Song #66 on the Popdose Top 100 Covers list is “You Really Got A Hold On Me”, by The Miracles and covered by The Beatles. Here’s the original:
You pretty much can’t go wrong with Smokey Robinson. And here’s the Fab Four version:
The Beatles did quite a few of these Motown songs – the ones I have are on the “Anthology” double CD – and I think they generally did a decent job of it. I mean, “Twist And Shout”, right? If they helped bring some awesome music to a wider audience, so much the better. What do you think?
“Roll Over Beethoven” also comes to mind. The cover choice that surprised me was on the “Meet the Beatles” album (the US one) which had a Broadway tune on it — “Till There Was You” from The Music Man with Paul on vocals.