Covering American Songs
Liverpool is the city where the River Mersey meets the Irish Sea. Because it is a seaport and the gateway to the Atlantic Ocean, it was a target and repeatedly pounded with bombs from Nazi warplanes during World War II. As a result, more than ten thousand homes were destroyed. It was during an air attack on October 9, 1940, that John Winston Lennon was born. James Paul McCartney was born on June 18, 1942; George Harrison was born on February 25, 1943; Ringo Starr (birth name, Richard Starkey) was born on July 7, 1940. All four Beatles were born during World War II, at a time when Liverpool was crumbling. John, Paul, George, and Ringo didn’t know that they would rise from the rubble, form a band, and become worldwide superstars.
Liverpool was a bustling seaport in the late 1950s and 1960s. Ships sailed to and from America. Some of the crew members returned to Liverpool with records that were popular in the United States. Songs by the Everly Brothers, Ray Charles, Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, Buddy Holly, Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and many more made their way into the emerging rock-and-roll scene taking shape in Liverpool. John, Paul, George, and Ringo heard “Peggy Sue,” “That’s All Right (Mama),” “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “Roll Over Beethoven,” “Honey Don’t,” “Lucille,” and countless other songs that were hits in America. Not only were the Beatles influenced by the music they were hearing, they also imitated the way the recording artists looked, with their hair slicked back, Elvis style. When the Beatles performed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, they played mostly songs by American recording artists. The Beatles’ budding music career was rooted in American rock and roll and rhythm and blues.
Before becoming popular throughout England, the Beatles played cover songs at several clubs in Hamburg, Germany. Like Liverpool, Hamburg was severely damaged by bombing raids during World War II. When the Beatles arrived for the first time in 1960, Hamburg had rebuilt itself and was an economically thriving city. It was in Hamburg where the Beatles sharpened their musical skills and developed their sound by playing six to eight hours a night for rowdy audiences who shouted at the Beatles to “make show!” They played at the Indra, the Kaiserkeller, the Top Ten Club, and the Star Club, which were located in the Reeperbahn red-light district. This was the naughty section of Hamburg, where one could easily find strippers, prostitutes, and transvestites. This tawdry environment led to big eye-opening experiences for the Beatles. Being young, healthy males, it was impossible for the Beatles not to partake in activities beyond playing their musical instruments.
The Beatles’ job in the Hamburg clubs was not only to play music; they had to entertain the audiences, and entertain they did, especially John. For example, he sang and played guitar on stage in his underwear with a toilet seat around his neck. The Beatles did everything they could to keep the audience in the clubs. The longer the audience stayed in the clubs, the more they drank, and that was the club owners’ primary objective. Generally, the audiences were demanding and could be violent. Hamburg, being a seaport on the Elbe River, was a crime-ridden city, with lots of sailors and roughnecks who frequented the clubs. The audiences were known to be rough and rowdy, at times throwing beer bottles at the Beatles and shouting at them to play songs that they wanted to hear. While the Beatles were adding cover songs to their play list to fill up the long hours they had to perform, they would make every attempt to satisfy the audience’s requests. In doing so, they learned more cover songs, which contributed toward building their repertoire. Some of the cover songs the Beatles performed in Hamburg include “Hippy, Hippy Shake,” “Sweet Little Sixteen,” “What’d I Say,” “Bésame Mucho,” “To Know Her Is to Love Her,” “Little Quinnie,” “I’m Talking About You,” and dozens of other songs, some of which would later be recorded and released by the Beatles.
From August 1960 to May 1962 when the Beatles played in Hamburg, Pete Best was the Beatles’ drummer. Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, another band from Liverpool, were also playing in Hamburg at the same time. The drummer with the Hurricanes was a fun-loving lad named Richard Starkey, also known as Ringo Starr. In October 1960, the Hurricanes and the Beatles played at the same club, the Kaiserkeller. The two bands took turns playing, which allowed them the opportunity to hear each other. At a recording session in Hamburg, John, Paul, and George backed up Lou Williams from the Hurricanes. Because the Beatles’ drummer wasn’t available, Ringo played drums at the recording session. That was the first time John, Paul, George, and Ringo recorded together, and it was certainly a twist of fate for Pete Best and Ringo Starr. And to further connect Ringo with John, Paul, and George, when the Beatles returned to Liverpool and had engagements at the Cavern Club and the Kingsway Club, Ringo performed live with the Beatles for the first time. John, Paul, and George already had their eyes and ears set on Ringo and preferred his drumming over Pete’s, and it was a surprise and a big blow to Pete when he was replaced by Ringo. On August 16, 1962, Brian Epstein, the Beatles’ manager, fired Pete Best. A year before, on November 9, 1961, Brian was so impressed when he heard the Beatles for the first time at the Cavern Club that a few months later, on January 24, 1962, the Beatles signed a management contract with Brian. When Ringo performed with the Beatles for the first time at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, it caused quite a stir. Pete was popular with many fans, who shouted at the Beatles during their performance that they would never accept Ringo. After a temporary rebellion, Ringo soon won the hearts of the local Liverpool fans. The final winning piece to the Beatles’ formation and eventual success was in place.
When the Beatles played cover songs, even though the songs resembled the originals, they sounded different. There was an edgy, raw quality to the Beatles’ music, defined by the sound of their dominant guitars. The Beatles sang with their native Liverpudlian accents, which gave the songs a distinctive sound. When John, Paul, and George harmonized together, it was a unique blend of singing voices that created an excitement, an urgency, and in some cases, almost a plea. The Beatles had personalized American rock-and-roll and rhythm-and-blues songs and had distinctively made them their own.
Six cover songs performed by the Beatles are on the album Introducing the Beatles, released on the Vee-Jay Record label in January 1964. Look at the album cover and you will see four smiling, clean-cut young men dressed in matching tailor-made suits and vests, wearing button-down collared shirts, knit ties, and cufflinks. A far cry from their slick-haired, leather-clad days in Hamburg, the Beatles didn’t look like long-haired rock and rollers. On the back cover of Introducing the Beatles, at the bottom, it states, “America’s Greatest Recording Artists Are on Vee-Jay Records.” It’s strange to see that printed on the back of a Beatles album. After all, England’s Beatles were certainly not American. Part of the appeal for the American record-buying audience was the fact that the Beatles were English.
The first cover song on the album, “Anna (Go to Him),” written and recorded by Arthur Alexander, is a song about losing love to another man. The original Alexander recording features a dominant drum pattern over the piano and guitar parts. Arthur’s lead vocal is articulate and out front, but he doesn’t cut loose, and his singing sounds controlled. The background voices are very much in the background, adorned with orchestral strings. In keeping with the original recording, Ringo plays the same rhythmic drum pattern; however, instead of piano, George plays the recurring melodic riff on guitar. The sound of the Beatles’ guitars was the fundamental ingredient in establishing their instrumental sound. Unlike Arthur, John delivers a convincing, heartfelt emotional lead vocal, with a sad, descending “oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh” coming out of the bridge. Paul and George’s supporting background “Anna” vocals are smooth and haunting. To give the Beatles’ recording more of an edge and to stay focused on the guitars, bass, and drums, they didn’t add any strings to the song. Unlike the original fade-out, the Beatles end the song definitively, with John declaring, “Go to him.” So the difference between the two versions is significant. “Anna (Go to Him)” speaks of heartbreak and the perils of young love. Teenagers connected with these songs, perhaps having had emotional experiences of losing a girlfriend or boyfriend to another person. Not only were the Beatles connecting with fans with songs about love, romance, and unfulfilled fantasies, they were also connecting with them through songs about the loss or absence of love.
“Chains” was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. The original recording was sung by three females called the Cookies. On their recording, brass accents were added along with handclaps. George delivers the lead vocal on the Beatles’ “Chains,” and John plays an introductory harmonica part. John and Paul sing the harmony parts. Unlike the Cookies’ more rhythm-and-blues recording, John’s harmonica part and George’s guitar strumming makes the Beatles’ version of “Chains” folksy. Singing about possessive love and invisible chains bound to a lover unwillingly, all the Beatles wanted to do was to be set free from all of those chains.
Another cover song, “Boys,” written by Luther Dixon and Wes Farrell, was originally recorded by the Shirelles, a popular female singing group in the early 1960s. A rhythm-and-blues-styled recording with a Ray Charles influence, it features a rhythm section led by the piano along with bright electric guitar accents. Given the exciting subject matter of kissing, the vocals sound laid back. But with the Beatles’ version, that all changed. Instead of females singing “Boys,” the Beatles delivered the song from their male perspective. In the spotlight, Ringo sings lead vocal and plays a very snappy drum part. Instead of a sax solo, as in the Shirelles’ recording, George plays an electrifying guitar solo. Paul plays a pulsating bass part throughout the song and a boogie-woogie-styled bass line during the chorus and guitar solo. John, Paul, and George support Ringo with harmonized background vocals, singing “bop shoo wa” and “yeah, yeah, boys.” Paul’s boogie-woogie bass line during the chorus provides an exciting musical counterpoint to the vocals and adds more dynamics to the song. The difference between the two recordings is remarkable and a great example of how the Beatles made a cover very much their own.
A rhythm-and-blues recording by the Shirelles covered by the Beatles is “Baby It’s You,” written by Burt Bacharach, Mack David, and Barney Williams (Luther Dixon). The prominent instruments on the original are the piano; a bouncy, accented electric guitar; and tambourine. An organ solo takes place in the middle of the song. On the Beatles’ version, John sings an intimate and convincing lead vocal. Instead of an organ solo, George Martin, the Beatles’ record producer, plays an ethereal celesta solo, doubled by George Harrison’s lead guitar, played on the low strings. Paul and George sing the introductory and background sha, la, la, la, las. It doesn’t matter what others are saying about you, John doesn’t want anyone other than you.
On Introducing the Beatles, the Beatles also covered “A Taste of Honey,” a song about dreaming and kissing and coming back for more. Originally an instrumental for a Broadway play and film of the same name, the music was composed by Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow, and afterward lyrics were written by Marlow. The Beatles’ version is quite similar to the cover version recorded by Lenny Welch, with George playing arpeggio guitar figures (a sequential series of notes) and Ringo playing the drums with brushes. However, Welch’s recording has female background singers and an accompanying organ part, and the ending fades out on a minor chord. The big difference with the Beatles’ cover is the ending; the Beatles end their version with a major chord. After hearing a minor chord played during the song, harmonically it’s quite startling to one’s ears. Paul sings a smooth lead vocal, with John and George singing background vocals so prominently they’re not really background voices at all.
The last song on the Introducing the Beatles album is “Twist and Shout,” written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns. Originally recorded by the Top Notes and made famous by the Isley Brothers, the Beatles’ version was based on the Isley Brothers’ recording. Making it their own, the Beatles recorded it at a quicker tempo and instead of brass accents and a brass ensemble interlude, it’s all guitars and commanding vocals. “Twist and Shout,” with John’s growling vocals, is a powerful way to end the album. He was suffering from a cold at the recording session, and yet John was able to deliver one of his best lead vocals ever. The vocal ah harmony building at the middle of the song, topping off with Paul’s high-pitched scream, adds to the excitement. And the Beatles repeat the harmony ahs toward the end of the song, immediately followed by an uplifting, ascending climax. The Beatles’ recording of “Twist and Shout” was so powerful and popular that it was released as a single on the Tollie record label and reached the number one spot on the U.S. Cashbox singles chart for April 1964. The Beatles started their performance with this song during their 1964 North American summer concert tour. It was the perfect opening number to excite the audience. When John asked the girls to twist closer to him, their bodies, rocked with Beatlemania, twisted and shouted for the Beatles.
Many people (including me) thought some of the songs that the Beatles covered were originals. After playing “Twist and Shout” with my band the Pandemoniums for two and a half years, we had the good fortune to back up the Isley Brothers. When we met with them before the concert to go over the play list, Ron Isley said that one of the songs they were going to perform was “Twist and Shout.” “Oh, we certainly know that one, ‘Twist and Shout’ by the Beatles,” I said. “The Beatles?” asked Ron. “Yeah, that’s their song,” I said knowingly. “Really? Actually, we recorded it before the Beatles did and it was our hit single in nineteen sixty-two,” replied Ron. It was an embarrassing moment, but it illustrated how strong the Beatles had made their imprint on “Twist and Shout” and other songs that they covered.
In addition to “A Taste of Honey” on Introducing the Beatles, there’s another Broadway show song on the 1964 Meet the Beatles! album. “Till There Was You,” written by Meredith Willson, is from the musical The Music Man. On the original single, Anita Bryant sings a dynamic version with an orchestral accompaniment. Peggy Lee also recorded the song, giving it a soft, mellow sound. The Beatles’ musical interpretation and arrangement of the song is truly their own, and it demonstrated their versatility with a wide range of musical styles. It appealed to an older audience that liked Broadway musicals and introduced a more sophisticated, harmonically complex song to the younger teenage fan base. Played on acoustic guitars by John and George with Ringo playing bongos, it cast the Beatles in a softer, non–rock-and-roll light. Paul’s lead vocal style is “legit,” sounding cleaner, purer, and nothing like his rock-and-roll voice. George’s lead guitar intertwines perfectly with Paul’s vocals.
More than half of the songs on The Beatles’ Second Album are cover songs. Released a few months after Meet the Beatles!, The Beatles’ Second Album is their definitive rock-and-roll album. Even though the title lacked creativity, the Beatles’ covers were more than exciting. The back cover states, “Never before has show business seen or heard anything like them.” And it was true. Straightaway, George’s driving lead guitar starts off the album with Chuck Berry’s “Roll Over Beethoven.” One of the many cover songs that the Beatles had played for years, the recording of “Roll Over Beethoven” captured the live energy from their club performances. Paul’s bass lines lock perfectly with Ringo’s drumming, and George sings with a rocking Liverpudlian accent. On Chuck Berry’s recording, his guitar is out front when he plays the introductory opening riff guitar solo, but while Chuck sings, his guitar blends with the rhythm section. George’s Chuck Berry–styled guitar playing on the Beatles’ version is louder than Chuck’s throughout the entire song. At the end of the Beatles’ version, the band abruptly stops, followed by an isolated guitar chord.
John and George sing lead vocals on “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” written by Smokey Robinson and originally recorded by the Miracles. Overall, the Beatles’ version is similar to that of the Miracles, but the Beatles did put their personal stamp on their recording. They strengthen the original opening piano riff by George Harrison doubling it on the low strings of his guitar, with George Martin playing the piano part. Unlike the Miracles’ version, a brass section was not included, and the Beatles came up with a definitive drum pattern and guitar riff for an ending instead of the Miracles’ fade-out. John’s vocals are bluesy, and his falsetto leaps are brilliantly executed.
Think back to what it was like to listen to the Beatles on the radio in 1964. . . . Ever since radio stations began playing Beatles songs, your black Zenith transistor radio has become your prized possession. You carry it with you throughout the house, and at night you bring it to bed with you. The local radio station, WDRC, has received advanced promotional copies of The Beatles’ Second Album before it was available for purchase at the record stores. The rich sound of George’s low-string guitar riff comes through the small two-inch speaker, followed by the DJ’s recorded voice superimposed on the song, saying, “Big WDRC, exclusively.” It’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me,” a song from the Beatles’ new album, and the DJ’s booming voice makes it sound all the more exciting. You have to leave the radio turned on, and you can’t go to sleep because the Beatles really have a hold on you.
Another song in which George sings lead vocal, “Devil in Her Heart,” originally titled “Devil in His Heart,” was written by Richard Drapkin and recorded by the female rhythm-and-blues singing group the Donays. This is an interesting choice for the Beatles to cover considering that the original song was about the devil in his heart and the song wasn’t a hit single. Expanding on the original, Ringo overdubbed maracas to his drum track. The big difference is the male voices of George, John, and Paul singing the song instead of female voices, as on the original. While the Donays’ version ends with a fade-out, the Beatles end the song with a definitive guitar-chord flourish.
John sings the lead vocal on “Money (That’s What I Want),” written by Janie Bradford and Berry Gordy Jr. and recorded by Barrett Strong. Unlike Barrett’s recording, which has a tambourine playing throughout the song, female background vocals, and a fade-out ending, the Beatles’ version starts with a piano riff played by George Martin. Ringo then sets up the song’s pounding rhythm, playing drum patterns on his snare and tom-toms, accenting the second and fourth beats. Instead of a tambourine, as on the original recording, all four Beatles added handclaps to reinforce the rhythm of the song. “Money (That’s What I Want)” intensifies and builds to a vibrant climax, with John declaring, “That’s what I want.” Compared with Barrett’s singing, John’s lead vocals are guttural, powerful, and intense.
The Beatles were impressed with the way Little Richard sang, and Paul especially took pride in his ability to sing like him. In 1962, the Beatles and Little Richard shared the stage at the Star Club in Hamburg, where Little Richard sang “Long Tall Sally,” written by Robert Blackwell, Enotris Johnson, and Richard Penniman (Little Richard). The Beatles had never heard anyone sing with such howling intensity, and Richard’s signature high wooos. It’s no surprise then that the Beatles added “Long Tall Sally” to their repertoire. Another fine example of what the Beatles sounded like when performing live, their recording of “Long Tall Sally” captures the intense energy of the Beatles. Paul’s upper-register lead vocal is hard to beat. Given the fact that George played nearly all of the lead guitar solos in 1964, it’s a bit of a departure for the song’s first lead guitar solo to be played by John. George plays the second solo, accenting an ascending rhythmic build. Adding to the intensity of the recording, George Martin plays a persistent, pounding piano part.
John sings the sixth cover on The Beatles’ Second Album, “Please Mr. Postman,” written by Brian Holland, Freddie Gorman, William Garrett, Georgia Dobbins, and Robert Bateman. The original version, recorded by the female singing trio the Marvelettes, was a number one hit in the United States in 1961. The Beatles sped up the tempo and began with Paul and George singing “wait,” followed by John’s lead vocal and Ringo’s snare and bass drum pattern. John’s vocals are filled with an emotional intensity, which is all the more prominent in the vocal/drum breaks toward the end of the song. Paul and George support John with perfect vocal harmonies.
Coming off the heels of their financially successful and critically acclaimed first feature film, A Hard Day’s Night, and the accompanying album, Capitol Records rushed the release of the Something New album. Capitol knew there was an insatiable, massive Beatles-buying audience, and they took advantage of it and pleased millions of Beatles fans. There are two cover songs on Something New: “Slow Down” and “Matchbox.” On “Slow Down,” written and recorded by Larry Williams in 1958, John delivers a screaming lead vocal, especially during the last verse. Instead of the sax solo, as on the original record, George plays a lead guitar solo, which he starts on the low strings and then fingers his way up to the top strings. Ringo pounds out perfectly tailored drum fills during the breaks, and George Martin plays fast, rollicking rock-and-roll piano.
Having a variety of singing voices was one of the key factors that gave the Beatles a versatile sound. Ringo takes the lead vocal spot on the rockabilly song “Matchbox,” written and originally recorded by Carl Perkins. On the Something New album version, George is credited as playing lead guitar; however, on the Live at the BBC recording, before the lead guitar solo, Ringo says, “Alright, John.” Ringo’s vocals sound entirely different than Carl Perkins’s southern singing voice. Once again, George Martin plays a rocking piano part that gets louder during the last verse. The chord structure of both “Matchbox” and “Slow Down” is the same, namely a standard three-chord progression, which has been and is still used in hundreds of rock-and-roll songs.
The Beatles ’65 album contains four cover songs, the first one being, “Rock and Roll Music,” written and recorded by Chuck Berry. It’s entirely appropriate that the Beatles would cover this song given their love for early rock-and-roll songs. The Beatles sped up the tempo and made their guitars more prominent. The song starts with a quick, punching lead guitar, and John passionately sings his heart out. We believe him when he declares, “It’s gotta be rock-and-roll music.” Considering the fact that George Martin is a classical musician, his piano playing on “Rock and Roll Music” is very rock and roll. His descending piano riff perfectly complements John’s vocal when he sings, “If you wanna dance with me.”
“Mr. Moonlight,” written by Roy Lee Johnson and originally recorded by Dr. Feelgood and the Interns, was another song that the Beatles had played for years during their live performances. John belts out the opening vocal line as if he’s howling at the moon, followed by Paul and George joining his lead vocal with harmonies. What makes the Beatles’ recording different from Dr. Feelgood’s is John’s vocal phrasing and his rhythmic placement with the melody. And unlike a guitar solo played on the original recording, Paul plays a deep, low-toned organ solo, adding to the nocturnal mood.
Even though it was John who had sung “Honey Don’t” during their live shows, Ringo sings on the Beatles’ recording of the rockabilly-styled “Honey Don’t,” another song written and recorded by Carl Perkins. George plays a bouncy, twangy lead guitar throughout the song, interplaying with John’s big rhythm-guitar strumming. Paul’s bass line mirrors George’s guitar part during the choruses. To give the listeners a variety of singing voices, the Beatles wanted to have Ringo sing one song per album; thus “Honey Don’t” was given to Ringo. This song is strongly identified with Ringo, who continues to perform it live today.
A true testament to how much the Beatles, especially George Harrison, loved songs written by Carl Perkins, the Beatles ’65 album concludes with another one of his songs: “Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby.” George’s lead vocals are processed with a plentiful amount of reverb and delay effects. The Beatles added more musical breaks during the verses and emphasized syncopation during George’s second lead guitar solo. Unlike Perkins’s recording, the Beatles end the song once but continue playing a second ending. This was one of the songs that the Beatles played during their live performances from 1963 to 1965. No doubt, during that time period—and beyond—everybody was trying to be George’s and the other Beatles’ baby!
The Beatles recorded four more cover songs on the Beatles VI album, released about six months after Beatles ’65. Harking back to their Hamburg days, they recorded “Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey,” written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Modeled on Little Richard’s recording, Paul delivers a commanding vocal performance. The “hey, hey, hey, hey,” part of the song is a perfect call and response between Paul’s lead vocal and John and George answering in unison and then in harmony on “bye, bye.” Instead of a sax solo, as played on Richard’s recording, John plays a Chuck Berry–influenced lead guitar solo. George Martin plays the piano. “Bad Boy,” written and recorded by Larry Williams, is a basic three-chord rock-and-roll song. On Williams’s original recording, along with the standard rhythm section (piano, guitar, bass, and drums), a baritone and tenor sax were added to the band. The Beatles sped up the tempo on their recording and replaced the sax solo with George’s lead guitar. Similar to the original recording, George plays a recurring lead guitar riff during the verses, and Paul plays an overdubbed electric piano part.
John and Paul were big Buddy Holly fans, and yet the Beatles covered only one of his songs: “Words of Love.” Unlike their more unique cover songs on which the Beatles stamped their distinctive sound, the Beatles’ version of “Words of Love” is nearly identical to the way Holly recorded it. John and Paul’s vocal harmonies, sung in their lower to middle register, blend together perfectly. George’s bright lead guitar and Ringo’s clicking percussion round out this classic cover. Since Holly’s single version was not a hit, the Beatles brought this song into the spotlight and turned millions of listeners on to “Words of Love.”
On Beatles VI, the Beatles covered another song written and recorded by Larry Williams: “Dizzy Miss Lizzy.” Williams’s original recording has the same backing band as he had on “Bad Boy.” On the Beatles’ recording, George starts the song with his piercing lead guitar riff. John delivers an exciting, screaming lead vocal, similar to his vocal performance on “Bad Boy.” George plays the recurring lead guitar riff throughout the song and a double-tracked lead guitar solo. Paul plays a pulsating electric piano part, much like he did on “Bad Boy.” The Beatles end the song with a major sixth guitar chord, a final chord that George was quite fond of using. He played it on other Beatles recordings. For example, the final chord in “Matchbox” is a major sixth chord. The Beatles’ cover made “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” famous, heard by millions of fans throughout the world.
It was very fitting for the Beatles to cover “Act Naturally,” written by Johnny Russell and recorded by Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. By the time the song was released as the B-side single to “Yesterday,” the Beatles had appeared in two feature-length films, and it was true; their acting was natural. All they had to do was be themselves. And even more appropriately, the affable Ringo sings the lead vocal. After all, the movie Help! was centered around Ringo’s character, and he was featured in a solo scene in A Hard Day’s Night. The Beatles created a lead guitar introduction and an ending to the song, played by George, which doesn’t exist on the Buck Owens recording. Paul harmonizes with Ringo during the bridge of the song and on the last verse. George plays a country-styled guitar part, which gives the recording its country and western twang. To give the song a click-clack beat, Ringo’s hi-hat taps along with John’s rhythm guitar. As the lyrics in the song stated, Ringo hoped that we would go see him in the movies, and his wish was certainly granted.
The choice of cover songs that the Beatles recorded illustrates the early evolution of their sound. All four Beatles closely identified with these songs. They had played many of them for several years and knew how to play the songs convincingly. The Beatles understood the lyrics, and they perceived themselves as rock and rollers who could deliver the songs with excitement. Since the artists who recorded these songs were successful, the Beatles believed that they would also be successful by following the path of these hit makers. They idolized Elvis Presley, who in the eyes of the Beatles was the king. Be like Elvis, sing like Elvis, look like Elvis, and maybe one day the Beatles would be kings.
The majority of the cover songs the Beatles performed were confirmed hits, playing songs that their audience would not only recognize but want to hear. It was a pretty sure-shot way for the Beatles to satisfy their audience and simultaneously start to build a fan base.
Let me bring you back to the days when the Beatles played at the Cavern Club in Liverpool. . . . The buzz had been building for days. Talk about the Beatles performing at the Cavern seemed to be on everyone’s lips. You had to go see this new band. Before you leave your house, you check your hair in the bathroom mirror. Yes, that’s good, with your hair slicked back in a pompadour style, you look like a Teddy Boy. Once inside the Cavern, you see dozens of girls sitting close to the stage. The Beatles, dressed in all-leather outfits, are onstage, snacking on food and drinking. The Cavern is packed full. It feels as though you are in a dank cave. Then it happens. Paul steps up to the microphone and the Beatles rip into “That’s All Right (Mama).” A raw sensation takes over your body as the sound of the Beatles bounces off the Cavern walls. John sings “I Got a Woman.” The girls near the stage swoon as the Beatles croon and sweep them off their feet. The Beatles exude a primal energy, and you surely feel it. The Beatles are addictive.
Completely uncharacteristic of rock-and-roll and rhythm-and-blues songs, “Till There Was You” is clearly the odd one in the bunch. Why did the Beatles cover this song? Because it illustrated an entirely different talent that the Beatles had; they were not limited to playing only rock-and-roll songs. Paul’s father was a musician who played in a jazz band, and dance hall music, big band, and a variety of other musical styles were played in the McCartney household. So Paul was the Beatle who could most easily identify with the style of “Till There Was You.” It’s no wonder then that Paul sings lead vocals on the recording. When deciding to include it on Meet the Beatles! and perform it on The Ed Sullivan Show, the decision-making process included the band’s record producer, George Martin, and their manager, Brian Epstein. Although it went against John’s rock-and-roll image, “Till There Was You” did give the Beatles sonic diversity. It also broadened their appeal when the Beatles were introduced to American audiences for the first time.
Part of the Beatles’ claim to fame was their unique renditions of these rock-and-roll and rhythm-and-blues songs. The Beatles were inspired by and loved these American songs, made them their own, and sent the songs back to America, Beatles’ style.
I, along with thousands of aspiring musicians who had bands at the time when the Beatles released these records, learned how to play nearly all of the songs that the Beatles had covered. My band members and I would sit around the hi-fi and listen to these Beatles covers, figure out the musical parts of the songs, scribble down the lyrics, and then excitedly rehearse them with the goal of sounding like the Beatles. We felt as though we were part of the Beatles when they were the biggest, most successful band in the world. The excitement we shared was unparalleled. These rock-and-roll and rhythm-and-blues songs were relatively easy to learn, but it was singing them like the Beatles that was more challenging. So to make the songs sound more like the Beatles, I sang them with a Liverpudlian accent. And it worked like a charm. As much as my band loved to play these songs, the local audiences loved to hear them all the more. Even though they were originally American songs, the Beatles had popularized them, so I and millions of others considered them to be Beatles songs. These American rock-and-roll and rhythm-and-blues songs provided the Beatles with the very foundation from which they wrote their original songs.
While it was exciting for the Beatles to play and record the songs that they loved by American recording artists, they wanted something more. The Beatles wanted to perform and record their own songs. So they began writing original songs. Naturally, the sound and style of their early songs were influenced by the American rock and rollers and rhythm-and-blues artists that the Beatles covered and emulated. And while the Beatles’ recorded cover songs are important in the development of their sound, their original songs catapulted them to superstardom. The Beatles reached a level of success that far exceeded their wildest dreams.
Suggested Listening: “Boys”; “Twist and Shout”; “Till There Was You”; “You Really Got a Hold on Me”; “Honey Don’t”; “Words of Love”