Wouldn’t it be interesting to look at the Beatles albums as if they were done by other artists? Here we will take a look at cover versions of the songs that made up the Beatles album “The Beatles” (aka White Album). Track listing is based on the original UK releases and not the “butchered” US versions.

Back in the USSR – Sigourney Weaver

Just to be different, here’s Sigourney Weaver singing a Beatles song – taken from the film Heartbreakers.

Dear Prudence – Siouxsie and the Banshees

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtdX0tTsahs

Really had to be this version that was included here. Siouxsie and the Banshees released this in 1983 and took it to number 3 in the UK charts.

Glass Onion – Bob Collins

Bob Collins was once the guitarist of the Dentists. This one is taken from a performance at a White Album tribute in Gillingham in 2006.

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da – Marmalade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wm6wAtCfNYg

Marmalade were once named the Gaylords – considering the contations, is it any wonder they changed that name! They released this as a single and it rocketed straight to the number one spot in the UK.

Wild Honey Pie – The Pixies

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmpOe69wvT4

The Pixies recorded their version of this rather odd Beatles song for the BBC in 1988 – it was released ten years later on their album ‘Pixies at the BBC’.

The Continuing Story Of Bungalow Bill –  Youngblood

British group Youngblood covered a couple of Beatles songs in their (brief) time as a recording act – this was the better of them. Can you guess who is on drums? None other than future Rainbow drummer Cozy Powell.

While My Guitar Gently Weeps – Todd Rundgren

Interestingly, the guitar Todd Rundgren uses in this cover is the exact same guitar Clapton used when performing on the original.

Happiness Is A Warm Gun – The Breeders

One of my own personal favourite cover versions of any Beatles song. The Breeders included this one on their album Pod.

Martha My Dear, I’m So Tired, Blackbird & Piggies – Phish

Four songs for the price of one. Phish covered the whole White Album in concert – here are four of the tracks in order.

Rocky Raccoon – Andy Fairweather Low

One time member of Amen Corner and even taking his place on a Who album, Andy Fairweather Low has been in the music industry for many decades. This cover version came from a 2008 concert.

Don’t Pass Me By – Georgia Satellites

Ringo Starr only ever wrote two songs for the Beatles – this was one, the other was Octopus’s Garden. This cover certainly rocks it up a bit (in a southern rock kind of way).

Why Don’t We Do It In The Road – Lydia Lunch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9LGe_AZWZ4

Not a bad cover of what is, in essence, nothing but a throw away riff. Lydia Lunch released this as part of her album called Transmutation.

I Will – John Holt

Some of the comments on the Youtube video of this are genius! One asks if this is Bob Marley! Eh no – clearly not – it is in fact, of course, John Holt (as the title says) who sounds nothing like Marley!

Julia – Chocolate Genius

Taken from the soundtrack to ‘I Am Sam’. Seen as it was such a personal song from Lennon it is quite hard to find too many cover versions out there.

Birthday – Inmates

This song was taken from an album entitled: ‘Meet the Beatles: Live in Paris’. Not the worst cover version ever but not the best either.

Yer Blues – Jeff Healey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENnPivbWY-I

Jeff Healey first started releasing music in 1986 – he died in 2008 aged only 41. For those of you who didn’t know, Healey didn’t have any eyes, after they were removed at an early age because of cancer.

Mother Nature’s Son – John Denver

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e6z0DrG3Z4

John Denver covered this song live in 1997 – after Denver’s death, the title of the song was used as a title for a biography of the singer.

Everybody’s Got Something To Hide Except For Me And My Monkey – Kirstin Hersh

No brainer that this one was going to be included here as it is one of the best cover versions of any Beatles song – so, well done Kirstin Hersh.

Sexy Sadie – Paul Weller

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDVmWT8mWYI

Over the years, Paul Weller has been noted for playing Beatles covers at his concerts and has even taken to recording them onto albums and as b-sides. Like this one for example!

Helter Skelter – U2

U2 included this cover version as the opening track of their album Rattle and Hum – the album also included a decent enough cover of Bob Dylan’s All Along The Watchtower.

Long, Long, Long – Elliot Smith

One time member of a band called Heatmiser, Smith launched his solo career in 1994. Over the years he has covered quite a few Beatles tracks – this one he recorded in 2003.

Revolution – Thompson Twins

The Thompson Twins, named after characters in the Tin Tin cartoon, were a ‘huge’ band in the 1980’s and sold a lot of records. They covered this Beatles song in 1985. Just for a laugh, here is the band performing it at Live Aid – with Madonna.

Honey Pie – King’s Singers

The King’s Singers are a British ‘a capella’ group who first got together in 1968 and are still going strong today – well, they are still performing at least.

Savoy Truffle – Phish

Just for a laugh, I presume, Phish decided to play the entire Beatles White Album at a concert in 1994. Hilarious eh? This one here also includes Cry Baby Cry.

Cry Baby Cry – Ramsey Lewis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-lqL70aKjY

Ramsey recorded this song in 1968 and included it on his album ‘Mother Natures Son’ – the title of the album is, of course, the tile of another Beatle song.

Revolution 9 – Shazam

Surprisingly, there are a couple of ‘cover’ versions out there of this ‘song’. This one comes from a band calledShazam – all their other stuff isn’t quite as bizarre.

Good Night – Carpenters

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kCPvQv-f_A

The Carpenters covered a few Beatles songs over the years – most famously ‘Ticket To Ride’. This is quite a rare cover version and show cases just how good a voice Karen Carpenter had.

 

P.S. This article was originally published by the same author on Triond on the 17th of March 2010 and can be found by clicking HERE.