Music Blog

Feb Fab Faux Four #11

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

WARNING: THIS BLOG WAS NOT CREATED FOR BEATLEMANIACS!
If you’re on the fence about the Beatles or if you just don’t like them,
this blog is for you. My goal is not to convert you; it’s to expose you
to the lesser-known Beatles songs we don’t hear day in and day out.
These great tunes will show you just how amazing the Beatles are.
Of course, if you are a Beatles fan, pull up a chair and enjoy the tunes!

© Misky

Welcome back to Feb Fab Faux Four!

Today I’m going to shake things up just a bit; instead of featuring a Beatles’ song that was covered by another artist, I’m showcasing a song which the Beatles covered themselves.

The Beatles’ greatest early influences were American Rock & Roll, R & B and some country: Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Larry Williams, Little Richard, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Eddy Cochran, Buddy Holly, etc., as well as songwriters Goffin/King and Leiber/Stoller.

To start things off today, it’s a 1957 song written and recorded by Larry Williams. As usual, the original will always be played first. During the remainder of February, I will feature three more of these switched-around posts, each one highlighting the singing talents of another Beatle.

Let’s begin.

This is Larry Williams with his 1957 hit, “Slow Down”

🪲

Here are the Beatles with their 1964 remake of “Slow Down”; John is singing lead vocals.

Coolness overload today, kids!

This Larry Williams cover, featured on the Beatles’ “Long Tall Sally” EP, was recorded during the same sessions as the soundtrack to “A Hard Day’s Night“.

When the Beatles were first starting out performing in places like the Cavern Club, all the groups did the same songs. A rival Liverpool group member named Ted “King-Size” Taylor told Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn how the Beatles came to watch his band, and “all four of them sat in a row and took down one line each of all the songs we did – ‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy,’ ‘Slow Down,’ ‘Money,’ all of those – and the next time we saw them, they were playing all our stuff!” Until the Beatles learned how to write their own songs, that’s how it was done.

These two versions are obviously very similar, but both done in the artists’ own style. Do you have a preference?

Tune in tomorrow when I’ll will return to my usual format.

Thanks for joining me today.

See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2024

PS – If any video won’t play for you, I’ve provided the name of the song and who did it so you can find it on YouTube. It’s a pain in the ass but it does happen from time to time. My apologies.

This portfolio (including text, graphics and videos) is copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR © 2017-present.

38 thoughts on “Feb Fab Faux Four #11”

  2. I, for one, am very glad you are doing this as well as the original plan. Because back in the day, lots of bands started this way, doing covers – many because they had nothing of their own yet, and others, because they really liked certain music.

    And somehow, I didn’t know this one, either! I think the boys did a fin job and must give this one to the original, by a small margin.

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    1. I’m delighted you like this switcheroo, Dale!

      As you pointed out, bands like the Beatles didn’t have any original material when they were starting out. Larry Williams was just one of the many artists they idolized and covered.

      John’s jukebox in his apartment at The Dakota was filled with recordings just like this one.

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  7. An unfamiliar Beatles track, as it was only released here on an EP until it popped up on a compilation much later. And the Larry Williams version wasn’t a hit here, though as I was only 5 when it came out I probably wouldn’t have known anyway! I can’t choose between them, as both are good.

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    1. It always astounds me when I hear people say they never heard of this song or that. Even my husband at times will ask me how I know these early songs and I don’t have an answer other than to say I guess because the radio was constantly on in my house as a child. It’s just part of my DNA!

      Well, you’ll have three more chances throughout the remainder of February to see if you recognize any of the Beatles’ early cover songs. I’m glad I decided to take this little detour in my blog.

      I can’t decide with this one either; I might give it to John because I sing along with it whenever it comes on the radio. That’s one benefit of SiriusXM …. having a dedicated Beatles channel with numerous different programs, I’m exposed to a lot of Beatles songs.

      BTW I am not an employee of SiriusXM nor am I compensated by them in any way! LOL 😂

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      1. I guess it comes down to what you have listened to throughout your life. We had much less radio choice here when I was growing up. The stuffy old BBC was about all, plus Radio Luxembourg whose signal was so poor that it felt like listening through a wind tunnel, until it cut out. Then the pirate radio stations started up and changed everything. A lot of my musical choices were formed then.

        Looking forward to your other choices, as this was an interesting diversion.

        I don’t think we get SiriusXM here. I use an app called TuneIn Radio for my worldwide listening, and Sirius isn’t available through that. I guess that as it is a subscription service they’d want money from me!

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        1. Yup! It’s a paid subscription. The choice of channels is extensive and I do switch around a lot so it’s worth it. We also have music stations available through our cable tv provider. There are about 20 different channels with no adverts and I enjoy that as well.

          Your first ¶ summed it up perfectly, Clive. Two radio stations, one stuffy and the other iffy. Not good odds!

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          1. Subscription radio isn’t a thing here. I have paid tv channels and a whole host of streaming services but radio is free – either the BBC or commercial stations which make their money from advertising.

            The pirates really shook things up. It took an Act Of Parliament to stop them – well, most of them – and forced the BBC to rethink its offering. The movie ‘The Boat That Rocked’ is a fun look at that – great soundtrack, some very funny scenes, and social history.

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                  1. That’s the one. I’ve just looked it up on IMDb and apparently it was renamed for the US market. Maybe they thought your sensitivities might be put off if you thought it was about cutthroats and swashbuckling! It starred Philip Seymour Hoffman among others.

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    1. There is a definite resemblance between Larry and Fats which I never really paid attention to before. Thanks for pointing that out!

      I’m stumped on this one as well; John does a bang-up job but Larry is Larry.

      I’m digging this little switcheroo today; did you enjoy it? You’ll have to wait to see which songs I’ve chosen for the remaining three Beatles.

      Oh, BTW – Thanks for the tip. I found a Smithereens song to go with but you may be surprised which one it is …. and that’s all I’m gonna say! 😂

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    1. Hiya, Fred! I’m glad to know you enjoyed my post as well as the song today.

      My initial thoughts regarding you not being familiar with this cover song is because you’re from Germany but I immediately dismissed that notion because of the Beatles Hamburg connection early in their careers.

      In 1960 the Beatles kicked off one of their earliest professional gigs – a months-long residency at the Indra Club in Hamburg, Germany. Over the next two years, after struggling to book venues in their hometown of Liverpool, the Beatles continued to perform regularly in Hamburg.

      No, Fred … I’m convinced that it’s a matter of age; I believe almost everyone I am friendly with on WP is younger than me – a notion I think is true since I know you recently celebrated a birthday and your age was revealed! 🥳

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      1. Now I know that you indeed are a Beatles expert! 😎🙏 I am not at all but I always was looking for less known songs of my favourite bands – some 100 years ago. I always thought you were pretty young – I even sent 🌹🌹🌹😂 So again it is up our heart to define if we are old or young. Great to know you 🍸🎶☀️

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    1. Haha! We’ll have to check the leaderboard after all 4 have had a chance to do their covers. I hope you continue to keep score!

      For me it’s just too close; John did a bang-up job on this cover but the Beatles have a tendency to do that on just about every song they record.

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    1. Merda! Another one who doesn’t know this song!

      Welcome to Early Beatles’ Covers 101. I’m glad to know you enjoyed your first day in class!

      If I’m not mistaken, the Beatles did 25 or so early covers; hell, that’s enough music for another blog! 😂

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