Not only did The Beatles record the majority of their own superlative compositions
but they also performed and committed to vinyl a plethora of classic songs
including hits by some of their rock ‘n’ roll heroes.
Individually, John, Paul, George and Ringo later recorded solo versions
of songs by other writers but my list below covers only songs that they
recorded as The Beatles at Abbey Road.
The chart positions that I quote are from Billboard magazine.
ANNA (Go To Him)
(Arthur Alexander)
by Arthur Alexander
Pro: Noel Ball
(Dot: 1962)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63.
ACT NATURALLY
(John Russell/Voni Morrison)
by Buck Owens
Pro: Ken Nelson
(Capitol: 1963)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’65;
their version released here on Capitol in ’65
when it reached #47 on the Hot 100.
Song revived as a duet by
Buck Owens & Ringo Starr in ’89.
BABY IT’S YOU
(Mack David/Barney Williams/Burt Bacharach)
by The Shirelles
Pro: Luther Dixon
Arr: Burt Bacharach
(Scepter: 1961)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63.
A 1963 BBC recording of the Beatles performing the song
was later issued on Apple and charted here at #67 in ’95.
BAD BOY
(Larry Williams)
by Larry Williams
(Specialty: 1959)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’65.
BOYS
(Luther Dixon/Wes Farrell)
by The Shirelles
Pro: Luther Dixon
(Scepter: 1960)
Recorded by The Beatles in ‘63
CHAINS
(Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
by The Cookies
Pro: Gerry Goffin
(Dimension: 1962)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63.
DEVIL IN HIS HEART
(Richard Drapkin)
by The Donays
(Correc-tone/Brent: 1962)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63 as DEVIL IN HER HEART
DIZZY, MISS LIZZY
(Larry Williams)
by Larry Williams
(Specialty: 1958)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’65.
John Lennon recorded it solo in ’69.
EVERYBODY’S TRYING TO BE MY BABY
(Carl Perkins)
by Carl Perkins
Pro: Sam Phillips
(Sun: 1957)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64.
HONEY DON’T (Carl Perkins)
by Carl Perkins
Pro: Sam Phillips
(Sun: 1956)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64.
KANSAS CITY
(Jerry Leiber/Mike Stoller)
by Wilbert Harrison
(Fury: 1959)
Song first recorded by Little Willie Littlefield in ’52.
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64.
LONG TALL SALLY
(Enotris Jackson/Robert Blackwell/Richard Penniman)
by Little Richard
Pro: Robert Blackwell
(Specialty: 1956)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64.
MATCHBOX
(Carl Perkins)
by Carl Perkins
Pro: Sam Phillips
(Sun: 1957)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64;
their version coupled with the Larry Williams song
SLOW DOWN was released here on Capitol and charted at #17 in ’64.
MR. MOONLIGHT
(Roy Lee Johnson)
by Dr. Feelgood & The Interns
(Okeh: 1962)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64.
MONEY (That’s What I Want)
(Janie Bradford/Berry Gordy)
by Barrett Strong
Pro: Berry Gordy Jr.
(Anna/Motown: 1959)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63.
PLEASE MR. POSTMAN
(Georgia Dobbins/William Garrett/Brian Holland/
Robert Bateman/Freddie Gorman)
by The Marvelettes
Pro: Brianbert (aka Brian Holland & Robert Bateman)
(Tamla: 1961)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63
ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC
(Chuck Berry)
by Chuck Berry
Pro: Leonard Chess
(Chess: 1957)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64.
ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN
(Chuck Berry)
by Chuck Berry
Pro: Leonard Chess
(Chess: 1956)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63;
their version released here on
Capitol reached #68 on the Hot 100 in ’64.
SLOW DOWN
(Larry Williams)
by Larry Williams
(Specialty: 1958)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64 on the
same sessionas the Carl Perkins song MATCHBOX.
Capitol released both their versions here on a single
and SLOW DOWN charted at #25.
TWIST AND SHOUT
(Bert Berns/Phil Medley)
by The Isley Brothers
Pro: Bert Berns
Arr: Teacho Wiltshire
(Wand: 1962)
Song first recorded by The Top Notes in ’61.
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63; their version
released here on Tollie in ’64 when it reached #2 on the Hot 100.
Reissued here by Capitol in ’86 when it charted at #23.
WORDS OF LOVE
(Buddy Holly)
by Buddy Holly
Pro: Norman Petty
(Coral: 1957)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’64.
YOU’VE REALLY GOT A HOLD ON ME
(William Robinson)
by The Miracles
Pro: Smokey Robinson
(Tamla: 1962)
Recorded by The Beatles in ’63.
The Beatles also recorded two songs at Abbey Road
that had theatrical origins namely A TASTE OF HONEY
(the melody of which was written by Bobby Scott for the 1961 Broadway
production of the same name) and TILL THERE WAS YOU from the
1957 Meredith Willson stage musical “The Music Man” which was adapted
as a film musical in ’62.
The above song list doesn’t include earlier pre-EMI recordings of
The Beatles with Tony Sheridan performing the vintage song
MY BONNIE (My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean) plus a 1961 version of
The Beatles performing AIN’T SHE SWEET, both of which charted on
Billboard’s Hot 100 in ’64.
As in all my postings,
the recordings listed and referenced above
are in no way intended as definitive collections.
Please send any comments or suggestions to
Rock on.
Alan Warner
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