Tune du Jour: “Be My Baby” – The Ronettes
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes: The Dollyrots vs. Yo La Tengo vs. John Lennon vs. The Beach Boys vs. 6X
VOTE, COMMENT, then DO SOMETHING NICE FOR YOURSELF
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What a song!!! It was revolutionary for its time. Changed music forever! Melts me …
The Original
The Ronettes:
I know. I know. Five songs are a bit much! I always try to limit it to a maximum of four and only rarely at that. But I did my damnedest to keep it at four but then found a Beach Boys live cover. While not a fan I know a few of you are so I broke precedent and begrudgingly went with five.
THE CLASH of Cover Tunes
The Dollyrots vs. Yo La Tengo vs. John Lennon vs. The Beach Boys vs. 6X
The Dollyrots:
Yo La Tengo:
John Lennon:
There is another longer outtake of John doing this song on youtube that is also brilliant. Seek it out!
The Beach Boys:
6X:
Don’t worry Be My Baby is just over three and a half minutes long. The rest is a hidden track that, frankly, is not very good. However, this local Atlanta band produced a lot of great songs. I really hate hidden tracks!
SPACE
Oh the disharmony! Much like Harlan County there are no neutrals here. It is your solemn responsibility to decide which cover song prevails. In other words … Which Side Are You On!??!
Disclaimer: Votes cast from Florida may or may not be counted.
cover me impressed 
I was surprised at how much I disliked the John Lemon version. The Dollyrots gave us that different version of wall of sound
I don’t get why this sone is revered the way that it is. My preferred versions here were by the 2 bands I didn’t know. Flipped a coin.
So it is fairly well known that Brian Wilson was obsessed with “Be My Baby.” Many years he put out a live solo album “Live at The Roxy.” At some point during the show he asks the audience members if they have a favorite song in the whole world. Someone calls out “Brown Eyed Girl.” A somewhat incredulous Brian then ridicules that person in a kind of funny way (really) and announces that “Be My Baby” is his all time favorite song. You can listen to that version on YouTube.
I’m with Cuspid. This song never did anything for me, and that hasn’t changed. The reverence is indeed puzzling. Lennon’s version was torture. Yo La Tengo, who I like well enough, murdered this one as well. I gave it to the Dollyrots for their crunchy version.
I love every cover but I am a sucker for this song. Gets me going every time I hear it. Like I said, at the time this was first recorded it was groundbreaking, and its delivery was simply FANTASTIC!
From what I understand, Lennon did his impromptu interpretation at a time when things were not going so well between him and Yoko. I guess this was his outlet. Again, check out the longer, different version from the same session on YouTube. Like this one it is also brilliant!
The Beach Boys live, seemingly impromptu cut, is the coolest thing I have ever seen or heard from them.
But in the end, I had to give my vote to local Atlanta home towners, 6X. They had the cutest Asian woman I have ever seen on vocals. It always really got to me when I’d see her do this live. Spoke with her once after a show and I think I was weak at the knees. Nice, cool woman. That’s local legend, Rob Gal, on guitar. Brilliant! Wish they would have stayed around longer. Two very good cds and they were gone.
Always liked this song since early childhood. Bought a Best of the Ronettes years ago that I still have. Great throughout, but this is the highlight.
I might have thought the three heavy hitters in the middle would be competing for the vote, but slowing the song down robbed it of its punch and verve.
This was a close call between the two upstarts, and I had to listen to each a few times before voting. Ultimately went with 6X.
Oh, the heartwarming Beach Boys family session. Pass the s’mores. Brian and Carl exude joy singing together, Al jostling about with his kids and Mike Love unable to concentrate on singing so absorbed by the knowledge that he pissed in the lemonade without detection. Lennon buried the song underneath the bed sheets, Yo La Tengo’s was modest and off the cuff, Dollyrots say be my baby, or else! Close between them and 6X but I picked the latter. Sweet and crunchy. Melody and sass.