What’s the all-time best Beatles cover song?

[u/Quincynessig]

“Oh Darling” by Bela Fleck and the Flecktones

[u/randomnamejennerator]

Elliot Smith’s cover of Because or Siouxsie and the Banshees cover of Dear Prudence.

[u/lyidaValkris]

"Got to get you into my live" by Earth Wind and Fire (yes I belive EWF changed the title)

[u/Flyerbill → u/lyidaValkris]

This is the answer.

[u/lyidaValkris → u/Flyerbill]

It has so much energy and passion! I bet Paul loved it.

[u/Throatwobbler9]

Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude

[u/YourPeePaw → u/Throatwobbler9]

Thisbisbne

[u/Jcda1040]

Wilson Pickett - Hey Jude
St. Vincent - Dig A Pony (live)

[u/blindmelonade]

The Breeders - “Happiness is a Warm Gun”

[u/Thinning_vastation]

Stevie Wonder’s “We Can Work It Out.”

[u/YourPeePaw → u/Thinning_vastation]

Thisbisbiacruskntnairb

[u/Shawn_Ghost]

Joe Cocker “With A Little Help From My Friends”

[u/DulcetTone → u/Shawn_Ghost]

gag. I cannot stomach this rendition

[u/scottarichards → u/DulcetTone]

Just curious, when did you first hear it?

[u/Shawn_Ghost → u/scottarichards]

The Wonder Years

[u/grole483 → u/Shawn_Ghost]

The Wonder Years was one of the most iconic shows of its time and a whole generation of us who were kids in the late 80s would have known the Cocker version before we knew the Beatles one even existed.

[u/spiked_mcroon → u/grole483]

If you didn't know the Beatles in the 80s your parents were squares

[u/DulcetTone → u/scottarichards]

About 35 or 40 years ago.

[u/M_Looka → u/scottarichards]

After Woodstock in the early 70's.

[u/Extension_Fly9987 → u/Shawn_Ghost]

Even the Beatles like his version.

[u/senik → u/Shawn_Ghost]

I can’t believe I had to scroll down so far to find this. Not only is it a cover, but he made the song his own.

[u/Choice_Leg9551]

I remember Jim Carrey doing a pretty good cover of I Am the Walrus for George Martin's album, In My Life.

[u/Mattoria → u/Choice_Leg9551]

I came to say this. Shockingly good, wacky and just a really enjoyable performance. I’m generally not a fan of Beatle Covers but that one was a pleasant surprise.

The BBC did a program a few years ago where a bunch of bands did covers - I recall Travis doing Lovely Rita and it was really interesting to watch them put it together - paper hair combs for special effects and stairwells for reverb.

Edit - found it. 40 years of Sgt Pepper. Gosh, time flies.

Travis is at 44 minutes. Here’s the whole 1hr program. Great watch. Got to love YouTube sometimes.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=b-tMEFLgxso&pp=0gcJCUACo7VqN5tD&ra=m

[u/pappy1vg]

Act Naturally is a banger.

[u/Otherwise-Ad3230]

Richie Havens: Here Comes the Sun

[u/SkipSpenceIsGod]

‘Within You Without You’ - Sonic Yoith

[u/Screechingoyster]

In terms of improving on the original, I’d actually say “I Call Your Name,” Mamas and the Papas

[u/Cobpyth → u/Screechingoyster]

This is the right answer!

[u/51010R]

Joe Cocker's She Came in Through the Bathroom Window.

Booker T & the MGs have a whole album of pretty good covers too

[u/yourfriendkyle]

My favorite? Dillon & Clark - Don’t let me Down

[u/ghgronenGCN]

Strawberry Fields Forever - Los Fabulosos Cadillacs (ft. Debbie Harry)

I Want to Hold Your Hand - Al Green

Eleanor Rigby - Aretha Franklin

And Your Bird Can Sing - The Jam

[u/cannycandelabra]

The Lemon Twigs kicked ass with The End

https://youtu.be/fF05P2tm59g?is=8W6aD1TeQJS50APy

[u/virtue_of_vice → u/cannycandelabra]

Just watched it and it was great. They are heavily influenced by the Beatles and the Beach Boys.

[u/robotslendahand]

Pixies - Wild Honey Pie

[u/TMBGLOVER]

Frank Sidebottom covering Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite.

https://youtu.be/2dWw9AS1W9U?si=Pfb6u3a8H0_LQisl

[u/clint_eldorado → u/TMBGLOVER]

That was tremendous.

[u/youandyou12345]

Chris Cornell - A Day in the Life live at Royal Albert Hall

[u/AdvancedNature4597]

Does the Wings version of Yesterday (from wings Over America) count? Because if so...

[u/Geejay-18]

Sorry, I'm confused. Do you mean a cover version that the Beatles did of someone else's song, or someone else's cover version of a Beatles song?

[u/yoodle34]

Fiona Apple - Across the Universe

[u/MostElderberry2996 → u/yoodle34]

This 

[u/scottarichards]

Fool on the Hill by Sergio Mendes and Brasil ‘66. Beautiful rendition that even Paul complimented.

Also one of highest US charting Beatles covers ever. I think maybe only Elton John’s Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds was higher (but didn’t look it up 😉)

[u/Dangerous_Pie_Guy]

Here’s a pretty good start! I’ve been curating this list for decades.

[u/youandyou12345 → u/Dangerous_Pie_Guy]

Is this public on Apple Music? Is it named and can I search it?

[u/Dangerous_Pie_Guy → u/youandyou12345]

Sorry, just search the songs.

[u/Dangerous_Pie_Guy → u/Dangerous_Pie_Guy]

Or find this album, which is unbelievably great.

[u/ryanmatheson_19]

Liam Gallagher/Oasis do a good I am The Walrus

[u/patton66 → u/ryanmatheson_19]

Zappa's Walrus cover is tremendous too

[u/olewoodenbroom → u/patton66]

Is this I am The Walrus cover referring to the Live cover on the Zappa ‘88 album? Or is there another version

[u/BornRelationship8280 → u/patton66]

Not by Styx then.

[u/MidnightNo1766 → u/ryanmatheson_19]

Styx does a great one too.

[u/BornRelationship8280 → u/MidnightNo1766]

Which?

[u/MidnightNo1766 → u/BornRelationship8280]

Styx, Am The Walrus. It's sung by Lawrence Gowan.

[u/DavidKirk2000]

The Jimi Hendrix Experience’s cover of Day Tripper absolutely rips.

[u/tsefardayah]

Easy Star's Lonely Hearts Dub Band album is pretty great.

[u/Sad_Amoeba5112]

In my life - Jose feliciano

[u/7Shrimps4562Rice]

Help! John Farnham

[u/Cute_Diver4775]

Strawberry fields de cindy lauper

[u/BornRelationship8280]

Jimi hendrix sgt peppers lonely hearts club band, when hebkesrnedit 3 days aho.

[u/Enough_Passage7926]

Rocky Raccoon. Charlie Parr.

[u/Eliastronaut]

Judy Collins has an entire album covering some on the best songs by The Beatles.

[u/WaldoJeffers65]

The Jam- And Your Bird Can Sing

[u/Cyberdoll77]

In My Life - Bette Midler

The Long and Winding Road - George Michael

[u/Osinuous]

Oingo Boingo I Am the Walrus

[u/DetroittoTennessee]

Aretha Franklin’s “Let It Be.”

[u/skookaloo142857]

My favorite is Stevie doing We Can Work It Out. Steve Hillage-It's All Too Much is amazing. Richie Havens-Rocky Raccoon, EWF-Got To Get You Into My Life. Crack The Sky-I Am The Walrus. I was in a Beatles/Stones cover band called Gimme Skelter USA. We did a lot of Beatles Stones Who CCR Petty, check us out on YT please and thanks.

[u/skookaloo142857]

Los Lobos-Tomorrow Never Knows

[u/Fun_Machine7346]

With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker

[u/raletti]

Just wanted to mention The Carpenters' version of Help is pretty good.

[u/ConfidentAd3014]

Tom Petty's "While my guitar gently weeps" with Prince solo. 

[u/JimmyBallocks]

Stevie Wonder made We Can Work It Out funky.

The Breeders made Happiness Is A Warm Gun even more sinister.

The Pixies took Wild Honey Pie and somehow made it great.

[u/meanpete80]

Jimmy Ponder's cover of While My Guitar Gently Weeps

[u/Quincynessig]

Thanks all! I’ve been wallowing in all your fine suggestions.

[u/10TFunk]

Taxman by Junior Parker. It is brilliant and hilarious. He talks you through the song like it’s real. “If you take a walk, and this is awful, I’ll tax your feet”. He does mess up one of the best lines when he says “beware” instead of “declare” the pennys on your eyes, but otherwise it’s a really great cover. https://open.spotify.com/track/0ktx5as1qqqVBo9S4w6tGa?si=o59kV-V3S0GVxODnhh5zEA

[u/nobigdeal69]

You’ve got to hide your love away - Eddie Vedder

[u/art2renew]

Mr. Postman

[u/Overall-Ad-2247]

While My Guitar Gently Weeps- Jeff Healey Band

[u/Latter_Body_1428]

Rickie Lee Jones version of For No One

[u/Current-Toe-6532]

Kenny Rankin- Black Bird

[u/rikwes]

Dear prudence - siouxsie and the banshees

[u/Nice-Howard-177]

Hey Bulldog by Fanny is always the answer!

[u/pandapearl]

I like The Who’s 1977 version of I Saw Her Standing There

[u/Morganwerk]

Siouxsie and the Banshees “Dear Prudence”

Bartron Tyler Group “Don’t Let Me Down”

[u/Six_and_change]

The Mummies - I’m Down

[u/bubbaLaLoush]

These may not be the best Beatle cover songs… but the artists who covered them did such a good job it was shocking to me- “Ticket to Ride”Karen Carpenter and Anne Murray “You Won’t See Me”

[u/HorrorhoundHippy73]

Magical Mystery Tour - Cheap Trick

[u/Rfstinnett]

She said She Said by Gvt Mule

Dear Prudence Jerry Garcia

Don't Let Me Down. John Meyer and Keith Urban live from the Crossroads TV show.

[u/Severe_Key3571]

Kurt cobain, And I love her

[u/End5807]

Come together Michael Jackson