The Beatles and Rolling Stones obviously had great song writing, but both bands covered songs written by others. What are you favorites?
Mine: Beatles Baby Its You (Bacharach/David/Williams)
Stones Like A Rolling Stone (Dylan)
The Beatles: “Twist and Shout” (originally by the Isley Brothers)
The Rolling Stones: “Not Fade Away” (originally by Buddy Holly)
Stones: “It’s All Over Now” one of my two favorite Stones tracks.
Beatles: “Anna” my favorite John Lennon vocal.
“Please Mr. Postman” and “Roll Over Beethoven” were both great covers by the Beatles - and, of course, the legendary one is “Twist and Shout” (it’s always a good sign when most people don’t know a cover isn’t the original). I also like their cover of “'Till There Was You,” though I don’t believe they themselves did. Toss in “Words of Love” and “Baby It’s You” as well.
I might have to pass on “Mr. Moonlight.” 
ETA: Oh, and there’s an interesting mashup for this thread - “I Wanna Be Your Man” is a song by the Beatles but sung by (would it count as a cover if it was first performed by you?) the Stones.
Many years ago, I did my own personal breakdown of Beatles covers vs. the original versions. I managed to locate this in a dim corner of my hard drive. Here it is (strictly IMHO):
Originals clearly better than the Beatles’ cover
Chains
Roll Over Beethoven
Long Tall Sally
Matchbox, Honey Don’t and Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby
Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey
Act Naturally
Bad Boy and Dizzie Miss Lizzie
Beatles version not superior to the original, but worthy in its own right
Anna (Go With Him)
Baby It’s You
You Really Got a Hold On Me
Slow Down
Words of Love
Beatles version clearly better than the original
Twist and Shout
Please Mr. Postman
Rock and Roll Music
Mr. Moonlight
NOTES: The last section is the most controversial, but I’ll defend my choices.
The Isley Brothers’ “Twist and Shout” is an enjoyable dance song, but nothing more. The Beatles’ version is a virtual call to arms, and anyone not moved by John Lennon’s vocal is dead inside.
The Marvelettes’ “Please Mr. Postman” is a slight song with shrill, out-of-tune background vocals. The lead singer seems barely troubled by her fate. John’s vocal turns this into a yearning, desperate plea, helped along by Ringo’s strident drumming.
As politically incorrect as it may be to say this, while the backing track of Chuck Berry’s “Rock and Roll Music” has a nice feel, helped along by Johnny Johnson’s boogie piano riff, Chuck’s vocal sounds almost tossed-off, as if he has no commitment to the song’s sentiments at all. The Beatles’ version may not be as musically adept, but once again (notice a trend here?), John sings this song as if he really means it — and this despite the fact that he must have sung it hundreds of times before The Beatles finally recorded it.
And finally, The Beatles’ “Mr. Moonlight” may be the most maligned track in all of their catalog. But it sounds great compared to the sloppy and off-key original by Dr. Feelgood and the Interns.
One last note: by far the greatest cover version ever produced by The Beatles was never commercially recorded. But they did perform in live on the BBC. It’s “Soldier of Love,” originally recorded by Arthur Alexander. The original is good, but again the Beatles transform it into something much more. In particular, the harmonies they created for the chorus (there are none on the original) are outstanding.
For favorite Stones cover, I’ll go with “The Last Time.” Even though it’s credited as a Jagger-Richard original, it’s a thinly disguised version of a Staple Singers gospel song.
Despite the blatant rip-off, it has always been my favorite Stones song of all.
Wot no Money?! :eek:
Stones –
studio: “She Said Yeah” (Larry Williams). Runner up: “Just My Imagination” (Smokey Robinson)
live recording: “Carol” and “Little Queenie” (Chuck Berry); “Queenie” is especially good
Borderline case (studio and live; the live version is phenomenal): “Love in Vain.” Based on a Robert Johnson song, but very much reworked into a gorgeous slow 6/8 blues with an arpeggiated rhythm guitar track that is unique and includes chords (like that minor one) found nowhere in the original
I’ve always loved the Stones’ cover (and this performance) of Chuck Berry’s Around & Around.
mmm
ETA: Check out the girl on the left side of the screen at the beginning. She puts her hands in her pockets and looks generally disinterested; after a few seconds of the intro, she says, hey, this is one swinging beat!
Stones: “Love in Vain”. No question.
Beatles: Lots of good choice. Maybe “You Really Got a Hold on Me” wins today.
Today, for me it’s their cover of Solomon Burke’s Mercy, Mercy.
The Stones were more hip to the emergence of Motown and that general “soul meets R and B” vibe than the Beatles, until Paul blew the roof off with Got to Get You Into My Life.
Wow, I had no idea. The original is haunting and beautiful.
Am I the only one who thought this was going to be about album covers?
Beatles: Twist and Shout
Stones: Just My Imagination
Oops, don’t know how I missed that one!
I would put it into the “not superior to the original, but worthy in its own right” category, though on another day I might move it to the “better than the original” one (though not quite so “clearly”).
In case it isn’t obvious, it’s the John Lennon vocal in every case that pushes The Beatles’ cover versions forward.
So much is made of Lennon’s songwriting and his private (or rather, public) life. Less is said about his vocals. IMHO, he is the greatest vocalist to ever lend his pipes to rock ‘n’ roll. Whether it’s a raver or a tender ballad, no one else’s singing moves me the way John’s does.
(P.S. I also omitted “Till There Was You,” simply because it’s not a rock ‘n’ roll song, and it would be problematic choosing an “original” to compare it to.)
Beatles: Sgt. Pepper
Stones: Sticky Fingers
And to the original question…
Beatles: “Money (That’s What I Want)” original by Barrett Strong
Stones: “Prodigal Son” original by Rev. Robert Wilkins
I really disagree. I don’t like the original at all. Heck, I even prefer Gonzo’s version. (Which, not coincidentally, seems to be based on the Beatles version, rather than the original.) Owen’s voice isn’t really any better than Ringo’s, and the original is basically everything I don’t dig about country music, where the Beatles dialed that back while keeping it country enough to be recognizable.
We can work it out by Stevie Wonder.
Beatles - “Money”
Stones - “Route 66”
I think we’re looking for songs by others covered by the Beatles and Stones, not the reverse. (Otherwise, we’d be deep into Joe Cocker territory by now…)
The Stones had a lot of great covers. Their “Not Fade Away” is a lot better than Buddy Holly’s. But I’ll go with “Just My Imagination.”
As for the Beatles… I like a lot of their early covers, but my favorite is probably “Bad Boy.” As I’ve said before, I always liked John Lennon better as a rock and roll screamer than as a sensitive poet.
