[MUSIC] THE SAVAGE ANIMAL "Top 10 Covers of the Beatles"
11.07.12
BY MICHAEL GOODPASTER
I have been told that I’m crazy, that I don’t know what I’m talking about, and that my ears are broken. Despite my devote love for music, there are still some aspects that I just get. For whatever reason, some bands just don’t trigger the same thing with people.
That said, I just don’t like the Beatles.
I can clearly see their lasting impact in the world of rock music and art. I will acknowledge their status and I accept they deserve it. I know they’ve written good songs and have touched the lives of millions upon millions of happy listeners. I have no reason not to respect them.
My parents didn’t keep me away from them and were fans themselves. They were held at a high plateau and I knew enough about them and heard plenty of their music. Growing up I just never had that big magical connection to The Beatles as everyone did. The way people talk about The Beatles you’d think there was a religion based on them somewhere. I think that constant spewage of their greatness and all the random references over the years pushed me way. I never gave them a shot. Now as an adult I listen and I just don’t see it.
For years I’ve said that some bands and artists have better renditions of Beatle songs. People say I’m wrong or silly, but preference is subjective. It’s not too unconceivable that a cover of a Beatles song is better than the original.
Here are the ten I like most…
-----[10 : “Tomorrow Never Knows”
Covered by: Our Lady Peace
Release: The Craft (soundtrack), 1996
I caught a few minutes of The Craft on cable a few weeks ago and came up with the idea for this list. I’ve always thought about it, but this song was the factor. I had the movie on as background and the song kicks in. I found myself enjoying it and getting into it before I realized it was my favorite Beatles song. The original is just a great track and I won’t dispute it at all. I’m not even a fan of Our Lady Peace. I don’t hate them or anything, but I just don’t have them in my head at all except for knowing they’re the ones who did Chris Benoit’s theme music. I just dug the fuller sound and soundscape created by this version. -----[9 : “She Said She Said”
Covered by: The Black Keys
Release: The Big Come Up, 2002
The Black Keys debut album has tons of awesome tracks on it. One of the more underrated songs has to be their casual cover of “She Said She Said”. The original had an almost “trippy” feel to it. The Black Key’s bring their stank to it with some gritty blues and distorted goodness. They don’t dismantle it or anything like some of the other covers on here do. It’s still the same song with about the same structure. It has the same tone and vibe to it, but it’s still a bit more aggressive and livelier.
-----[8 : “Revolution”
Covered by: Stone Temple Pilots
Release: Come Together: A Night for John Lennon's Words and Music (TV special), 2001
In 2001, there was a big celebration for what would have been John Lennon’s 61st birthday. This event was at Radio City Music Hall in New York and had pretty much a who’s who of the music industry. Tons of big names and talents did their own renditions of Beatle and Lennon classics. Lou Reed did “Jealous Guy”, Alanis Morissette covered “Dear Prudence”, and Dave Mathews handled “In My Life” to name a few. For me, the stand out was easily Stone Temple Pilots’ “Revolution”. It’s a strong performance that shows proper respect to the original. It doesn’t try to do anything or be anything other than what it is.
-----[7 : “Happiness Is a Warm Gun”
Covered by: U2
Release: Last Night on Earth (single), 1997
Paul McCartney’s favorite track from the White Album is good on its own. I’ll give it that much credit. It’s one of those definite “before it’s time” moments in their run. I’m a big fan of U2. I’m unapologetic about it. I know a lot of people will hate on me for appreciating something they don’t, but that’s fine. I am sure I heard this song in my life, but I didn’t care enough or connect enough to it. For me, the first time I really “absorbed” the song “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” it was on a U2 B-side. Obviously U2 are fans of The Beatles and take great influence from them. For me, it feels like it gains extra “oomph” as their fandom rings loudly and they seem to be A-game work on their part.
-----[6: “I Am The Walrus”
Covered by: Jim Carrey
Release: In My Life, 1998
In the late 90’s George Martin got a whole bunch of cool people together to work on a Beatles tribute album. Among these covers is a cover of “I Am The Walrus” sung by actor Jim Carrey. Jim brings his larger than life/cool as hell charisma to the song and doesn’t hold back. If Jim Carrey is going to be covering any Beatles song I’m really happy it was this one. How can you NOT enjoy this?
-----[5 : “99 Problems/Helter Skelter”
Covered by: Danger Mouse (via Jay Z and a crafty remix)
Release: The Grey Album, 2004
I had a discussion recently about how Danger Mouse has a skill for making me like things I don’t normally like. I was talking specifically about Cee-Lo Green, but this works too. For sure “Helter Skelter” is one of the Beatles coolest songs, but I’d not fully connect to it until 2004 when “The Grey Album” came out. Danger Mouse took tracks and samples from “The White Album” and then did the same with Jay Z’s “Black Album”. The result was the biggest and coolest “mash up” album ever. The album is full of great mixes, but the one that stood out was the “99 Problems/Helter Skelter” combo. “99 Problems” was always my favorite Jay Z track so heavy guitar samples only make it cooler.
-----[4: “Come Together”
Covered by: Aerosmith
Release: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (film), 1978
I still dare anyone to tell me a more iconic American rock band than Aerosmith. I’m a fan, but as many great American bands there have been none of them lasted as long, put out as many hits, and has had a continual impact on pop culture as this group from Massachusetts, USA. In 1978 they were enlisted to sing the song in the Beatle’s film “Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band”. It did well then and would pop back up again on the “Armageddon” soundtrack decades later. I’m sure there are folks out there who think this is an Aerosmith song.
-----[3 : “Eleanor Rigby”
Covered by: Godhead
Release: 2000 Years of Human Error, 2001
This might be the oddest pick to some. “Eleanor Rigby” is another Beatles song I appreciate. While I wasn’t a big Beatles fan, I was a huge industrial metal and a goth rock fan. A song I heard in passing many times was on a CD I played the hell out of. Over the years it just stuck with me. Jason C. Miller’s voice is perfect for the trippy gloom of the song. I had the pleasure of seeing it performed live about five or six years ago and it was not only more electric live but Miller himself was a really cool and nice guy. Maybe I’m just bias…
-----[2: “Across the Universe”
Covered by: Fiona Apple
Release: Pleasantville (soundtrack), 1998
From the “Pleasantville” soundtrack came a really nice cover. Fiona Apple’s hot and subdued voice carries this tune like no other. She has “Criminal” to her credit, but this might be my favorite of hers. I know this is one of the more popular Beatle covers. A lot of people have done their rendition of it and it was the title of that some-what recent musical. Fiona Apple’s version just makes you want to go drift into sleep and dream of dreaming.
-----[1 : “With a Little Help from My Friends”
Covered by: Joe Cocker (and John Belushi)
Release: With a Little Help from My Friends, 1968
As a kid I remember being introduced to this song as the opening theme of the show “The Wonder Years”. Around the same time I saw the Woodstock concert movie and was a bit blown away. I didn’t understand what was up with Joe Cocker’s mannerisms, but I couldn’t turn my head. The passion and soul he put out in that performance was a perfect example of a specific moment being captured in time. This version of the song did get its own release in 68 with Jimmy Page on guitar, a year before Woodstock. Still, to most music lovers the Woodstock performance has to be the defining moment. To be fair, there is also the SNL performance where John Belushi stepped in and did one of the coolest covers of a cover of all time…
