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.
Dukes Of Stratosphear ( XTC + Ian Gregory brother of Dave on drums ) :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-fL68DbcQ0
KLAATU: “Calling occupants of interplanetary craft”
Love Oasis. “What’s the Story Morning Glory” is a fantastic album.
And "Woman" by Peter and Gordon, also written by McCartney.
Jeff Lynne help produce the Beatles anthology album back in 1995.
Give Me a Kiss--The Hornets (1964)
She's the One--the Chartbusters (1964)
Paul talking about Peter and Gordon and spontaneously playing some lines in 1969
I am in awe of McCartney spontaneous demos in the late 1960’s (step inside love, heather, come and get it)
The Beatles Woman (Paul McCartney Version) With Chat - Twickenham Sessions
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=FmZxCD6-gK0&pp=ygUUd29tYW4gcGF1bCBtY2NhcnRuZXk%3D
🔝🔝
The Beau Brummels probably chose their name to capitalize on the British Invasion (Beau Brummel was a nineteenth-century English hustler). And in record stores where records were placed alphabetically by performer, their records would be stacked next to those of the Beatles and Beach Boys.
My favorite from The Dukes...
Collideascope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUOJIm0fVas
(Based on The Move’s ‘Blackberry Way’)
Mister Kingdom is the ELO song that most resembles The Beatles.
Several members of Pilot, became the core of The Alan Parsons Project.
That song, and their other songs, were produced by Sly Stone, of Sly & The Family Stone.
Also, Beau Brummell was mentioned by Billy Joel in his song, It's still Rock and Roll to Me.
They are from Australia, and it’s from a highway exit sign there. Were you on Hwy 1?
The Monkees tended to sound a lot like the Beatles because that's what Kirshner wanted. They had the best of the best writing pop nuggets for them, but the OG's behind the Monkees were Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart. They more or less came up with the idea of that show, with the thought they'd be the stars. They were still part of it as songwriters and performers... but it didn't work out as intended.
Kinda thought this one from Paul Revere and the Raiders nick a bit of that Doctor Robert vibe.
See post #2.
101. Headed south today from Gold Beach, OR. Stopped at my favorite Benbow Inn in Garberville for the night.
The Carpenters did a cover of it.
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