First released by The Beatles (1968).
Hit album version by The Beatles (1969).
From the wiki: “‘Across the Universe’ was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the various artists’ charity compilation album for the World Wildlife Fund, No One’s Gonna Change Our World, in December 1969. This 1968 version was considered for release as a Beatles’ single but instead was donated to the WWF. In its place, ‘Lady Madonna’ became the group’s nextir next 45. The following year, ‘Across the Universe’ appeared, in different form, on Let It Be, the Beatles’ final released album.
“The Let It Be production used the same basic track as the 1968 original but with major differences arising from Phil Spector’s arrival as the album producer. In the spring of 1970, Spector was brought in to salvage the original Get Back sessions, including ‘Universe’. Spector stripped some of the original overdubs, slowed it down and, in his famous ‘wall of sound’ manner, added numerous layers of strings, brass, percussion and a vocal choir, giving the song a whole new feel.”
The Beatles, “Across the Universe” from Let It Be (1969):