David Gilmour’s cover versions of two songs by The Beatles were praised as “better than you imagined”.
The Fab Four are not without their hits, and neither is Gilmour, who even with standout solo work and Pink Floyd tracks found the time to cover The Beatles. Gilmour would play both Across the Universe and Revolution during a 2002 performance raising money for Tibet. The Pink Floyd member would play the two songs during a show at Cowdray House in West Sussex, and it would seemingly be a dream come true for Gilmour. The veteran guitarist would share his love of the Fab Four in an interview with MOJO Magazine in 2015, saying he had once wanted to be a part of the band. He would go on to play with Paul McCartney at The Cavern Club, and had worked frequently with the Let It Be hitmaker in the 1980s.
Gilmour said of The Beatles: “I really wish I had been in The Beatles. [They] taught me how to play the guitar, I learnt everything. The bass parts, the lead, the rhythm, everything. They were fantastic.” Gilmour has had more than a few occasions to pay tribute to the band, and that was very much the case for his performance at Cowdray House.
Listeners have since praised Gilmour’s cover of The Beatles’ two tracks, with some believing them to be “better” than expected. One wrote: “Love watching Dave play rhythm on Revolution knowing he’s going to solo. You know Dave can solo. You know he’s going to solo when he gets there.. And then he gets there and cuts into it and it’s always better than you imagined.”
Another added: “In an interview David Gilmour stated he learned to play the guitar by learning all the Beatles and Rolling Stones songs by heart and playing them over and over. This concert must have been total joy for him.”
A third wrote: “His version of Across the Universe is much better than Roger’s [Waters].” Gilmour would also perform with McCartney at The Cavern Club. Many believe it’s one of Gilmour’s finest moments on stage, suggesting the veteran guitarist “cuts loose like an old rocker” while playing along to the Fab Four’s hit.
Others were left praising the star power on stage, with the Wings frontman and Between Two Points singer both hailed for their quality performance. It’s Gilmour who has been singled out for praise most, though, with the Pink Floyd member hailed for giving I Saw Her Standing There a thrilling new angle.
An upload of McCartney, Gilmour, and Iain Pace’s performance on YouTube saw fans hail the performance from the music legends. One fan wrote: “We’re so used to seeing Dave Gilmour playing those oh so serious Pink Floyd songs that it’s nice to see him just cut loose here on an old Beatles rocker.”
Another agreed, adding: “I agree. It’s still interesting that no matter what he plays, his sound is so his. You can tell it’s him even without looking.” A third shared: “The universe is not ready for David Gilmour and Paul McCartney to be in the same room.” You can watch Gilmour cover Across the Universe and Revolution below.
