Ian Leslie: evaluation

Transcript context

…The two Chuck Berry songs. I think “Roll Over Beethoven” — the George vocal is somewhat weak. It’s not nearly as good or as interesting as Chuck’s version. Then “Rock and Roll Music,” which John does quite energetically, but again, Chuck’s is just more interesting. Chuck is the one early rock and roll figure who, in that sense, defeated them. I think “Mr. Moonlight” is fantastic. I might nominate it as their best cover. It’s so much better than the original. It’s one of John’s best vocals. It’s done with complete conviction. The notion that it sounds ugly and the organ is weird — I think they were just doubling down on everything and that it works. It’s one of the Beatles’ songs I listen to most often, in fact. Okay, I’m persuaded by that. I wouldn’t actually go that far, and I don’t often listen to it, but I do think his vocal is so bizarre that it absolutely is incredibly memorable and cuts through. I actually like “Rock and Roll Music.” Again, I think he sounds so committed to it. I think I would agree with George’s version of “Roll Over Beethoven” — it’s kind of limp. But George was lagging behind as a vocalist and as a performer, and then at the time, as a songwriter as well. But since almost everybody else in the world was, I don’t really blame him for that and, of course, he started to catch up. I think “Words of Love” is slightly weak. Like “Rock and Roll Music,” I think it’s done well, but it’s not better than the Buddy Holly original. Nor is “Rock and Roll Music,” I think, better than the Chuck Berry original. It doesn’t quite add some special thing in either case. Whereas Anna does; Anna’s a great cover.…

Stored transcript either side of the excerpt. The highlighted words are the published quote; the surrounding text is unedited source, never generated.