Posted on 04/19/2024 5:53:40 PM PDT by nickcarraway
When the Beatles arrived on the scene in the United States in 1964, many have said it was like a Wizard of Oz moment; before them, popular music was black and white but after, it was technicolor. Yes, the former Mop Tops changed everything when it came to pop and rock and roll—and the band continued to flip the script, evolving from simple tunes to very intricate, sweeping offerings on later albums.
But given their enormous musical impact, it was inevitable some bands along the way were going to imitate The Beatles’ sound. Imitation, after all, is the highest form of flattery. But which bands (and songs) at the time sounded so much like The Beatles that many often confused them with the original? That’s what we’ll investigate here below.
“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra
Sounding a lot like the Beatles’ 1966 song, “Good Day Sunshine,” this song was released in 1977 by Electric Light Orchestra on their album Out of the Blue. ELO were known to honor The Beatles, as frontman Jeff Lynne was a big fan. In fact, both Paul McCartney and John Lennon have commented on how “Mr. Blue Sky” sounds like an extension of their own songs. The rhythms, bass, and vocals on “Mr. Blue Sky” are ripped from The Beatles’ aura.
“Happy Together” by The Turtles
This 1967 song by the Turtles sounds like it could have been penned by the melodic McCartney, complete with harmonies and Ringo Starr-like snare-drum staccato hits. Background horns meet soaring, bright vocals. After all, The Turtles were known for covering other artists, including Bob Dylan, having broken out in part thanks to their rendition of his “It Ain’t Me Babe.” The California band might as well have been called The Chameleons.
“Without You” by Badfinger
This 1970 song from Badfinger’s album No Dice opens with strummed acoustic, bouncy melodic bass, and a voice that sounds like a McCartney clone. The Welsh band Bandfinger was first named The Iveys but renamed itself after the working title for The Beatles’ 1967 song “With a Little Help from My Friends,” which was originally titled “Bad Finger Boogie.” And the connections don’t end there. The group also recorded on The Beatles’ Apple Records label from 1968 to 1973.
“Lies” by The Knickerbockers
This song is straight out of The Beatles’ sound. If you squint, the music video here below even looks like the Fab Four, except there is a saxophone involved. The song also sounds like the inspiration for the 1996 movie song, “That Thing You Do.” Still, the pop-blues-rock sound The Beatles brought to the U.S. in 1964 seems to be a big inspiration for this song, which was released by the New Jersey-born band a year later in 1965. In fact, the band’s guitarist Beau Charles copped to the likeness, saying, “We desperately tried to write something that sounded like the British Invasion. We wrote ‘Lies’ in less than one half hour. We demo-ed it in New York.”
“Please Don’t Feel Too Bad” by The Hollies
This song from the 1964 album In The Hollies Style, which was recorded just two months after The Beatles hit the U.S. and released nine months after, sounds more like The Beatles’ style than The Hollies’. But that may be a coincidence since the band is from Manchester, England, just an hour east of Liverpool, the blue-collar home of the Fab Four. Still, if you didn’t know better and you heard this song on classic radio, you could easily think it was The Beatles.
Because....Dave Clark Five?
Badfinger: No Matter What.
“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra
One of my favorite songs by ELO
Almost the entire Electric Light Orchestra music catalog sounds like a “I am the walrus” spin-off .. I believe Jeff Lynne pretty much agreed with that
McCartney wrote and recorded a demo ( all by himself) of Bad fingers first hit
“Come and get it”
I use to think the song “red rubber ball” was a beatle song with Ringo with lead vocals but it was by the The Cyrkle
It’s Magic — Pilot
Backup harmonies sound like early Beatles
There was a NYC FM radio D-jay from the 1990s who always believed John Lennon went to his grave wishing he had written Procul Harum’s “A White Shade Of Pale.”
How about this? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDgqIyprGLM
Great stuff!
“Hey now, hey now.
Don’t dream it’s over!”
And John Lennon was the one who suggested they change their name from Circle to Cyrcle.
Interesting. I’ve never heard anyone say that one, but Crowded House.
I’ll agree with that.
AGREE,RINGO SAID AT ONE OF HIS CONCERTS THAY THEY WISHED IT WAS ONE OF THEIR SONGS. ONE OF MY FAVORITES
Boy, there’s a lot LOT more songs out there than that. in fact, the writer claiming these are the songs that sound like they were written by the Beatles is kinda ridiculous because there’s so many out there that could make the same claim. I realize he’s not saying that’s all that’s out there, but saying these 5 epitomize it? Is well... Pffffft!
I’ll see your DC5 and raise you a Hemran’s Hermits
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