No argument but it does validate that now 60 years later, people are still doing cover versions of their tunes. It does indicate that some of their tunes might be timeless. I am also confident many younguns' who never heard the original versions of the newer covers probably think it is amazing.

P.S. The good thing about modern artists who appeal to teenagers and people in their 20s doing covers of older well-written tunes, is that because it says 'cover', many will find out who wrote it and go back and listen to the original versions.

 

Last edited: Oct 14, 2021

The influence still reaches across the years......

 

So that's where the thread should have been all along.
Demonstrating that if you remove the 4 actual (superb) Beatles from the picture then what have you got left?
And the answer is an amazing catalogue of creative songs that really talented musicians will be fascinated by forever.
(songs that even crazy amateurs can enjoy without ruining!)

So how about we find some of the quirkiest cover versions of Beatles songs that are already out there.
There's probably been a few more recorded in the time it takes you to read this comment!

Let the Beatles music demonstrate itself - without a Beatle in sight.

Where to start???
Maybe I'll limit myself to about a dozen songs from the awesome catalogue, i.e., barely scratch the surface.
These examples are chosen specifically to involve a diverse set of musicians and to illustrate that the songs stand on their own merit.
AND I chose versions that have no vocals!
I wanted to show how the music is the main ingredient; even without lyrics these songs are just musically beautiful.
Very many really talented musicians (amateur and professional) really do love working with Beatles songs.

[1] A Day In The Life - Jeff Beck - Guitar (Live at Ronnie Scott's)

Spoiler: [1] A Day In The Life

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHHY3eRUMsM

[2] Blackbird - Orquestra Ouro Preto (Guitar and Orchestra)

Spoiler: [2] Blackbird

www.youtube.com/watch?v=yF5tMjFcgqs

[3] Don't Let Me Down - Justin Johnson - Acoustic Fingerstyle Guitar

Spoiler: [3] Don't Let Me Down

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjqsISwEx3Y

[4] Come Together.. as Swamp Blues - Justin Johnson - Fingerstyle Slide Guitar

Spoiler: [4] Come Together.. as Swamp Blues

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocGV2h3l3d8

[5] If I fell in Love With You - Jim Palmer - Harp

Spoiler: [5] If I fell in Love With You

www.youtube.com/watch?v=so9FHlWPZkQ

Interlude - Digression. Meet a couple of talented musicians (not a Beatles song)
Guitar Boogie - Tommy Emmanuel plus Sangah Noona Jamming on Piano

Spoiler: Guitar Boogie - Tommy Emmanuel plus Sangah Noona Jamming on Piano

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WOyZ9hFht0

and then see those two very talented musicians demonstrating how much love and admiration they have for Beatles songs

[6] Imagine - Tommy Emmanuel - Acoustic Guitar

Spoiler: [6] Imagine

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Usyjn6JAtiQ

[7] You Never Give Me Your Money - Sangah Noona - Piano

Spoiler: [7] You Never Give Me Your Money

www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHjYLICpENw

[8] Day Tripper / Lady Madonna - Tommy Emmanuel - Acoustic Guitar

Spoiler: [8] Day Tripper / Lady Madonna

www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPkQn5nDTZs

[9] Because - Sangah Noona - Piano Improvisation with a cheeky bit of help from some dude named Beethoven.

Spoiler: [9] Because

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ3CSz3nt9k

Sangah is a real Beatles nut (and she's brilliant) Loads of her Beatles piano covers here...
www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbwUoBeqEqhyHcb4dYqUIFBK-vWAKlz-N

[10] I Want You (She's So Heavy) - Kelly Valleau - Fingerstyle Guitar

Spoiler: [10] I Want You (She's So Heavy)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfmG64nzBe0

[11] She's Leaving Home - Paula Kiete, Chris Snelling - violin and piano

Spoiler: [11] She's Leaving Home

www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0PQ1hcjFT8

and maybe one to demonstrate how the pop industry is still very keen to exploit Beatles covers
Proof that some Beatles songs are just indestructible (although I still like Santana )

[12] While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Santana - 22m views

Spoiler: [12] While My Guitar Gently Weeps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-5M1_DKvb0
www.youtube.com/watch?v=L-5M1_DKvb0

So that's just a random tip of the iceberg.
IF the only thing we had was the Beatles song catalog - from some mysterious songwriters, without there ever having been a band called the Beatles, it would still be a wonderful song catalog. The fact that there was a Beatle-mania phenomenon with a talented band producing superb original versions of those songs can be regarded as just a bonus.
The songs are gems! They will stand the test of time.

 

Last edited: Oct 14, 2021

I think there needs to an other point of view as well as I am all for lovefests but there is an other side.

I never got the Beatles, there is some songs I like a little and I recognize the pioneering nature of thier sound as well as the exposure they provided to some of the classic modal tunes of Merseyside and Liverpudlian folk music, but that about it. Their social impact was grand with Lennon and then that was it.

I've heard the entire catalogue and it's just not my thing.

 

While McCartney was considered the most musically adept Beatle, it is the performances of If I Fell and Because which highlight the masterful song creation of John Lennon. Not that anything listed here isn't excellent. Surprisingly I've just noticed most of these are Lennon songs. Thank you for this list. I'm just listening to the Jeff Beck version. He makes a Strat sing doesn't he!!

 

Last edited by a moderator: Oct 14, 2021

And this is a good thing. Not because you do not like it as much as others but because if we all thought the same things were incredible, not only would life be boring, it would indicate that we're not individuals with a mind of our own. I do not believe that anyone intelligent (and your posts indicate that regularly), goes out to see, hear or do anything with a predetermined appraisal. They tend to assess it on its own merits for themselves.

That said, for me, their tunes are a veritable 'how to write a pop song'.

 

Last edited: Oct 14, 2021

Authentic inspiration, originality, wonderful crystal clear vocals and great energetic enthusiasm.

 

The Beatles set a remarkable number of records during their musical career, some of which still stand today.

Although they only made records over a period of eight years, the Beatles are the group with the best-selling records in the world. According to their record company EMI, the number of units sold amounts to over a billion.

The Beatles have received more multi-platinum awards than any other artist (13 in the US).

The Beatles had more number one singles than any other group or singer (22 in the US, 23 in Australia, 23 in the Netherlands, 22 in Canada, 21 in Norway, 18 in Sweden, 12 in Germany).

The Beatles had more number one albums than other individual artists and groups (19 in the US and 15 in the UK).

The Beatles spent most of the counted weeks at number 1 on the album charts (132 in the US and 174 in the UK).

The Beatles had their most successful first week of sales for a double album with The Beatles Anthology Volume 1. In the period from November 21 to November 27, 1995, the album was sold 855,797 times in the United States.

Lennon and McCartney are the most successful composers in pop history to date, with 28 No. 1 singles in the US for McCartney and 21 for Lennon (19 tracks were written together). Lennon was responsible for 21 number-one singles in the UK, and McCartney had 23 hits there (18 tracks were co-written).

During the first week of April 1964, the Beatles held the top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100, which no one had done before. The five titles were Can’t Buy Me Love, Twist and Shout, She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand and Please Please Me.

In the week of April 11-17, 1964, the Beatles held 14 places on the Billboard Hot 100. Before the Beatles, nine was the highest number of simultaneous songs by an artist on the Hot 100 (Elvis Presley, December 19, 1956).

The Beatles were the only ones to surpass themselves twice in first place on the Billboard Hot 100. They achieved this feat at the beginning of 1964. The track I Want to Hold Your Hand was followed by She Loves You, and after this single Can't Buy Me Love came in at number 1. Boyz II Men, OutKast and Elvis Presley each succeeded once, to replace yourself directly with your own title from first place.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles

 

until today.

 

It does, but it's nowhere near as shitty as this :

 

That was far worse since Eilish's train wreck was a very low bar (and I have generally liked Billy until recently).

 

Since Google knows everything,
it figured I'm not a true Beatles fan (and possibly a conspiracy theorist)..

So it decided to link me this, so I could know their most Comedic and irreverent side..

Even tho in Spain the Beatles were also a Massive success,
I'm of the millennial generation, so I never ever saw any of this material..
(the music prevailed tho..)

So I found it curious and helps getting a glimpse of what was it on the media


Also one has to consider the Times tho,
it seems in the 60's-70's both Spain and Britain were quite Gray societies..
the iron Empire vs the Dictatorship.. (while Germany still had the Wall!)

So it makes more sense, the way they behaved/talked,
and the overall light way in which it all was presented

America was a different more disinhibited place already,
they had the lead on cultural apperture and *freedom, se we had a lot to catchup in Europe,
and in a way we still do

 

Last edited: Oct 15, 2021

It was probably all that Adrenochrome they were getting from Tavistock. When they ran out, they could borrow some from Jimmy Saville in a pinch.

 

Googs definitely thinks I'm a conspiracist..

The Beatles and The Tavistock Institute

HOW THE TAVISTOCK INSTITUTE INVENTED THE BEATLES
https://peakd.com/programming/@sift666/how-the-tavistock-institute-invented-the-beatles

Super conspiranoic article.. lol

 

If you look up the Bohemian culture of the 1960s, John Lennon was into it. No one thing ever explains everything, but this was part of his post-High School 'arty' affiliation.

 

Ok, put your ears around these gems...

Banda Plástica de Tepetlixpa from Mexico with an astonishing oompah version of Hey Jude:

Slovenian Industrial avant-gardeners Laibach released their version of the entire Let It Be album (without including the song Let It Be). Here's their unique take on Get Back:

Uberphawks (mis)treatment of Eleanor Rigby, with all notes changed to E and F:

The Flying Lizards - Money

Space-hopping, Jeff Bezos-hugging William Shatner was quite possibly tripping balls when he recorded his version of Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds:

The remarkable Wing (not to be confused with Macca's post-Beatles Wings) does an incredible dog-worrying version of I Wanna Hold Your Hand:

 

Some things can not be unheard or unseen. After hearing and seeing those above, I will never appreciate those tunes the same way again.

Whenever I hear the original versions of those tunes now, it will be like an acid trip with flashbacks without taking LSD, seeing and hearing an out of tune brass band, vocals sung a half step away and a high pitched Asian woman in a town square.

 

Here's an example song analysed. Penny Lane - Specifically not one of their strangest songs, so actually fairly straightforward. It's not rocket science in a music theory sense but it does nicely illustrate how well the Beatles were just improvising compositions - not consciously following any rules! Other people later analyse them and find them to be quirky but the Beatles always claimed to have very little understanding of what this kind of analysis was about. They just messed around (real-time), found what sounded good to them (using instrumental and vocal skill), paid no attention to theory, and left it to other people to later figure out what it meant.
Talent by the bucket load.

Analysing the chord progressions from Penny Lane

www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1rlPl5trG8

 

I stand corrected
Thanks - great fun!

Reminded me of this one...
A Hard Day's Night - Peter Sellers

www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLEMncv140s

 

Last edited: Oct 15, 2021

I agree with @BaSsDuDe that it would be a dull world of music if everyone liked the same thing. Now I'm not wishing to agitate, but I am perhaps being pedantic when I repeat the original question, which is why Beatles songs are unforgettable. Even you with an admission of dislike for their music could probably identify well over 50 of their songs. Which makes it an even greater achievement that a band you don't like is so well known to you.