How To Milk A Sacred Cow
Feb 22 '07
The Bottom Line Fifteen Outstanding Beatles Re-makes
Many people who are Beatles fans will tell you that it’s impossible for anyone to do a cover of their work that ranks as superior to its original counterpart.
I’m a huge Beatles fan… always have been, and I disagree. While there are a pile of crappy remakes out there, I think it’s very possible to take someone’s (anyone’s) original idea or body of work and improve on it.
I recently did a review on a “Motown does The Beatles” album that depressed me so much I had to talk about some really good remakes that are out there. Many of these, I feel, either rival the originals or are vastly superior. Originally I said that there were only 2 that I could think of but I was wrong.
Some versions, like Eleanor Rigby by Ray Charles, work really well despite too much orchestration. Hey Jude by The Temptations could have made my list if they had just carried the song on a bit longer. I can understand leaving people wanting more but if you leave them wanting too much more they just get cheesed off.
Some versions don’t work at all.
Come Together by Robin Williams and Bobby McFerrin would have been really interesting with more Bobby and less Robin (dude really isn’t that good a singer). Bobby McFerrin does the base intro with his voice and all you can think is “Holy CRAP was that cool!”.
I Am The Walrus by Jim Carey was just stupid. He jokes about defiling a timeless piece of art in the recording and he did, but only because he was such a huge ham. He actually has a much better voice than Robin Williams but he fell back on shtick and tricks. Really disappointing when you understand that he can truly sing. When he’s blasting the tune it’s actually quite good.
Some versions just stink (And I Love Her by Smokey Robinson) or are completely forgettable (Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da by No Doubt). I don’t want to talk about those. I feel I already have too much.
So here we go. Here are 15 covers of Beatles tunes that I think are worth listening to and owning. Find them somewhere. A large portion are on the I Am Sam Soundtrack
Enjoy
1) Across the Universe- Rufus Wainwright (2001):
Rufus can get annoying fast and he has this weird “sucking” breath intake that can get a bit distracting but his voice is awesome on this and he keeps it simple. A lead guitar with a “Sitar” like sound to it, a rhythm guitar, a simple base line and a tambourine. You don’t need much else. The voice can best be described as “plaintive”.
2) Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds- Elton John (1974):
Classic Elton John piano styling with a funky reggae feel on the chorus. Makes it quite a bit “cooler” than it’s original. This was Elton when he was still good. Levon Elton… Tiny Dancer Elton… Captain Fantastic "I can’t do anything wrong” Elton.
I miss him.
Is it just me or is the best Elton John song in the past 15 years the one he wrote as a throw away for SouthPark, a song called Wake Up Wendy. That’s truly sad… and I just went off on a tangent.
3) I Will- Alison Krauss (1995):
Hypnotic, Haunting and Delicate- An echoed Banjo carries the lead for half the song and floats the melody. Harmonies and back up are done with a weeping, sliding, steel guitar. You’re hooked before Allison starts singing and her voice trills the lyrics with the same echo and smoothness that the banjo did. Truly, truly beautiful.
4) Lady Madonna- Fats Domino (1968):
The Beatles wrote Lady Madonna with Fats Domino in mind and his ragtime style piano and beefy “Loosiana” voice are a perfect accent for the ragged electric guitar and 1940’s back up vocals.
5) Mother Nature’s Son- Sheryl Crow (2001):
There have been a few re-makes of this but Sheryl has knocked it out of the park.
I don’t know what it is about banjo in Beatles tunes but man does it ever work. This is a simple “Jug Band” approach (with a few strings behind it) that absolutely kills John Denver’s version.
6) Yesterday- Marvin Gaye (1969):
Marvin… Marvin… Marvin. Man… why’d you go and get shot?
Idiot.
Too much soul. Too smooth. This is what The Beatles would have sounded like if they were melted in chocolate and drizzled over strawberries.
They never recorded anything this sexy and never would. Put this song on and sit by the fire with your girl while you drink some really good white wine.
7) Golden Slumber- Ben Folds (2001):
Nice smooth piano work and a great vocal track. This version convinced me to make it a bedtime lullaby for my daughter. He worked on it and turned it from a “song remnant” in to an actual song.
8) We Can Work It Out- Stevie Wonder (1971):
The last “Top 20” song that Stevie ever had for Motown which was NOT written by him. Starts off with a great 1970’s scratchy Hammond organ intro and then Stevie’s classic early vocal offerings and harmonics. Throw in a bit of signature Stevie harmonica and you have an excellent upbeat tune.
9) Two Of Us- Aimee Mann & Michael Penn (2001):
Classic example of keeping it simple and effective. Excellent harmonics from 2 people who I had never heard of before this album came out. Nice catchy sounding rhythm guitar that will have you tapping your toes.
No really… who are these two? The dude kind of sounds like James Taylor but…
10) Here Comes The Sun- Richie Havens (1971):
Not a style for everyone. If you have watched Richie’s Woodstock performance it will give you a fair idea of this re-make. Richie has a fast guitar strum that makes everything sound like a folk tune and this is no exception.
He also has a very cool wispy, smoker’s rasp to his voice that makes any song sound awesome. He performs this live and adds some bongo but otherwise it’s just him and his guitar
11) Blackbird- Sarah McLachlan (2001):
I have to include Sarah in this. Again, simple works best. A guitar and a bit of funky rag time piano in the background with a little bird chirp or two. Sarah has a smooth high voice and can sing anything. She does her own harmonies so the voices mesh up perfectly.
12) Got To Get You In To My Life- Earth Wind & Fire (1978):
The opposite of keeping it simple. There is a ton going on in this one. Great vocals, great harmony, fast toe tapping pace, great fat horn section and awesome guitar solos. The treatment of this should have dated it horribly but it doesn’t. You really want to hear it performed live.
13) With A Little Help From My Friends- Joe Cocker (1968):
An anthem. A classic. Huge. This rides the wind currents between so soft that you have to strain to hear it and blowing your hair back from your head. Vastly superior to the original. A little gospel back up harmony goes a long way. A lot takes this way over the top.
14) Because- Elliott Smith (1999): (thanks JiggyJay)
Ghostly. This was recorded for the American Beauty soundtrack and Holy man is it outstanding. Stellar aCapella, echoed, harmonies take the first half of the song. When the instrumentation does kick in it's simple and beautiful.
15) Strawberry Fields Forever- Ben Harper (2001):
Wild version. Ben Harper (for those who haven’t heard him) has a crystal clear tenor gospel voice with just a hint of vibrato and a TON of soul. He plays with this song and makes some very interesting vocal choices including a smooth silky syncopation on one chorus that will make you want to play it over and over.
The ending is a mixture of heavy orchestration and screaming guitar that makes you think of either Jimi Hendrix or Lenny Kravitz
If I had to put a song down as the best Beatles re-make ever… this would be it. Marvin Gaye and Joe Cocker ran a close second but you just know that John and George would have loved this.
Please, if you are aware of a particularly good Beatles re-make, tell me. I’m always looking… listening… what ever.
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