The Beatles: The World's Greatest Covers Band! Quiz

Answer: Twist and Shout

The Beatles recorded most of their first album in one day, February 11, 1963. Legend has it that, late in the evening, George Martin realized that they were one song short for the album. They decided on "Twist and Shout" but John's voice was shot after a long day of recording. So, he gargled with a glass of milk and the boys launched into their cover of "Twist and Shout". John gave it his all and when they were done, he had little to no voice left.

They tried one more take but it didn't have the spontaneous energy of that magical first take. George Martin said, "I don't know how they do it. We've been recording all day but the longer we go on the better they get." What you hear on the recording is about as close to the Beatles in the Cavern Club as we'll ever get.

Answer: The Music Man

"Till There Was You" was the second song the Beatles played on their first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964. As George launched into the guitar solo, each Beatle's name was projected onto the screen. Under John's name, it said "Sorry girls. He's married."
"The Music Man" is one of those great shows from the Golden Age of Musicals. Starring Robert Preston and Barbara Cook, it was a great success and beat out "West Side Story" for the best musical Tony in 1958.

Answer: Carl Perkins

Carl Perkins, of course, also wrote that great rockabilly classic, "Blue Suede Shoes." In addition to "Matchbox" and "Honey Don't", the Beatles also recorded Perkins' "Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby", with vocals by keen Perkins' fan George Harrison.

Answer: Chains

Curiously, the Beatles recorded quite a few girl group hits: "Baby, It's You" by the Shirelles and "Please Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes are two examples. You can also hear the call-and-response technique that was part of the girl group style in some of the Beatles' own compositions. Listen to "It Won't Be Long" or "You're Gonna Lose That Girl" and you'll see what I mean.

Answer: A Taste of Honey

Considered a low point for some hardcore Beatles' fans due to the song's sappy lyrics and melody, this version still showcases a nice vocal from Paul, whose love of sappy lyrics and melodies is well documented. I like the song and I like the Beatles' version but, among hardcore fans, I suspect I'm in the minority.
An instrumental version by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass was a major hit in 1965.

Answer: You've Really Got a Hold on Me

Bob Dylan once referred to Smokey Robinson as the great American poet. He is certainly one of the greatest songwriters in the history of popular music and "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" is among his best songs. John's vocal is dynamic, as it is on all of their Motown covers. Motown Studios returned the favor by covering any number of Beatles' tunes. My personal favorite is Marvin Gaye's sensational cover of "Yesterday."

Answer: Words of Love

In the summer of 1958, when John, Paul, and George were teenagers, they went into a local recording studio and for a fee of 17 shillings and three pence, laid down two tracks--an original entitled "In Spite of All the Danger" and Buddy Holly's "That'll Be the Day". I would've loved to hear the Beatles handle some of Buddy's other tunes.

The version they do of "Words of Love" is virtually a carbon copy of Buddy's.

Answer: Rock and Roll Music

Of the two Chuck Berry covers the Beatles did, "Rock and Roll Music" is definitely the superior recording, largely because of John's blistering vocals and the tight, hard-driving backing track the band lays down.
This track was released as a single in some countries where it topped the chart in Australia and Finland.

Answer: Devil in Her Heart

Another girl-group cover for the Beatles. The Donays only other recording was a song entitled "Bad Boy." No, not the same Larry Williams tune that the Beatles recorded in 1965, but a different song altogether. Donays' lead singer Yvonne Vernee later sang with the Elgins for Motown.

Answer: Maggie Mae

This impromptu cover version emerged from the "Let It Be" sessions. "Maggie Mae" is a Liverpudlian folk song that dates back to 1757. The story of a Liverpool streetwalker who robs a "homeward bounder" (or a sailor returning home from the sea), the song was very popular among sailors worldwide. A skiffle version was released in the 1950s, probably the version the Beatles were familiar with.

"Oh dirty Maggie Mae they have taken her away
And she never walk down Lime Street any more
Oh the judge he guilty found her
For robbing a homeward bounder
That dirty no good robbin' Maggie Mae
To the port of Liverpool
They returned me to
Two pounds ten a week, that was my pay."