3 Instrumental Covers of Classic Rock Songs by The Beatles

It’s hard to imagine improving on the music from The Beatles, the band born in Liverpool, England, from four teenage friends that quickly became the greatest rock group ever. With sticky melodies and a wide range of song styles, the former Mop Tops seem like they will live in history for the rest of time. And they’re very worthy of that prestige.

Videos by American Songwriter

But over the years, there have been myriad bands that have covered the group. Some to great success, others not so much. Here below, however, we wanted to explore three instrumental covers of the Fab Four. Let’s look at a trio of songs that take on the hits from the band. However, they do so without singers or lyrics. Indeed, these are three instrumental covers of classic rock songs by The Beatles.

[RELATED: 3 Beatles Songs That Will Make Any Listener Tear Up]

“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” by Herb Alpert from ‘Warm’ (1969)

In the mid-1960s, there was one person who outsold The Beatles when they were at the top of their game, and it was trumpeter Herb Alpert and his Tijuana Brass Band. The smooth, lounge music created such a buzz in the United States that it put the Fab Four in the rearview mirror for a short time. So, it’s funny to hear the two groups come together in this thrilling cover from Albert of the former Mop Top’s famed tune, “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”, which appeared on Albert’s 1969 LP, Warm.

“You Can’t Do That” by Booker T. & The M.G.’s from ‘McLemore Avenue (Reissue)’ (2011)

This song originally appeared on The Beatles’ 1964 LP, A Hard Day’s Night. But the famed organ-based instrumental group Booker T. & The M.G.’s released a cover of the song on the 2011 reissue of their 1970 album, McLemore Avenue. That remastered reissued album actually included a handful of Beatles covers, including songs like “Day Tripper”, “Michelle”, and “Lady Madonna”. If there is any instrumental band you want covering your song, it’s the Memphis-born group Booker T. & The M.G.’s.

“A Day In The Life” by Jeff Beck from ‘In My Life’ (1998)

Originally released on The Beatles’ iconic 1967 offering, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, but it was covered some 30 years later by the famed British guitar player Jeff Beck for the 1998 LP, In My Life. That album was compiled by former Beatles producer George Martin. Beck’s cover from the record earned Beck a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Performance in 2000. The fantastic guitarist took on the track and made it sing like it did some three decades prior.

Photo by Roy Cummings/THA/Shutterstock