The impact The Beatles have had on the music industry since their rise to stardom in the early 1960s is unmistakable. From acting as the catalysts for the British invasion in 1964 to pioneering one of the first concept albums with their release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band in 1967 to even scoring multiple wins and nominations at the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards almost 45 years after their 1970 breakup, the band has revolutionized music for decades.
Because of just how influential The Beatles are, many artists who have succeeded them have released or performed covers of their songs. The covers always offer a fresh, new take on Beatles classics, which creates a perfect opportunity for these artists to add their spin on the traditional songs we all know and love.
So, without further ado, here are six Beatles covers that give the originals a run for their money.
- “Dear Prudence” by Siouxsie and the Banshees
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John Lennon’s original composition of “Dear Prudence,” which pays homage to the sister of actress Mia Farrow, Prudence Farrow, is a gentle, serene, and inviting track. It has a much more lullaby-esque quality than the Banshees’ version.
They give the song a tougher yet somewhat mellow edge, flipping the Beatles’ version on its head and providing listeners with an opposite take on the song. Lead singer Siouxsie Sioux’s droning yet dreamy vocals make for just as good of a listen, if not better than the Lennon version we all know and love.
- “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” by Elton John
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Elton John’s cover of “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” is nearly double the length of the Beatles’ version, thanks to added vocal interludes and instrumentation. However, he still manages to successfully capture the surreal psychedelia of the original.
John’s addition of more complex musical motifs and dynamics creates a sort of whirlwind experience while listening to his version, and although it’s a pretty drastic deviation from the Beatles’ final product of the song, the essence and overall vibe are very much there.
- “Across the Universe” by Fiona Apple
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Fiona Apple’s cover of “Across the Universe” is one of the most iconic Beatles covers officially released by another artist, and for very good reason. Apple’s version of the transcendental Lennon hit is reflective, almost pensive, and exudes the feeling that you’re floating while you listen.
While this track doesn’t stray too distinctly from its original counterpart, Apple creates a new immersive atmosphere by pairing her undulating vocals with ethereal musical backing.
- “Oh! Darling” by Florence + The Machine
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Florence + The Machine’s cover of Paul McCartney’s 1969 power ballad was recorded during a live performance at Abbey Road Studios in 2009, 40 years after the original version was recorded, and conveniently in the same location it was created as well. The cover was officially put out to the public on the 10th anniversary re-release of their album Lungs.
Frontwoman Florence Welch delivers powerful vocals in her performance, which perfectly match the desperation in the original McCartney lyrics. The instrumentation doesn’t deviate too much from the Beatles’ version of backing music, but Welch’s resonant belting creates a fresh spin on it.
- “We Can Work It Out” by Stevie Wonder
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As if The Beatles’ version of “We Can Work It Out” wasn’t already incredibly upbeat, Stevie Wonder takes that to an even bigger extreme with his cover of the song. It’s impossible not to want to dance while listening; Wonder adds his usual jaunty soul instrumentals to his version while he melodically belts the Lennon-McCartney composition.
While a simple once-over of the lyrics makes it clear the song describes a somewhat turbulent relationship on the brink of falling apart, the energy and joy Wonder brings with his cover makes that fact easy to miss. He makes it hard to pay much attention to the subject matter when the music is just too headbop-worthy.
- “Strawberry Fields Forever” by Melanie Martinez
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Melanie Martinez’s cover of “Strawberry Fields Forever” is generally presumed to have been recorded around 2014 during her Crybaby album era. While her version hasn’t been officially released on any streaming platforms, a couple of YouTube videos of her demo exist. It also (fun fact) was the inspiration for this article.
Martinez effortlessly captures the dreamy atmosphere of the 1967 original. However, she adds a particularly hazy quality that’s reminiscent of the music she was putting out at the time, easily making it one of my favorite Beatles covers of all time.
As someone who’s been a fan of The Beatles her entire life, it’s always so exciting when I hear an artist whose work I’m already familiar with either perform or release their version of a Beatles song. Covers are seriously so amazing because they allow artists to take a lot of creative liberties while remaining true to the original compositions.
There’s nothing I love more than basically being able to listen to the songs I’ve known and adored for the first time again, and it’s like The Beatles said — love is all you need!
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