Which Beatles Cover Was Older—‘Kansas City’ or ‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby’?
While John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s songwriting became The Beatles’ defining strength, the band’s early albums relied on covers of other artists’ songs.
In their first five studio albums, four included tracks they didn’t write. This wasn’t just because Lennon, McCartney, and even George Harrison hadn’t fully honed their songwriting skills yet—it was also about capturing the energetic, live sound they had perfected in Liverpool and Hamburg.
The covers on albums like Please Please Me and With the Beatles weren’t random; they were staples of The Beatles’ live shows. Classic rock and R&B tracks like ‘Twist and Shout’, ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’, and ‘Rock and Roll Music’ were chosen because they were crowd favorites and reflected the group’s influences.
More than just filler, these songs connected The Beatles to their roots while allowing them to showcase their charisma and unique style.
However, it wasn’t all rock and roll. The Beatles also incorporated show tunes into their albums. Tracks like ‘A Taste of Honey’ from their debut album and ‘Till There Was You’ on With the Beatles broadened their appeal to older generations, including during a special performance for the Queen Mother.
While these tunes might seem unusual in the context of a rock band, they demonstrated The Beatles’ versatility and their ability to craft albums that appealed to a diverse audience.
Some of these seemingly old-fashioned tracks weren’t as old as the rock and roll standards they covered. The musical numbers were often only a few years old when The Beatles recorded them.
Yet, there’s a deeper question to explore: which was the oldest song The Beatles ever covered?
The answer lies in a track from Beatles for Sale. The final track, ‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby’, sung by George Harrison, was credited to Carl Perkins, who recorded it in 1956.
However, it turns out Perkins was covering a much older song originally written and recorded by country singer Rex Griffin in 1936. Perkins’ version, with slight tweaks, became famous, but its roots reach back another two decades.
This makes ‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby’ one of the oldest songs in The Beatles’ catalog. But if we’re counting technicalities, another track from Beatles for Sale, ‘Kansas City’, could take the title.
Written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller in 1952 and recorded by Little Willie Littlefield that same year, it predates Perkins’ version of ‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby’.
The Beatles also spiced up ‘Kansas City’ by blending it with Little Richard’s ‘Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!’, creating an interesting, if not entirely successful, mashup.
But wait—there’s one more contender for the oldest song. John Lennon’s brief performance of ‘Maggie Mae’ on Let It Be is a traditional folk tune sung by British sailors as far back as the early 19th century.
While it barely qualifies as a recording and lacks a definitive author, this 200-year-old song technically predates all others.
Fun fact: it even inspired Rod Stewart’s hit song ‘Maggie May’ a year later.
So, which is the oldest song The Beatles covered? The answer depends on how you interpret it.
If you consider Carl Perkins’ adaptation, then ‘Everybody’s Trying to Be My Baby’ holds the title. But if you’re counting official songwriting credits, ‘Kansas City’ by Leiber and Stoller is the one. Take your pick!
