They’re publishing 17 pieces about Stevie Wonder over at Slate this week. The idea seems to be an effort to appreciate our greats before they pass on, which is a nice idea but also a bit embalming of someone who is alive.
This story about the greatest Beatles cover has links to many of the stories. It also has a video embedded, but I’ll embed it here, too.
Is this really the greatest Beatles cover? Off the top of my head I think I’d go with Wilson Pickett’s Hey Jude, but I’m sure I’m forgetting something even better.
I’ll go with Chuck Berry doing “Roll Over Beethoven.”
Seriously, strange how I’m hard-pressed to think of great Beatle covers, yet it’s usually pretty easy for other classic bands.
Perhaps The Beatles got it right the first time more than anyone else.
I suppose a lot of people would go with Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help From My Friends.” I’ll take Wilson Pickett’s Hey Jude, with Duane Allman’s famous solo.
I assume Steve knows that Chuck Berry wrote Roll Over Beethoven. Can’t say I much like ANY of the other covers I’ve heard. They mentioned The Feelies, who did a good job on this one, but I wouldn’t say it beats the original.
Shit, Gene. I was expecting Lawr to bite on that one, not you.
That’s what the “seriously” is for.
I prefer covers that take a song to a totally different place. Being a soul fan, I like Pickett’s “Hey Jude” but his one is my favorite.
https://youtu.be/gbOjcHL2O2Y
Steve, I thought it was a TRAP. I hedged, I hemmed, I hawed, and I bit. I bite.