On the 11th edition of Head 2 Head (2022), The Beatles and Lakeside contend for the best rendition of โI Want to Hold Your Hand.โ
W
elcome to Head 2 Head1. The Beatles, โI Want to Hold Your Handโ
1 โข
Apple Corps Ltd. โข
2000
โI wanna hold your hand / I wanna hold your hand.โ Yes, please!
The Beatles rank among the most important bands of all time if NOT the most important. Honestly, that canโt be overstated. The British bandโs catalog features hit after hit after hit โ NO CAP! One of the best of the best is undoubtedly their 1963 record,
โI Want to Hold Your Hand.โ This two-and-a-half-minute song is nothing short of a vibe. Itโs one of the most fun, catchiest, and easily recognizable songs ever written.
โOh, yeah, Iโll tell you something
I think youโll understand
When Iโll say that something
I wanna hold your hand.โ
The lyrics arenโt particularly deep, and thatโs part of the charm.
Paul McCartney and
John Lennon keep things simple, which proves to be a winning formula. Furthermore, harmonically, The Beatles also keep it simple for the most part, though the B chord (a III chord which should resolve to vi chord but doesnโt) is distinct. Also, the bridge (or post-chorus) adds a welcome change of pace harmonically (โAnd when I touch you / I feel happy insideโ). Is there anything more to be said about โI Want to Hold Your Hand?โ Itโs a surefire pop/rock classic.
2. Lakeside, โI Want to Hold Your Handโ
Your Wish is My Command โข
Unidisc Music Inc. โข
1981
Have you ever imagined what a soul rendition of a
The Beatles classic
โI Want to Hold Your Handโ might sound like? Well, you donโt have to imagine! R&B/funk collective
Lakeside, best known for
โFantastic Voyageโ, delivered a dynamic rendition of โI Want to Hold Your Handโ on their 1981 album,
Your Wish is My Command. In their hands, you can still recognize the key cues and parts of The Beatles classic, but Lakeside makes โI Want to Hold Your Handโ their own.
It commences with a stellar intro, featuring assertive piano, ripe guitars, and pummeling drums. The intro features both R&B and pop/rock cues, which is a selling point. As โI Want to Hold Your Handโ establishes itself, the meter shifts from common time to a more soulful, lilting compound duple (or quadruple if you hear it that way) meter. The tempo is slower and more relaxed, something that plays to the strength of the band. The vocals are high-flying โ commanding, gritty, and incredibly ear-catching when harmonies come into play. If anything, Lakeside makes a statement of the classicism and timeless nature of โI Want to Hold Your Hand.โ The fact that nearly two decades after the Beatles they were able to concoct a fresh version speaks to how special the song is.
The Verdict 
The Beatles or Lakeside? I love what Lakeside did with โI Want to Hold Your Hand.โ That said, the definitive version belongs to the original performers, The Beatles.
This often-covered classic started with an iconic band, and they deserve all the credit.
The Beatles vs. Lakeside: Head 2 Head
No. 11 (2022) [
: Apple Corps Ltd., Brent Faulkner, Layers, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, RODNAE Productions, Unidisc Music Inc., Valentin Tikhonov]