Soul Tribute to The Beatles

(Vanguard)

First Appeared at The Music Box, October 2003, Volume 10, #10

Written by John Metzger

Is there anyone whose life has not been touched by The Beatles? Probably not. The band’s music has been reinterpreted more often than any other group in history. Not surprisingly, some renditions have been sterling while others have been absolutely dreadful. In resurrecting 12 R&B-tinged tracks recorded by luminaries such as Ike & Tina Turner, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, and Fats Domino, Soul Tribute to The Beatles falls on the positive side of the line that separates the good from the bad. That’s not to say that there aren’t a few duds: The Four Tops’ Michelle, Natalie Cole’s Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and Esther Phillips’ And I Love Him all fall flat, though to be fair, none are unlistenable, and at least Cole didn’t do a duet with the ghost of John Lennon. For the most part, all of the artists make the songs their own, bringing out the soulfulness inherent in some of the tunes (Wilson Pickett’s Hey Jude and Aretha Franklin’s Let It Be) and completely reinventing others (Al Green’s I Want to Hold Your Hand and Otis Redding’s Day Tripper). All in all, it’s a nifty set that does include a few classic performances.

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Ratings

1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!

Copyright © 2003 The Music Box