Cover versions that are better than the Beatles

There are a few that are acknowledged as such, might be good to have them in one place.

Joe Cocker? "With a little help from my friends" has often been held up as such.

Swinging Blue Jeans "Hippy hippy shake" is raw and exciting, a treatment that the Beatles didn't have on theirs, but then again theirs is a bbc recording so..

I was listening to "Revolver" recently, and for all the sonic innovation employed in general, "Here there and everywhere" sounds knocked up in half an hour, music wise. Great song, but.

OK over to you guys...

 

The Chameleons' version of Tomorrow Never Knows (with a bit of '...me and my monkey' beats the original.

 

Marvin Gaye: Yesterday

 

Stevie Wonder's We Can Work It Out is amazing.

 

I prefer Ray Charles and the Count Basie Orchestra's version of The Long and Winding Road over the original.

 

George Michael's The Long and Winding Road is as good in it's own way. I wouldn't say any cover of a Beatles original is better though.

 

Off:

Not better; just an interesting take [IMO] ~

Kapt. Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds covering "Rain".

RIP Randy California - the Spirit was w/him & an original member of Jimmy James and the Blue Flames.

 

I’ve always been fond of Fanny’s version of Hey Bulldog.

 

Steve Hillage - It's All Too Much.

 

This competes [IMO] w/the Beatles original:

Kapt. Kopter and the (Fabulous) Twirly Birds covering "Day Tripper".

 

Mamas and Papas I Call Your Name

 

Jerry Lee Lewis Money Live at the Star Club

 

Jeff Beck's version of She's A Woman is one of the greatest sunny afternoon songs ever.

 

Marc Ribot While My Guitar Gently Weeps

 

And of course, there's always Big Daddy's version of Sgt. Peppers, done as though the songs
were recorded in the fifties. And it works. One of my all time favorite albums.

 

Brad Mehldau Blackbird

 

Laibach Get Back

 

Residents Flying

 

The Mamas and the Papas did with this song, exactly what the Beatles did when they covered a song; put their own stamp on it. It’s not so much they did it better, they did it in their own style, without a hint of imitation, and just plain nailed it. “I call your naaaaaaame, ye-aaaaaaah!”
Perfect!

 

Brad Mehldau She's Leaving Home

 

And one more by Big Daddy. Here you have "Johnny Mathis" doing "With A Little Help From
My Friends", and it's my favorite track on the album. A stunning, different imagining of the song,
and it's actually quite beautiful.

 

Got To Get You Into My Life - Earth Wind & Fire

 

I love The Who's live versions of Twist and Shout and I Saw Her Standing There with John Entwistle singing lead.

 

I love the 801-"LIVE" version of "TOMOROW NEVER KNOW'S"........Better?i...think so!blasphemy I know.....

 

Siouxsie & the Banshees - Helter Skelter and Dear Prudence