Pickett stands above all other Beatles' cover versions.
You touched on so much in this post. Great job! The Chet Atkins Beatles cover album is a favorite. Definitely his versions of Michelle and Things We Said Today. Stevie Wonder's We Can Work it Out should be included as well. Other favorites are Jimmy McGriff and Junior Parker doing Oh Darling, Marcia Griffith's rocksteady version of Don't Let Me Down, Ray Charles' Eleanor Rigby, Nina Simone Revolution and pretty much any track by Jose Feliciano.
I love that Chet Atkins Beatles cover record! Daytripper is well covered by Mendes, but his version of Norwegian is stellar. My favorite Beatles cover, though, is Isaac Hayes's version of Something, which goes for like 13 minutes, never releasing the drama in the arrangement.
Your list has a number of my favorite Beatles covers, but my personal favorite is by the Argentinian band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. Their 1995 Rey Azúcar was produced by Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth, and they wrangled Debbie Harry to feature on this ska-flavored take on "Strawberry Fields Forever":
Flaco Jimenez (the brilliant accordionist who played with Ry Cooder) absolutely murders "Love Me Do" here, turning it into rollicking Tex-Mex rockabilly:
And then there's John Daversa's entire album of covers, Kalidoscope," which he arranged for his progressive Big Band- and there are YouTube videos of every track, all masterpieces of arranging. Here's two:
And to toot my own shoehorn: Inspired by Matty Matlock's 1958/59 band, John Ellis' Double-Wide which just dropped a new release on BandCamp), and James Booker - during Covid, I arranged over 30 Beatles songs for my band in little Nanaimo - each in a different style/idiom which came out of New Orleans. "The Beatles Go To New Orleans".To present my inspirations, I booked two concerts - Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. We did it twice: Salt Spring Island and Nanaimo. In total, about 400 people on this planet attended our concerts.
Do you think Cher's calling out "Luther Vandross" was a flub, or an intentional credit to the the more important artist [in her mind] that was sampled? I kind of thought it was the latter while watching.
Marvin Gaye, probably the greatest singer of all time, performs the most covered song of all time better than anyone - even, dare I say, The Beatles (who I love). Their version seems like a demo for Marvin. Others, naturally, may disagree.
Also loved Jerry Garcia Band's "I Saw Her Standing There." It's got this lilting bouncefunk that shifts that song for me to one I really want to bob my head to. https://youtu.be/kZBUDe0UDv4?si=WIWNu0QP1tJa1qYk
some great choices here, some that I never knew about! Los Lobos, Donny Hathaway, Junior Parker, Chet Atkins. Looking forward to hearing them all.
Wes Montgomery's version of "Day In The Life" is superb. Wes was widely disparaged by jazz classicist critics for covering 1960s pop and rock tunes produced by Creed Taylor, but I hear the signature tone and musicality in those records, and it fits together perfectly. The CT arrangement of "Day In The Life" is faithful to the drama of the original. As Wes was always first and foremost a melodist, his version of "Eleanor Rigby" on the same record is also evocative.
I get that it isn't Incredible Guitar Of, Full House, or those blazing covers of "Impressions", etc. Wes Montgomery covering pop songs with chord melody playing and octaves is still riveting. And by far the worst thing about the Day In The Life LP is the LP cover art, which is down there in the pits with the similarly misleading album cover for Frank Zappa's Sleep Dirt.
Wes Montgomery disciple George Benson also covered an entire LP of Beatles tunes, The Other Side Of Abbey Road. Which, for whatever reason, just does not grab me the way Montgomery's covers of Beatles songs do. The tunes are listenable. But if I want to hear a cover of "I Want You/She's So Heavy", I reach for Eddie Hazel's version.
Uncle George with the quote!!!
Great list. I would throw in Hour Glass' (proto-Allman Brothers) "Norwegian Wood" and the live version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" from Concert for the People of Bangladesh.
https://youtu.be/m4LdBF9-c_M?si=fpzsrHaZ7NHYe7qk&t=1
https://youtu.be/cVHA-GzBiEI?si=TBQzKekfPd06Lh6p&t=1
And Prince on "My Guitar"
https://youtu.be/dWRCooFKk3c?si=BizaFOG-VoI6VKWb&t=1
But can't argue with any in your list nor in Lindsay Zoladz' list
"Tomorrow Never Knows (Live)" by Los Lobos
"We Can Work It Out" by Stevie Wonder
"And I Love Her" by the George Martin Orchestra
"Tomorrow Never Knows" is a rarity found on the Mas y Mas compilation. An impressive live interpretation. I'm guessing you need to be old and square to like the George Martin version from the Hard Day's Night soundtrack. There's a nice live version of "We Can Work It Out" by Stevie Wonder from a 2010 White House performance.
In my opinion, "Hey Jude" by Wilson Pickett stands above all other Beatles' cover versions.
101% agree about Wilson Pickett singing hey Jude! Plus the huge bonus of Dwayne Allman playing guitar on it.
George Clinton definitely has it right! What a wild quote lol.
Marvin Gaye's Yesterday reminds me once again of too many great artists gone too soon. What a voice! Never equalled.
You touched on so much in this post. Great job! The Chet Atkins Beatles cover album is a favorite. Definitely his versions of Michelle and Things We Said Today. Stevie Wonder's We Can Work it Out should be included as well. Other favorites are Jimmy McGriff and Junior Parker doing Oh Darling, Marcia Griffith's rocksteady version of Don't Let Me Down, Ray Charles' Eleanor Rigby, Nina Simone Revolution and pretty much any track by Jose Feliciano.
I love that Chet Atkins Beatles cover record! Daytripper is well covered by Mendes, but his version of Norwegian is stellar. My favorite Beatles cover, though, is Isaac Hayes's version of Something, which goes for like 13 minutes, never releasing the drama in the arrangement.
Great list!
Your list has a number of my favorite Beatles covers, but my personal favorite is by the Argentinian band Los Fabulosos Cadillacs. Their 1995 Rey Azúcar was produced by Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth, and they wrangled Debbie Harry to feature on this ska-flavored take on "Strawberry Fields Forever":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bnRRLcPyXo
Flaco Jimenez (the brilliant accordionist who played with Ry Cooder) absolutely murders "Love Me Do" here, turning it into rollicking Tex-Mex rockabilly:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVsGOjlFwjo
On 10/31/94 in Glens Falls NY, Phish performed the entire White Album as a Halloween costume, along with two sets of their own music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WC1Ib6MwPQ
Have you ever heard Junior Parker's version of "Tomorrow Never Knows"?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k70IbfAqzGg
YES!!! A good one for sure.
Thanks for presenting this great topic - and the wonderful links.
Have you heard NOLA legend, pianist James Booker do "Eleanor . . ."?
As with Jelly Roll's piano solos, you can hear every instrument in the band - trumpet, clarinet, trombone, bass & drums.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrKpAF5DszU&list=RDwrKpAF5DszU&start_radio=1
And then there's John Daversa's entire album of covers, Kalidoscope," which he arranged for his progressive Big Band- and there are YouTube videos of every track, all masterpieces of arranging. Here's two:
"Listen . . ."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8o1VKIvaOU&list=RDz8o1VKIvaOU&start_radio=1
"G'Day . . ."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBWABBYGDCE&list=RDBBWABBYGDCE&start_radio=1
And to toot my own shoehorn: Inspired by Matty Matlock's 1958/59 band, John Ellis' Double-Wide which just dropped a new release on BandCamp), and James Booker - during Covid, I arranged over 30 Beatles songs for my band in little Nanaimo - each in a different style/idiom which came out of New Orleans. "The Beatles Go To New Orleans".To present my inspirations, I booked two concerts - Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. We did it twice: Salt Spring Island and Nanaimo. In total, about 400 people on this planet attended our concerts.
Do you think Cher's calling out "Luther Vandross" was a flub, or an intentional credit to the the more important artist [in her mind] that was sampled? I kind of thought it was the latter while watching.
Not sure. Though she did seem genuinely confused lol
Yes, her whole speech seemed a little scattered. . . though she could stand there and read the phone book and I’d still love her.
I think it was maybe written as a joke?
Marvin Gaye, probably the greatest singer of all time, performs the most covered song of all time better than anyone - even, dare I say, The Beatles (who I love). Their version seems like a demo for Marvin. Others, naturally, may disagree.
My personal favorite, Siouxie and the Banshees’ version of Helter Skelter: https://youtu.be/uoAFWBofj1Y?si=sMwz_mcibE_oX09M
Lots of great covers but Al Green doing "Hold Your Hand" is the very best. He transforms the song. Love the adlibs "shut up, Al Green!" https://youtu.be/sOY99k4uyMg?si=C3whDWotEQTtM5sx
Also loved Jerry Garcia Band's "I Saw Her Standing There." It's got this lilting bouncefunk that shifts that song for me to one I really want to bob my head to. https://youtu.be/kZBUDe0UDv4?si=WIWNu0QP1tJa1qYk
some great choices here, some that I never knew about! Los Lobos, Donny Hathaway, Junior Parker, Chet Atkins. Looking forward to hearing them all.
Wes Montgomery's version of "Day In The Life" is superb. Wes was widely disparaged by jazz classicist critics for covering 1960s pop and rock tunes produced by Creed Taylor, but I hear the signature tone and musicality in those records, and it fits together perfectly. The CT arrangement of "Day In The Life" is faithful to the drama of the original. As Wes was always first and foremost a melodist, his version of "Eleanor Rigby" on the same record is also evocative.
I get that it isn't Incredible Guitar Of, Full House, or those blazing covers of "Impressions", etc. Wes Montgomery covering pop songs with chord melody playing and octaves is still riveting. And by far the worst thing about the Day In The Life LP is the LP cover art, which is down there in the pits with the similarly misleading album cover for Frank Zappa's Sleep Dirt.
Wes Montgomery disciple George Benson also covered an entire LP of Beatles tunes, The Other Side Of Abbey Road. Which, for whatever reason, just does not grab me the way Montgomery's covers of Beatles songs do. The tunes are listenable. But if I want to hear a cover of "I Want You/She's So Heavy", I reach for Eddie Hazel's version.