Fans of the legendary rock group The Beatles have shared the cover versions of the Fab Four’s songs they “prefer” to the originals.
Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr, were responsible for some of the all-time greatest songs during their time in The Beatles. But some fans have suggested cover versions of the four’s work sometimes eclipse the Fab Four’s efforts. A post to the r/TheBeatles subreddit had fans discuss the songs which artists had turned into better versions after the original release. A post to the subreddit reads: “Are there any cover versions of The Beatles songs that you like better than The Beatles’ version? If so, which ones?”
One song in particular, “hits different” according to fans of Stevie Wonder, who say his cover of We Can Work It Out far exceeds the quality of the song featured on a Double A-side with The Beatles’ Day Tripper. One user wrote: “It hits different!” Another added that while Wonder’s voice is a “classic,” the “overproduced” style of the song pales in comparison to McCartney’s work on the original.
Another user suggested Joe Cocker, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2025 member, had two of the best Beatles covers to his name. The user wrote: “With a Little Help From My Friends and She Came In Through the Bathroom Window by Joe Cocker are above most other covers I’ve heard.”
A separate user agreed, adding: “Same. The live version of She Came In Through The Bathroom Window from Mad Dogs and Englishmen is the greatest version of that song ever.” Fellow rock legends U2 were responsible for another fantastic, fan favourite cover, with one user suggesting their Helter Skelter rendition is a phenomenal achievement.
One user wrote: “U2’s live cover of Helter Skelter makes me forget to breathe.” Another user pointed to U2’s origins as a cover songs band, which may be the reason the group’s Helter Skelter is still remembered. They wrote: “Yep. They started, like most bands I guess, with cover songs, and were so bad at it they started writing their own songs. Led to one of the best debut albums of the 80s.”
Another leftfield choice came in the form of Chumbawamba’s Her Majesty. The original snippet featured at the end of Abbey Road and was meant as nothing more than a brief post-interlude.
One user commented: “One of my favourite tricks to play is to show people the cover of Her Majesty by Chumbawumba, asking if they’ve heard it before. It’s incredible the trick it does to your brain when you’re expecting the song to end and it continues past what you know exists.”
Another added: “I actually like their rendition and added parts. Not that I like it more or better, but I definitely dig it and was certainly surprised seeing that it’s Chumbawumba.”
