“All Together Now” isn’t a classic, traditional Beatles song, so it makes sense that a non-traditional performer would be needed to cover it right. Thankfully, we have Andre 3000. The Outkast performer recently tried his hand at the difficult game of covering the Beatles and, unlike Kermit the Frog and Kenny Loggins, he crafted a rendition that has some staying power. It’s one thing to cover the Beatles without embarrassing yourself. It’s another thing altogether to outdo the original.
Originally recorded for a Nike commerical, Andre 3000’s version starts with the same acoustic guitar strum as the original, however, he breaks form most noticeably with exaggerated, soulful “ooh, ooh” moans. The deviation continues as we’re treated to a jazzy piano in the background and subdued synth sounds which modernize the version and give it a signature sound. Ultimately though, Andre’s interpretation never strays too far from the original. The Beatles version gains speed as they near the climax and Andre does the same, building with a series of “look at me!” chants before the climactic “All Together Now!” with applause.
Below, we included the aforementioned Nike commerical as well as a stream of Andre 3000’s selection. Interested parties can now buy the track on iTunes.
