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March was traditionally when I attended what was then called “BeatleFest.”  Back in Jr. High School, a fella named Craig and I went and I bought Paul McCartney buttons for a girl I liked.  In high school Mike, Bill and I went and later watched Bill and his brothers compete in the battle of the bands.  Initial Sounds founder, Nathaniel K. Woodward and I attended during a blizzard.

Years later, I went back several times as a producer, when I worked for Q104.  By then the magic had worn off.  It seemed a bit crazy, like the Dead at the end of the run.  Lots of hangers on, and folks who didn’t really appreciate the music.  Many were vendors who were looking to sell a ton of non-Beatle crap.

But March has for many, many years been a month of bleh and a pull to the Beatles.  Maybe John, Paul, George and Ringo can be counted on to get me out of my funk.  It is with this in mind, that I put together the March compendium: We All Know Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, a collection of some more of my favorite Beatle covers.  It has been five years since the last one, so we are way past due.

Track List:

1. And Your Bird Can Sing :: Sid & Susie – Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoff’s alter ego did a brilliant cover album in 2006 and one of the highlights is this early Beatle jem.  Long rumored to be the first John & Paul spar song (before “How Do You Sleep” and “Too Many People”).

2. I Should Have Known Better :: She & Him – Another musical alter ego, this time belonging to Zooey Dechannel and M. Ward. Love the steel petals and the laid back approach.

3. Eleanor Rigby :: Beth Thornley – This indie fav lightens the deeply depressing Rigby, just enough to let us peek in and witness the despair.

4. Tomorrow Never Knows :: The Helio Sequence – Last Summer, one of my dear friends, Slickbyrd, took me to the Siren Festival to see among others, this act.  Anyone who can cover this song live and nail it, gets my vote.  Always trust your friends who really love music, but keep in mind that not every friend with the same name has good taste.

5. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds:: The Black Crowes – One of two from the “I Am Sam” film, TBC departs from their usual southern tinted rock for this Californian interpretation of a classically underestimated tune.

6. I Am The Walrus :: Bono & Secret Machines  – One of two from the film “Across The Universe,” This is what happens when you combine two UK treasures.  Love the people.  Love the people.

7.  Hello Goodbye :: Son Volt – NKW turned me on to Son Volt and I dug this little gem up.  A bit faithful, but hey, enjoy the Mantra: Hela Heba Helloa.

8. Penny Lane :: Kenny Rankin – A kind soul who has disappeared into the ether made me a disc of Kenny, a few years back.  I do enjoy his take on this song.

9. Happiness Is A Warm Gun :: Tori Amos – I dare you to think that assault rifles are a good idea, after listening to this song.  Sure, I love the Constitution, but come on!

10. Blackbird :: Billy Preston – The real 5th Beatle covering a track from two albums before he played with the other four (I’ll wait, it will come to you.) is one of the best.  Much more full of hope, especially when you remember that Paul McCartney wrote this to be an African American woman’s anthem.

11. Why Don’t We Do It In The Road? :: Dana Fuchs – One of the most profound McCartney compositions.  I am 100% serious.  He wrote this from the same mindset as Plato.  Life is simple.  Dana nails it with a fever pitch.  If you never saw her in Love Janis, then you missed a musical event.  See the film “Across The Universe,” and repent.

12. Mother Nature’s Son :: Sheryl Crow – I quiet enjoy it when one of my favorite musicians covers another.  It’s just so cozy, like swinging daisies.

13. Revolution :: Stereophonics – How fitting is that this track appeared on the same album as the final George Harrison work?  Jools Holland is a master.

14. Savoy Truffle :: They Might Be Giants – Once again, this is not about heroin.  It’s about candy.  A whimsical band, took a whimsical Harrison and grooved it baby!

15. Come Together :: Robin Williams & Bobby McFerrin – From the In My Life George Martin collection, Williams and McFerrin could sing/make noise out of the phone book and I’d buy it.  It’s serious, so I believe Robin Williams had a beard when he recorded it.

16. Something :: Joe Cocker – George Harrison wrote this about… GOD!  But though that the other Beatles would be mean, so he made HE into SHE.  Then Harrison called it a love song, gave it to Joe Cocker, who’s label shelved it until after Abby Road.  But this is the actual first recording of the song.

17. Abby Road Medley :: Booker T & The MG’s – Good friend and Beatle freak Mike gave me this for use on an upcoming Radio Free Jersey.  Booker T was so enamoured with Abby Road that he and the MG’s did a cover of the record and called it McLemore Avenue.  Motown humore gets me every time.

18. Get Back :: Ike & Tina Turner – before he was a total asshole, they made some good music.  Tina has a few Beatle covers, but this is my favorite.

Cover:
The front cover is of a bunch of hipsters on Coney Island during the summer of 2008, when I was hanging with Slickbyrd and soaking the atmosphere and music up.  I was impressed that a 23 year old was into the Beatles enough to wear that statement on his shirt.  Unless he was really like the rest of the hipsters and just wanted to make a statement just to be seen.  Anyway, it works, so thanks hipster dude.  The back cover is a painting my mom was selling in a garage sale. It didn’t sell, but looked like a baby Paul McCartney.  I immediately thought of the Thanksgiving scene in Ricky Bobby… to paraphase, pray for us Baby Paul McCartney.

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Video embed from CNN didn’t work, so here is the clip from Ringo Starr’s website.

In it, he tell us he will no longer sign stuff or basicily read fan mail.