Demented Bri-Bri Joy Gray attacked the Beatles at the end of 2021 (see Ava and C.I.'s "Media: The stupid and the liars choose to serve corporations, not people").
That attack still ticks off a number of our readers including Tobias
who e-mailed to ask if we could "Do a piece like you do on deaths, where
you run it from time to time to update it. It would just list the
artists who recorded cover versions of Beatles' songs. Ava and C.I.
wrote about this and they included a large number of artists that you
could use to make the list. And it could just be that, the Beatles
record a song and then, later, someone else recorded it, just a list
piece like Dona talks about all the time. I do not want her to have the
last word and I hate how she tried to frame it as a Black issue. I'm
Black, I love the Beatles and I'm not the only Black person who does and
any look at a list that included the many Black performers who recorded
Beatles' songs would make that clear. And a list of everyone --
regardless of race -- would also make it clear just how universal and
widespread the Beatles were." We also like the Beatles and agree
Bri-Bri is full of crap. So here's our first attempt.
"Across The Universe" -- Fiona Apple, Cilla Black, Alicia Keys, Rufus Wainwright, David Bowie, 10cc.
"All My Loving" -- Count Basie, Mary Wells, Darlene Love.
"All Together Now" -- Andre 3000.
"And
I Love Her [Him]" -- Roberta Flack, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr.,
Judy Collins, Bob Marley, jazz great Nancy Wilson, Count Basie, Mary
Wells, the Vibrations, Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Sarah
Vaughan.
"Back in the USSR" -- Chubby Checker, Molly Hatchet, Billy Joel.
"The Ballad of John & Yoko" -- Stevie Wonder, Teenage Fanclub.
"Because" -- Elliott Smith.
"Blackbird"
-- Carly Simon, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Judy Collins, Billy
Preston, Sarah Vaughan, Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLauchlan.
"Can't Buy Me Love" -- Ella Fitzgerald, the Supremes, Count Basie, Mary Wells, Shenandoah.
"Carry That Weight" -- Corinne Bailey Rae, Phil Collins.
"Come
Together" -- Roberta Flack, Ike and Tina Turner, Diana Ross, Count
Basie, Aerosmith, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Sarah Vaughan.
"Day Tripper" -- Mae West, Otis Redding, Cheap Trick, Jimi Hendrix, Bad Brains.
"Dear Prudence" -- the 5 Stairsteps, Siouxie and the Banshees.
"Dig A Pony" -- St. Vincent.
"Do You Want to Know a Secret" -- Count Basie, Mary Wells.
"Don't Let Me Down" -- Randy Crawford, Annie Lennox, Donald Height.
"Drive My Car" -- the Donnas, Black Heat.
"Eight Days A Week" -- Mary Wells, Billy Preston, Lorrie Morgan.
"Eleanor
Rigby" -- Aretha Franklin, Joan Baez, Richie Havens, Count Basie, Ray
Charles, Gene Chandler, Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Shirley Bassey,
Booker T and the MGs, Sarah Vaughan, Kansas, PP Arnold, Lord Sitar, Black Pumas.
"The End" -- Corinne Bailey Rae, Phil Collins.
"Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey" -- Fats Domino.
"Fixing A Hole" -- George Burns.
"The
Fool On The Hill" -- Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Count Basie,
the Four Tops, Shirley Bassey, Sarah Vaughan, the Impressions, Andre Kostelanetz and his Orchestra, Percy Faith and his Orchestra and Chorus
"For No One" -- Maceo & All the King's Men, Emmylou Harris, Rickie Lee Jones.
"From Me To You" -- Del Shannon, Bobby McFerrin.
"Get Back" -- Ike and Tina Turner, Count Basie, Elvis Presley, Sarah Vaughan, Rod Stewart, Al Green.
"Golden Slumber" -- Judy Collins, Corinne Bailey Rae, Phil Collins, Ben Folds.
"Good Day Sunshine" -- Judy Collins, Lulu, Roy Redmond.
"Goodnight" -- Barbra Streisand.
"Got
To Get You Into My Life" -- Ella Fitzgerald, Marilyn McCoo and Billy
Davis Jr., Sonny & Cher, the Four Tops, Earth, Wind & Fire.
"Happiness Is A Warm Gun" -- the Breeders, Tori Amos, Danger Mouse.
"A
Hard Days Night" -- the Supremes, Dionne Warwick, Count Basie,
Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Goldie Hawn, the Bar-Kays, George Maharis, Mrs. Miller.
"Hello Goodbye" -- The Cure.
"Help" -- Tina Turner, Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Count Basie, Mary Wells, the Carpenters, David Porter, Dolly Parton, Bananarama, Lil Wayne.
"Helter Skelter" -- Pat Benatar, U2.
"Here Comes The Sun" -- Nina Simone, Richie Havens, Colbie Caillat, Sandy Farina.
"Here,
There, and Everywhere" -- Roberta Flack, Petula Clark,Count Basie, Aiza
Seguerra, Tony Bennett, Emmy Lou Harris, Sarah Vaughan.
"Hey Bulldog" -- Fanny.
"Hey
Jude" -- Ella Fitzgerald, Roberta Flack, Diana Ross & the Supremes,
Judy Collins, Sonny & Cher, the Temptations, Dionne Warwick, Count
Basie, Jose Feliciano, Elvis Presley, Shirley Bassey, Wilson Pickett,
Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Conniff and the Singers, Peter Nero, O.C. Smith.
"Hold Me Tight" -- Count Basie.
"Honey Pie" -- the Pixies [as "Wild Honey Pie"], Barbra Streisand.
"I Am The Walrus" -- Oasis, Lord Sitar.
"I Call Your Name" -- the Mamas and the Papas.
"I Saw Him Standing There" -- Mary Wells, Tiffany, Little Richard, Elton John, the Supremes.
"I Should Have Known Better" -- Roberta Flack, Mary Wells.
"I Wanna Be Your Man" -- Count Basie.
"I Want To Hold Your Hand" -- the Supremes, Al Green, Sparks.
"I Will" -- Diana Ross, Allison Krauss and Tony Furtado.
"I'll Follow The Sun" -- Judy Collins.
"I'm Down" -- Heart.
"If I Fell" -- Roberta Flack.
"In
My Life" -- Roberta Flack, Rod Stewart, Judy Collins, Richie Havens,
Cilla Black, Boyz II Men, Miriam Makeba, the Little River Band, Bette
Midler.
"Isn't It A Pity" -- Roberta Flack.
"It's Only Love" -- Gary US Bond.
"I've Got A Feeling" -- Billy Preston, the 5th Dimension.
"Lady Madonna" -- Richie Havens, Junior Parker, Gary Pucket & Union Gap, Elvis Presley, Fats Domino.
"Let
It Be" -- Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Ike and Tina Turner, Joan
Baez, Richie Havens, Bill Withers, Jose Feliciano, the Mar-Keys, John
Denver, Judy Collins, Nick Cave, Chrissie Hynde, Ray Charles, Leo Sayer, B5.
"Love Me Do" -- Sandie Shaw.
"Lovely Rita" -- Fats Domino.
"The
Long and Winding Road" -- Roberta Flack, Aretha Franklin, Marilyn McCoo
and Billy Davis Jr., Diana Ross, Judy Collins, Richie Havens, Cher,
Cilla Black, jazz great Nancy Wilson, Malaya Watson, the New Birth,
Peter Frampton, Tony Bennett, George Benson, Sarah Vaughan, Cissy
Houston, Ray Charles, Air Supply.
"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" -- Natalie Cole, Elton John, the Flaming Lips, the Black Crowes, Aimee Mann, William Shatner, Marc Anthony.
"Magical Mystery Tour" -- Ambrosia, Cheap Trick.
"Michelle" -- Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, the Four Tops.
"Mother Nature's Son" -- Sheryl Crow.
"Norwegian Wood" -- Judy Collins, Count Basie, Jan & Dean.
"Not A Second Time" -- the Pretenders.
"Nowhere Man" -- the Mamas and the Papas, Vikki Carr, Randy Travis, Paul Westerberg, Tiny Tim.
"Ob la Di Ob la Da" -- Arthur Conley.
"Oh Darling" -- Roberta Flack, Sara Bareilles.
"One After 909" -- Willie Nelson.
"P.S. I Love You" -- Ronnie Spector.
"Paperback Writer" -- R.B. Greaves, Shadows, Kris Kristofferson, 10cc.
"Penny Lane" -- Judy Collins, Count Basie.
"Please Please Me" -- Mary Wells.
"Rain" -- Petula Clark.
"Revolution" -- Nina Simone, Thompson Twins, Stone Temple Pilots.
"Rocky Racoon" -- Richie Havens, the Moments.
"Savoy Truffle" -- Ella Fitzgerald.
"Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band" -- Jimi Hendrix.
"She Came In Through The Bathroom Window" -- Ike and Tina Turner, Joe Cocker.
"She [He] Loves You" -- Count Basie, Mary Wells, Peter Sellers.
"She's Leaving Home" -- Robin Gibb, Esther Ofarim, Syreeta.
"Something"
-- Sonny & Cher, Shirley Bassey, Dionne Warwick, Count Basie,
Isaac Hayes, Frank Sinatra, Jack Jones, Patti Page, Tony Bennett, Elvis
Presley, Booker T and the MGs, James Brown, Peggy Lee, Sarah Vaughan,
Ike and Tina Turner, Willie Nelson, Tanya Tucker, Diana Ross.
"Strawberry Fields Forever" -- Richie Havens, Odetta, Regine Velasquez, Ben Harper, Cyndi Lauper, Peter Gabriel.
"Taxman" -- Rockwell, Power Station.
"Things We Said Today" -- Cliff Richard, Bob Dylan, Jackie DeShannon.
"Ticket
To Ride" -- Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., Mary Wells, the 5th
Dimension, the Carpenters, Husker Du, Wee Willie Walker.
"Till There Was You" -- Sitti, Aiza Seguerra.
"Tomorrow Never Knows" -- Junior Parker, Jimi Hendrix, 801, the Chameleons.
"Two Of Us" -- Aimee Mann & Michael Penn.
"We
Can Work It Out" -- Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, Judy Collins, Dionne
Warwick, Chaka Khan, Aiza Seguerra, Maxine Brown, Heather Nova, Al
Green, Sam & Dave.
"When I'm Sixty-Four" -- Judy Collins.
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" -- Eric Clapton, Tom Petty. Todd Rundgren, Wu-Tang Clan.
"Why Don't We Do It In The Road" -- Lowell Fulson.
"With
A Little Help From My Friends" -- Ike and Tina Turner, Richie Havens,
Count Basie, the Undisputed Truth, Joe Cocker, Barbra Streisand, the Beach Boys.
"Yesterday"
-- Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr., the Supremes, Judy Collins, Cilla
Black, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Dionne Warwick, Count Basie, Mary
Wells, Ray Charles, Linda Jones, Johnny Mathis, Chet Akins, Shirley
Bassey, Elvis Presley, Marianne Faithful, Tom Jones, the Sandpipers, the
New Seekers, Lou Rawls, Patti LaBelle & the Bluebells, Sarah
Vaughan, Carla Thomas, Merle Haggard, En Vogue, PP Arnold, Donny Hathaway.
"You Can't Do That" -- the Supremes, Nilsson.
"You Never Give Me Your Money" -- Sarah Vaughan.
Did we leave out one that you know of? E-mail us at
common_ills@yahoo.com.
We plan to update this throughout the rest of the year. C.I. has five
more songs that need to go on the list. To be clear, this is not
performing a song live in concert or on a TV show. Unless that
performance made it onto a single and/or album, we're not interested.
"Nowhere Man"? The Mamas and Papas performed it on a TV show
HULLABALOO. It would not be on the list above for that reason. In the
UK, the four-disc collection Mamas & Papas Complete Anthology Deluxe
Collection was released (and promoted in the US on PBS during pledge
drives) and the performance of "Nowhere Man" was the first track on disc
four. That's how it's on the list. Bette Midler sings "In My Life" in
the film FOR THE BOYS and Diane Keaton sings "If I Fell" in the film
SHOOT THE MOON. One's on the list above, the other isn't. FOR THE BOYS
has a soundtrack album with "In My Life" on it; SHOOT THE MOON has a
soundtrack with the Beatles performing "In My Life," not Diane Keaton
singing along. Do you want tribute bands on there? Do you want
classical music versions of Beatles' songs on there? If it's yes to
either (or both), e-mail us and we'll put it on the list but otherwise
we'll probably ignore it.
