The 'Cover Versions of Beatle Songs Industry' was still in full swing in 1966. The Beatles never mined their own albums too deeply for singles, but plenty of others did. For example, the list below is only the tip of the iceberg yet it includes no fewer than six takes from the late-1965 album 'Rubber Soul'. This would have been quite lucrative for Lennon and McCartney, especially in the case of 'Michelle', which the Overlanders took to the top of British charts while Jonathan and David had a #1 hit with it in Canada.There were also untold numbers of foreign language versions of Beatles songs, as well instrumental easy-listening or jazz albums (see Count Basie's 'Basie's Beatles Bag' from that year).
Here are ten decent and/or notable Beatles' covers from 1966, listed in alphabetical order:
- Girl (St Louis Union) (#27, UK)
- Got to Get You Into My Life (Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers) (#6, UK)
- I Call Your Name (The Mamas & the Papas) (album track, 'If You Can Believe Your Eyes and Ears')
- If I Needed Someone (The Hollies) (#20, UK)
- In My Life (Judy Collins) (album track, 'In My Life')
- Michelle (The Overlanders) (#1, UK)
- Norwegian Wood (The Folkswingers) (album track, 'Raga Rock')
- Nowhere Man (Vikki Carr) (album track, 'The Way of Today')
- Rain (Petula Clark) (album track, 'I Couldn't Live Without Your Love')
- Yesterday (The Supremes) (album track, 'I Hear a Symphony')