I put that warning on this post, because I’ve noticed that Beatles fans tend to be rather of the “all or nothing” variety. Now, don’t get me wrong. I like the Beatles. I like them a lot. In fact, I think that they were marvelous songwriters. Some of the best.
But… here’s the thing. I think that other artists have often done a better job of recording Beatles songs than the Beatles did themselves. I mean, let’s face it. They weren’t fantastic vocalists, and the range of emotion present in most of their music is next to nil, and other vocalists have done more justice to the music. The same could be said of Bob Dylan, but we won’t go there for now.
Some of the best covers of Beatles songs have come off the soundtrack to the 1979 movie, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, starring Peter Frampton and the Bee Gees along with an all-star cast.
Some of my favorites from that album are the ones in which the cover singers transformed what, to me, was a rather humdrum rendition of a song with great lyrics, and transformed it into something that had life. Take, for example, Aerosmith’s version of Come Together. Sexy, powerful… and if you can get a clip of the lead singer performing it from the movie, ladies… I swear that hottie will make you swoon more than John, Paul, George and Ringo combined. And the Beatles version sounds tinny in comparison.
Then, there’s Diane Steinberg’s sultry and mesmerizing version of Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. The way the words linger so tenuously on her tongue before dropping off… she pulls you right into that acid trip. Did you ever get that feeling listening to the Beatles?
And Sandy Farina steals the show with her full-voiced, soulful renditions of Here Comes the Sun, and Strawberry Fields. The quality of her voice, and her interpretation of the song as a whole, make me yearn for a sunny strawberry field to lie in with my lover.
Let us not forget Peter Frampton and his heart-wrenching Long and Winding Road as he trails after his girlfriend’s (Strawberry Fields) coffin. Still brings tears to my eyes. Never got that from the Beatles.
Even the Bee Gees managed to put more into Nowhere Man and some of the other songs than the original Beatles versions. And though I never heard the Beatles versions of the following songs, there were some other great songs that came out of this movie:
Earth, Wind and Fire: Got to Get You Back in My Life
Alice Cooper: Because the World is Round
Billy Preston: Get Back
And an honorable mention goes to Steve Martin for his hilarious interpretation of Bang Bang Maxwell’s Silver Hammer.
I do have to make one concession. Although I never heard the Beatles sing Fixing a Hole Where the Rain Comes In, I’m sure they did a better job than George Burns. He’s not exactly known for his singing talents.
So, have I alienated all of you? Do I have any friends left at soulcast? Or are there some of you who have been thinking the same thing but were afraid to speak out? Well, I’m here to say, you don’t need to be afraid anymore. You are not alone. Feel free to come out and show your face. Can you add any more covers to my list that you like better than the Beatles originals?
