songs that really sound like The Beatles (voices too so not Oasis)

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Tears For Fears 'Sowing The Seeds Of Love' (1989) - voice-wise the 'time to eat all your words, swallow your priiiide...' bit is spot on

Freiheit 'Keeping The Dream Alive' (1988) - anthemic German lighter-song, the harmonies got a lot of people remarking about Beatles similarity at the time i seem to recall

Simian 'La Breeze' (2003) - so spot on i did think it was a remix of an old Beatles track at first, bizarre - great track tho

no real point to this thread - just curious - any more for any more?

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:21 (twenty-two years ago)

As I said on some other Beatles thread, very very few vocalists seem to have even tried to sound like Paul McCartney did in the 60s.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:22 (twenty-two years ago)

i forget his name but on the Simian track he sounds more like George than John or Paul - but there's an element of them all in there, its remarkable really, esp. as I hadnt noticed that on anything else Simian have done to date (probably because it isn't there)

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

"I'd Like That", XTC

― dleone (dleone), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:26 (twenty-two years ago)

"Come and Get It", Badfinger

― dleone (dleone), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Wings?

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Dominique is right: XTC. (Also, "Frivolous Tonight.") Andy Partridge AND Colin Moulding both have a certain knack for this. There's very little Lennon in their Beatles-worship, methinks, it's all about Paul. (Dave Gregory was George.) (Terry Chambers gets to be Ringo.) (That's why there was no room for Barry Andrews.)

― Neudonym, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

The Gants, "I Wonder" and The Knickerbockers, "Lies"

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

It's been years since I heard it but Win's "Hollywood Baby Too" struck me as a Beatles pastiche.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:28 (twenty-two years ago)

Klaatu

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Klaatu to thread?

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:29 (twenty-two years ago)

"Sunless Saturday" by Fishbone hijacked those "Penny Lane" french horns and trumpets

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:29 (twenty-two years ago)

DAMMIT TWICE IN ONE DAY.

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

The closest approximation of The Beatles I've ever heard is by a Peruvian psych-pop band from 1970-71 (or thereabouts) called We All Together. I heard it on college radio a couple years ago and was shocked at not having heard this astounding song from what sounded EXACTLY like White Album Beatles. Not all of the disc is as impressive an impersonation as the song I heard, "Tomorrow" (god, it's uncanny-- i've never heard anything like it... except, uh, The Beatles, right!), but the compilation it's on (s/t) is decent. Runner-up is Green Pajamas in their/his song "Deadly Nightshade".

― Ryan Pitchfork, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Don't forget the Rutles

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:31 (twenty-two years ago)

The We Are Together song is really really sixties but I didnt think "Beatles" when I heard it - I think I associate the Beatles and Merseyside accents too closely.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:34 (twenty-two years ago)

"You Tore Me Down" by the Flamin' Groovies is absolutely pitch-perfect (if the Beatles set yr bar for "perfection," anyway.) Beyond uncanny--downright embarrassing how much this sounds like the actual Fabs.

― M Specktor (M Specktor), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:35 (twenty-two years ago)

i suppose E.L.O. veer close to it too with a lot of their tracks but maybe not enough to warrant mention here

― stevem (blueski), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:36 (twenty-two years ago)

beetlebum - blur

and that was the intention :

"i want noel to hear it and realsie that we got...*closer*'
said albarn.

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Unfortunately they didn't.

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:37 (twenty-two years ago)

The Monkees!

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Around 1977 I thought the Beatles were a Monkees side project.

― Mark (MarkR), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:40 (twenty-two years ago)

i second beetlebum...

― robin (robin), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:42 (twenty-two years ago)

"Braniac's Daughter" by Dukes of Stratosphear (aka XTC)

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:44 (twenty-two years ago)

"Collideascope" also from them, in a Lennon mode.

― dleone (dleone), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:46 (twenty-two years ago)

Following the recent Badfinger thread (thanks Harvey btw), Midnight Caller & Apple of My Eye sound remarkably like Abbey Road-era Beatles.

There's also the (spoof) Deface the Music by Utopia. ...& THe Zombies' Tell Her No includes the most obvious John Lennon Oh oh oh... impersonation I've ever heard.

― Jez (Jez), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Unfortunately they didn't.

Try telling Damon that.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

Emitt Rhodes - Somebody Made for Me

― rayas blancas, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:52 (twenty-two years ago)

That was the thing! I heard it first and thought, oh fuck they've gone all US-indie on us, and then suddenly Damon is all "of course this is our Beatles song" and I was boggling. I suppose it sounds a bit like "Happiness Is A Warm Gun" but that's hardly representative of 'The Beatles' (but then what is?)

― Tom (Groke), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:53 (twenty-two years ago)

(but then what is?)

Uh oh.

― dleone (dleone), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Chirpy cheeky Merseyside lads with crackin' choons. Er, yes? ;-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 16:56 (twenty-two years ago)

course it's all about smack.
not libellous that. he said so himself.

― piscesboy, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 17:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Oasis has never, ever reminded me of the Beatles. Can somebody help me out on that?

― Lukas Bergstrom (lukas), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Can't believe no one has mentioned "Because" by the Dave Clark Five.

― dave225 (Dave225), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 17:51 (twenty-two years ago)

i can't believe no one has mentioned either the male or female versions of the Time/Warner cable television self-promos!!!!! "...and with Time/Warner city cable yeeeewww caaaannnn...."

i would pay $ for an mp3

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

i'm serious

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

"Little One"-Beck (sounds like Lennon circa "Magical Mystery Tour")
"Asshole"-Tom Petty [originally by Beck] (sounds like a White Album outtake)
"Dear Diary" "Side" and "Flowers In The Window"-Travis (sounds like, repectively: Lennon,Harrison, and McCartney material from White Album/Abbey Road)

― Charles McCain, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

The Zombies do a pretty good early-Beatles imitation on "Tell Her No."

― Aaron W (Aaron W), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:42 (twenty-two years ago)

The Minders - "Hooray For Tuesday"
This song would have perfectly fit on Revolver, vocals,
production and all.

― Squirrel_Police (Squirrel_Police), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:43 (twenty-two years ago)

"Lies" by the Knickerbockers, that sounds a lot like them.

― frank p. jones (frank p. jones), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:44 (twenty-two years ago)

'Stars on 45'

― dave q, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

songs by the three o'clock, soft boys, let's active

― deckadanse, Tuesday, 18 February 2003 19:02 (twenty-two years ago)

"Doing That Scrapyard Thing" - Cream
"She Says Good Morning" - Pretty Things
"You Won't Have to Cry" - The Byrds
"Jumping Fences" / "Define a Transparent Dream" - Olivia Tremor Control
"Albatross" - Fleetwood Mac (hahaha!)

― Mr. Diamond (diamond), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 20:08 (twenty-two years ago)

"I've Been Waiting" Matthew Sweet.

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 20:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Most of the Photon Band's Oh the Sweet, Sweet Changes.

― christoff (christoff), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 20:50 (twenty-two years ago)

"star you left behind" - quasi

― di smith (lucylurex), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 21:57 (twenty-two years ago)

kula shaker - shower your love

― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 22:11 (twenty-two years ago)

certain parts of various Soft Boys tracks really sound like Beatles songs. Esp. the middle (slow) section of "Vyrna Knowl is a Headbanger" (listening right now.. sounds like it could be off of Revolver).
A lot of their harmonies seem pretty Beatle-inspired in general.

― A.H. (A.H.), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 22:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Robert Christgau first pointed this out, but oddly Billy Joel would often imitate John Lennon and Paul McCartney's solo work.

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Tuesday, 18 February 2003 22:28 (twenty-two years ago)

"Beetlebum" is probably Blur's best single: I remember likening the "and then she lets me slip away" (?) line to "why don't we do it in the road?" and am still baffled that I've never seen anyone else make the comparison. At the time I was obsessed with the uncertainties and dark shadows of the White Album, and my hatred for Oasis came mainly from the Gallaghers' dullard invocation of the "new, upbeat" Revolver / Sgt Pepper "Swinging Britain" stuff AS IF THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE AT ALL IN THE SIXTIES, so I thought Blur had made the sarcastic, mocking answer record Oasis were screaming for, and the first song they'd done which actually outstripped Oasis rather than suffering from the same cultural faults, just from a different starting point (I dimly remember comparing "Parklife" to "My Old Man's A Dustman", itself an interesting analogy when you consider that the latter was such a hideous music-hall travesty of one of the Beatles' formative influences).

I suppose ELO are too obvious an answer for this thread? With its psychotic violins, "10538 Overture" is clearly "I Am The Walrus" if it had been Weird Midland Ruralist rather than Grim Northern Sardonic. I also thought of They Might Be Giants' "Birdhouse In Your Soul" when I saw this thread - no idea why, it just seems so utterly "classic pop" to me, but in a more likeable sense than most of what came out of Britain in the mid-90s.

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 00:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Skipping 52 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

Yes to Cotton Mather

Esp "Lily Dreams On"

― i, grey, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 01:01 (seventeen years ago)

The chorus backing vocals in Bowie's Look Back in Anger ("waiting so long...") sound a lot like Beatles-era Harrison, I think.

― chap, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 01:18 (seventeen years ago)

"Tommorrow" by We All Together (cited upthread by Ryan Pitchfork) is an actual McCartney tune from Wild Life.

― ColinO, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 02:12 (seventeen years ago)

I can't believe this thread has gone this far with no mention of Ween's White Pepper. "Falling Out." "Flutes of the Chi." "Stay Forever." All totally White Album/Abbey Road-era.

― Mr. Snrub, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 02:15 (seventeen years ago)

I always thought that "Never As Tired As When I'm Waking Up" from LCD Soundsystem's debut was very Beatles-y. Same with "Tropicana" by Ratatat, almost overtly so.

― Millsner, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 06:23 (seventeen years ago)

i never heard the beatles connection with that album actually except for "even if you don't"

(xpost)

― ciderpress, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 06:24 (seventeen years ago)

I've never ever understood how Oasis are meant to sound like The Beatles on any level.

― Scik Mouthy, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 08:08 (seventeen years ago)

"i want noel to hear it and realsie that we got...*closer*'
said albarn.

They succeeded in a way, although they ended up choosing the most atypical of all Beatles albums instead of trying to sound like, for instance, "Revolver" era Beatles.

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 08:25 (seventeen years ago)

As for Freiheit, they sounded more like ELO than The Beatles.

Otherwise, Freiheit were an excellent band that has gotten a way too bad reputation. Surely the production is very naff in a typical German late 80s way, but the songs and the harmonies are just so wonderful.

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 08:27 (seventeen years ago)

The Rolling Stones: In Another Land

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 08:27 (seventeen years ago)

hmm, no the only beatles track that sounds like would be "Tomorrow never knows" and that's not much like it.

Freiheit are only known for that "Keeping the dream alive" which is more like the Frog chorus than the beatles. But I take against it also because it's a lame reply to Lennon's "the dream is over"

― Mark G, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 09:26 (seventeen years ago)

Jimi Hendrix (well, Noel Redding tbh) - Little Miss Strange

― Just got offed, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 09:27 (seventeen years ago)

Defiiiine... a transparent dr-dr-dr-dreeeeam, dr-dr-dr-dreeeeam.

― St3ve Go1db3rg, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 14:20 (seventeen years ago)

world without love by peter and gordon. i know it's a mccartney song; but I thought this was the beatles when I heard this for the first few times as a kid.

― akm, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 14:26 (seventeen years ago)

It's very 'received pronunciation' though.

― Mark G, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 14:42 (seventeen years ago)

"I Saw the Light" - Todd Rundgren

― iago g., Tuesday, 1 July 2008 20:26 (seventeen years ago)

Adrian Belew: "Big Blue Sun", "Everything" "The War in the Gulf Between Us", "I See You" and "Peace on Earth" from the albums Inner Revolution and Here

Bonzo Dog Band: "Don't Get Me Wrong" from Let's Make Up and Be Friendly (particularly, sounds sort of like a mix of "Dig a Pony" and "Oh Darling")

― Joe, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 20:48 (seventeen years ago)

Jimi Hendrix (well, Noel Redding tbh) - Little Miss Strange

-- Just got offed, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 09:27

you know, this is otm, but with a qualification, only pre 1966.

― Frogman Henry, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 20:56 (seventeen years ago)

Aerovons and Lazy Smoke should be in here somewhere.

― Charlie Rose Nylund, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 21:20 (seventeen years ago)

Every Guided By Voices song and assorted related, bar one or two.
All boring beatle bongers
G!!!B!!! V!!!

― Fer Ark, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 21:25 (seventeen years ago)

Sam Phillips' whole Martinis & Bikinis album is heavily Beatlesque. Having Colin Moulding on bass helps.

Adrian Belew: "Big Blue Sun"...

-- Joe, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 20:48 (2 hours ago) Link

That's too obviously an ELO-alike; any Beatles influence here is pre-filtered through Jeff Lynne. (Belew must have a Jeff Lynne crush--he also covered the Wilburys' "Not Alone Anymore," which was Orbison doing Lynne doing Orbison to begin with.)

― Hideous Lump, Tuesday, 1 July 2008 23:55 (seventeen years ago)

Aerovons absolutely!

― zaxxon25, Thursday, 3 July 2008 20:50 (seventeen years ago)

I think the Sam Phillips record which qualifies is Indescribable Wow.

― ellaguru, Thursday, 3 July 2008 21:06 (seventeen years ago)

What You Believe In from the last Take That album manages this, except for its intro (which is pure Beach Boys). I think Mark Owen had a nasal northern twang which is close to that Beatle vocal sound. Although this again probably ends up closer to ELO than the Beatles, in the end.

As does Julian Lennon's Salt Water.

― JimD, Thursday, 3 July 2008 22:31 (seventeen years ago)

"Tonight" by New Kids On The Block sounded in place like a slightly polished and sweetened version of the Fabs.

― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 3 July 2008 23:01 (seventeen years ago)

one year passes...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hNEwQvWOvo

― James Mitchell, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 11:54 (fifteen years ago)

I am shocked there is no mention of The Spongetones anywhere.

Ha. I clicked on this thread just to say "The Spongetones...My Girl Maryanne"

Which you can hear for yourself here:
http://www.myspace.com/spongetones

― kornrulez6969, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 14:59 (fifteen years ago)

The Kaisers - wishing street
Peter & Gordon - i go to pieces
The Remains - say you're sorry

― meisenfek, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 21:28 (fifteen years ago)

aw....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1k3Eus4J-U

― meisenfek, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 21:31 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpFTgc4-aRk

― (nutty nuggets at HEB) (Eazy), Wednesday, 4 November 2009 21:33 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTBqYEwl8mo

― Vaguely Threatening CAPTCHAs, Wednesday, 4 November 2009 22:07 (fifteen years ago)

― superflyguy, Thursday, 5 November 2009 12:08 (fifteen years ago)

grrr

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf5gGwGVaTk

― superflyguy, Thursday, 5 November 2009 12:09 (fifteen years ago)

and the chorus of this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0vl-7L-2Ow

― superflyguy, Thursday, 5 November 2009 12:13 (fifteen years ago)

i think the xtc song that sounds most beatlish (meaning paul) is "earn enough for us". i think the reason mccartney stopped having hits in the late '80s is because XTC started having them for him. the waltz-time ending is obviously a direct tribute to "we can work it out".

agreed on "yes it's true" by the groovies.
also the most obvious to me has always been "stuck in the middle with you" by stealer's wheel. iirc, geoff emerick engineered the sessions that produced this song so i can imagine the band telling him "we want to sound EXACTLY like 'Rubber Soul'." the resemblance (even down to tambourine sound and the clarity of the bass) is uncanny.

― johnnyo, Thursday, 5 November 2009 16:13 (fifteen years ago)

"Peter Pumpkinhead" is their mostest Paul track, isn't it?

― Mark G, Thursday, 5 November 2009 16:17 (fifteen years ago)

The majority of these songs sound like solo-Beatles, and only few of them sound like The Beatles.

― billstevejim, Friday, 6 November 2009 01:13 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ5QTt-36jc&feature=related

I really wanted to post The White Noise Revisited, as that both sounds like and namechecks the Beatles, but it's not on Youtube

― dog latin, Friday, 6 November 2009 01:24 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.booradleys.co.uk/lyrics.php?id=126

― dog latin, Friday, 6 November 2009 01:25 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVmrLKfcsgA

― meisenfek, Friday, 6 November 2009 10:41 (fifteen years ago)

Johnny Sandon & The Remo Four - Lies

― meisenfek, Friday, 6 November 2009 10:55 (fifteen years ago)

How on earth this thread missed Crowded House i don't know. in particular:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Is-TYt95hI

― Jamie_ATP, Friday, 6 November 2009 11:39 (fifteen years ago)

Prob cuz Geir be banned at the mo.

― Mark G, Friday, 6 November 2009 11:42 (fifteen years ago)

pls ban again:

Münchener Freiheit - So lang' man Träume noch leben kann
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odk8miFJSRk

― meisenfek, Thursday, 19 November 2009 16:21 (fifteen years ago)

someone must have mentioned Olivia Tremor Control's Jumping Fences by now, but I really can't read the whole thread

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Friday, 20 November 2009 21:11 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIR1QR5YEq8

― nicegeoff, Saturday, 21 November 2009 14:24 (fifteen years ago)

> pls ban again:

wow, u bastards are fast.

― meisenfek, Saturday, 21 November 2009 14:47 (fifteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

Here's a few more - don't know if mentioned:

Tears For Fears (Everybody Loves A Happy Ending - modeled after A Day In The Life, and Who Killed Tangerine - modeled after Hey Jude)

Oasis - Probably All In The Mind - Revolveresque

Elton John - I Want Love - very John Lennon and Oasis - I'm Outta Time - Blatant attempt at being JL

Duran Duran - Is There Something I Should Know harkens back to early Beatles hits

― imagine1957, Wednesday, 16 December 2009 18:05 (fifteen years ago)

one year passes...

Orwell - elémentaire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izDLVJpLras

― meisenfek, Friday, 4 February 2011 15:31 (fourteen years ago)

when i was a kid i thought "All The Young Dudes" was a Beatle song - so that.

and there are several songs by Grapes of Wrath - paticularly this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IYCjWkJUIY

― Kim, Friday, 4 February 2011 20:06 (fourteen years ago)

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