Which one is your favorite? - XXIX -

When you look at the Beatles discography, it is almost impossible to come across a song you like and not been covered until today. So this week I chose a popular song from the band with some amazing versions. The song was written by John Lennon but always credited to the Lennon-McCartney partnership.

Here is the song for this week;

"Dear Prudence"

Written in Rishikesh during the group's trip to India in early 1968, it was inspired by actress Mia Farrow's sister, Prudence Farrow, who became obsessive about meditating while practicing with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Her designated partners on the meditation course, Lennon and George Harrison attempted to coax Farrow out of her seclusion, which led to Lennon writing the song.

According to American flautist Paul Horn, who was also with them in Rishikesh, Prudence was a highly sensitive person, and by jumping straight into deep meditation, against the Maharishi's advice, she had allowed herself to fall into a catatonic state. Horn stated, "She was ashen-white and didn't recognize anybody. She didn't even recognize her own brother who was on the course with her. The only person she showed any slight recognition towards was Maharishi. We were all concerned about her and Maharishi assigned her a full-time nurse."

According to the singer-songwriter Donovan, who was on the retreat in India with The Beatles, he taught John Lennon a "clawhammer" guitar technique that he used on this track. "He was so fascinated by fingerstyle guitar that he immediately started to write in a different color and was very inspired," Donovan said in an interview. "That's what happens when you learn a new style."

The clawhammer style is played with the strumming hand-formed into a claw, using the backs of the fingernails to strum down on the strings.

John Lennon's handwritten lyrics were auctioned off for $19,500 in 1987.

The song is on the 1968 "Beatles" double album (aka the "White Album").

Here are the 4 versions I picked for you;

• Siouxsie And The Banshees - "Dear Prudence"

• Jerry Garcia Band featuring Phil Lesh - "Dear Prudence"

• Ramsey Lewis - "Dear Prudence"

• Phish - "Dear Prudence"

Now the floor is yours, go ahead and make your comments (here, Instagram, Facebook wherever you feel like...).

nb. Please note that I intentionally do not include the original versions of the songs as it would be a little unfair to the artists covering the songs, and I am sure that sometimes you will be surprised to see that the songs you thought were the originals are just covers.