There’s no shortage of covers of the Fab Four, but these seven renditions offer new interpretations of classics, and highlight voices apart from the typical white dudes rock music has come to lionize.

Story by Carys Anderson

Sure, The Beatles are a legendary band that redefined rock music and influenced the songwriting of succeeding musicians for decades to come. The songs are undeniably good, but one unfortunate consequence of the British Invasion was the exaltation of white men playing a style of music largely created by Black men and women. Today, popular music has begun to diversify, and it seems like the latest generation has realized that white male rock and roll does not have to be the standard for authentic, valuable music. The following list tracks rock music’s shapeshifting history; maybe it’ll turn you on to a new artist along the way.  

Otis Redding — “A Hard Day’s Night”

Otis Redding replaced the guitars in this track with horns, which, combined with the famous rasp in his voice, add an oomph that was missing from the original shuffle. This 1966 cover is emblematic of the rhythm and blues that inspired rock and roll, and clearly existed after Beatle-mania kicked in. 

Jimi Hendrix — “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”

Jimi Hendrix famously opened a 1967 London concert with this Beatles cover, three days after the album’s release. Paul McCartney and George Harrison were even in attendance. Hendrix kept up the original’s energetic rock vocals, and took it one step further with his signature guitar style. The Beatles were entering their experimental period in 1967, but Hendrix kept it a groovy, straightforward rock song with thumping bass and virtuosic guitar solos rather than horns and group vocals. 

Nina Simone — “Revolution”

In “Revolution,” John Lennon put a singsong, condescending disapproval of the era’s political protests on top of a bluesy guitar performance, which is unfortunate on a multitude of levels. From telling activists that they can “count him out” of the cause if there’s any destruction, to suggesting “you better free your mind instead” of changing the Constitution, it’s curious how the Brit could be inspired by Black American music but have little interest in these musicians’ cause for liberation. The next year, Nina Simone released her own “Revolution.” Not so much a cover as a response, Simone declares that the Constitution is “gonna have to bend.” “It’s not as simple as talkin’ jive / the daily struggle just to stay alive,” she sings, putting into perspective what Lennon saw as more frivolous. Lennon assures his audience that “it’s gonna be alright,” whereas Simone announces: “the only way that we can stand in fact is when you get your foot off my back.” 

Siouxsie and the Banshees — “Dear Prudence”

15 years after the original “Dear Prudence,” rock music had splintered into multiple subgenres. Siouxsie and the Banshees’ cover is true to their new wave form, with electric guitars and reverb-rich vocals replacing the acoustic guitar and understated vocals of the original. In all, it’s a lush reimagining of an already sweet melody. 

The Breeders — “Happiness Is A Warm Gun”

Kim Deal started The Breeders to air her own songwriting abilities after feeling stifled as the bassist in the Pixies. The band’s 1990 debut not only showcased her songwriting talent, but her skill at interpretation as well. The band, taking a note from the Pixies, took the more even-tempered Beatles track and turned it into a case study in dynamics. The quiet intro highlights Deal’s famously sweet vocals and equally famous quirkiness – is that a lighter we hear flicking on? – before the drums build to an explosion. The sparse rendition then focuses on the raw rhythm section, forgoing the guitar lullaby that permeates the original recording. This back-and-forth between quiet and loud turns a singalong into an atmospheric, almost foreboding tune. 

Kurt Cobain — “And I Love Her”

Okay, this is a white man, but at least Kurt Cobain was a progressive feminist. This lo-fi, only recently released, solo cover of a snappy McCartney track is characteristically Cobain. The original was melancholy, but Cobain’s lower pitch, gritty vocals, and slowed strumming make it outright dark. The Nirvana frontman was famously influenced by The Beatles’ pop sensibility, infusing his melodies with distortion to create the band’s famous sound. This recording does the same; you wonder how he makes a love song so gloomy, but it’s beautiful all the same. 

Fiona Apple — “Across the Universe”

Fiona Apple’s cover of this Let It Be cut for the 1998 movie Pleasantville is a prime example of an artist seeing the solid songwriting in a classic, then going in and expanding it. The original song already featured angelic strings, but Apple slowed it down and mixed her orchestra louder, making the song even more cinematic. Her smoky contralto doesn’t hurt either. 

Here’s a playlist of these seven songs — original and cover. Listen below and feel free to let me know if you think my argument is blasphemous. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/45UyPSFvMWXOPKryW4KOPl?si=IFUwlKeDTGigheUXCLutkw