
Seventy-four years ago today, with her husband away at sea and her country in the midst of World War II, Julia Lennon gave birth to a baby who would grow up to be one of rock music’s most successful, iconic and inspirational figures — John Lennon.
From the Beatles to Yoko Ono to his activism for peace to his legendary solo career, you don’t need us to recap his immense influence on rock music and popular culture.
So for Lennon’s 74th birthday, we’ve collected our seven favorite covers of his solo songs, from Pearl Jam, Lady Gaga, Marilyn Manson, Christina Aguilera and others. Listen below.
John Lennon’s 10 Biggest Billboard Hits
Marilyn Manson, “Working Class Hero”
Lennon’s no-bullshit ode to the strengths and built-in plight of the working class is one of the highlights on his classic Plastic Ono Band album. For the b-side to his 2000 single “Disposable Teens,” Marilyn Manson delivered a faithful, heartfelt cover of “Working Class Hero” that stands above numerous other excellent covers (Green Day, Marianne Faithful) thanks to Manson’s ragged vocals, which make it sound like he’s shouting this song directly into The Man’s face.
Lady Gaga, “Imagine”
Picking a favorite “Imagine” cover is impossible. Everyone from Elton John to Emile Sande to Eddie Vedder to Madonna have sung worthy versions. Although no one has come close to capturing the inviting optimism of the original, Lady Gaga‘s version stands on its own. At a 2009 charity concert, she changed the lyrics to call out for marriage equality and to pay homage to Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old college student beaten to death reportedly for being gay. Safe to say Lennon would have approved of her tweaking his words.
Christina Aguilera, “Mother”
One of Lennon’s most personal songs is also one of Christina Aguilera‘s best covers. Lennon ended his version with soul-tearing screams, but Aguilera sings the repeated refrain of “Mama don’t go / Daddy come home” at the end in total rock mode, sounding equal parts Etta James and Robert Plant.
Pearl Jam, “Gimme Some Truth”
Eddie Vedder is a massive John Lennon fan, and he recently recorded a fantastic version of “Imagine” for charity. But Pearl Jam‘s version of this Imagine album track is a must-listen. Vedder captures the yearning and the rage of the lyrics, while the band illustrates how hard this song rocks.
Red Hot Chili Peppers, “I Found Out”
Taken from Lennon’s first proper solo album, Plastic Ono Band, “I Found Out” stunned many Beatles fans with its blunt disavowal of everything from Christianity to the hippie-era concept of brotherhood. For their 1995 cover version (recorded for a Humane Society charity comp), the Red Hot Chili Peppers slow it down and deliver a sludgy, bluesy take on this overlooked Lennon classic.
Roxy Music, “Jealous Guy”
Released just three months after Lennon’s murder, Bryan Ferry’s airy, fluttering vocals lend themselves perfectly to Lennon’s lovely apology to a lover. After their genre-bending ’70s music, Roxy Music had switched to chic, sleek sounds at this point in their career, and that gentle approach suits the material. Plus, Ferry’s whistling isn’t too bad.
The Flaming Lips, “(Just Like) Starting Over”
The opening track to Lennon & Yoko Ono’s Double Fantasy album gets a lovely, slightly sad cover from the Flaming Lips for the 2007 charity comp Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur. While Lennon approached the song (and his impending middle-age) with joyous swagger, Wayne Coyne’s voice is wistful and uncertain on this song. The band, meanwhile, combines acoustic guitar with space-y sound effects. The result is one of the most inventive Lennon covers out there.
Done listening to these? Lennon’s solo catalog is finally on Spotify. No reason not to be listening to it now.