Beatles Covers • Volume I

The Covers Series: 

Interpretation and the "Traditional Folk Song" • The Singer as Interpreter 
Singer-Songwriters Covering Singer-Songwriters • Beatles Covers (Vol. I)
Bob Dylan Covers (Vol. I) • Joni Mitchell Covers (Vol. I)

The Beatles under the covers in HELP!

When your favorite band covers a classic tune, their version is their interpretation — their translation — of the music. Is it better than the original? That's up for interpretation. Vocabulary.co

In putting together this Volume I of Beatles covers, I had three movies in mind that feature Beatles covers that would help shape the playlist. 

1. I am Sam (2001 Film)
2. Across the Universe (2007 Film) 
3. Yesterday (2019 Film)

I included the song, Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight from the 2016 animated film, Sing performed by Jennifer Hudson.

I also included the song, Across the Universe from the 1998 film, Pleasantville performed by Fiona Apple.

I then filled the rest of the playlist with mostly live Beatles covers some of which I had never heard before. I decided to only feature one cover song per volume playlist. For example, I found several excellent versions of Blackbird and Here Comes The Sun and they will likely appear in later volumes as the treasure of Beatles covers is deep and wide. 

I also included a cover of George's Beware of Darkness which is from his solo album All Things Must Pass, and in the spirit of Chris Carter's (KLOS-FM) Breakfast with The Beatles I will include cover songs from the lads solo albums here and in future volumes as well. 

I found a great clip with The Bangles on Breakfast with the Beatles. In that discovery, I found three album volumes of covers by Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs recording under the faux love couple name, 'Sid & Susie,' called Under The Covers. And on that note, I'll lead with Sid & Susie and their Beatles cover of And Your Bird Can Sing.

One last thing. In putting the playlist together this week I've been playing Beatle tunes in my head all week. Usually, I get one song I've picked for the playlist and that will be stuck in my head for several days. Here, I'm playing a different song or two or three a day in my head in the cover interpretation arrangements. The power of Beatle songs with all their composition just jumps right in and stimulates your brain in such a wonderful way. I don't need a reminder to know how special The Beatles are to me, but this past week brought back a wave of thought and emotion to punctuate how special John, Paul, George, Ringo, and George Martin are to the world.

Featured Covered Songs and Artists Include:

1. And Your Bird Can Sing, Sid and Susie (aka Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs) 
2. Help!, Cover Club
3. Blackbird, John Batiste
4. Penny Lane, The Barefoot Movement
5. I Want To Hold Your Hand, T.V. Carpio
6. Interview with Paul regarding I Wanna Be Your Man
7. I Wanna Be Your Man, The Rolling Stones
8. I'll Be Back, Shawn Colvin
9. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight, Jennifer Hudson
10. I Need You, Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers
11. A Day In The Life, Jeff Beck
12. All My Lovin', Amy Winehouse
13. I Want You (She's So Heavy), Umphrey's McGee 
14. Let It Be, Bill Withers (w/Booker T. Jones on organ)
15. Because, The Bangles
16. Yesterday, Himesh Patel
17. Paperback Writer, The B-52's
18. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, The Analogues
19. Hello, Goodbye, The Cure
20. Across the Universe, Fiona Apple
21. Come Together, Gary Clark Jr.
22. Hey Jude, Wilson Pickett (w/ Duane Almond)
23. Strawberry Fields Forever, Todd Rundgren
24. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away, Jackson Browne
25. Every Little Thing, Yes
26. Here Comes The Sun, Richie Havens
27. Yesterday film scene- Ed Sheeran vs. The Long And Winding Road (Himesh Patel)
28. I'm Looking Through You, The Wallflowers
29. Get Back, Lenny Kravitz
30. Rain, Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs
31. I Should Have Known Better, James N. Brown
32. Beware of Darkness, Sheryl Crow and Brandi Carlile
33. Two of Us, Aimee Mann and Michael Penn
34. Hey Bulldog, Dave Grohl and Jeff Lynne
35. It's All Too Much, Steve Hillage
36. Yes It Is, The Bangles - Breakfast With The Beatles w/Chris Carter
37. We Can Work It Out, Stevie Wonder
38. While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Eric Clapton (w/ Paul on piano and Ringo on drums)
39. Don't Let Me Down and All You Need Is Love, Cast of Across The Universe Film
40. Imagine, Tommy Emmanuel

References

• A masterclass in 60s furniture: The set design of The Beatles Help! (prompted by new film Eight Days a Week), Film and Furniture
  
• The 100 Best Beatles Covers, UCR (Ultimate Classic Rock)