When Beatles covers were mentioned by bza above I thought, “Surely there’s plenty of good ones?” thinking immediately of Joe Cocker, of course - Let It Be, Bathroom Window, Little Help, Something - golden, magical stuff.

Then I remembered Cliff Bennett - Got To get You Into My Life - and Billy J Kramer - Do You Want To Know A Secret? - which weren’t necessarily covers but which I’ve always liked as much as the originals.

Then Cilla, excellent, not always covering - Step Inside Love, Love Of The Loved, Yesterday (haven’t heard that, bet she’s big-ballad-tastic).

Then Gordon Giltrap’s In My Life - which was majestic. Not better than the original but magnificent. I requested it last year at a gig and he said that he doesn’t sing any more because he was never much good at it! Never mind, Gordo, you’ll get the hang of the guitar soon….

The Stones did I Wanna Be Your Lover very competently, again not really a cover.

The covers webpage that I looked at said that Duffy Power with Graham Bond covered I Saw Her Standing There, which I would love to hear. It said that Hendrix did Day Tripper, Sgt Pepper and Tomorrow Never Knows, which I can’t begin to imagine.

I could go on - I do, I know - but I’ll close with a bursting-with-pride mention of my son’s cover on private CD of Come Together. The band, Daddy Rabbit, were all aged 12/13 and they did a bang-up job on a difficult-to-deliver song featuring an important tricky drum line. Oh, he was the drummer - didn’t I say that?

Ian Bairnson evens
Steve Harley 2-1
Windsor Davies 5000-1

AFAIK the only other direct contributions by involved parties to Popular thus far are Joe Moretti, who played on “Out Of Time” (and with the People Band - rock on Joe!), and Mitch Murray who was a bit put out by our “Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde” remarks since he co-wrote the song.

Can’t find the hit that you referred to - was it in the USA?

Geoff

Thanks ever so much for the update. It’s nice to know that my memories as a five year old have not betrayed me thirty-one years down the line. Lance Mason! That was the boy. The school was Hazelrigge Primary in Clapham and Lance lived in Larkhall Rise.

I am sorry that Laurie is no longer with us. I’ve often wondered what became of Lance.

As for The Overlanders, I have another one of your singles on Pye called “My Life”, which was written by Tony Hatch. It was clearly recorded post “Michelle” and was a cracking little pop song in my opinion. Too bad it bombed.

I’m sure that I speak for everyone at Freaky Trigger when I wish you all the best, Terry. It must be the only istance one of the actual artists have contributed to the project. Thanks again. God Bless.

As for the record itself, I personally think it is a good effort and far superior to the rather slovenly original from “Rubber Soul”. I shall have to concede, however, that the song itself is absurd. The guy should have left the exchange student alone and gone and pulled a local sort down at The Cats Whiskers in Steatham.

Given that “Michelle” the song was an obvious pisstake anyway (”I need you, I need you, I need you…I think you know by now” etc.) it probably got the cover versions it deserved.

While I hold that good Beatles covers rarely stand up to the originals, there are notable exceptions–Joe Cocker’s “With a Little Help From My Friends” perhaps the most notable. I’d give honourable mention to Annie Lennox’s “Don’t Bring Me Down” (but then Annie has done many incredible covers, beginning her career with one of the best Dusty covers ever), Sandie Shaw’s interesting “Love Me Do,” and–dare I say it?–Bananarama’s “Help!”

Doctor Mod