In the beginning there was the Fab Four, that is, if you're a child of the Sixties. If you happen to be a child of the 50s, there were probably a myriad of acoustic tunes from folks like Elvis, Hank Williams, The Everly Bros., etc., that won't be features here, but you may feel free to rave about on your own blog.My life began in the 60s, and as that, with the Beatles.
Apart from being pioneers in all sorts of recording techniques, the Beatles also had some neat acoustic versions of songs.
Here are some of my favorites, followed by a handful of my favorite acoustic Beatles covers, including, perhaps, some of my own.
Yesterday - The original version of Yesterday is already an acoustic version. No electric instruments were used. Just an acoustic guitar, a strings arrangement (the real thing, no samples back in those days!), and the mesmerizing voice of "Sir" Paul McCartney.
Eleanor Rigby - There's not even a guitar on this one, just vocals and a string quartet.
Fool On the Hill - One of my old favorites from my times as a ten year old sitting in front of my record player: Piano, Vocs and a variety of woodwinds (flutes, etc.)
Norwegian Wood - Enter George Harrison, plus - probably for the first time in pop history, a sitar!
You've Got to Hide Your Love Away - Great cynical acoustic song by John Lennon. While I don't usually advocate cynicism, this one's special. But you only really dig this if you realize that we're living in a society that tells us to hide our love away.
Blackbird - An acoustic classic that bedazzled picker and folk-freaks for 5 decades.
When I'm 64 - Another weird, howbeit strictly acoustic McCartney arrangement.
The Long and Winding Road - Another McCartney classic: Piano, string arrangement, plus the proably most popular voice of the 60s.
Two of Us
There are plenty other acoustic recordings by the Beatles such as the weird (but fab) "Piggies" or "Honey Pie," etc. but I'm limiting this list to my favorites only, although I might add a few others in the future.
P.S.: A note on the ideology of the Beatles: Many Christians stay clear of Beatles songs because of their obvious involvement in philosophies and spiritualities other than, if not opposed to Christianity, and perhaps rightly so. However, if you've grown up on these songs and didn't have much of a choice in the matter or didn't know about any of this stuff, you might include your musical upbringing in the category of Romans 8:28: all things working together for good to them that love God.
I have certainly heard worse music in the years that followed, including from supposedly Christian sources, and in my opinion, God can use anything. If he uses the Devil to accomplish his purpose (and believe me, He does - not the other way around), then He can certainly use the Beatles.
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