Cover Story: Guess What: Fiona Apple’s Cover of “Across the Universe” is Better Than the Original Beatles Version
Singing from a woman’s perspective, Fiona Apple gives “Across the Universe” a level of sincerity that The Beatles never could.
Written by Sydney Meier
Images Courtesy of Jeannine Oppewall & Jay Hart (Pleasantville) and The Beatles (Let It Be)
Content Warning: This article contains language on domestic violence and abuse.
“Across the Universe,” written by John Lennon and performed by the Beatles, was first released on Dec. 12, 1969 along with the rest of the charity album No One’s Gonna Change Our World, and was later rereleased on May 8th, 1970 with the Beatles’ final album, Let it Be. The carefree flowing rhythm and composition of the song drew influence from Lennon and the Beatles’ fascination with Transcendental Meditation, with one of the lyrics being “Jai guru deva om” taken from the Hindu mantra, “Glory to the spiritual master.” Focusing on the instrumentals/vocals of the Let It Be version, John Lennon was the lead vocalist while strumming the acoustic and electric Leslie-speaker guitar, Paul McCartney played the piano, George Harrison plucked the tambura, and Ringo Starr shook the maracas while beating the bass drum. “Across the Universe” was produced by Phil Spector, who remixed and slowed the song to 3:47, which is closer to its original duration, in late March and early April 1970. Although Lennon himself believed the Beatles “didn’t make a good record of it” with the “guitars being out of tune and singing out of tune,” “Across the Universe” became a staple among the Beatles’ discography, bringing a fresh new sound to Let It Be and hinting at the carefree spiritual aspect John Lennon’s future solo career would take.
The song “Across the Universe” has received the cover treatment from many artists over the years, most importantly Fiona Apple on the 1998 “Pleasantville” film soundtrack.
Fiona Apple’s 1998 cover of “Across the Universe” for the “Pleasantville” soundtrack is similar instrumentally to the original Beatles version with a less static/more fluid rhythm in the cover. The tempo of Apple’s cover stays at a constant slow speed paired with a mellow style meant to bring peace to a somewhat tumultuous world. The instrumentals of this song include background vocals, woodwind instruments, subtle percussion keeping the beat of the song, and a soft acoustic guitar. Apple’s lead vocals are where the cover really shines. They hold onto every syllable and note, almost blurring together, to produce a continual effortless flow of sound, helping the cover maintain the original meditative feel of the Beatles’ original version. Fiona Apple’ ability to bring listeners along her emotional journey through songs is unmatched, and this is not lost in her covers. In addition, unlike the original Beatles version, Fiona Apple’s cover of “Across the Universe” is accompanied by a music video. In it, she is sitting in a 1950s themed diner whilst singing as chaos consumes the setting around her. The music video depicts a contradiction between the surrounding atmosphere and self, because as diner attendees throw chairs and shatter glass, Apple maintains her meditative inner peace. While the world is crumbling around her, Apple holds her gaze directly on the camera singing to her audience that “nothing's gonna change my world.”
Fiona Apple revamps aspects of the Beatles’ version both vocally, through lead/background vocals, as well as instrumentally, with acoustic guitar, drums, piano, multiple woodwind instruments and synth sounds, in order to achieve the original version's Transcendental Meditation aspect within her cover. The real differences between the original and the cover is the type of lead vocals and background vocals utilized in the songs with Lennon is the lead vocal with male vocals backing him and Apple is the lead vocal with female vocals backing her. As well as the much slower tempo in Apple’s cover, much slower than the Beatles’. The Beatles’ version rushes through the lyrics at a much faster tempo, even after Phil Spector slowed the track to 3:48. While Apple’s slower larghetto tempo paced her track to 5:07, keeping on theme with a meditative, almost sedated tone. Fiona Apple and the Beatles are some of the best musicians in the last century, and within the different versions there are more similarities than differences — which is why it makes it difficult to choose a favorite when just looking at the musical aspects of the songs. What makes the decision easier, however, is the history of the artists themselves — who is able to sing a more convincing love song?
Although the original Beatles version of “Across the Universe'' is a great monument in their discography, the abusive history behind the song’s lead vocalist John Lennon puts a sour taste into the listener’s mouth. John Lennon has an extensive record of both domestic abuse against his first wife Cynthia, “slapping Cynthia across the face,” and child abuse against his son Julian. Lennon’s housekeeper wrote that, “Lennon was an absent father who would criticize (sp) and even smack the sensitive Julian.” Lennon admitted in a Playboy interview that “I used to be cruel to my woman, and physically…any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn’t express myself, and I hit.” The audience is told over and over again that the love Lennon has for the world around him will never falter or change. However, at home he was somewhat of a tyrant and lorded over his first wife Cynthia and their child Julian through mental and physical abuse. Lennon prided himself on peace and inner tranquility, but even his own son stated in an interview with the Daily Telegraph, “I have to say that, from my point of view, I felt he was a hypocrite, Dad could talk about peace and love…but he could never show it to the people who supposedly meant the most to him: his wife and son.” This statement from Lennon’s own son could lead the audience to distrust him as a narrator in “Across the Universe,” with its lyrics and John Lennon’s sermons against violence directly contradicting his actions toward his family. On the other hand, Apple is able to keep the original Transcendental Meditation sentiment set by the Beatles in her cover of “Across the Universe,” but without a history of abuse against her partners fueling this so-called “love song.” A love song written and sung from the perspective of a male abuser is not as convincing or appealing as a love song covered by a female artist who experienced domestic abuse within her own romantic relationships.
There are a plethora of other examples of songs originally written by abusers then reclaimed through covers by female artists. Some notable examples being Linda Ronstadt’s cover of “Love Me Tender” by Elvis Presley, Chaka Khan’s cover of “Got To Be There” by Michael Jackson, and more recently Poppy’s cover of “My Kind of Woman” by Mac Demarco. The Beatles are considered one of the greatest bands of all time, and although their history of abuse does not take away from their undeniable talent, the abuse allegations/records of their members is hard to get past when looking at their songs about familial, worldly, and romantic love. While at home the ones the Beatles were supposed to love the most, their spouses and children, were getting the exact opposite of what they were preaching in their songs. So when a love song of theirs preaching inner peace is covered by a woman, no less Fiona Apple, it, at the very least, allows the audience to enjoy a version of the song that is re-interpreted with its best aspects in mind, not the worldview of an abuser.
This article was added to Cover Story after its publication, upon the creation of the Cover Story series.