I always liked Ray Charles’ take on “Eleanor Rigby”; and Billy Joel’s live version of “I’ll Cry Instead”, from the B-side of the “An Innocent Man” single.

Ann Murray’s version of You won’t see me. John Lennon said it was the best.

“You won’t see me” by Ann Murray. John Lennon thought that was the best cover of their songs.

this list would not be complete without The Bobs’ version of
“Helter Skelter”.

This list is missing one amazing cover. Jeff Healey’s cover of “While my Guitar Gently Weeps” was beautiful and Jeff will be missed.

Stanley Jordan doing a jazz instrumental version of Eleanor Rigby using a two-handed tapping technique, not the same as what Eddie Van Halen does

Stanley Jordan doing a jazz instrumental version of Eleanor Rigby using a two-handed tapping technique, not the same as what Eddie Van Halen

The Smithereens cover of “Don’t Bother Me” is one that you have to hear to believe, it is one of the best covers anyone has ever done.

The Black Keys - She Said, She Said

Enough said

The artists who keep it simple and let the songwriting speak for itself fare the best, especially when covering the occasionally over-produced original. Rickie Lee Jones’s “For No One” replaces that prissy harpsichord sound with a sad sweet piano that serves the song better.

Pixies - Wild Honey Pie

A Day in the Life cover by Jeff Beck should be number one

Has anyone mentioned Holly Cole “I’ve Just Seen a Face”?

Here are 4 timeless Beatle covers:

Silkies version of “You’ve got to hide your love away”

Randy Travis “Nowhere Man”

Todd Rundgren “Rain”

Tom Petty “I need you”

While I wasn’t a huge fan of the movie Across the Universe, Carol Woods and Timothy T. Mitchum singing “Let It Be” blew me away. I still get chills when I play it at home.

Honestly though as a huge Beatles fan I dont mind any covers as long as the artists dont try to do too much to the song. What some of these rappers, punk acts and metal bands have done to some of these songs is unforgivable. As long as someone shows the original it’s proper respect and then adds their own flavor to it im ok with it. Haven’t heard one yet though that is better than the original.

Dont know how many of you have even heard it, but 90’s R&B group Boys 2 Men did a remake of “Yesterday” that is actually very beautiful. Its accapella the entire time. Maybe too “soul heavy” for some Beatles fans, but in my opinion its another beautiful version of the even more beautiful original.

ray charles eleanor rigby

Has anyone heard lena horne’s, rocky raccoon? I think its pretty cool. very jazzy.

Anyone interested in Beatles cover songs should get the I Am Sam original soundtrack with several great cuts. In addition, April Wine does a great version of Tell Me Why on their Classic Masters CD. Judy Collins does a wonderful soft In My Life and my favorite version of Here, There and Everywhere is by Emmylou Harris. Then there was that Fool On the Hill by Sergio Mendez and Brazil 66. A song that doesn’t even sound like a Beatles song is Good Night, especially on the Kenny Loggins More Songs from Pooh Corner, which is music for children.

Aussies know that The Zoot’s version of Eleanor Rigby (with pre-solo Rick Springfield on guitar and Daryl Cotton on vocals)is the heaviest re-arrangement of a Beatles song - ever! Check it out on Youtube. This cover went to number one in Oz in the early ’70’s. It still gives me a chill up the spine! Find it if you can!

yeah you can’t forget richie havens

St. Vincent - Dig a Pony

AWESOME!!

No doubt, as someone mentioned, that the best Beatles cover, by far, is Stevie Wonder’s “We Can Work It Out.” Putting Joe Cocker on the list is a lame cop-out: his entire discography consists of Beatles covers, doesn’t it?

“Help” by Deep Purple is one of the best Beatels´cover song

Oasis ‘Within You Without You’ is a classic

Better than original

Dear Prudence and Helter Skelter (Way Better Than U2!)

Elvis Costello- You’ve got to hide your love away
Oasis- Helter Skelter (Better than u2’s)
15 KEYS- Two Of Us
Rufus Wainwright- Across The Universe
Jeff Healy- While My Guitar Gently Weeps

I also liked Ella Fitzgerald’s cover of “Got To Get You Into My Life”.

I like Aerosmith’s version of “I’m Down” from Permanent Vacation…and I’m not surprised I’m the only one to mention Willie Nelson’s “Yesterday.” It’s not better than the Beatles by any means but I think it was a real homage from one great song writer to another(s).

Chumbawumba doing Her Majesty

Sid and Suzy “And Your Bird Can Sing”

I also heard them do a great Cover of “Rain” on BREAKFAST with the BEATLES.

If they released it, I would buy it.

Im really sad to see U2 top the list. Cuz i’m really sick of them and their beatles cover (and Bono’s sickening ambition to be the second coming of John Lennon) is half the reason i hate them.

I’m so sad to not see Ben Harper on this list.

I love U2, but as mantioned above, their Helter Skelter is pretty woeful. That being said, I can see how it made #1 as it’s also completly memorable. It was the opening of both Rattle and Hum album and film, at the peak of 80’s U2 madness, and who hasn’t heard the line “Charles Manson stole this song from the Beatles, we’re stealing it back!” And an obnoxious cover by a 27yr old has kinda proven itself with 20yrs of retrospect, as now U2 a huge. I thought Bono’s takes on Walrus and Lucy from Across the Universe were much better, as was U2’s version of St Pepper with Macca at Live 8.

First two spots are right on. U2’s cover is dabombwhichdestroysyou.

Can’t help but add:

Chris Cornell - Eleanor Rigby
One of the best Beatles songs and a great cover version!

BEST:
It’s a shame no one mentioned The Hooter’s version of “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”, completely rearranged/reordered and played on mandolins to boot…
WORST:
John Denver’s take on “Golden Slumbers”, eewww!!!

Aerosmith Helter skelter

I was going to let this horrendous list go without comment until I saw someone claim that Maroon 5’s cover was as good as the original. I don’t believe a more ignorant comment has ever been made. (And that is saying something on this page.)

i cant believe nobody said ive got a feeling ny pearl jam.. think it was from aroung 92 or so.. awesome version. kinda rare but has to be mentioned on here!

Wow…these lists are horrible…

#1 is Stevie Wonder “We Can Work It Out”

#2 is Marvin Gaye “Yesterday”

#3 is Rosalyn Sweat & The Paragons “Blackbird”

Okay Best Beatles Covers, Top Of My Head Are Things Like Jimi Hendrix Sgt Pepper ( Live )
Aerosmith Come Together, Oasis I Am The Walrus, Hey Does Gerry And The Pacemaker’s How Do You Do It Count ?!? Billy J Krammer With The Dakotas Do You Want Know Secret ?What About Badfinger’s Come And Get It ? I Wanna Be Your Man The Rolling Stones ? Aretha Franklin Let it Be, Issac Haynes Something, Richie Valens Here Comes The Sun, Stevie Wonders We Can Work It Out They All Count. Cilla Black’s Step Inside Love ? Does That Count ?!?
Joe Crocker’s She Came In Through Bathroom Window And With A Little Help From My Friends That Definate.
All You Need Is Love Echo And The Bunnyman Version They Did For The Sgt Pepper Twenty Year Special Cd The Way It Breaks Off Into Million Billion Different Songs At The End Makes It The Best Thing They Ever Did. Yeah The Rutles ? Yeah Songs Like Ouch, Cheese And Onions Are Jokes, Still I Mean Come On ! Piggy In The Middle Rules ! With Comedy There Also Jim Carrey Take On I Am Walrus, Peter Sellers And Willam Shatner’s Stuff, Alice Cooper’s Revolution ( Live ), Elton John’s Lucy In Sky With Diamonds, David Bowie’s Across The Universe, Fiona Apple Across The Universe, Rufus Wainwright Across The Universe And Elliot Smith Because From American Beauty Soundtrack !!! How Is That Not On List Rolling Stone ?!? Whoa The Rolling Stone Magazine Missed Elliot Smith ! Best Beatles Cover Version Ever, Ever, Ever !!!

Jimi Hendrix Sgt Pepper ( Live )
Aerosmith Come Together, Oasis I Am The Walrus, Hey Does Gerry And The Pacemaker’s How Do You Do It Count ?!? Billy J Krammer With The Dakotas Do You Want Know Secret ?What About Badfinger’s Come And Get It ? I Wanna Be Your Man The Rolling Stones ? Aretha Franklin Let it Be, Issac Haynes Something, Richie Valens Here Comes The Sun, Stevie Wonders We Can Work It Out They All Count. Cilla Black’s Step Inside Love ? Does That Count ?!?
Joe Crocker’s She Came In Through Bathroom Window And With A Little Help From My Friends That Definate.
All You Need Is Love Echo And The Bunnyman Version They Did For The Sgt Pepper Twenty Year Special Cd The Way It Breaks Off Into Million Billion Different Songs At The End Makes It The Best Thing They Ever Did. Yeah The Rutles ? Yeah Songs Like Ouch, Cheese And Onions Are Pisstakes, Still I Mean Come On ! Piggy In The Middle Rules ! With Comedy There Also Jim Carrey Take On I Am Walrus, Peter Sellers And Willam Shatner’s Stuff, Alice Cooper’s Revolution ( Live ), Elton John’s Lucy In Sky With Diamonds, David Bowie’s Across The Universe, Fiona Apple Across The Universe, Rufus Wainwright Across The Universe And Elliot Smith Because From American Beauty Soundtrack !!! How Is That Not On List Rolling Stone ?!? Shit The Rolling Stone Magazine Missed Elliot Smith ! Best Beatles Cover Version Ever, Ever, Ever !!!

doherty and barat-a day in the life
barat-eight days a week

“Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by William Shatner

My favorite Beatles cover is Joe Cocker’s ‘With a little Help from my Friends.” Sinatra’s concert version of “Something” is also very good.

Here’s some other Beatles covers I remember fondly:

Claudine Longet’s “Here, There and Everywhere,” and Arthur Conley’s “Ob-La-Dee, Ob-La-Da.”

Nobody can make a cover of a Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Star key song with the intention, perfection, great voices or inventive like the originals. That songs are out of the limits of the other groups or singers. One or two maybe made the grade, but less than five. Joe Cocker is one of them… Hendrix made better covers of Dylan’s songs like All along the watchtower.

Grateful Dead cover of Tomorrow Never Knows at RFK 20JUNE92. But I am sure that the huge slice of high quality blotter acid helped some.
What a mighty time.

Please. Aerosmith should be #1. Sara McCrackwhore. No! Off the list now.

revolution stone temple pilots, very good song, better than helter skelter by u2

Someone mentioned Live & Let Die!!!

That’s a Wings song!!

Oasis’s cover does rock, and it’s live.

This comments list is better than your original lists definately. Never have really cared for Bono’s Helter Skelter…It’s really hard to list my favorite covers but I need to agree with the Prince cover and Stevie Wonder and Richie Havens and Joe Cocker does the best “A Little Help From My Friends” ever…

Great suggestions all. Loved the Capt Kirk vote.

I’d vote for Jerry Garcia - Dear Prudence.

U2’s cover of Helter Skelter is awful. He talks through most of it. They are a great band, but that is an awful cover.

The best Beatles cover is the one my grandma knitted me. It shows the faces of all 4 adoralble mop tops. I use it every night; it’s very warm.

The best Beatles cover is the one my grandma knitted me. It has the faces of all 4 of the adorable mop tops. I use it every night; it’s very warm.

I heard Jeff Beck play A Day In The Life live.

It went to 11.

Some of the best Beatle covers I have ever heard are as follows:

Cheap Trick-”Day Tripper”
Cheap Trick-”Magical Mystery Tour”
Bobby McFerrin-”Drive My Car”,”Blackbird” and “From Me To You”
The Black Crowes-”Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds”
Joe Cocker-”With A Little Help From My Freinds” and “She Came In Through The Bathroom Window”
Eddie Veder-”You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away”
Jeff Beck-”A Day In The Life”
Jeff Healey-”While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
Ringo Starr-”Love Me Do”
Aerosmith-”Come Together” and “I’m Down”
George Benson-”The Long And Winding Road”
Evan Rachel Wood-”It Won’t Be Long”
Johny Cash-”In My Life”
Marron 5-”If I Fell”
Jim Carrey-”I Am The Walrus”
Tesla-”We Can Work It Out” and “I’ve Got A Feeling”
The Blenders-”You Can’t Do That”
Fiona Apple and Rufus Wainwright-”Across The Universe”
Extreme-”Help!”

And I didn’t really care for the “Across The Universe” soundtrack….it was just horrible in my opinion and there is a video of Julian Lennon doing “It Won’t Be Long” on youtube.

everyone knows stevies we can work it out is the best beatles cover ever & has ben since 60s.

but when aero played come together live at msg 1978 b4 the pepper film came out, it was a close #2

Oasis at 2. I love it! Maybe my fellow americans are finally warming up to a great rock n roll band! Their cover is brilliant because it’s all guitars and it’s slowed down dirty punk. Thats how you cover a beatle song. Figure out the chords and forget the rest. Just scream it! U2 though? That sucked.

I hate Beatles covers!

It’s just egotistical rock stars thinking their “take” on already (mostly) flawless songs is contributing.

Like, Joe Cocker? Seriously!?!?!

A few more Beatles covers I enjoy but did not see listed:

Tori Amos: Happiness Is A Warm Gun — complete with Bush Sr. sound bits defending handguns in the face of senseless teenage gun slaughters (which he blames on parents).

Bobby McFerrin: Blackbird and Drive My Car — Too bad folks only remember how sick they got of Don’t Worry from that first album.

Trio Ricocco: pleasant string trio arrangements of several classics.

This list is sickening, I love U2 but they tortured Helter Skelter.
Maroon 5’s version “If I Fell” was just as good as the original.
Joe Cocker also did a wicked version of “Come Together” on Across the Universe.
That story about Jimi is partially true it wasn’t hours it was 3 days.
Jimi did an interesting version of
Day Tripper. Jeff Healey also did a good version of Yer Blues.

I know “Something” about Harrison and the mistaken Lennon/McCartney quote from FRANK…that’s the irony and what makes it like, awesome, Dude!

Agree about Banshees’ ‘Dear Prudence’. They also did an excellent cover of ‘Helter Skelter’, much better than U2’s and a reasonable cover of ‘Blue Jay Way’

The Vines version of I’m Only Sleeping.. they sound very awake..

I think Stevie Wonder’s version of We Can Work It Out is one of the best covers, period.

Yep, Fiona’s is there, but so should Rufus Wainwright’s version of “Across the Universe” .

Eddie Vedder You´ve got to hide your love away
Jimi Hendrix Sg Pepper’s lonely hearts club band

To “Hey George Upside-Down-W”:

Lennon/McCart ney didn’t write ‘Something’. Harrison did.

Phish-While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Polyphonic Spree- Sgt. Peppers

Ozzy: In my life

Jeff Beck’s “A day in the life”

Guns N’ Roses- Live and Let Die ?

I cant stand Cocker’s version of “With a Little Help from My Friends” it so horrible to my ears!!! I also hate the Elton John version of “Lucy” not that I really liked the original. I love Aerosmith’s “Come Together”

pearl jam- soldier of love

what no mention of Richie Havens “Here Comes The Sun” or his interpretation of “Eleanor Rigby”?
I also love his version of “Rocky Racoon”.

How about Mae West doing “Day Tripper”..now that’s a treat!

Sinatra absolutely NAILS “Something’…and like he said at the time, “The best thing Lennon and McCartney ever wrote”…
(right on FRANK)

the version of every little thing by Yes should be on this list.

Zappa did a good I am the Walrus cover. Then again, that’s probably cliche.

how could you even put that aerosmith cover on the list? That U2 cover is atrocious (and I like U2). In fact both of these covers should have your dear readers recoiling in abject sonic terror.

Your magazine needs writers who take better drugs. Start hiring people that don’t swear by the L train in New York. That might help.

DEAR PRUDENCE by SIOUXSIE and THE BANSHEES

how could that cover be overlooked?

also, Ray Charles’ Version of Eleanor Rigby is pretty phenomenal.

Is this even a music magazine anymore?

Steve Earles cover of “Im Looking Through You” from Train a Comin. Great cover.

Rufus Wainwright does an amazing cover of Across The Universe.

jimi hendrix, sgt. peppers lonely hearts club band. (live)….F.Y.I.
FOLKS… This album was released just hours before John and Paul set out to a live performance by jimi Hendrix, to their wonder jimi opened up the show with stg. Pepper. John and Paul looked at each other with astonishment. How did he get a copy so quick and further more how did he learn the song and then play it for us in such a small window of time? THANK YOU JIMI!!!

The worst was certainly Tom Jones’ “Hey Jude.” Ugh.

The guy who mentioned Spooky Tooth’s “I am the walrus” is totally right on.

I like U2 circa “Rattle and Hum,” but their version of “Helter Skelter” castrates the original. U2’s version of the song is a preview of their latest work: polished and lacking emotion. Whereas The Beatles performed it with fervor, grit and desperation.

YOU missed it,try I am a walrus by Spooky Tooth

William Shatner.

“Suddenly! Someone! Isthere! Attheturnstile! The-girl-with-ka-lei-do-scope. .. Eyezzzzz…”

No Stevie Wonder’s version of ‘We Can Work It Out”?

I am shocked and amazed. Best Beatles Cover Ever.

Ben Harper - Strawberry Fields
Jerry Garcia Band - Dear Prudence

“Masters of War” is Dylan

Motley Crue - Helter Skelter

Aertha Franklin ‘Elenaor Rigby’
Stevie Wonder ‘We Ca Work It Out’

Eddie Vedder - Masters of War

check out Peter Seller’s versions of “She loves you” (with a german accent) and “A hard day’s night”(in a Shakespearian delivery):few recordings are more hilarious than these.On another level,Siouxie and the Banshees’ take on “Helter skelter” is pretty cool.

The best of them all is Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Taxman. Snarling, sexy and imperious SRV rendering a burning version of what I think is the best Beatles cover.

U2’s version of Helter Skelter is horrible. I have no idea what the hell you guys are smoking

Brazilian singer-songwriter Rita Lee recorded and released in 2001 a whole album of Beatles covers. It is really great. She used brazilian typical percussion, rhythms and genres like bossa-nova and baiao. She is 60 years old and known as Queen of Brazilian Rock. She was the lead singer of “OS MUTANTES”. The best tracks of the album are “She Loves You”, “Here, There and Everywhere” and “All My Loving” (very bossa-nova). It’s cool, simple and beautiful.

stereophonics’ don’t let me down is really great, i’m surprised not to see it in the comments, as well as jeff beck’s versions of a day lin the life and she’s a woman, and chocolate genius’s Julia. the WORST beatles cover ever, in my opinion, is definitely Frank Sinatra’s Something in the Way… absolutely butchered!!

I’m not going to lie, I absolutely love all of the covers from the Across the Universe movie. Let it Be gives me chills every time! And Bono’s I Am The Walrus is so cool!! And Hendrix’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is amazing, too.

Nah.

This list is completely meaningless without Siouxsie & The Banshees’ version of Dear Prudence. If you haven’t heard it, and I’m not surprised nowadays if you haven’t, go check it out…

hmm, people picked aerosmiths version of come together over mj’s?.. ridiculous…

How about the Black Crowes version of Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds?

The comments section here impresses me more than the actual list!

Prince did an amazing guitar solo on While My Guitar Gently Weeps when inducted in the Hall of Fame.
And I’m very surprised Jimi’s take on Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band isn’t in here…

That Oasis version is average at best. And this is coming from a massive Oasis fan.

I think people just suggested it ’cause it’s well known.
It basically sounds like the original with modernised production.

would love to see The Rolling Stones do Day Tripper followed by Satisfaction. Play ‘em back to back, you’ll see what i mean.

Really? Get out your albums people…listen again to Joe Cocker doing “With a little help from my friends…” This is the ONLY John/Paul song that someone ELSE did better than the Beatles…Wilson Pickett and Hey Jude? REally that low??? Anyone listen to the Duane Allman solo in there? That alone should put it higher on this shitlist…AND PROPS TO LENNON ON POINTING OUT THAT RICHIE HAVENS WAS LEFT OFF THIS LIST…god i hate this list…

call me stupid, but i liked Motley Crue’s version of Helter Skelter. i guess it goes to show how hard it is to screw up a good song.

Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help from My Friends” should be #1. It’s one of the only cuts that feels like a new song without insulting the original.

Are we forgetting maybe the best one of all? Richie Haven doing Here Comes The Sun?

Jeff Healey did an amazing version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Check it out.

Cheap Trick does a BAD ASS cover of “Daytripper”.