I Want to Hold Your Hand (Listen/Vote)
I Want to Hold Your Hand, the first Lennon & McCartney song to reach #1 on the US singles charts, has been covered by hundreds of garage bands, bar bands, and professionals from every genre. Let’s listen to four of those covers: The Supremes; a version used in a Bollywood movie; Moving Sidewalks, ZZ guitarist Billy Gibbons’ first band; and Al Green.
Baby Boomers and their children easily recall the mid-1960s pop phenomenon The British Invasion. They might not know how American pop artists were finding equal success in the UK at the same time, especially Motown artists. Among these acts, The Supremes recorded Bit of Liverpool, an entire album of covers featuring songs from The Beatles, Gerry and The Pacemakers, and The Kinks. Here’s their version of the biggest hit of 1964.
The Supremes (1965)
Bollywood is no different than Louis B. Mayer. Movies have always had a parasitic nature, relying on journalism, literature, and song for inspiration. While filming Janwar, the Indian production needed something peppy and contenpo. The latest thing was the Beatles, so why not take your inspiration from the Northern Song publishing company and hope they won’t notice one of their songs was being used without permission.
Dekho Ab To (1965)
It’s interesting how within four years music changed from bubble gum to LSD.
Moving Sidewalks (1968)
At the height of his powers, Rev. Al dipped this limiest of songs into hot, funky soul and this classic appeared.
Al Green (1971)
I don’t really love any of these, making Al Green the winner by default. I really dig The Supremes, but god is that cover atrocious. The Dekho Ab Tu cover really does nothing and The Moving Sidewalks’ rendition is to stilted to ever hook me. Cool band name though,for the time.
It’s funny when a group as successful as The Supremes hitches a ride on Beatlemania and is so out of their element. It would be Sarah Palin mean to laugh, but like her I’ll be totally half-hearted about it.