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There is an incredible range of Lennon-McCartney interpretations out there by the likes of Booker T. and the MG’s, Otis Redding, Al Green, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Count Basie, Buddy Rich, Quincy Jones, Vince Guaraldi, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Breeders, R. Stevie Moore, Harry Nilsson, Duane Allman, Vassar Clements, Johnny Cash, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops, 101 Strings, The Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, Peter Sellers, Bill Cosby, William Shatner and many, many more. I put together a playlist on Spotify that can be accessed in the Spotify app by typing (Lennon-McCartney) -- don’t forget the parentheses -- in the search field. It goes all the way from “Love Me Do” to “Her Majesty”. I would love to hear anyone's thoughts on this stuff. What is your favorite Beatles cover? Mine might be Area Code 615's "Lady Madonna", but Spotify doesn't have it, so I had to "settle" for Dave Edmunds and Junior Parker.

Elvis' Lady Mad-onna

Pretty standard but I do love Stevie Wonder's We Can Work It Out.

"Norwegian Wood" - Jan & Dean
"Little Sister/Get Back" - Elvis Presley

Not to derail the thread, but John Wilkinson sadly just passed away.

Not exactly my all-time favorites, necessarily, but check (Spotify or iTunes) for the Minnesota Beatle Project, Vol. 1-4. Some of the great talent from my home state doing what in some cases are amazing renditions. Many styles represented, from faithful recreations to bluegrass to electronic, etc.

I have several favorites I can't recall just now, but I really like The Mamas and the Papas' version of "I Call Your Name"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_WlLYBfL-k

and also the Singers Unlimited's cover of "The Fool on the Hill":  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_NNeeTSRvY

(sorry that second video is so lame)

Not what this thread was addressing, but interesting for participants anyway: I was perusing a book of UK Beatles press clippings, and came across a McCartney quote from 1968 - paraphrased, he was addressing the critics who slagged off their music and said it wouldn't be worthwhile in years to come. McCartney predicted that in 50 years time, people would be analysing and critiquing Lennon-McCartney compositions as important contributions to music....granted, it's only been around 45 years since that interview, but it looks like he was right!

The thread was addressing:


But yes, McCartney was correct. It's amazing how "important" pop music has become: I doubt anyone in the '50s and into the '60s would have believed rock 'n' roll would matter in any serious sense to adults. Of course the Boomers grew up, and just kept it. And the money got bigger, of course, which makes everything matter.

People should pick up the Black America Sings The Beatles album on Ace Records, a fine, fine thing. Fats Domino, Mary Wells, Al Green and beyond.

Besides that, everyone needs to hear Harry Nilsson singing Blackbird, an incredible performance.

.

I like Billy's version,too. Haven't heard Nilsson's. I really like Jose Feliciano's versions of In My Life, And I Love Her, and Here, There and Everywhere.

Isn't called rendition?

Interpretation sounds like something to do with the lyrics.

No.

I really enjoyed Fiona Apple's version if Across the Universe

ren·di·tion  [ren-dish-uh n]  Show IPA
noun
1.
the act of rendering.
2.
a translation.
3.
an interpretation, as of a role or a piece of music.


in·ter·pre·ta·tion  [in-tur-pri-tey-shuh n]  Show IPA
noun
1.
the act of interpreting; elucidation; explication: This writer's work demands interpretation.
2.
an explanation of the meaning of another's artistic or creative work; an elucidation: an interpretation of a poem.
3.
a conception of another's behavior: a charitable interpretation of his tactlessness.

Right. So in other words, interpretation is a perfectly legitimate choice.

Thanks for all these thoughtful replies everyone!

Several of the interpretations (or renditions, if you will) that you guys have mentioned are in my Spotify playlist, and I will seek out the others. The Minnesota project yielded a wonderful reading of “Golden Slumbers” by Communist Daughter as well as a high school marching band “She Loves You” that’s aces. As for “Black America”, I totally concur. Fats Domino absolutely cooks on “Everybody’s Got to Hide Except Me and My Monkey” and Ramsey Lewis did a fantastic album of White Album covers called “Mother Nature’s Son” (his “Cry Baby Cry” is phenomenal). Otis Redding takes “Day Tripper” in a great direction. The Supremes are very convincing on “You Can’t Do That” and “Come Together”, and Ella Fitzgerald’s “Money Can’t Buy Me Love” easily beats the original imo.

I hope it's not too late to add another one...actually two. Frank Sinatra did two great versions of "Something". One was a swinging version released as a single in 1970, and the other was a slower, Don Costa-arranged version for 1980's Trilogy album.

Yeah, I wish Frank had done a L-M tune as well, since I confined myself to compiling a Lennon-McCartney set.

A few other great things I found: Chet Atkins "Picks on the Beatles" album, Joshua Rifkin's "The Baroque Beatles Book", The Swingle Singers a cappella album "A Tribute to the Beatles", Johnny Cash's moving rendition of "In My Life", Junior Parker's ultracool "Tomorrow Never Knows"...and of course, I've always dug The Beach Boys' "Tell Me Why".

Frank did a pretty good version of "Yesterday" for his 1969 album, My Way.

I really like the Sparks version of "I Want To Hold Your Hand"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlRJn2YQN1o

In my opinion it dances on a very interesting line between heartfelt tribute and piss-take. :lol I also can't think of any other Sparks songs done in the style they do "I Want To Hold Your Hand". I mean, considering what era of their career Sparks was in when they recorded that cover you'd probably think "Oh! Glam rock Beatles cover. Alright then." but not at all.

Noooooobody's going to back me on this one, but a few years ago there was a young Black girl on American Idol (don't remember her name) she was about 15 or so.  She sang country songs.  Anyways, one week, she sang "I wanna hold your hand" in a really sweet young way, and it was very, very, very good.  I think she really captured the spirit of the original song, so that would probably be my favorite cover version of a Beatles song to be honest. 

I heard both of those!  They played both of them on Simply Sinatra one day and I caught them.  What is there to say?   It's Frank Sinatra, of course they were both great. 

So I went to find it on youtube and turns out I uploaded it last year! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9T8JJzjBF3I

Some more info http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.co.uk/2010/02/blackbird-demo-1970.html