3 Cover Songs That Decoded the Genius of The Beatles

These cover songs make The Beatles’ genius clear to anyone who can’t get into the Fab Four, for whatever reason. Not that The Beatles are indigestible to the mainstream, but these covers somehow make the stunning nature of these hits even clearer.

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

“What would you think if I sang out of tune? / Would you stand up and walk out on me? / Lend me your ears, and I’ll sing you a song / And I’ll try not to sing out of key,” the lyrics to “With A Little Help From My Friends” read. This song was perfectly penned for Ringo Starr’s particular vocal style. But Joe Cocker’s famous cover version gave this track a weight the original didn’t have.

Changing the time signature and turning up the dramatics, this cover highlighted the central plea for connection underneath the light-heartedness. All of a sudden, the lines, “What do I do when my love is away? / Does it worry you to be alone? / How do I feel by the end of the day? / Are you sad because you’re on your own” were far more somber than Starr would have us believe.

“We Can Work It Out” by Stevie Wonder

The original version of “We Can Work It Out” is a straight folk-rock masterpiece, but under Stevie Wonder’s supervision, this track gets an R&B flair, with little heavy lifting. This cover highlights the innate universality of John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s songwriting.

“Think of what you’re saying / You can get it wrong and still you think that it’s alright / Think of what I’m saying / We can work it out and get it straight or say good night,” the lyrics read. The Beatles’ original is enticing enough, but Wonder’s rendition brought a whole new listenership to the Lennon-McCartney songwriting partnership.

“Here Comes The Sun” by Nina Simone

Everything Nina Simone touched turned to gold, including “Here Comes The Sun”. She gave this George Harrison classic a jazz framework. Slowed down and meditative, this cover changes “Here Comes The Sun” from a lighthearted anthem into something else entirely.

“Little darlin’ / It’s been a long, cold, lonely winter / Little darlin’ / It feels like years since it’s been here,” she sang with her signature smoky vocals. A great cover makes a song the artist’s own. Simone certainly did that here.

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