Welcome to the HouseoftheHits.com Original Presentation • THE BEATLES: Under The Influence – Part 3
- The third set of 6 of the 24 original versions of songs by American artists, and the 6 cover versions officially recorded by The Beatles.
- Each original song is paired with the corresponding Beatles cover version.
- Part 3 also presents three bonus tracks, for a total of 15 songs.
- A total of 58 songs in the 4-part series!
- Links to Parts 1, 2 & 4 are found at the bottom, just before the credits.
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What ‘Officially Recorded’ means: The Beatles recorded 12 commercial studio albums, 17 non-album singles and 13 EP’s (Extended Players) for their UK parent record label Parlophone. The cover versions presented here are among those releases. Studio outtakes, studio bootleg versions, live performances, live performance bootleg versions, etc. are excluded.
What ‘Original’ means: Usually, it means the first recorded version of the song – but not necessarily. Some of their cover recordings are not of the true original. Rather, it’s the first version of the record The Beatles heard, learned and performed live, and ultimately recorded.
Note: Part 3 includes three ‘extras’ related to the presentation.
What ‘Under The Influence’ means: First, it’s the title of a long-out-of-print import CD I’ve had for over 20 years – and which sparked the idea for this presentation.
In the CD booklet’s liner notes, Roy Carr of the UK music publication Vox, further explains –
“In their formative days it was not uncommon for practically every working (UK) group to establish their reputation as crowd-pullers, not so much for their own songs (often the low point of most acts) but in their ability to scout obscure U.S. material and personalize it to the point where certain songs then became synonymous with the groups who’d covered them.”
And during their formative period, The Beatles were no exception, with a long list of American Top 40 rock’n’roll songs and adult standards in their live performance repertoire.
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Here’s some great insight into the manner in which their manager, Brian Epstein and the group often found American records to record, from George Harrison in Beatles Anthology –
“Brian had a policy of buying at least one copy of every record that was released (for his NEMS record shop). If it sold, he’d order another one, or five or whatever. Consequently he had records that weren’t hits in Britain, weren’t even hits in America. Before going to a gig we’d meet in the record store, after it had shut, and we’d search the racks like ferrets to see what new ones were there… Devil In His Heart by The Donays and Barrett Strong‘s Money were records that we’d picked up and played in the shop and thought were interesting.”
Ultimately, they, Epstein and producer George Martin decided upon 24 songs – all from ‘across the pond’ in origin – which they considered strong enough performances by them to record.
Also, good material was needed to supplement the limited number of polished self-compositions available for inclusion on their first four 14-track Parlophone albums.
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If you’re of an age whereby you remember the concurrent phenomena of Beatlemania and the British Invasion, then I’m quite certain all two dozen Fab Four cover versions are quite familiar to you.
However, several of the originals are perhaps not as well known.
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Song Presentation: Arranged alphabetically, and all are in crystal clear HD audio.
Dates: Directly above every song’s player are the dates on which the album, EP or single was released, and correspond with the accompanying sleeve graphics. Both are chronologically arranged from left to right.
Mono/Stereo: If the original version is in mono, the corresponding Beatles cover recording will also be mono – ditto for stereo.
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THE PERTINENT ALBUMS
[By Record Label]
With The Beatles
Long Tall Sally
[4-Track EP]
Beatles For Sale
The Beatles’ Second Album
Something New
Beatles ’65
Beatlemania! With The Beatles
[Mono Only]
The Beatles’ Long Tall Sally
[Mono only]
Something New
Beatles ’65
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[Note] Some audio song files may not play on smartphones, tablets or connected devices.
A laptop, desktop PC or Mac may be needed for optimal enjoyment.
THE SONGS
[In Alphabetical Order]
LONG TALL SALLY
Litle Richard with His Band
[Mono]
Over the course of my 45+ years in radio, I’ve met, worked with, and/or introduced many big artists of the Top 40 Rock’n’Roll era, including several of its true pioneers, such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. And, of those two, I still can’t decide who seemed crazier – The ‘Killer’ or Richard. Let ‘er rip!
Mar.1956
[REPLAY]
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LONG TALL SALLY
The Beatles
[Mono]
The title track from The Beatles UK 4-track extended-play record, it was recorded during the sessions for the album A Hard Day’s Night, for possible inclusion.
Long Tall Sally was one of their most performed songs live, being part of the repertoire from 1957 0n – up to and including their final touring concert at San Francisco’s Candlestick Park on August 29th, 1966.
Now THIS is the McCartney I love!
Apr.10.1964 [US] • May.11.1964 [CA] • Jun.19.1964 [UK][EP]
MATCHBOX
Carl Perkins
[Mono]
The song was released in 1957 as the B-side of Your True Love. And, despite just the A-side becoming a chart hit on Billboard, this still is one of Perkins’ best-known recordings.
Some of the lyrics are rooted in a couple of blues songs from the 1920’s, and I encourage you to click the song’s link above to read more about Matchbox‘s interesting history.
1957
[REPLAY]
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MATCHBOX
The Beatles
[Mono]
Another track from the UK EP Long Tall Sally. It was also released on August, 1964 by Capitol Records, as a single from the North American album, Something New, where is reached #17 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, and #6 in Canada on the CHUM Hit Parade chart (Toronto radio station).
The FF covered three of Carl’s great rockabilly hits – two sung by Ringo – this one and Honey Don’t. George did Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby. The latter two are heard in Part 2.
My feeling is that Ringo’s double-tracked vocals could have used a few more takes … it’s a bit out of sync in spots.
Jun.19.1964 [UK][EP] • Jul.20.1964 [US][CA]
[REPLAY]
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MISTER MOONLIGHT
Dr. Feelgood And The Interns
[Stereo]
You can read the bio by clicking the link above, or I will tell you Dr. Feelgood was a Georgia honky tonk bar singer who usually performed as Piano Red. His real name is William “Willie” Lee Perryman.
This is clearly the most obscure of the 24 recordings from the ‘left side of The Atlantic’ which The Beatles covered – and heard here in crystal-clear ‘true’ stereo!
1962
[REPLAY]
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MR. MOONLIGHT
The Beatles
[Stereo]
A track from Beatles For Sale. The Beatles’ recording is not the first cover version of the song. Another Liverpool group, The Merseybeats, recorded the Dr. Feelgood original in 1963 (listen below). And The Beatles arrangement of the former’s version seems to indicate that’s the record they actually heard first. Regardless, it was John who suggested covering this obscure gem.
And another British Invasion group – Manchester’s The Hollies – recorded and released their own cover version of this song nearly simultaneously (also below) with The Beatles.
A total of eight takes were attempted by The Beatles during its recording – over two separate recording sessions in August and October of 1964. This finished take was from the latter sessions (an earlier August version is also heard below).
I really like Paul’s playing of the Hammond organ on the released version, particularly the middle eight-bar solo.
Dec.4.1964 [UK] • Dec.15.1964 [US][CA]
[REPLAY]
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MR. MOONLIGHT
The Beatles
(Takes 1&4 Merged)
[Mono]
This outtake is a combination of takes 1 & 4, recorded during the first sessions in August. Take 1 has a brief false start, followed by Take 4, which was added on to create one complete song for its inclusion on The Beatles Anthology CD series. Minus Paul’s Hammond organ, this alternate version contains a strange-sounding guitar instrumental bridge by George Harrison.
Recorded Aug.1964
[REPLAY]
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MISTER MOONLIGHT
The Merseybeats
(First Cover Version)
[Stereo]
The first cover version of MM – it actually charted in Canada at radio station CFUN/Vancouver in April, 1964.
1963
[REPLAY]
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MR. MOONLIGHT
The Hollies
(Cover Version)
[Stereo]
From The Hollies’ 1964 album, Stay With The Hollies. Unlike all other versions here, The Hollies skip the ‘cold vocal’ a-cappella intro, and instead, the song begins with the instrumental opening.
1964
[REPLAY]
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MONEY (That’s What I Want)
Barrett Strong
[Mono]
Barrett indeed believed in that about which he sang; he went on to make a fortune as a major songwriter (primarily for Motown Records). Along with his co-writer Norman Whitfield, he’s penned huge #1 and/or Top 10 hits for The Temptations (Ball Of Confusion, Cloud Nine, I Can’t Get Next To You, Psychedelic Shack and Papa Was A Rolling Stone), Marvin Gaye (I Heard It Through The Grapevine), Edwin Starr (War), The Undisputed Truth (Smiling Faces (Sometimes)) and many more.
Jan.1960
[REPLAY]
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MONEY
The Beatles
[Mono]
The first of three big original Motown Records hits covered by the band.
According to Ringo Starr in Beatles Anthology –
“The cover songs recorded for (the second album) With The Beatles were chosen by whoever liked them. It was interesting that when I joined The Beatles, we didn’t really know each other. But if you looked at each of our record collections, the four of us had virtually the same records. We all had The Miracles, we all had Barrett Strong and people like that. I suppose that helped us gel as musicians, and as a group.”
Again, Lennon, the rocker, at his finest!
Nov.22.1963 [UK] • Nov.25.1963 [CA] • Apr.10.1964 [US]
[REPLAY]
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PLEASE Mr. POSTMAN
The Marvelettes
[Stereo]
PMP was co-written by the late Freddie Gorman, the deep-voiced vocalist of The Marvelettes’ fellow Motown group The Originals (The Bells, Baby I’m For Real).
A little known, but true story here … prior to achieving his fame, Freddie was a letter carrier for the USPS in Detroit. After his performing career was over in the early 80’s, he ended up returning to his former job at a postal service office in the downtown area of Los Angeles, CA. Mr. Postman indeed!
Aug.1961
[REPLAY]
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PLEASE MR. POSTMAN
The Beatles
[Mono]
Motown Records cover version number two. On July 30, 1963, after recording Beatles’ originals It Won’t Be Long and All My Loving, and cover versions of Till There Was You and Roll Over Beethoven (both heard in Part 4), they struggled to finish this cover of The Marvelettes original – it took them nine takes to get it right.
Nov.22.1963 [UK] • Nov.25.1963 [CA] • Apr.10.1964 [US]
[REPLAY]
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ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC
Chuck Berry
[Mono]
What can one say about Charles Edward Anderson Berry that’s not already been said? THE Father of Rock & Roll!
May.1956
[REPLAY]
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ROCK AND ROLL MUSIC
The Beatles
[Mono]
Until assembling and listening to all 24 Beatles covers en mass for this presentation, I never actually realized that the majority of them had John Lennon on lead vocals.
As with their cover versions of Barrett Strong’s Money, Larry Williams‘ Bad Boy, Dizzy Miss Lizzy, and Slow Down – and The Isley Brothers original Twist And Shout (the latter two will be heard in Part 4) – here’s another raucous show-stopper from Lennon – he really was a rocker through and through!
Dec.4.1964 [UK] • Dec.15.1964 [US][CA]
[REPLAY]
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Others Installments
PART ONE
PART TWO
PART FOUR
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THE BEATLES: Under The Influence – Part 3
Written by
Rick Murray Hunter
Produced by
HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Production Assistant
Tony Busbridge
Additional Production Assistance
Chris Mahan
Consultant
Dick Rosemont
Music Source
The Music Vault from
HouseoftheHits, Inc.
Research
Rick Murray Hunter
Research Assistance
Beatles Bible
Skyline Mastering
Tom Daly
Top 40 Music on CD
Pat Downey
The Originals Project
Dick Rosemont
Record Research of the
Billboard® Hot 100 (eBook Editions)
Joel Whitburn
Record Label & Sleeve Graphics
Courtesy of 45cat
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A special thanks to Sequel Records (UK) and their 1992 CD – UNDER THE INFLUENCE: The Original Versions of the Songs The BEATLES Covered (NEX CD 226). Not only was it my source for high-quality audio on the obscure titles, but also the compilation on which this presentation is based.
