I enjoy their sincere fanboy covers, whether covering Berry or Perkins or Little Richard or Holly or whoever ("Baby, It's You" is particularly fun) but that's the thing, they're just that: covers that don't (for me) match up to those originals. (Nobody especially beats Berry at his own original licks & tracks.)

Except for one exception. A cover they did that I'll argue is actually superior than the original, and Lilo will probably have my head for this but alright..."Twist & Shout."

Why? Maybe it was recording circumstances for the PLEASE PLEASE ME album, having to record all the tracks in one day, mixing a few originals with covers they regularly performed in concert. Working like dogs all day and into the night as a band together (complete contrast with them just several years later), all that adrenaline flowing at max power as they tackled the song: "Twist & Shout."

They followed the basic beat and rhythm of the Isley Brothers version, but they gave it balls. John's throat was shredded after that long day, but that group tight as fuck as any rock band can be with the members responded to his desperate, charismatic vocals and each other in real time.

If this was done today, critics would label it a purposeful "punk rock" track. But back then, it was just dudes "high" from kicking ass on their first album but wanted to leave that damn studio after tripping out in massive sweat. That one take forever captured in audio is easily one of the more inspirational, great rock n roll recordings from that decade.