Covered: "Eleanor Rigby"

“Really? A soul cover album of Beatles songs? The hell you thinking? That stuff is untouchable. Un-touch-a-ble. No.”

If Soulive didn’t have that conversation, they should smack someone. And if you agreed with that, get smacked — let 'em try.

“You still gonna? Well damn, good luck to you.”

The covers on the trio’s September release, Rubber Soulive — you’re fine with it now that you heard how perfectly the title works, right? No? Okay — have been licked Soulive smooth. They leave the songs’ brilliance in a new sonic sheen.

Alright — yes, sometimes they slobber.

But “Eleanor Rigby,” from Revolver. Mm mm mmm. The chorus. The chorus, the chorus, the chorus. The licking just feels right: it swells and breathes; it explores the regret in the song’s loneliness. Just close your eyes and let your chin swivel — and not to say, “No.”

The Beatles (album version):


Soulive (live):

I could’ve posted the album version — but their studio recordings always sound a little too shiny clean. And on that note: here’s download from archive.org of a taping of this year’s downright funky Sept. 11 show at the Wescott Theater in Syracuse, NY, which I attended. The “Eleanor Rigby” to “I Want You (She’s So Heavy)” thing — mm mm mmm.


(Photo: Arthur Shim for Royal Family Records. Note the black suit, skinny-black-tie hat tip to The Beatles' original style.)