3 Beatles Covers That Just Might Be as Good as the Originals

You might already be disillusioned with this article thanks to the title, but don’t tune out quite yet, as we do have some interesting covers that just might make you see our point of view. The Beatles are untouchable, and no one will ever change that fact. Although there are a handful of musicians who have come close to it and they did so by covering their music.

Videos by American Songwriter

To many, The Beatles didn’t make a bad song, and we would agree with that notion. That being so, seemingly anyone could cover their songs, and it would still sound good. However, these three artists and their covers of iconic Beatles hits raised the game to a whole other level.

“Golden Slumbers/Carry The Weight” by Jennifer Hudson

Jennifer Hudson is an exceptional vocalist, and to some, one of the greatest of the 21st century. That being so, she absolutely knocked this iconic Beatles song out of the park when she covered it for the 2016 film, Sing. She hits every note perfectly, every crescendo intensely, and truly bolsters the vocal nuance intrinsically embedded in this piece.

Jennifer Hudson’s cover helped the film’s soundtrack peak at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 after its release. Furthermore, Hudson led the album to winning a Grammy for Best R&B Album of that year. Again, you might disagree with our take, but you can’t disagree with the sheer quality of this song.

“With a Little Help from My Friends” by Joe Cocker

Partially thanks to The Beatles, Joe Cocker became a household name, garnered international acclaim, and cemented himself as a rock ‘n’ roll icon. Though none of that would have transpired if it wasn’t for his cover of The Beatles’ 1967 hit song, “With a Little Help from My Friends.”

Cocker covered the classic in 1969, and following its release, it reached No. 68 on the Billboard Hot 100. More importantly, it showed that Cocker had one-of-a-kind talent and vocals that were unique as The Beatles themselves.

“Yesterday” by Marvin Gaye

The Beatles’ “Yesterday” is a soulful acoustic single that seemingly could never be reimagined. Though, that was until Marvin Gaye got hold of the song. Gaye turns this Paul McCartney-written song into an R&B masterpiece. Frankly, it is arguably the greatest cover Gaye has ever performed.

Gaye released the single in 1970, and it seems the masses agreed with its quality, as it peaked at No. 65 on the Billboard Hot 100’s 50th Anniversary chart. The original “Yesterday” is in fact a tear-jerker, but Gaye’s cover, well, Gaye’s cover is a punch to the heart.

Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images