The Beatles - Covers

Según John Lennon, antes de Elvis Presley no había nada. Esta frase describe su fuerte influencia en el rock and roll de los años '50, que marcó de igual modo a sus 3 compañeros de banda. Ídolos de esa época como Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly y Larry Williams fueron fuertes inspiraciones para los Beatles a la hora de tener su identidad musical, al menos en sus primeros años. En sus álbumes de estudio hasta 1965, habían bastantes versiones de canciones de estos artistas, hechas por los Beatles, pero a partir de Rubber Soul, empezó su evolución artística y  creativa. Un breve regreso a sus raíces ocurrió en las sesiones de Let It Be/Get Back en 1969, pero ellos jamás perdieron su admiración por esos cantantes, compositores, músicos y artistas que los inspiraron a dedicarse al arte más maravilloso de todos. Este artículo es un análisis de los distintos covers de los Beatles, desde los que se publicaron en sus discos oficiales hasta las que quedaron solamente como versiones en vivo, especialmente en las actuaciones en la BBC, y otras rarezas. Para cada canción está especificado a quién le pertenece la versión original, o la más famosa antes de que aparezcan los Beatles. Así como esta primera parte de la entrada ordena las canciones cronológicamente (en el sentido de cuándo fueron grabadas o publicadas las versiones de los Beatles), la segunda parte detalla a qué artistas, la banda hizo varios covers.

Please Please Me (1963) 

• Anna (Go To Him) (Arthur Alexander) 
• Chains (The Cookies) 
• Boys (The Shirelles) 
• Baby It's You (The Shirelles) 
• A Taste Of Honey (Billy Dee Williams) 
• Twist And Shout (The Top Notes) 

With The Beatles (1963) 

• Till There Was You (Peggy Lee) 
• Please Mr. Postman (The Marvelettes) 
• Roll Over Beethoven (Chuck Berry)
• You've Really Got A Hold On Me (The Miracles) 
• Devil In Her Heart (The Donays) 
• Money (That’s What I Want) (Barrett Strong) 

Long Tall Sally (EP) (1964) 

• Long Tall Sally (Little Richard) 
• Slow Down (Larry Williams) 
• Matchbox (Carl Perkins) 

Beatles For Sale (1964) 

• Rock And Roll Music (Chuck Berry) 
• Mr. Moonlight (Dr. Feelgood) 
• Kansas City (Little Willie Littlefield) 
• Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! (Little Richard) 
• Words Of Love (Buddy Holly) 
• Honey Don't (Carl Perkins)
• Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (Carl Perkins) 

Beatles VI (US album) (1965) 

• Bad Boy (Larry Williams) 

Help! (1965) 

• Act Naturally (Buck Owens) 
• Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Larry Williams) 

Let It Be (1970) 

• Maggie Mae (trad.)

Otros:

• That’ll Be The Day (Buddy Holly & the Crickets) (The Quarrymen 1958, Anthology 1) 
• Hallelujah I Love Her So (Ray Charles) (The Quarrymen 1960, Anthology 1) 
• My Bonnie (Traditional) (Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers 1961, Anthology 1) 
• Ain’t She Sweet (Milton Ager/Jack Yellen) (The Beat Brothers 1961, Anthology 1)
• The Sheik Of Araby (Harry Smith/Ted Snyder) (Decca audition 1962, Anthology 1) 
• Three Cool Cats (The Coasters) (Decca audition 1962, Anthology 1) 
• Besame Mucho (Consuelo Velazquez) (Decca audition 1962, Anthology 1)  
• Searchin’ (The Coasters) (Decca audition 1962, Anthology 1) 
• Some Other Guy (Richie Barrett) (live at the Cavern Club 1962, The Beatles Anthology) 
• How Do You Do It? (Mitch Murray) (Love Me Do sessions 1962, Anthology 1) 
• The Hippy Hippy Shake (Chan Romero) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate (The Olympics) (live at the Star Club 1962) 
• Red Hot (Billy Emerson) (live at the Star Club 1962)  
• Keep Your Hands Off My Baby (Little Eva) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Beautiful Dreamer (Stephen Foster) (live at the BBC 1963, On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2) 
• I’m Talking About You (Chuck Berry) (live at the BBC 1963, On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2) 
• Sure To Fall (In Love With You) (Carl Perkins) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• I Got To Find My Baby (Chuck Berry) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Young Blood (The Coasters) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• That’s All Right (Mama) (Elvis Presley) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Carol (Chuck Berry) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Soldier Of Love (Arthur Alexander) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Lend Me Your Comb (Carl Perkins) (live at the BBC 1963, Anthology 1) 
• Clarabella (The Jodimars) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Sweet Little Sixteen (Chuck Berry) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Nothin’ Shakin’ (But The Leaves On The Trees) (Eddie Fontaine) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Lonesome Tears In My Eyes (Johnny Burnette) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• So How Come (No One Loves Me) (The Everly Brothers) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Memphis, Tennessee (Chuck Berry) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) (Elvis Presley) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Crying, Waiting, Hoping (Buddy Holly) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• To Know Her Is To Love Her (The Teddy Bears) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• The Honeymoon Song (Marino Marini) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• I Got A Woman (Ray Charles) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Glad All Over (Carl Perkins) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• I Just Don’t Understand (Ann-Margret) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Ooh! My Soul (Little Richard) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Don’t Ever Change (The Crickets) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (Arthur Alexander) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Too Much Monkey Business (Chuck Berry) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Lucille (Little Richard) (live at the BBC 1963, Live at the BBC) 
• Happy Birthday (Mildred Hill/Patty Hill) (live at the BBC 1963, On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2) 
• Moonlight Bay (Edward Madden/Percy Wenrich) (Morecambe & Wise Show 1963, Anthology 1) 
• Johnny B. Goode (Chuck Berry) (live at the BBC 1964, Live at the BBC) 
• Shout (The Isley Brothers) (Around the Beatles 1964, Anthology 1)
• I Forgot To Remember To Forget (Elvis Presley) (live at the BBC 1964, Live at the BBC) 
• Leave My Kitten Alone (Little Willie John) (Beatles For Sale sessions 1964, Anthology 1) 
• Saint Louis Blues (William Christopher Handy) (White Album sessions 1968, The Beatles (50th Anniversary edition)) 
• (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care (Elvis Presley) (White Album sessions 1968, The Beatles (50th Anniversary Edition)) 
• Blue Moon (Richard Rodgers/Lorenz Hart) (White Album sessions 1968, The Beatles (50th Anniversary Edition))
• I Shall Be Released (Bob Dylan) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) (Bob Dylan) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Tea For Two (Marion Harris) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Midnight Special (trad.) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For? (Henry Lewis) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• The Third Man Theme (Anton Karas) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Mr. Bass Man (Johnny Cymbal) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Stand By Me (Ben E. King) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Baa, Baa, Black Sheep (trad.) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• You Win Again (Hank Williams) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• To Kingdom Come (Robbie Robertson) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Honey Hush (Big Joe Turner) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Move It (Cliff Richard & the Shadows) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• House Of The Rising Sun (trad.) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Mama You've Been On My Mind (Bob Dylan) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Christmas Alphabet (The McGuire Sisters) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Carolina Moon (Gene Austin) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Hi-Heel Sneakers (Tommy Tucker) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• It's Only Make Believe (Conway Twitty) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• You're My World (Umberto Bindi) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Build Me Up Buttercup (The Foundations) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• No Other Love (Rodgers & Hammerstein) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Those Were The Days (Boris Fomin) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Tutti Frutti (Little Richard) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner (Hubert Gregg) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• You Are My Sunshine (Jimmie Davis) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• New Orleans (Gary U.S. Bonds) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Queen Of The Hop (Bobby Darin) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Forty Days (Chuck Berry) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellen Bogen By The Sea (Al Hoffman & Dick Manning) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• My Baby Left Me (Arthur Crudup) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Milk Cow Blues (Kokomo Arnold) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Good Rockin' Tonight (Roy Brown) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Going Up The Country (Alan Wilson) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• I'm Ready (Rocker) (Fats Domino) (Get Back sessions 1969, Let It Be (50th Anniversary Edition))
• Save The Last Dance For Me (Ben E. King & the Drifters) (Get Back sessions 1969, Let It Be (50th Anniversary Edition))
• Twenty Flight Rock (Eddie Cochran) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Reach Out I'll Be There (Four Tops) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• On The Road Again (Floyd Jones) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• School Days (Chuck Berry) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Bye Bye Love (The Everly Brothers) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Little Yellow Pills (Jackie Lomax) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Blue Suede Shoes (Carl Perkins) (Get Back sessions 1969, Anthology 3) 
• Rip It Up (Little Richard) (Get Back sessions 1969, Anthology 3) 
• Shake, Rattle And Roll (Big Joe Turner) (Get Back sessions 1969, Anthology 3)
• Miss Ann (Little Richard) (Get Back sessions 1969, Let It Be film)
• Lawdy, Miss Clawdy (Lloyd Price) (Get Back sessions 1969, Let It Be film)
• The Walk (Jimmy McCracklin) (Get Back sessions 1969, Let It Be (50th Anniversary Edition))
• Take These Chains From My Heart (Hank Williams) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Without A Song (Gilbert Burgess Holland) (Get Back sessions 1969, Let It Be (50th Anniversary Edition))
• Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues (Buddy Holly) (Get Back sessions 1969, Anthology 3)
• Danny Boy (trad.) (Rooftop Concert 1969, Get Back)
• God Save The Queen (himno del Reino Unido) (Rooftop Concert 1969, Get Back)
• A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody (Irving Berlin) (Rooftop Concert 1969, Get Back)
• Take This Hammer (trad.) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Friendship (Judy Garland & Johnny Mercer) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Five Feet High And Rising (Johnny Cash) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Party (Elvis Presley) (Get Back sessions 1969, Get Back)
• Wake Up Little Susie (Felice & Boudleaux Bryant) (Let It Be sessions 1970, Let It Be (50th Anniversary Edition))
• Raunchy (Bill Justis) (Anthology jam 1994, The Beatles Anthology)
• Blue Moon Of Kentucky (Bill Monroe) (Anthology jam 1994, The Beatles Anthology)
• Baby What You Want Me To Do (Jimmy Reed) (Anthology jam 1994, The Beatles Anthology)

 

Arthur Crudup

• That's All Right (Mama) (1946)
• My Baby Left Me (1950)

Hank Williams

• You Win Again (1952)
• Take These Chains From My Heart (1952)

Big Joe Turner

• Honey Hush (1953)
• Shake, Rattle And Roll (1954)

Ray Charles

• I Got A Woman (1954)
• Hallelujah, I Love Her So (1956)

Chuck Berry

• Forty Days (1955)
• Roll Over Beethoven (1956)
• Too Much Monkey Business (1956)
• School Days (1957)
• Rock And Roll Music (1957)
• Sweet Little Sixteen (1958)
• Johnny B. Goode (1958)
• Carol (1958)
• Memphis, Tennessee (1959)
• I’m Talking About You (1961)

Carl Perkins

• Sure To Fall (In Love With You) (1955)
• Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
• Honey Don’t (1956)
• Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby (1957)
• Matchbox (1957)
• Glad All Over (1958)

Little Richard

• Tutti Frutti (1955)
• Long Tall Sally (1956)
• Rip It Up (1956)
• Lucille (1957)
• Miss Ann (1957)
• Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! (1958)
• Ooh! My Soul (1958)

Elvis Presley

• I Forgot To Remember To Forget (1955)
• Party (1957)
• (You’re So Square) Baby I Don’t Care (1957)

Buddy Holly

• Words Of Love (1957)
• Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues (1957)
• That’ll Be The Day (1957)
• Crying, Waiting, Hoping (1959)

The Crickets

• That'll Be The Day (1957)
• Don't Ever Change (1961)

The Coasters

• Young Blood (1957)
• Searchin’ (1957)
• Three Cool Cats (1959)

The Everly Brothers

• Bye Bye Love (1957)
• So How Come (No One Loves Me) (1960)

Larry Williams

• Dizzy Miss Lizzy (1958)
• Slow Down (1958)
• Bad Boy (1959)

The Shirelles

• Boys (1960)
• Baby It's You (1961)

Ben E. King

• Save The Last Dance For Me (1960)
• Stand By Me (1961)

Arthur Alexander

• A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (1961)
• Soldier Of Love (1962)
• Anna (Go To Him) (1962)

Bob Dylan

• Mama You've Been On My Mind (1964)
• Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn) (1967)
• I Shall Be Released (1967)

Lista de reproducción en YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW03aakseNTEGsDnhG05g7C9gCPu3VGS-

Lista de reproducción en Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2TmNHgKKdv5kBJz8OBv6eP?si=tIoyJjavRqyonXRjEdM5PQ