One of the Greatest Beatles Covers Is This 1969 Track Some Say Is Better Than the Original

One of the Greatest Beatles Covers Is This 1969 Track Some Say Is Better Than the Original The Beatles posing and waving in front of a building and a crowd of peopleImage via Hulu By  Jazmin Kylene Published Mar 10, 2026, 7:25 PM EDT Jazmin Kylene is a Miami-bred writer and editor with a decade-long career that spans all editorial genres, though she has a particular passion for music journalism. Upon graduating Florida Atlantic University with a degree in Multimedia Journalism, she went on to write dozens for outlets and  interview counless artists.  When Jazmin isn't typing the day away, she enjoys exploring nature, taking dance classes, going to the movies, and hanging out with her besties (mom and dog.) You can find her on Instagram @JazminKylene. Sign in to your Collider account Add Us On Summary Generate a summary of this story follow Follow followed Followed Like Like Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap

“Here Comes The Sun” is one of the most important songs in The Beatles’ catalog. Released in 1969, it’s a defining single for the band, beautifully encapsulating the relief at the arrival of spring and promised brighter days ahead. But though it earned The Beatles a number three slot on the US Billboard Hot Rock Songs, one particular cover may outshine its original recording. Blues icon and civil rights activist Nina Simone recorded "Here Comes the Sun" as the title track to her 1971 covers album, and it remains revered by critics as one of the most powerful takes on the song. Sung with a deeper depth of exhaustion during a time of political unrest and rampant racism, the song took on a whole new meaning for Black people at a time when brighter days were long awaited. Beyond just a cover, Simone reinterpreted it in a way that shifted its emotional meaning. Here’s a deeper dive into the cover and why it has long stood the test of time.

The Beatles' "Here Comes The Sun"

One of the many classics to emerge from their 1969 album Abbey Road, “Here Comes The Sun” was written by George Harrison during a particularly stressful time for the band as a whole. Business complications and growing tensions between each member were leading to what would eventually be their breakup, and it was too much weight for Harrison to bear. He was feeling very let down by John and Paul, and didn’t know where their future as The Beatles stood. Seeking refuge, he visited friend and fellow musician Eric Clapton’s garden, eliciting a tranquility in him that would spark “Here Comes The Sun.” Known as one of Harrison’s most iconic compositions, he noted that the song honors the simple joy of spring after a long English winter, saying it felt like “winter goes on forever” until the sun finally returns.

Little darlin'

It's been a long, cold, lonely winter

Little darlin'

It feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun, doo-doo-do

Here comes the sun

And I say, "It's all right"

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Beyond how delicately yet strikingly the folk-pop song is written, what truly marked the magnitude of its impact was how much people were able to find healing from it. Weary from carrying their own weight, they may not have even realized that they were in search of hope, renewal, and the promise of a new day. Its bright, acoustic sound and optimistic lyrics not only contrasted the band’s internal conflicts, but also the reality of tough times globally. One of the listeners who found themselves relating to the sentiment happened to be none other than Nina Simone.

Nina Simone’s Cover of "Here Comes the Sun"

Two years after The Beatles released “Here Comes the Sun,” blues priestess Nina Simone recorded her very own version as the title track of her 1971 covers album. The project largely consisted of different contemporary pop and rock songs, reworked to honor Simone’s signature blend of jazz, blues, soul, and orchestral arrangements.

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For her take on “Here Comes the Sun,” Simone vocally went much deeper and more introspective, slowing it down and building around piano and orchestral instrumentation. There was an emotional emphasis on hope after hardship, which had a lot to do with her reality at the time.

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By this point, Simone was deeply involved with the civil rights movement. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. happened just a few years prior, yet the grief and aftermath lingered. She was committed to the fight for her people, during a time in which segregation was legally over, yet racism continued to permeate every crevice of society. It was a big hit for her career, facing industry backlash for her political music while also navigating financial hardship. Yet, the promised sun was the hope that the Black community would soon live a life of equality and empowerment.

Though the song was covered countless times, critics and fans alike often cite Simone’s rendition of “Here Comes the Sun” as one of the most striking Beatles covers of all time. This is because, in addition to Simone’s technical skill, she goes beyond imitating the original and succeeds in transforming it into something completely hers and dedicated to a community deeply in need of a lighthouse. Simone’s “Here Comes the Sun” was a love letter to a community fighting for what they deserved.

• The Beatles
• Nina Simone
• Music

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