Artists of all levels cover the Beatles’ music in nearly every genre, but my favorites are the ones that truly bring something of value to the song. As a lifelong fan, I’ve heard thousands upon thousands of good, mediocre, and terrible versions of the Fab Four’s output. The following is part three of my list of the ones that really stand out as being well-done, unique, or in some way interesting and worth hearing.

Note: This is a 12-part series, broken out roughly by studio album (UK release) with songs released only as singles included in the general timeframe of a close album release. (Don’t get excited, purists, about which singles should belong where; this is just a convenience.)

My Rules: Songs must have been written and recorded by the Beatles and released as singles or on an album during their career. No covers of other artists or solo Beatles material are included. No members of the Beatles can be in the performance. No Tribute bands.

Songs from Help! (1965)

This is the fifth article of the series. The series starts here: Part 1: Songs from Please Please Me (1963).

Help!

John Lennon wrote the song “Help!” for the movie; the only song that wasn’t written beforehand. Later, Lennon realized “I really was crying out for help. It was my fat Elvis period,” admitting to Playboy that he was insecure and had lost himself.

Swiss band Krokus seems to have used the heavy ballad arrangement from the Tommy Heart Help! for Japan EP which also feature vocals by Krokus singer Mark Storace. It’s an inspired cover and the intensity of the guitars paired with Storace’s heartbreaking vocal make this a whole new song.

The Night Before

Paul McCartney wrote this one and plays guitar as well as bass on the recorded track.

Interestingly, Josie Cotton, whom some may remember for her song “Johnny Are You Queer”, recorded a new wave version of the song in 1986 along with Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats, but it wasn’t released until 2019 on the album, Everything is Oh Yeah.

You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away

This was the first all acoustic number by The Beatles, influenced by Bob Dylan. John Lennon said to Playboy: “That’s me in my Dylan period. I am like a chameleon, influenced by whatever is going on.”

To really take it full circle in the folk realm, singer-songwriter Barry McGuire (“Eve of Destruction”) performed the song with help from The Mamas and Papas on the American variety show Shindig!

I Need You

George Harrison wrote this song, his second to appear on a Beatles album. George wrote the song about his then girlfriend, Pattie Boyd, whom he later married. Their later divorce and her relationship with Eric Clapton inspired numerous songs and rumors well into the 1970s.

Former Journey frontman, Steve Perry, gives a moving and tender acoustic performance on his 2018 solo album, Traces. Steve Perry withdrew from the music industry after leaving Journey in 1998, but his passion was reignited after his girlfriend, Kellie Nash, died from cancer in December 2012. He began recording Traces in May 2015. The album is a meditative, soft-spoken and vulnerable record, as personal a record as a former melodic-rock superstar has perhaps ever released.

Another Girl

Paul McCartney wrote this song, and, in the movie, he plays along to it with a girl in a bikini as the “guitar”.

Lautten Compagney and Asya Fateyeva performed a cover version of the song, arranged for baroque orchestra and saxophone from their album “Time Travel”, which was released in 2021.

You’re Going to Lose That Girl

In the Beatles’ film “Help!”, there’s a standout scene where the band performs “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” in a recording studio. Featuring Paul McCartney at the piano and Ringo Starr on the bongos, the scene humorously shows them miming to their overdubbed parts until a thug with a chainsaw cuts a circle around Ringo’s drum kit, leading to a funny twist where Ringo and his drums fall through the floor. It’s a classic Beatles moment, full of their signature wit and charm.

Dwight Twilley’s rendition of “You’re Going to Lose That Girl” offers a different take on the Beatles’ classic. Tilley, famous for his 1970s hit “I’m on Fire,” added his own rock and power pop style to the song. Sadly, Twilley passed away recently, and this cover was his tribute, like many artists, to the band who got him started in his career. Twilley and Phil Seymour met in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1967 at a theater where they had both gone to see The Beatles‘ A Hard Day’s Night, and soon began writing songs and recording together eventually forming The Dwight Twilley band.

Ticket to Ride

Written partially about an actual ticket to Ryde in the Isle of Wight where Paul and John visited Paul’s cousin Bett and her husband Mike Robbins, Paul claims that they “almost invented the idea of a new bit of a song on the fade-out with this song; it was something written for the fade-out, which was very effective but it was quite cheeky and we did a fast ending. It was quite radical at the time.”

The Carpenters cover of this song may seem like an obvious choice, but it honestly stands the test of time and Karen Carpenter’s plaintive voice provides a melancholy bittersweetness that is unmatched in any other version.

It’s Only Love

Paul and John admitted that this song was just an album filler. “That’s the one song I really hate of mine,” John told Hit Parader. “Terrible lyric.”

But who really cares about the lyrics when Bryan Ferry is delivering them? Bryan Ferry achieved fame as a singer and songwriter in Roxy Music and later as a solo artist. Known for his distinctive voice, which has been described as an “elegant, seductive croon”, Ferry’s solo work and the final Roxy Music records feature elegant synth pop interpretations of ‘60s hits like Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,” the Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil,” and the Beatles’ “You Won’t See Me,” all rendered in the singer’s distinct, coolly dramatic manner.

You Like Me Too Much

This song, written by George Harrison, appeared on the UK release of Help! but in America, it was released on Beatles VI.

In the world of European jazz, French guitarist Gérard Pansanel and Italian pianist Antonello Salis stand out for their innovative collaborations. Pansanel, with his eclectic blend of jazz, rock, classical, and world music, and Salis, known for his jazz-infused folk and avant-garde improvisations, have brought their rich backgrounds together. Their partnership resulted in a series of reinterpretations of familiar tunes, showcasing a seamless integration of diverse musical styles and a flair for giving classic melodies a new lease of life.

Tell Me What You See

This track is often overlooked, but it has its own charm with straightforward and sincere lyrics. It was mainly written by Paul McCartney with a dash of John Lennon. The song shows off a simple yet catchy melody, giving us a glimpse into The Beatles’ early days of playing around with different sounds. What makes it stand out is the use of an electric piano, a Hohner Pianet, which was unusual for them back then. It’s one of the rare Beatles songs they never performed live, making it an intriguing piece of their musical legacy. 

The Scottish alternative rock band, Teenage Fanclub, released their version of the song in 2001 as part of the album “Why Don’t We Do It in the Road? – 24 Amazing Covers of Classic Beatles Songs”. 

I’ve Just Seen a Face

“I’ve Just Seen a Face” is a song primarily written by Paul McCartney. Its working title was “Auntie Gin’s Theme,” named after McCartney’s Aunt Gin, who liked it. Interestingly, this track stands out because it’s one of the few times McCartney wrote a straight-up country song, albeit at a much faster tempo. The song has a sound reminiscent of bluegrass. Notably, it lacks a bass guitar, making it one of the rare Beatles songs without one.

Arlo Guthrie, the American folk singer-songwriter, is renowned for his humorous 18-minute talking song “Alice’s Restaurant Massacree” which recounts how Guthrie’s arrest for littering led to a criminal record, rendering him ineligible for the military draft during the Vietnam War. Here, he covers “I’ve Just Seen a Face” in a folksy, bluesy way that only Guthrie can muster.

Yesterday

You most likely know that the original working lyric for Paul McCartney’s masterpiece was “Scrambled Eggs”. Paul was so convinced that he was plagiarizing something already written, that he hesitated to finish the piece. This iconic song, which we now know as “Yesterday,” has since become one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded music. McCartney woke up one morning with the melody in his head, and fearing it was someone else’s work, he played it for several friends and colleagues. Only after receiving reassurance that it was indeed original did he continue to develop it into the song that would go on to achieve worldwide acclaim. The placeholder lyrics were humorous and mundane, a stark contrast to the poignant and reflective final words.

Of the over 600 extant cover versions of this iconic song, the most masterful and touching rendition is by far this one by Ray Charles. Even Paul McCartney has said as much in interviews and the comments on the video speak for themselves. Listening to Ray is experiencing the song on a whole new level.

Next time: Part 6 – Songs from Rubber Soul (1965)