The Beatles might very well be the most-covered band in music history. The Fab Four’s contemporaries covered many of their songs, and renditions in genres like pop and R&B can be found all over the internet. Just as well, a few punk bands through the years have applied their unique sounds to The Beatles’ music. Let’s look at just a few great punk rock covers of The Beatles, shall we?
Videos by American Songwriter
“I Want To Hold Your Hand” by Melvins
This somewhat recent cover of The Beatles by sludge metal and experimental hardcore punk band Melvins comes from the 2018 album Pinkus Abortion Technician. This cover is, quite surprisingly, very similar and faithful to the original tune from the 1964 album Meet The Beatles. Though, obviously, there’s a sludge metal element to the whole of the cover. Melvins have rarely shied away from strange musical choices, but they always seem to work quite beautifully.
“Day Tripper” by Bad Brains
Hardcore punk outfit Bad Brains only covered The Beatles’ song “Day Tripper” one time, way back in 1987 at a concert in Florida. Thankfully, evidence of this cover has been preserved. It’s an absolutely insane piece of work, mashed up into a wild, funky, and chaotic reggae mess that only Bad Brains could come up with.
It’s not just a Beatles cover, either. The song was blended into The Rolling Stones’ famous song “She’s A Rainbow”. H.R.’s vocals are transformative, and the band really brought a sweet little Liverpoolian tune into the swamps of Florida with a reggae punk edge. The juxtaposition is fascinating, in the best possible way.
“Ticket To Ride” by Hüsker Dü
Hardcore punk band Hüsker Dü famously covered The Beatles’ 1965 hit song “Ticket To Ride” from the album Help! back in the day. It’s impressive, to say the least. The band’s vocal tactics are front and center on this cover, and Greg Norton’s bass really carries the song.
It’s not super shocking that they covered this Fab Four classic, either. Hüsker Dü were very much influenced by the bands that came before them, particularly the rock groups of the 1960s. And even though this cover is more or less faithful to the original, the very foundation of the song is changed, just slightly, to a more Hüsker Dü formula.
Photo by Roberto Ricciuti/Redferns
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