Twist and Shout has been named the greatest cover song in music history. The energetic song was covered by The Beatles, rock legends who sent it soaring up the charts.
In fact, the song has come to so define the legendary Beatles that many people forget it was ever a cover song at all. Still, The Beatles put their own stamp on the song. But it was actually a cover song of a cover song.
According to Classical Music, Twist and Shout became "one of The Beatles’ most identifiable sounds," and it was "a cover quite unlike the original. In fact, it wasn’t even a cover of the original." How big was the song? A monster hit.
"For their debut album, John (Lennon) recorded his vocal in one take at the end of a marathon recording session on February 11th 1963," The Beatles' website says.
In July 1963, Twist And Shout "became the title track of the band’s first EP to be released in the UK. According to the advert on the front of New Musical Express, it was 'The record you’ve been asking for,'" The Beatles' website adds. "A week after Twist And Shout was released it made the EP best-seller list and a week after that topped the same chart staying there for ten weeks."
Who Sang 'Twist and Shout' First?
(Photo by David Redfern/Redferns)
The song was "written by Phil Medley and Bert Burns (aka Bert Russell)," and it was originally recorded in 1961 by a band called The Top Notes, according to Classic a;Music.
However, The Isley Brothers' cover of that song a year later is the song that The Beatles ended up covering, John Lennon later revealed, Classical Music noted.
Listen to The Beatles' version here on YouTube, where it has had 100 million views.
"Is it just me or does John have the perfect amount of scratchiness in his voice," a fan weighed in on the comment thread. "If this doesn't cheer you up, nothing will," another fan wrote. A fan declared the song possibly Lennon's "best vocal performance."
Now compare The Beatles' iconic version to the Isley Brothers' take on the tune:
A fan wrote on YouTube, "Can we appreciate both this version and The Beatles version without insulting either one of them?" Another person wrote, "The Isley Brothers' version is a true rock and roll classic, and the Beatles' take of it is the best cover in rock and roll. Can't beat that!" Added another fan, "Always have loved the Beatles version but this version has so much soul in it. Ya gotta love it."
The Top Notes' Version of 'Twist & Shout' Has Found New Life on YouTube
What about The Top Notes version? Here it is:
A fan wrote on YouTube, "Well let's always keep in mind that there wouldn't be a 'Beatles' version' had there not been this one, which provided the lyrics and then the Isley Brothers rendition which provided the now famous arrangement of the song that the Beatles get all the credit for."
Added another person, "They're both good just in different ways. The Isley's has more of a rnb soul feel/sound which is great; the Beatles' has more of a pop rock feel/sound whcih is awesome as well. Both rnb and pop-rock is good music."
According to Beatles Bible, the song "entered The Beatles’ live repertoire in 1962 – a live version from Hamburg’s Star-Club in December that year is available on bootleg recordings." Added Beatles Bible: "John Lennon gave the throat-shredding performance of his career."
from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/y365Gmg
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