Earlier this year, the first video below went viral with the caption “The best version of this song ever.” I’m a die-hard Beatles fan, so I assumed that was a gross exaggeration. I confess I stuck the link in a draft post and forgot all about it. This week, someone referenced the performance, so I had to admit I hadn’t actually listened to it yet. I shamefacedly went home and dug it up. I now know what those captions meant. It’s not that the Beatles version isn’t magnificent. It is that and more. It’s just that the gorgeousness of their music has been beautifully illustrated by this magnificent a cappella version. The group performing the new version are The Harvard Opportunes, the oldest co-ed a cappella group at Harvard. They were founded in 1980, and they’ve been making amazing harmonies ever since.

“Over the years the Opportunes have won widespread acclaim for their intricate six-to-eight-part harmonies as well as for their stage presence and sense of humor. Though all are seasoned musicians, the Opportunes have academic concentrations spanning Harvard’s diverse curriculum, from molecular and cellular biology to social studies to English. Our members hail from all over the country and the world and are involved in Harvard athletics, clubs, theater, publications, and service programs.”

You can follow the Harvard Opportunes on their website and on YouTube, TikTok, Spotify, Instagram, and Facebook.