Videos by sjbraitman

Merriam-Webster defines cover as a recording or performance of a song previously recorded by another performer. In their early albums the Beatles included many covers which were equal to if not better than the originals. I have long waited for Parlophone, Apple, or Capitol to release an album of songs covered by the Beatles. Since it appears that this is not about to happen, I have created my own informal collection which I have termed the Beatles Covers Project. The first selection is Arthur Alexander's 1962 hit, Anna, which is from the Beatles first album, Please Please Me. The track was recorded on February 11, 1963 with the lead vocal and acoustic rhythm guitar by John Lennon; bass guitar, backing vocal by Paul McCartney; lead guitar, backing vocal by George Harrison; and drums by Ringo Starr.

"Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" is from the 1940 Rodgers and Hart musical, Pal Joey. This recording was made by Frank Sinatra on August 13, 1957 and was included on the soundtrack of the 1957 film version originally on the Capitol label. In 2008 Blue Moon released the album on CD. Frank Sinatra's version of this great song is by far one of the best ever recorded. The track was arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle.

Here is an alternate version of "The Lady Is a Tramp" from the film adaptation of the musical,Pal Joey. This is included as a bonus track on the 2008 CD reissue on the Blue Moon label and was not available on the original Capitol LP. The pianist is Bill Miller.

"The Lady Is a Tramp," written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, and originally introduced in the 1937 musical, Babes in Arms, was added to the soundtrack of the 1957 film adaption of Broadway musical, Pal Joey, on the Capitol label. The song, recorded on November 26, 1956, was arranged by Nelson Riddle and wonderfully performed by Frank Sinatra. The piano work is by Bill Miller and trumpet by Harry "Sweets" Edison, who both participated in many great Sinatra sessions. The album has been recently reissued on CD on the Blue Moon label with several bonus songs not included in the original LP.

"Throwing It All Away" is featured on Genesis album, Invisible Touch released in 1986 on the Virgin label in the UK and Atlantic in the U.S. At this time the members of the band were Phil Collins drums, percussion, vocals, Tony Banks keyboards, and Mike Rutherford guitars, bass guitar.

Here is another classic song by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart recorded by Joni James for the MGM album of the same name in 1956. "Little Girl Blue" was written in 1935 for the Broadway musical, Jumbo. The album has also been released on CD in 1995 on the Taragon label.

"How Are Ya' Fixed For Love" written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen was recorded as a duet by Frank Sinatra and Keely Smith on March 3, 1958. The track, which was arranged and conducted by Billy May, was released as a single and did not appear on an album until it was included as a bonus track on the CD reissue of Sinatra's Come Dance with Me! It also was later included in the CD, Keely Smith, the Essential Capitol Collection.

Here is another great old standard by the wonderful Keely Smith. "Imagination" was written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke in 1940 and is associated with Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, and Frank Sinatra. Keely Smith's version first appeared on her 1957 Capitol album, I Wish You Love, but can now also be found on her CD collections, The Best of the Capitol Years and Spotlight on Keely Smith (Great Ladies of Song).

"I Shot the Sheriff," written by Bob Marley, was recorded by Eric Clapton for his album, 461 Ocean Boulevard on the RSO label. It was a #1 hit in the US on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1974. It was later included on the RSO album, Time Pieces: Best of Eric Clapton, a greatest hits album released in May 1982. Eric Clapton is one of the greatest blues-rock guitarists of all time.

"My Funny Valentine" was composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the 1937 Broadway musical, Babes in Arms. Joni James recorded it for her 1956 album, In the Still of the Night, on the M-G-M label. It was released on CD by Taragon Records in 1995.