Like a lot of folks, I have been rediscovering CDs over the past few years, and CDs purchases have been growing over this period. People still want to own their media. I also updated my prior posting on this subject for this month (directly after this post).
So which are the best Beatles albums versions to own? I have asked AI for help on this subject, already discussed by many collectors. There are 3 sections. Below are the results:
1 - For the Beatles' pre-Revolver albums (Please Please Me through Rubber Soul), the question of natural, uncompressed sound quality is really a balance between:
The quality of the original recordings.
Whether you prefer the original mono or stereo mixes.
Which CD mastering you choose (1987 CDs, 2009 remasters, Mono Box, etc.).
My overall ranking of the albums themselves for recording quality
Album
Recording Quality
Best Mix
Comments
Rubber Soul (1965)
9/10
Mono
Warm, mature sound with excellent vocals and acoustic instruments.
Help! (1965)
8.5/10
Mono
Fuller bass and smoother balance than earlier albums.
Beatles For Sale (1964)
8.5/10
Mono
One of the best sounding early recordings; excellent acoustic textures.
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
8/10
Mono
Very energetic and clean sounding.
With The Beatles (1963)
7.5/10
Mono
Slightly harder and more compressed recording style.
Please Please Me (1963)
7/10
Mono
Recorded quickly over a single day; surprisingly good but primitive.
Mono versus Stereo
Mono (generally preferred for 1963-1965 Beatles)
For virtually all Beatles recordings before Revolver, the band and producer devoted most of their attention to the mono mixes.
Advantages:
Better balance of instruments and vocals.
Stronger bass and drum impact.
More cohesive presentation.
Fewer distracting hard left/right placements.
The stereo mixes often have:
Vocals entirely in one speaker.
Instruments entirely in the other speaker.
Large empty space in the middle.
On headphones especially, the early stereo mixes can sound unnatural.
Stereo
Stereo improves significantly on:
Beatles For Sale
Help!
Rubber Soul
By Rubber Soul, stereo becomes much more enjoyable, though many fans still prefer mono.
Best CD versions for natural, uncompressed sound
1. 2009 Beatles Mono Box CDs
For the albums originally released in mono, these are generally considered the finest digital versions.
Ranking:
Rubber Soul Mono
Beatles For Sale Mono
Help! Mono
A Hard Day's Night Mono
With The Beatles Mono
Please Please Me Mono
The 2009 mono CDs are extremely dynamic, minimally processed, and avoid heavy limiting.
2. Original 1987 CDs
The original 1987 CDs are often praised for being very lightly processed and dynamic.
Particularly good:
Please Please Me
With The Beatles
Beatles For Sale
Some listeners prefer these to the 2009 stereos because they are slightly less EQ'd.
3. 2009 Stereo Remasters
The 2009 stereo remasters are still relatively conservative compared with modern mastering standards.
Typical DR values remain around DR10-12, which is far from heavily compressed.
However they feature:
Slight limiting.
More bass.
Brighter EQ.
More modern presentation.
If your goal is the most natural sounding digital Beatles collection
Essential versions:
Please Please Me — 2009 Mono CD
With The Beatles — 2009 Mono CD
A Hard Day's Night — 2009 Mono CD
Beatles For Sale — 2009 Mono CD
Help! — 2009 Mono CD
Rubber Soul — 2009 Mono CD
For stereo listening:
Beatles For Sale stereo
Help! stereo
Rubber Soul stereo
are the best of the pre-Revolver stereo albums.
Overall sound quality ranking of pre-Revolver CDs
Rubber Soul (2009 Mono CD) — 9.5/10
Beatles For Sale (2009 Mono CD) — 9.3/10
Help! (2009 Mono CD) — 9.2/10
Rubber Soul (2009 Stereo CD) — 9.0/10
A Hard Day's Night (2009 Mono CD) — 8.8/10
Beatles For Sale (2009 Stereo CD) — 8.8/10
With The Beatles (2009 Mono CD) — 8.3/10
Please Please Me (2009 Mono CD) — 8.0/10
Since you mentioned owning the 1987 CDs, the biggest sonic upgrade for the early catalog would probably be acquiring the 2009 Mono Box versions, especially for Beatles For Sale, Help!, and Rubber Soul. Many Beatles collectors consider those mono CDs to be the definitive digital editions of the pre-Revolver albums.
2 - For Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the situation is slightly different from The White Album, Abbey Road, and Let It Be
because the original CDs from 1987 were created from the original 1960s
stereo mixes, while the recent Deluxe editions are completely new
remixes by Giles Martin and Sam Okell.
Revolver
1st Place for Natural Dynamics: 1987 CD
The original 1987 CD of Revolver remains the least compressed digital version:
Essentially no modern limiting.
Very wide dynamic range.
Retains the original 1966 stereo mix.
However, many listeners find the 1987 mastering:
A little thin in the bass.
Slightly hard in the upper midrange.
Limited by the quality of the original stereo mix itself, which was not the Beatles' primary focus in 1966.
2nd Place: 2009 Remaster
Mild EQ improvements and tape restoration.
Very modest limiting.
Fuller bass and smoother presentation.
Still retains excellent dynamics.
For many systems, especially vintage equipment, the 2009 Revolver is arguably the best compromise.
3rd Place: 2022 Remix Deluxe
Stunning instrument separation.
Vocals are more centered and stable.
Bass is stronger and drums are more powerful.
Noticeably more compressed than the earlier CDs.
The
2022 remix is excellent for hearing details that were buried in the
original stereo mix but is not the most natural or dynamic presentation.
My ranking:
1987 CD (most natural)
2009 Remaster (best overall balance)
2022 Remix (best detail)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
1st Place for Natural Dynamics: 1987 CD
The original 1987 CD:
Has the widest dynamic range.
Uses virtually no digital compression.
Sounds relaxed and open.
Its weaknesses:
Slightly thin bass.
Less low-end weight than modern masterings.
2nd Place: 2009 Remaster
The 2009 remaster of Pepper is one of the best-regarded titles in the entire 2009 Beatles remaster campaign:
Slightly fuller bass.
Very little limiting.
Retains almost all of the dynamics of the 1987 version.
Many Beatles fans consider the 2009 Pepper superior to the 1987 disc for everyday listening.
3rd Place: 2017 Remix Deluxe
Considerably improved stereo image.
Stronger rhythm section.
More punch and clarity.
More compression and limiting than the earlier editions.
Unlike some modern remixes, the 2017 Pepper remix was done fairly tastefully and remains enjoyable even for many audiophiles.
My ranking:
1987 CD (most dynamic)
2009 Remaster (best overall)
2017 Remix (best detail and imaging)
Overall Beatles CD Rankings for Natural, Uncompressed Sound
Album
Most Natural
Best Compromise
Most Detailed
Revolver
1987 CD
2009 Remaster
2022 Remix
Sgt. Pepper
1987 CD
2009 Remaster
2017 Remix
White Album
1987 CD
2009 Remaster
2018 Remix
Abbey Road
1987 CD
2009 Remaster
2019 Remix
Let It Be
1987 CD
2009 Remaster
2021 Remix
If
I were listening through your vintage-style setup with a Sony STR-D650Z
receiver and classic CD changers such as your Yamaha and Technics
units, I would probably reach for:
1987 CDs when I want the closest thing to the original masterings and maximum dynamic range.
2009 remasters for casual listening because they add a little warmth and bass without sacrificing much dynamic range.
Deluxe remixes when I want to hear the multitrack tapes opened up and explore details that were hidden in the original mixes.
Many longtime Beatles collectors end up keeping all three generations for exactly those reasons.
3 - For the albums The Beatles (White Album), Abbey Road, and Let It Be — the answer depends on whether your priority is dynamic range and lack of compression, or clarity and modern mastering improvements.
Overall Ranking for Natural, Least Compressed Sound
Version
Compression Level
Tonal Character
Recommendation
Original CDs (1987 for White Album, Abbey Road, 1987/1988 for Let It Be)
Lowest
Very natural, slightly lean
Best for purity and dynamics
2009 Remasters
Light compression and limiting
Fuller bass, smoother EQ
Excellent balance
Deluxe Remixes (2018-2021)
Most compressed
More detail, separation,modern sound
Best for hearing into the mix, not for purity
White Album
1st Place: 1987 CD
Many Beatles collectors and audiophiles consider the original 1987 White Album CD to be the most natural digital version:
Very little limiting or compression.
Excellent dynamic range.
Slightly thinner bass than modern versions, but very open sounding.
2nd Place: 2009 Remaster
Slight EQ improvements.
Slight limiting added.
Retains most of the dynamics of the original.
3rd Place: 2018 Deluxe Remix
Giles Martin remix offers remarkable instrument separation and detail.
Uses modern compression and limiting.
Less dynamic than the original mix versions.
Abbey Road
1st Place: 1987 CD
The
original Abbey Road CD was mastered directly from the stereo master
tape by engineer Mike Jarrett under the supervision of George Martin.
Very dynamic and relaxed presentation.
Some listeners feel it sounds a little bright or thin compared with later versions.
2nd Place: 2009 Remaster
Many listeners actually prefer this one:
Better bass definition.
Slightly warmer tonal balance.
Very mild peak limiting only.
3rd Place: 2019 Remix
Outstanding detail retrieval.
Wider stereo image.
Noticeably louder and more compressed than the earlier editions.
Let It Be
1st Place: 1987/1988 CD
Most dynamic digital version.
Very natural presentation.
Minimal processing.
2nd Place: 2009 Remaster
Slightly fuller and smoother.
Mild compression but still very respectable dynamic range.
3rd Place: 2021 Remix
Considerably more modern sounding.
Cleaner separation of instruments and vocals.
More compression and limiting than the earlier versions.
If your goal is the closest sound to the master tapes:
White Album: 1987 CD
Abbey Road: 1987 CD (though many prefer the 2009 for everyday listening)
Let It Be: 1987/88 CD
If your goal is the best compromise between fidelity and modern mastering:
White Album: 2009 Remaster
Abbey Road: 2009 Remaster
Let It Be: 2009 Remaster
Since you've mentioned using vintage CD players and a Sony receiver in previous discussions, you may find that the 1987 discs pair particularly well with your system,
as older CD players and receivers often benefit from the wider dynamic
range and lighter mastering approach of those early CDs. The 2009
remasters can sound slightly richer and fuller, especially on more
neutral or modern equipment.
Many Beatles collectors ultimately keep exactly the three sets you own because each serves a different purpose:
1987: most natural and dynamic.
2009: best all-around listening version.
Deluxe remixes: best for hearing details previously buried in the mix.
A lot of people are not fans of the recent Beatles Deluxe reissues. Some claim the sound is lacking in dynamic range compared to the original recordings. The 1987 first CD issues were taken from the original master tapes and many are "flat transfers" (confirmed). You can hear the tracks in their pure form. And while most agree the 2009 remasters are much improved in bass, they also cut the dynamic range in favor of louder recordings. If you want to hear the most natural recordings, the 1987 CDs are still preferred, especially from the period Sgt. Pepper forward. Of course, everyone has their favorites. And for this reason, the 1987 CDs have a place in every Beatles collection. These CDs also provide the durable jewel cases and artwork. Grab these CDs while you can off eBay and other sources, because they are no longer available for purchase new. The Mono Masters on CD are also preferred due to their greater dynamic range. Either way you can always listen to the CDs since they no longer appear on streaming sites. So here are several articles on the topic:
The 1987 CD mixes
In 1987, as the Beatles catalog was due for their first CD release, producer George Martin wanted to go back and remix the sixties version of stereo to something a bit more updated for the modern ear. Because of a rushed release schedule, he couldn’t do this for the first four albums, Please Please Me, With The Beatles, Beatles For Sale and A Hard Day’s Night, as they were due for release in February 1987. So, as a compromise, they were released in mono, which were mixes the producer was satisfied with.
The next batch of releases were Help!, Rubber Soul and Revolver, due out in April 1987, and this time, Sir George had time to prepare updated mixes for these. He had a listen, and while he thought Help! and Rubber Soul needed remixing, he was satisfied with the sixties stereo mix of Revolver and all the albums that followed.
So he remixed Help! and Rubber Soul, and when they were released on CD they had an “eighties” stereo soundscape. (Except for some Canadian pressings of these CD’s where the original sixties stereo mixes had been used by mistake.)
Over the years, Beatles fans and music lovers have been rather critical to the 1987 mixes of those two albums, especially because they brought in an amount of echo and reverb which hadn’t been present on the sixties stereo mixes. Then, when the remasters were announced, these fans were shocked that they were once again to use these inferior 1987 remixes for the general release of the remastered catalog (albums available individually and as part of the stereo remasters boxed set).
In a telephone interview that Detroit’s Classic Rock station’s (FM 94,7) Deminski and Doyle conducted with Giles Martin, son of Sir George, the producer unexpectedly was able to shed some light on why the eighties mix was re-used.
Deminski and Doyle had made several erraneous assumptions, first of all they thought that Giles was involved in the remasters project, secondly they assumed that the remasters were also remixed, not just remastered. As these assumptions were both untrue, the interview do provide an insight into the narrow world behind the walls of Abbey Road studios and the hap-hazard manner in which things happen.
Giles Martin was in the studio, remixing the Beatles songs that were going to be used in the The Beatles:Rock Band game, singling out specific instruments from otherwise interlocked studio tapes, so he was able to talk a bit about that process.
But he was also involved in the “Love” project, and he was an insider at Abbey Road, so he was also able to listen in to the remasters project that was going on at the same time as he was mixing for RockBand. Here’s what he said (transcribed by me from the podcast of the interview) about those infamous 1987 remixes:
Giles Martin: Rubber Soul and Help! were remixed by my dad in 1988 or ’87 for CD. And when we did “Love”, we got to do Yesterday, and I couldn’t understand why there were so much echo and reverb on the voice ’cause it was very non-Beatles. And it was only when I came back and I was listening to the remasters I asked “how come this is the case?” and they said “well we are remastering the eighties versions of [Rubber Soul and Help!]” and I said “why aren’t we remastering the originals, we should remaster what came out then [in 1965]?”
And they said “Well, your father wouldn’t be very happy with us not remastering the versions he did in the eighties.”
So I spoke to my Dad and I asked “Do you mind if they remaster the sixties version?” and he went “I don’t even remember doing them in the eighties!”
Allan Rouse in an interview with Record Collector: “The remasters were based on the master-tapes, with the exception of two albums: George Martin’s 1987 mixes of Help! and Rubber Soul. People are questioning why we used those. George Martin is the fifth Beatle. He chose to do it. You can argue with him, but I’m not going to.”
So there you have it! The stereo remasters are the 1987 remixes out of the involved remastering engineers’ misguided respect for Sir George!
Now, the original 1965 stereo mixes are not lost to the world, because they are an added bonus on the mono remasters of those albums, but these are only part of the mono boxed set, and are not for sale to the general public as individual albums.
Beatles 1987 vs 2009 Stereo CDs - which do you prefer?
I'm in the camp that prefers the 1987 CDs.
Besides my preference for the more neutral EQ of the 1987s over the more bassy 2009s, there's an issue of historical accuracy when it comes to the 2009s (and not just the stereo, but the mono ones too)
On multiple occasions, the 2009 remasters actually removed certain sounds that were present on the original releases. Most often these are lip smacks and plosives, but the sound of a guitar's pickup switch was even edited out of I Want You (She's So Heavy), along with some mic distortion on John's voice during the long "yeeeaaaaaahhhhhhh!" part.
If you want to hear a particularly egregious edit, listen to the strange, digital sounding "p" sound in the first "appear" of I'm A Loser. This was an attempt by the 2009s to edit out a plosive which wasn't even bad sounding to begin with (the original can be heard on the 1987 Beatles For Sale CD as well as The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 CD set), and the end result is far worse than the original "error" in my opinion.
A crucial lip smack in my book comes before the vocals start in You Won't See Me: it totally adds to the sass of the lyrics in my opinion, and after getting used to hearing it (as well as others throughout the song) on the 80s CD, I find it difficult to listen to the sanitized 2009 remaster.
On top of this, there are a few songs on the 2009 stereo remasters that sound worse than previous CD versions. For one, She Said She Said had the treble sucked out of it in the '09, making it sound muffled in comparison to the 80s CD. Also, the beginning of A Hard Day's Night has a weird shift in EQ that wasn't present on the 90s Red Album CD release. The final one that I know of is Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand, which sounds much clearer on the aforementioned Capitol Albums Vol. 1 set (the 2009 also edited out some studio dialogue in the right ear at the beginning of the song!)
TLDR: The 2009 remasters are missing Beatles ASMR that was present on the original vinyl as well as the 1987 CDs. Some songs also sound objectively worse on the 2009 stereo remasters compared to previous CD versions.
From Al Lopez-https://www.reddit.com/r/beatles/comments/v031td/beatles_1987_vs_2009_stereo_cds_which_do_you/?rdt=48026
BEATLES ON CD: YEAH, YEAH, NAH 03-08-1987, from the New York Times
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO TOday, the BBC broadcast an innocuous pop variety show called ''Teen-ager's Turn'' - a program that would probably have slipped through the cracks of pop-music history but for the fact that one of the bands making its radio debut that afternoon was a quartet called the Beatles. At the time, the Beatles were a dance-hall rock group with a growing following in northern England and in certain racier districts of Hamburg. But broader success was eluding them. Two months earlier, they had auditioned for Decca Records, which turned them down on the ground that guitar groups were passe. And they would collect record label rejection slips for several more months before George Martin, a producer at EMI's moribund Parlophone subsidiary, decided to give them a chance.
The resonance of that decision remains with us to this day, for while Beatlemania may be more subdued than it was in the 1960's, a remnant of it has remained alive through the 17 years since the group disbanded. Right now it's having one of its periodic waves of high visibility, and that has traditionally meant that there's money to be made for those with Beatles trinkets to sell. This year's hot items aren't Beatles lunchboxes, wallpaper or gum cards, but rather, increasingly high-tech ways of collecting the band's work.
Ten days ago, EMI released the first four Beatles albums on compact disk. These CD transfers have been a long time coming, but have they been worth the wait? In a general sense, yes: they put forth a crisp, powerful and beautifully detailed sound, but they're also short - less than 35 minutes each - and they're in mono. These aspects and several others leave one wondering whether the label's Beatles CD program ought to be reconsidered.
Meanwhile, there has been other Beatles activity. Two weeks ago, for instance, ''Help!'' was released on video tape (with a full stereo soundtrack), joining the already available home video versions of ''A Hard Day's Night,'' ''Magical Mystery Tour'' and ''Let It Be.'' A laser video disk of ''Help!'' featuring segments deleted from the theatrical version is forthcoming, as is ''The Making of 'A Hard Day's Night,' '' a video documentary also featuring footage previously seen only by the most obsessive collectors. Beatles cartoons are back on TV. And two documentaries marking the 20th anniversary this June of ''Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' are in the works.
Say what you like about Elvis Presley, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, the Police or Bruce Springsteen, no performer of the rock era has had anything like the social and cultural impact the Beatles had, nor has any pop ensemble produced so consistently brilliant, influential, varied and durable a body of work. Between their first EMI recording session, on Sept. 4, 1962, and their last, on Jan. 3, 1970, the Beatles recorded and released 211 songs, or nearly 10 hours of music.
The four new CD's, which use the cover art, liner notes, track orders and even the Parlophone logo of the British originals, are ''Please Please Me'' (CDP 7 46435), ''With the Beatles'' (CDP 7 46436), ''A Hard Day's Night'' (CDP 7 45437) and ''Beatles For Sale'' (CDP 7 46438) - a chronological sequence that takes the band's album releases through the end of 1964. According to EMI's plan, ''Help!,'' ''Rubber Soul'' and ''Revolver'' will be released in April. June will bring ''Sgt. Pepper,'' and by the end of the year, ''The Beatles (White Album),'' ''Yellow Submarine,'' ''Abbey Road'' and ''Let It Be'' will be out too. That covers the 174 tracks that were originally issued on LP. Missing, however, will be the 37 songs (plus four alternate takes) released as singles and EP tracks -in other words, most of the group's biggest hits. These, or some of them, will be issued next year in a compilation that EMI has not yet formulated.
On the four CD's just issued, the sound is magnificent - solid, crystal clear, beautifully textured and fully detailed. One hears very little in the way of tape hiss or extraneous noise; heard side by side with their equivalent mono Parlophone LP's, the CD's sound, for the most part, as bright or brighter on top, and a good deal richer in the bass.
Moreover, the domestic release of these British disks also redresses a longstanding flaw in the Beatles' American discography -the fact that until ''Sgt. Pepper'' the Beatles' American disks bore very little resemblance to those the group and George Martin carefully constructed at the Abbey Road studio in London. Typically, a run of Beatles sessions would produce about 16 tracks, two of which were issued as a single, while 14 were sequenced for the LP - the group's rather considerate philosophy being that someone who bought the single shouldn't have to pay for the same tracks on an album. Often, a second single was issued between two LP's, so that every six months or so, the Beatles would have released 16 to 18 tracks.
When these recordings were sent to Capitol, EMI's American arm, however, they were promptly dismantled and made to conform to a set of house rules. First, it was Capitol's policy that an LP contain no more than 12 selections; so two were dropped from the British album sequence right off the top. Second, it was felt that songs released as singles should appear on LP's, so more album tracks were dropped to make room for the latest of the 45's. Finally, it was decreed that American record buyers expected a brighter, hotter kind of sound than their British counterparts, so the tapes were lavishly immersed in artificial echo. So, for every three British LP's, Capitol sold the American public four shorter and sonically murkier albums.
Don’t Look Now, but Kidz Boppers Have Graduated From College But while the CD's offer the original sequencings and sound quality, they raise other questions that bear examination. From the campaign EMI has been building around these disks, it strikes me that a number of questionable decisions were made, both in terms of the Beatles CD program on the whole, and with regard to these first disks.
For instance, the fact that these first four CD's have been issued in mono is bound to bother some collectors. In the case of ''Please Please Me'' and ''With the Beatles,'' that's certainly a defensible approach, for when they were recorded, in 1963, George Martin had only two-track equipment at his disposal. At the sessions, he recorded the instruments on one channel and the vocals on the other - an arrangement he found convenient in producing a mono mix, but awkward for stereo.
Without question, the mono mixes pack a greater punch. What the stereo versions (instruments on the left, vocals on the right) have going for them, though, is that they allow one to peer freely into the details of the arrangements - a fascinating pursuit if one's interest in the Beatles is musical rather than nostalgic.
But ''A Hard Day's Night'' and ''Beatles for Sale'' were recorded on four-track equipment, and their stereo mixes are bright, spacious and really quite lovely. Why mono CD's then? Bhaskar Menon, chairman of EMI Music Worldwide, recently explained that ''in very close discussion with George Martin, we determined that there was no question we must preserve the original mixes - that the releases really must be in mono because stereo was not the intent of the performers.''
But George Martin tells it this way: ''Expediency, in a word,'' he said. ''EMI did not consult me until December, by which time they were ready to have the disks pressed. When I heard the stereo CD's, I thought they sounded awful. I told them that the first two should go out in mono, and that if they had to issue the others in stereo, the mixes should be cleaned up and re-equalized for CD. Unfortunately, there was a deadline to be met, so they said, 'Look, we'll release all four in mono, and if you like, perhaps you can prepare stereo mixes for ''A Hard Day's Night'' and ''Beatles for Sale'' later on.' ''
Far be it from me to disparage the mono mixes. From ''Please Please Me'' through ''Yellow Submarine,'' each of the Beatles albums was simultaneously issued in both mono and stereo, and one of the great joys of Beatles collecting is that moment when you realize that, in quite a few cases, these separately prepared mixes feature either alternate vocal takes, radically different instrumental balances, or, in the later recordings, different sorts of effects. ''We tended to change our minds a lot,'' Mr. Martin explained, ''mainly because we didn't think it was that important to be consistent. Of course, history has found us out.''
In some cases, the mono mixes are clearly more interesting, particularly on the later albums. On the mono ''Sgt. Pepper,'' for instance, John Lennon's vocal in ''Lucy in the Sky'' is set in a spacey, echoic haze, perfectly appropriate for the song, but lost in the stereo mix. On the same disk, ''She's Leaving Home'' is speeded up in mono, changing the pitch, and that version doesn't drag nearly as much as the stereo one. And on the ''White Album'' (which was released in mono in England, but only in stereo here) about half the tracks boast fascinating mixing variations.
In fact, what's objectionable about EMI's campaign is not the use of the mono tapes, but the company's trumpeting of its claim that ''these are the first four British albums, in their original mono mixes'' - as if the British stereo mixes were less original. It's a murky topic, though. When the question of the original mixes was raised, EMI's London-based spokesman said, ''The first two albums were issued only in mono in 1963. It was not until 1964 or 1965 that they were remixed for stereo.''
Yet, a check of Parlophone's 1963 advertisements for these disks, when they were newly released, confirms that they were indeed issued in both stereo and mono. ''I can't understand that,'' George Martin said when this was pointed out. ''Certainly, I didn't mix them in stereo, nor did the Beatles, and I don't think I was aware that they were out in stereo at the time. Now, that may sound extraordinary to you, but in 1963, I scarcely had time to eat breakfast, let alone keep up with what EMI was releasing.'' That would account for only the first two disks. But if the main reason the others are in mono is that EMI didn't have the time to make the stereo disk properly, must the label coerce history into supporting its last-minute decision?
Having been invited, belatedly, to participate in the CD preparations, Mr. Martin is now in the process of remixing ''Help!,'' ''Rubber Soul'' and ''Revolver'' from the four-track masters. ''My intention was not to change anything,'' he explains, ''but the original mixes sounded a little woolly to me, so I was able to harden up the sound and cut down on some background noise.'' Mr. Martin says, however, that the last few disks in the series - from ''Sgt. Pepper'' onward - will probably not be remixed.
The best solution, of course, would have been to include both the stereo and mono mixes of each album on each CD, and let the listeners decide for themselves. There's lots of room: these four disks run a bit over 30 minutes apiece, and most of the pre-''Pepper'' disks are similarly brief.
Alternatively, EMI could have added, at the end of each CD, the singles and EP tracks that were issued concurrently, with a suitable addendum at the end of the program notes booklet. For that matter, while reprinting the original liner notes was a nice (and, from a collector's point of view, necessary) touch, a supplementary essay setting forth recording and release dates, and discussing the music in the context of the band's full output, should not have been too much to expect at this point.
Finally, it seems silly to stand on ceremony about the ''original 12'' British albums in every case. Is it really sensible to skip a unified compilation like ''Magical Mystery Tour'' simply because it wasn't originally issued on LP, while a CD version of ''Yellow Submarine''- an album containing one track from a previous disk, five otherwise untransferred Beatles tunes and a side of incidental film music - is imminent? Both would fit on a single (and chronologically appropriate) CD.
During the four years between the arrival of CD and the release of these disks, Beatles collectors wondered how EMI would present the Beatles on CD. Unfortunately, EMI seems to have devoted less thought to its CD program than many of the disks' prospective buyers have.
The transfers are fine, and the music is as exhilarating as ever. But as has often been the case, one gets the impression that EMI is intent on providing the minimum and feigning authenticity, largely because its executives haven't properly thought the series through. It's a pity, really, because with a little effort, EMI could have lived up to the advance fanfare for these CD's, and made the series something special. Perhaps it's not too late.
A version of this article appears in print on March 8, 1987, Section 2, Page 25 of the National edition with the headline: BEATLES ON CD: YEAH, YEAH, NAH. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/1987/03/08/arts/beatles-on-cd-yeah-yeah-nah.html The Beatles Remasters- The Stereo Albums and The Beatles In Mono -from The Absolute Sound, by Neil Gader Sep 11, 2009
The year was 1987 and digital audio was still emerging unsteadily from its technological stone-age. The year was also noteworthy for the highly anticipated, first-ever release of the Beatles catalog on compact disc. Although the transfers were engineered under the watchful eye of the Beatles longtime producer George Martin the discs were met with a collective sigh of dismay and reinforced the view that digital sound wasn’t ready for primetime. Dry and brittle, flat and cold–it was as some would argue, perversely soulless. Most audiophiles scurried back to the safety of their turntables and treasure trove of Beatles vinyl, the early EMI/Parlophones, the later Japanese pressings and the 1982 Mobile Fidelity Beatles Box.
Twenty-two years later, EMI/Apple Records has taken another stab at setting the record straight by releasing the fully remastered Beatles catalog. But this time they have hit the mark. Housed in a pair of shining CD box sets they are a sonic triumph that have, more or less, completely avoided the pitfalls of their predecessor’s dubious past–even if they’re almost pre-destined not to please all comers. Certainly analog loyalists with the toniest turntable rigs will nitpick these discs to death. But the newfound energy, detail and transparency these remasters embody are a quantum leap from 1987. And for the legions of younger listeners without the benefit of the best Beatles vinyl these discs will be nothing short of a revelation.
Released as two individually distributed box CD sets–a stereo collection and The Beatles in Mono– the former includes the 13 core UK albums plus Past Masters Volume I and II compiled on one disc.Individual albums are housed in glossy eco-friendly DigiPacks and feature the original cover art with insightful historical and recording notes by producer and documentarian Kevin Howlett . Each stereo disc also contains a QuickTime mini-doc depicting the making of each album. The box includes a bonus DVD compilation of these non-controversial “Anthology-lite” videos as well.
Although the stereo albums are available individually, not so for the mono recordings (pictured above). They’ll be restricted to the box set and include all 10 titles plus the Mono Masters and alas, no mini-docs. But as a bonus the mono “Help” and “Rubber Soul” disc will include the original 1965 stereo mixes which had not been previously released on CD. Said to be targeted at collectors EMI will limit the run to 10,000 units. Why mono? The Beatles’ albums were recorded during the transitional era of mono to stereo and all but their final pair of records, Abbey Road and Let It Be were mixed to mono. More importantly only the monos were mixed with the Fab Four present in the control room. For many this distinction alone makes the mono set the more accurate barometer of the band’s intent. Generally, the overall packaging of individual discs is well done, but the slip cases hinder easy access and are hardly posh. Sensing an opportunity, a company is marketing its own storage solution; check out The Beatles Box of Vision in a separate blog)
The remastering project was led by veteran Abbey Road project coordinator Allan Rouse, engineer Guy Massey and audio restoration engineer Simon Gibson and spanned a period of four years. Exhaustive research and listening tests were conducted prior to committing the original EMI 811 analogue master tapes to the digital medium. Even the earliest UK vinyl pressings were on hand for comparison. Working song-by-song from vintage Studer tape machines, the state-of-the-art transfer was completed using a Pro Tools workstation running at 24-bit/192kHz resolution via a Prism Sound A/D convertor. In all instances the artistic integrity of the songs trumped technical considerations and only the rare glitch–a click, a vocal mike pop, or a rough edit were improved when possible. De-noising technology was used but sparingly–only five of 525 minutes of running time was processed in this fashion. More provocative was the use of compression on the stereo transfers. A common way of bumping up the overall volume and sonically fattening today’s pop music the engineers stated that at most, a modest +3-4dB of compression was used–a drop in the bucket compared with the signal crunching +12-13dB often used today.
For even the most casual Beatles fan, the improvement in sonics from these remasters will be nothing less than thrilling. Like a painstaking restoration of a work of art the Beatles music sounds as if an almost imperceptible-build-up of decades-old glaze was suddenly removed from the surface of the sonic canvas revealing the artist’s bright and bold original palette. And compared with the 1987 CDs, the remasters are warmer, more detailed, and possess a livelier midrange energy and distinctively fuller bloom in the lower mids and upper bass. The treble is non-edgy and tonally more akin to the Parlophone LPs. They also, mercifully avoid the treble boost of the otherwise solid MoFi Box set. Taken together, you’ll hear more clang to “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”. Ringo’s drum fills are fuller and louder. The string orchestra and winds of “Good Night” more fluid and naturalistic. Whether it was the fuzzy guitar feedback of “I Feel Fine” the open-chord intro of “A Hard Day’s Night” the crashing final chord and squeaky piano bench that concludes “A Day In the Life”, as the discs continued to spin, one iconic moment after another reclaimed my attention and provided new insights.
But above all it’s the glorious singing and rich inventive harmonies and double-tracked vocals that shimmer and shine and electrify with ranges of expression broader and more transparent than ever before. Like freshly minted coins, Paul’s tender “Mother Nature’s Son” and John’s acerbic “Good Morning Good Morning” hardly sound like the same songs. And you’re going to want to grab a soothing glass of milk after Lennon’s lacerating, volcanic “Twist and Shout” vocal.
However depending on which camp you’ve pitched your tent, you’ll either be delighted or disenchanted with the well-muscled bass reproduction. For purists, this may likely be the most controversial aspect of these remasters. However, acolytes of Paul McCartney will thrill at the clarity and acrobatic dexterity of his bass lines. Ringo’s fans will be equally stunned at the reverberant impact off the skins. But I’ve never heard “Fixing A Hole” with a footprint this heavy before. Certainly a touch of compression would account for some of the added punch and presence in the low end but to these ears a bit of added bass EQ also seems likely. Tasteful certainly–accurate, doubtful. And as good as these remasters are, they still retain trace elements of digital sterility, and the best Beatles LPs rival them in some areas with an almost organic, airy delicacy.
As for the mono recordings, they are so good they may unwittingly revive a cult. The strong central image actually permits the early two-track material more bang and integrity (and yes, layering) over the hard-panned processed stereo versions–where a lead vocal was often isolated in one channel while bass, drums, and guitar piggybacked in the other. Overall they sound a bit softer and lack the tight bottom end of the later stereos, but then there’s a track like “Helter Skelter” from The White Album which, in its immediacy and speed will rip your driver a new diaphragm. However the best part of the mono set is easily Sgt. Pepper, the album where one can argue that the notably unique mono and the stereo versions cross the finish line in a dead heat. I wouldn’t choose the mono set over the stereo discs but for completists willing to explore the subtle discrepancies and minutiae buried in the rival mixes, the monos are special.
At a pre-launch press conference I attended at Capitol Records this past June (see picture below), key issues remain tantalizingly unaddressed–like a potential Blu-ray disc box that combines a refreshed Beatles anthology in high definition with high-resolution versions of the albums? Also, Apple Records is keenly aware of surging turntable sales but do they see this as an opportunity for one last royal 180gram box set? And if so, would EMI go to the trouble of cutting vinyl from the original masters or just use the newly archived 24-bit/192kHz files? Regarding vinyl, the Apple exec paused as if to ponder the possibilities, “It’s not a matter of if, only a matter of when.” he replied. As for whether the analog masters will once more be pressed into service, the answer is out there, somewhere, or as the late John Lennon once sang, “Nothing is real”.
The Beatles Remasters: A Splendid Time Is Guaranteed For Most
Michael Fremer-Dec 31, 2010
How bad were the original Beatles CDs issued back in 1987? So bad that even the clueless conditioned to believe that CDs represented an automatic sonic step up from vinyl noticed something was terribly wrong.
Amusing to some observers was the nature of the complaints: “they sound tinny,” “they sound flat,” “they sound thin and bright,” “they’re harsh and edgy,” “where’s the warmth?” etc.
Why did it take The Beatles for these folks to notice how bad almost every attempt at re-mastering great analog recordings to CD sounded?
I can’t name a single CD reissue back then that sounded as good as the original LP version, never mind any that sounded better, yet the same folks who chucked their LPs and were happily munching on their crispy CDs somehow heard all of the problems with the 1987 Beatles CDs they might have heard with all of their CDs had they paid more attention.
Leave it to the mythical Beatles to pull down the CD format’s digital pants and expose its, er, shortcomings. Not surprising since the group has held a special place in the hearts, minds and souls of generations and not surprising considering how well recorded the albums were—even the “primitive” early ones, thanks to the EMI studios, engineers Norman Smith and Geoff Emerick and of course producer George Martin.
Add low rent, almost dismissive packaging for such hallowed musical ground and the curious decision to issue the first four in mono only, when both mono and stereo versions would have fit on a single disc and you have a truly shitty reissue program, one that thumbed EMI’s corporate nose at both the surviving Beatles and especially the group’s fans.
The New Remasters
As reported elsewhere on this site and all over the media, this time EMI was determined to do a much better job and by any standard they have, both in terms of the sonics and especially the packaging.
The stereo box is deluxe in every way, with gatefolded digi-pak style jackets, original label artwork, previously unseen photos and Quick-Time mini-documentaries accompanying each disc. An additional disc holds all of the documentaries so you can watch all of them without having to go through the individual discs. In addition to the original releases, the set includes a double CD of singles and EPs not appearing on the original UK sets, which usually omitted the singles.
One curious move was the decision to use George Martin’s 1987 re-mixes of Rubber Soul and Help! instead of the original stereo mixes. These were digitized at 16 bit/44.1K resolution using what today would be considered stone aged A/D converters.
So if anyone tells you that the “new” Rubber Soul and Help! reissues sound so much better than the 1987 issues, ask them what they weren’t smoking. Surely, mood enhanced they’d notice they were listening to the same mixes, only perhaps a bit louder and punchier due to the touch of compression applied to all of these stereo reissues.
Ironically, if you want to hear the original stereo mixes of Rubber Soul and Help! transferred without compression you’ll need to buy the mono box! Yes, the producers chose to tack the original stereo mixes onto the mono CDs of these two albums. More about that later.
The compression applied is so minor it’s not worth worrying about. Yes, these reissues do sound a bit “punchier” and “louder,” but overall the reissue producers have not messed around much with what was on the tapes that they transferred at 192K/24 bit resolution, with one notable exception: clearly they’ve boosted the bass on every one of these stereo masters and I don’t write that simply because I’m used to the LPs and perhaps the LPs had their bass slightly rolled off. I’ve heard the master tape of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and there’s more bass on these reissues than I remember hearing on that tape.
On a full range playback system, one that’s reasonably flat to 20Hz, the added bass, though tastefully done, can become oppressive after a while, but for most listeners both the added bottom and the “pop” provided by the compression will sound like pleasing “fresheners” instead of deal breakers. Don’t worry: these reissue do not sound like the “modernized” abomination that was 1.
What excites most listeners about the new reissues is the return of the tactile, warm sound, or some of it at least, found on the original LPs. These CDs do sound really good, with some expression of instrumental textures, depth and inner detail resolution. For folks who grew up on the ’87 CDs and who haven’t touched base with the original vinyl (or any vinyl since 1987), these CDs are a revelation.
They are as good as one can expect from CDs but surely the process of reducing 192k/24 transfers to 44.1k/16 has taken a toll on various aspects of the sound because the original UK vinyl still beats these CDs in most ways, by a narrow margin in some and by a much wider one in others.
For instance, on the cover of Buddy Holly’s “Words of Love,” there’s a particular ring to the high pitched electric guitar lines that one hears live and on the original LPs that just doesn’t register on the CD. The ring should jump out at you as it does live and on the LP. On the CD it remains boxed in physically and is tonally truncated. And yes, you can be an aging boomer whose hearing may not be what it once was, and yet still hear it.
The handclaps sound very good but they just don’t sound fleshy-real as they do on the LP, nor do they inhabit the separate space they do on the LP. Nor do the vocals project into 3D space. The harmonies, so easily split into separate voices on the LP fuse into one on the CD. John Lennon’s voice has a chilling quality that cuts through you on LP throughout the Beatles catalog. It’s lacking on the CD. You can feel Lennon alive on the other side of the mic on the LPs, you don’t derive the sensation on the CDs good as they are.
The CDs are genuinely pleasing to listen to physically and intellectually, the LPs sound even better and they take you for an emotional roller coaster ride the CDs just don’t. That’s not just my reaction: it’s what everyone who’s listened here heard, including people who don’t have an analog axe to grind.
On the other hand, the closer the digital comes to the analog—and these CDs come closer than most—the more the differences between the two formats assert themselves, for better or worse. Listening to these excellent sounding CDs with their jet black backdrops and ultra-cleanliness means that when you put the records on, while they do sound better, you just wish you could have the superior sound of one and the pristine perfection and black backdrops of the other! Previously, what was there on the CDs was so bad sounding, the black backdrops were hardly compensatory.
So, will a Blu-ray set mastered at full 192K/24 bit resolution (maybe with the bass turned down a bit too?) produce near perfection and sound superior to clean original LPs? I don’t know, nor are we likely to find out as such a release has not been announced.
LPs are supposedly coming next year and since Sean Magee and Steve Rooke, two of the engineers who worked on the project also are expert lathe operators (they’ve cut for Pure Pleasure, Warner Brothers, Steve Albini and others) and since Abbey Road has a very good sounding DMM lathe and since the full resolution files are right there, why wouldn’t they use the 192K/24 bit masters to produce the LPs? As The Doors box proved, once you’re at that resolution, it’s almost analog.
In the case of The Doors, the deteriorated tapes made a one pass digital transfer a necessity. The Beatles tapes are in excellent condition and the original tapes could be used to cut from analog but at this point in time you can be the powers that be prefer consistently across format lines to religious purity, so don’t expect AAA, though we can hope, as we can hope for fold-over laminated cover art as well done as the fold-over, laminated mini-LP CD sleeves complete with facsimiles of the original inner sleeves found in the mono box.
The Mono Masters
Given a choice of one box or the other, I’d opt for the mono box. For one thing, the transfers were apparently done without compression or augmented equalization. They are what’s on the tape, though again, the 192k/24 bit masters have been squeezed through the redbook CD sausage machine. The mono packaging is more authentic as well. The Beatles for instance, features a miniature duplicate of the laminated, double gatefold “top loader” fold-over jacket complete with black inner sleeves, individual color portraits and fold-open poster.
The “stereo’ mixes of the first two albums, with vocals on one side and instruments on the other, produced that way to allow for vocal/instrumental balance to be adjusted later, sound interesting on the stereo box, but they sound fuller and whole in mono.
A Hard Day’s Night sound better in stereo than mono in my opinion but the mono mix is fine too. I prefer Help in stereo too (the original mix found on the mono box for sure!) but not everyone agrees with that. For Sale is preferable in stereo too, but again, the mono mix offers its own pleasures.
As for Rubber Soul and Revolver the complexities of the arrangements required track bouncing. Track bouncing made a true stereo mix difficult so you a lot hard/left right stuff as on the first few albums, so overall the original mono mixes really are preferable but nostalgiacs whose genes are now encoded with the stereo mixes will probably stick with those, though the original stereo mix of Rubber Soul found on the mono box is preferable.
The mono mixes are strikingly different from the stereo ones, particularly on the later, more complex productions as anyone who has them on vinyl knows. More than just mix differences, are differing takes and parts that are highlighted in the accompanying booklet, though most of those are on the earlier albums. Some people revel in hearing and exposing these difference, like where John fluffs a lyric on one version and not the other, but that kind of thing has never excited me so you’ll have to look elsewhere for a catalogue of those.
Not many Beatles fans have heard Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band or The Beatles in mono. These are the mixes upon which the band members lavished their full attention and that will be obvious when you hear them—not that there’s anything whatsoever wrong with the stereo mixes. When I compared the original stereo Parlophone LP with the new stereo CD, it wasn’t even close: the record is richer, fuller and far more tonally pleasing. Ditto the mono LP vs the new CD.
Oh, and you also get the original stereo mixes of Rubber Soul and Help! transferred from analog at 192k/24 bit, which you don’t get in the stereo box. Needless to say those two sound much better than the remixes found on the stereo box.
The Verdict
Both the packaging and sound of these two sets (the stereo albums are available separately) are digitized editions finally worthy of The Beatles. The packaging is superb, great care went into the mastering, which attempted to bump up the sound for modern ears without ruining the ride for those used to the original sound. In that the team has mostly succeeded.
The packaging of both boxes is truly deluxe and any Beatle fan, even those who own all of the original UK vinyl, will want to have these sets for the packaging enhancements alone.
Hopefully higher resolution digital and/or analog will follow. Sure, I’d prefer new vinyl cut from the analog originals and we can all lobby for it, but I doubt it will happen.
Sources of Beatles music is from Beatles Radio Stations Beatles Radio Search Results from Google Gemini 01-22-26:
These stations play Beatles music around the clock and are available via web browsers or apps like TuneIn and Radio.net.
Beatles Radio: One of the oldest and most popular online stations. It features a mix of official tracks, solo material, covers, and "Beatles News."
Beatles-A-Rama!!!: Known for a high-energy "personality" radio feel. They play deep cuts, rarities, and interviews alongside the hits.
181.FM - The Beatles Channel: A streamlined, high-quality stream that focuses primarily on the core discography and solo tracks without much talk.
Fab4Radio: A fan-favorite station that prides itself on "deep cuts" and music related to the band that you might not hear elsewhere.
Exclusively The Beatles: Part of the Exclusive Radio network, this is a great option for "pure" music—they offer a 24/7 stream with no commercials or interruptions.
Beatles Radio Universal: A global station (often broadcasting in Spanish and English) that includes the legendary el Club de los Beatles programming.
Background There have been many Beatles BBC Sessions sets released over the years. Because of this interest by fans, Apple was forced to release their own two 2CD sets called 1) "Live at the BBC" and 2) "On Air: Live at the BBC-Volume 2". "Live at the BBC" released in 1994 sold over 8 million copies. The second set used updated equalization and noise reduction treatments, and was released in 2013. Performances were not faded out but ended naturally, being able to hear the entire track. The first set was also remastered similarly in 2013. Background From Wikipedia is below.
Recording - The Beatles performed for 52 BBC Radio programmes, beginning with an appearance on the series Teenager's Turn—Here We Go, recorded on 7 March 1962, and ending with the special The Beatles Invite You to Take a Ticket to Ride, recorded on 26 May 1965. 47 of their BBC appearances occurred in 1963 and 1964, including 10 on Saturday Club and 15 on their own weekly series Pop Go the Beatles, which began in June 1963. As the Beatles had not accumulated many original songs by this time, the majority of their BBC performances consisted of cover versions, drawing on the repertoire that they had developed for their early stage act. In total, 275 performances of 88 different songs were broadcast, of which 36 songs never appeared on their studio albums.
Several of the programmes aired live, but most were recorded days (or occasionally weeks) ahead of the broadcast date.[2] The BBC's studio facilities were not as advanced as those at Abbey Road, offering only monaural recording (no multitracking) and basic overdubbing; few retakes of songs could be attempted owing to time limitations. It was not the BBC's practice to archive either the session tapes or the shows' master tapes, owing to storage space and contractual restrictions.
Earlier collections and presentations - The first collection of Beatles BBC performances was the bootleg album Yellow Matter Custard, issued in 1971, consisting of 14 songs that were probably off-air home recordings made during the original radio broadcasts. Some additional performances with similar "tinny" sound appeared on other bootlegs in the following years; then in 1980, the bootleg The Beatles Broadcasts was released featuring 18 BBC songs with superior sound quality.
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of their first BBC appearance, the BBC (nicknamed "the Beeb") aired the two-hour radio special "The Beatles at the Beeb" in 1982, featuring a mix of BBC performances and interviews (the show was expanded to three hours when syndicated to other countries). The more comprehensive series The Beeb's Lost Beatles Tapes was broadcast by BBC Radio 1 in 1988 as 14 half-hour episodes. When gathering material for that series, only a small number of original tapes were found; many more performances were obtained from vinyl recordings of the programmes that the BBC Transcription Department had made to distribute to BBC stations around the world.
By that time, a 13-album bootleg series had appeared under the title The Beatles at the Beeb, featuring many previously unavailable performances. This was surpassed in 1993 by The Complete BBC Sessions, a nine-CD box set released by Great Dane in Italy, where copyright protection for the broadcasts had expired; the set contained performances from 44 of the Beatles' 52 BBC appearances, including many complete shows.
The large BBC collections were released from non-official sources, are difficult to find, and are now out of print and fetching large dollars. Below are several of them with details listed here previously:
6- The Ultimate BBC Sessions 1962-1966 10CD - Secret Trax - from Japan
The Ultimate BBC Sessions 1962-1966 10CD - Secret Trax - from Japan, is one that has not been detailed here before. This collection can now be found on various marketplaces such as eBay, Etsy, and others. It features over 2 hours more music and talking than the earlier releases along with upgraded audio. So below are details and a review on this collection. Original Japanese issued on SECRET TRAX - Released 01-10-2011.
Track Listing: CD1 - TEENAGER'S TURN - HERE WE GO (8 March 1962)
1. intro (unbooted upgrade) 2. Memphis (unbooted upgrade) 3. intro (unbooted upgrade) 4. Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream) (unbooted upgrade) 5. intro (unbooted upgrade) 6. Please Mr. Postman (unbooted upgrade) HERE WE GO (15 June 1962) 7. intro (unbooted upgrade) 8. Ask Me Why (unbooted upgrade) 9. intro (unbooted upgrade) 10. Besame Mucho (unbooted upgrade) 11. intro (unbooted upgrade) 12. A Picture Of You (unbooted upgrade) HERE WE GO (26 October 1962) 13. 13: A Taste Of Honey (artifacts) SATURDAY CLUB (26 January 1962) 14. Some Other Guy (unbooted upgrade) 15. "it won't be long before they're all over the country" (bbc trailer) 16. Love Me Do (bbc trailer) 17. Keep Your Hands Off My Baby (unbooted upgrade) 18. Beautiful Dreamer (unbooted upgrade) HERE WE GO (12 April 1963) 19. intro (great dane) 20. Misery (great dane) 21. intro (great dane) 22. Do You Want To Know A Secret (great dane) 23. intro (great dane) 24. Please Please Me (great dane) 25. outro (great dane) SATURDAY CLUB (16 March 1963) 26. I Saw Her Standing There (unbooted upgrade) 27. "you write songs as well, don't you?" (unbooted upgrade) 28. Misery (unbooted upgrade) 29. Too Much Monkey Business (great dane) 30. I'm Talking About You (unbooted upgrade) 31. "nobody can live on the same stage" (unbooted upgrade) 32. Please Please Me (unbooted upgrade) 33. The Hippy Hippy Shake (unbooted upgrade) EASY BEAT (7 April 1963) 34. brian and gerry marsden intro (great dane) 35. From Me To You (great dane) SWINGING SOUND '63 (18 April 1963) 36. Twist And Shout (great dane) 37. From Me To You (great dane and beeb) SIDE BY SIDE (13 May 1963) 38. Side By Side (bbc trailer and silent sea) 39. Long Tall Sally (great dane) 40. "it came in a vision on a flaming pie" (great dane) 41. A Taste Of Honey (great dane) 42. Chains (great dane) 43. "who had the original idea?" (beeb and great dane) 44. Thank You Girl (great dane) 45. "that's the track that's selling it!" (filler beebs) 46. Boys (great dane) BONUS: 47. Side By Side (edited version) (bbc trailer)
CD2 - SATURDAY CLUB (25 May 1963)
1. intro (beeb and great dane) 2. I Saw Her Standing There (great dane) 3. "...as everything else combined" (great dane) 4. Do You Want To Know A Secret (great dane) 5. Boys (great dane) 6. "their fame it seems has now spread to egypt" (beeb and great dane) 7. Long Tall Sally (great dane) 8. "nearly all the requests were for their big one" (beeb and great dane) 9. From Me To You (great dane) 10. Money (That's What I Want) (great dane) STEPPIN' OUT (3 June 1963) 11. Please Please Me (great dane) 12. I Saw Her Standing There (great dane) POP GO THE BEATLES #1 (4 June 1963) 13. Pop Go The Beatles (short) (bbc trailer) 14. "one they didn't pen themselves" (great dane) 15. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby (great dane) 16. "just get your guitar and strum it" (beeb and great dane) 17. Do You Want To Know A Secret (great dane) 18. "we got the box, harry" (beeb and great dane) 19. You Really Got A Hold On Me (great dane) 20. Misery (great dane) 21. The Hippy Hippy Shake g(reat dane) 22. Pop Goes The Beatles (longest version) (bbc trailer and beeb) POP GO THE BEATLES #2 (11 June 1963) 23. Too Much Monkey Business (great dane) 24. "love these goon shows" (great dane and apple) 25. I Got To Find My Baby (beeb and great dane) 26. "happy birthday to you ringo" (beeb and great dane) 27. Youngblood (great dane) 28. "now paul has a go..." (great dane) 29. Till There Was You (great dane) 30. "do you do mickey mouse?" (great dane) 31. Baby, It's You (apple) 32. "the dark days of 1962" (great dane) 33. Love Me Do (beeb and great dane) POP GO THE BEATLES #3 (18 June 1963) 34. "all's right will the world" (great dane) 35. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (great dane) 36. "better cut down on the jelly babies" (bbc trailer, mythology and great dane) 37. Memphis (unbooted upgrade, based on the great dane) 38. "happy birthday to paul" (great dane) 39. A Taste Of Honey (great dane) 40. "fingering practice pays dividents" (great dane) 41. Sure To Fall (apple and great dane) 42. "more for the joy of living" (beeb and great dane) 43. Money (That's What I Want) (great dane) 44. "but we promised" (great dane) 45. From Me To You (great dane) EASY BEAT (23 June 1963) 46. Some Other Guy (pyramid) 47. "twenty one last week" (pyramid) 48. A Taste Of Honey (pyramid) 49. Thank You Girl (pyramid and beeb) 50. "we don't normally play requests..." (pyramid) 51. From Me To You (pyramid)
CD3 - SIDE BY SIDE (24 June 1963)
1. Side By Side (silent sea and bbc trailer) 2. "up to some no good monkey business" (original masters) 3. Too Much Monkey Business (great dane) 4. "his one and only song" (great dane) 5. Boys (great dane) 6. "one voice noticably absent" (great dane) 7. I'll Be On My Way (great dane) 8. "george playing of course" (great dane) 9. From Me To You (great dane) POP GO THE BEATLES #4 (25 June 1963) 10. I Saw Her Standing There (great dane) 11. "you feel like a man now?" (great dane) 12. "john lets his guitar take second place" (great dane) 13. Anna (Go To Him) (great dane) 14. "i'm very glad you sang that" (great dane and bbc trailer) 15. "oh, very fit" (great dane and bbc trailer) 16. Boys (bbc trailer) 17. "he can sing can ringo" (bbc trailer) 18. Chains (bbc trailer) 19. "thank you georgeous george" (bbc trailer and great dane) 20. "who sings this next song?" (bbc trailer and great dane) 21. P.S. I Love You (masterfraction) 22. "no relation to john, brackets" (great dane) 23. Twist And Shout (masterfraction) SATURDAY CLUB (29 June 1963) 24. I Got To Find My Baby (great dane) 25. "it's also for harry, and his box" (great dane) 26. Memphis (great dane) 27. Money (That's What I Want) (great dane) 28. Till There Was You (great dane) 29. "a couple of quick ones" (beeb and great dane) 30. From Me To You (great dane) 31. Roll Over Beethoven (great dane) THE BEAT SHOW (4 July 1963) 32. A Taste Of Honey (great dane) 33. Twist And Shout (great dane and unbooted) POP GO THE BEATLES #5 (16 July 1963) 34. That's All Right (Mama) (great dane) 35. "that's all right with me, great!" (great dane) 36. There's A Place (great dane) 37. "i couldn't find one for a carol" (beeb and great dane) 38. Carol (great dane) 39. "i haven't got a passport" (great dane) 40. Soldier Of Love (Lay Down Your Arms) (great dane) 41. "that was john lennon who got fell in" (great dane) 42. "with these haircuts?" (great dane) 43. Lend Me Your Comb (great dane) 44. "a little rhyme" (great dane) 45. Clarabella (great dane) 46. "so see you then" (great dane) EASY BEAT (21 July 1963) 47. I Saw Her Standing There (great dane) 48. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (great dane) 49. There's A Place (great dane) 50. Twist And Shout (great dane)
CD4 - POP GO THE BEATLES #6 (23 July 1963)
1. "that's your fault" (bbc trailer) 2. Sweet Little Sixteen (bbc trailer) 3. A Taste Of Honey (bbc trailer) 4. "wanna bet?" (bbc trailer) 5. Nothing Shakin' (But The Leaves On The Trees) (bbc trailer) 6. Love Me Do (bbc trailer) 7. "1822" (bbc trailer) 8. Lonesome Tears In My Eyes (bbc trailer) 9. "and the same to you" (bbc trailer) 10. So How Come (No One Loves Me) (bbc trailer) 11. "next week the prize will stand at the beatles" (bbc trailer) POP GO THE BEATLES #7 (30 July 1963) 12. Memphis (apple and great dane) 13. "do you like the flowerpot men?" (great dane and bbc trailer) 14. Do You Want To Know A Secret (bbc trailer) 15. "dear wack" (great dane) 16. 'Til There Was You (great dane) 17. "set fire to that lot" (apple) 18. Matchbox (apple) 19. "something you can't get on the national health" (great dane) 20. Please Mr. Postman (great dane) 21. "back to those old, seasoned campaigners" (great dane) 22. The Hippy Hippy Shake (apple and great dane) POP GO THE BEATLES #8 (6 August 1963) 23. intro (bbc trailer and great dane) 24. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) (apple) 25. "please make George sing" (great dane) 26. Crying, Waiting, Hoping (apple) 27. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey (apple and great dane) 28. "a very romantic title" (great dane) 29. To Know Her Is To Love Her (great dane) 30. "i've got a terrible nose" (yellow dog and great dane) 31. The Honeymoon (Song apple) 32. Twist And Shout (great dane) 33. outro (bbc trailer and great dane) POP GO THE BEATLES #9 (13 August 1963) 34. intro (great dane) 35. Long Tall Sally (great dane) 36. "pally sally" (great dane) 37. Please Please Me (great dane) 38. "what kind of fool am i?" (great dane) 39. She Loves You (great dane) 40. "21 herberts from raynes park" (great dane) 41. You Really Got A Hold On Me (great dane) 42. "add this one to your collection" (great dane) 43. I'll Get You (apple) 44. I Got A Woman (great dane) 45. "a crafty long quickie" (great dane)
CD5 - POP GO THE BEATLES #10 (20 August 1963)
1. She Loves You (great dane) 2. "you'd never hear the songs" (great dane) 3. Words Of Love (great dane) 4. "beautifuly sung" (great dane) 5. "they can all take five now" (great dane) 6. Glad All Over (apple) 7. "the three beatlettes" (great dane) 8. I Just Don't Understand (apple) 9. "well, you ought to" (great dane) 10. "this is ear catching" (great dane) 11. Devil In Her Heart (apple) 12. "postcards to the Beatles" (great dane) 13. Slow Down (beeb) 14. "and dead stop, I'm afraid" (beeb) SATURDAY CLUB 24 August 1963 15. Long Tall Sally (unbooted upgrade) 16. She Loves You (unbooted upgrade) 17. Glad All Over (mythology) 18. "what box?" (mythology) 19. Twist And Shout (mythology) 20. "dear wack" (mythology) 21. You Really Got A Hold On Me (mythology) 22. I'll Get You (bbc trailer) POP GO THE BEATLES #11 (27 August 1963) 23. Ooh! My Soul (apple) 24. "ooh! my arms" (apple) 25. Don't Ever Change (apple and great dane) 26. "a modest request" (great dane) 27. Twist And Shout (great dane) 28. Anna (Go To Him) (great dane) 29. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (apple) POP GO THE BEATLES #12 (3 September 1963) 30. intro (great dane) 31. From Me To You (great dane) 32. I'll Get You (unbooted) 33. Money (That's What I Want) (great dane) 34. "well sir, here you are" (beeb) 35. There's A Place (unbooted upgrade) 36. Honey Don't (apple and great dane) 37. "that was the beatles that was" (beeb) 38. "all right fellas, roll over!" (great dane) 39. Roll Over Beethoven (great dane) POP GO THE BEATLES #13 (10 September 1963) 40. intro (great dane) 41. Too Much Monkey Business (apple) 42. "request for 'Till There Was You" (beeb and great dane) 43. Love Me Do (great dane) 44. "he looks a right prat!" (great dane) 45. She Loves You (great dane) 46. "and why not?" (great dane) 47. I'll Get You (great dane) 48. "sounds like my doctor" (great dane) 49. A Taste Of Honey (great dane) 50. "can't remember him" (beeb and great dane) 51. The Hippy Hippy Shake (great dane) 52. outro (great dane)
CD6 - POP GO THE BEATLES #14 (17 September 1963)
1. intro great dane 2. Chains great dane 3. "to all our chainspotter friends" great dane 4. "nobody ever thanks you" great dane 5. You Really Got A Hold On Me great dane 6. Misery beeb and great dane 7. "i hope i can put a stop to some of that" great dane 8. "dear hot and fruity george" great dane 9. Lucille bbc trailer 10. "love and kisses" great dane 11. From Me To You great dane 12. brackets great dane and beeb 13. ringo's big moment great dane 14. Boys great dane 15. outro beeb POP GO THE BEATLES #15 (24 September 1963) 16. intro great dane 17. She Loves You great dane 18. "the boys feel a little sad" great dane 19. Ask Me Why great dane 20. "exciting and smashing" great dane and beeb 21. Devil In Her Heart great dane 22. "they never read out the requests" great dane 23. I Saw Her Standing There great dane 24. "good old audrey" great dane 25. Sure To Fall great dane 26. for john paul george and ringo great dane 27. Twist And Shout great dane 28. "that really is it" great dane and vttc SATURDAY CLUB (FIFTH BIRTHDAY EDITION) (5 October 1963) 29. saturday club theme and intro bbc trailer 30. I Saw Her Standing There great dane 31. Memphis great dane 32. Happy Birthday Saturday Club great dane 33. "it could be that they've been listening to saturday club" original masters and great dane 34. I'll Get You great dane 35. "if you asked for it" great dane 36. She Loves You great dane 37. Lucille great dane 38. outro great dane EASY BEAT (20 October 1963) 39. intro bbc trailer 40. I Saw Her Standing There bbc trailer 41. "it's almost a year..." bbc trailer 42. Love Me Do bbc trailer 43. Please Please Me bbc trailer 44. "we just called paul over" bbc trailer 45. From Me To You bbc trailer 46. She Loves You bbc trailer THE KEN DODD SHOW (3 November 1963) 47. She Loves You unbooted upgrade
CD7 - SATURDAY CLUB (21 December 1963)
1. "all i want for christmas is a bottle" great dane 2. all my loving cv, edited 3. "what will they do without amplifiers" great dane 4. This Boy great dane 5. "i like it" great dane 6. I Want To Hold Your Hand great dane 7. Till There Was You great dane and beeb 8. "i think..." (beeb) great dane 9. Roll Over Beethoven great dane 10. "that's not a carol - 's a standard" great dane 11. She Loves You great dane 12. Shazam great dane 13. "that mudley, er medley" great dane FROM US TO YOU #1 (26 December 1963) 14. From Us To You great dane 15. "the beatles are here" great dane 16. She Loves You great dane 17. "you know you should be glad" great dane 18. All My Loving great dane 19. Roll Over Beethoven great dane 20. "peggy legg" great dane 21. 'Till There Was You great dane 22. "bass playing beatle" great dane 23. "blue skies by jeanie lamb" unbooted 24. "big chance coming up now" great dane 25. Boys great dane 26. Money (That's What I Want) great dane 27. "the very mercenary john lennon" great dane 28. I Saw Her Standing There great dane 29. outro great dane 30. Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport bbc trailer 31. "a house with love in it" 32. I Want To Hold Your Hand bbc trailer 33. outro great dane 34. From Us To You great dane SATURDAY CLUB (15 February 1964) 35. All My Loving great dane 36. Money (That's What I Want) great dane 37. "that's what they've got aplenty" beeb 38."one that most people know by now" beeb and great dane 39.The Hippy Hippy Shake great dane 40. "amazing that you can hear us" great dane 41. I Want To Hold Your Hand great dane 42. Roll Over Beethoven great dane 43. "he's my favourite" great dane 44. Johnny B Goode great dane 45. "still one more to go" great dane 46. "i hope it's a real swinger" great dane 47. I Wanna Be Your Man great dane 48. "and it was old ringo" beeb
CD8 - FROM US TO YOU #2 (30 March 1964)
1. From Us To You apple and great dane 2. "to open proceedings this morning" great dane 3. You Can't Do That great dane 4. "just a rumour" great dane 5. Roll Over Beethoven great dane 6. "i don't need to tell you" great dane, original masters and filler beebs 7. "what about my book then?" great dane, original masters and filler beebs 8. Till There Was You great dane 9. "another oldie" great dane 10. "ringo... yup" (split) great dane 11. I Wanna Be Your Man great dane 12. "I think Ringo meant every word of that" great dane 13. "...but we know you won't" great dane 14. Please Mr. Postman great dane 15. "the fellas keep him busy pretty regularly" great dane 16. All My Loving apple and great dane 17. "i think that loving's readily accepted" great dane 18. "it's about rubbish - with drawings" great dane 19. This Boy great dane 20. "how much singing do you do in this film" great dane 21. Can't Buy Me Love apple 22. "we can't purchase any more time" great dane 23. From Us To You great dane SATURDAY CLUB (4 April 1964) 24. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby great dane 25. "i think he sings quite nicely" great dane 26. I Call Your Name great dane 27. "lots more from the beatle boys" great dane and beeb 28. I Got A Woman great dane 29. "was that request really from your mother" great dane and filler beebs and beeb 30. You Can't Do That original masters 31. "it's ringo's turn" great dane 32. Can't Buy Me Love great dane 33. "just about everybody has read about the film" great dane and filler beebs 34. Sure To Fall great dane 35. Long Tall Sally great dane 36. "how about that?" great dane FROM US TO YOU #3 (18 May 1964) 37. From Us To You great dane 38. Whit Monday To You great dane 39. I Saw Her Standing There great dane 40. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey great dane 41. "it could if you weren't so thick" great dane 42. I Forgot To Remember To Forget great dane 43. outro great dane 44. "i hope you're plugged in mary" great dane 45. You Can't Do That great dane 46. "they did it all right" great dane 47. Sure To Fall great dane 48. "funny place glos." great dane 49. Can't Buy Me Love great dane 50. "i'll think i'll have to hit your ringo" great dane 51. Matchbox great dane 52. Honey Don't great dane 53. outro great dane 54. From Us To You great dane Bonus 55. From Us To You (edited) apple
CD9 - TOP GEAR (16 July 1964)
1. trailer 1 bbc trailer 2. trailer 2 bbc trailer 3. Long Tall Sally great dane 4. "paul doing his highly hirsute hairpiece" great dane 5. Things We Said Today great dane, apple and filler beebs 6. "lots more from the unruly four..." filler beebs and apple 7. "gather 'round famous film stars" apple 8. A Hard Day's Night apple 9. "hold it!" apple and beeb 10. don't pass me by great dane 11. And I Love Her great dane 12. "you should have known better" great dane 13. If I Fell bbc trailer 14. You Can't Do That great dane 15. "and that's it" outro great dane 16. top gear theme great dane FROM US TO YOU #4 (3 August 1964) 17. From Us To You great dane 18. "what should I tell her about?" great dane 19. Long Tall Sally great dane 20. "off the musical launching pad we went" great dane 21. If I Fell great dane 22. "mmmm great" great dane 23. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You great dane 24. "one of those hard day's night offerings" great dane 25. "they might sound like the record someday" great dane 26. Things We Said Today great dane 27. "it's john's turn - right now" great dane 28. I Should Have Known Better great dane 29. "our four morning stars" great dane 30. "bowled over boys" great dane 31. Boys great dane 32. "in answer to all the cards" great dane 33. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey great dane 34. "no passports required" great dane 35. "ron aged two hundred and eight" great dane 36. A Hard Days Night great dane 37. "what a great note to end on" great dane 38. From Us To You great dane FROM US TO YOU #4 RECORDING SESSION (recorded 17 July 1964) 39. Long Tall Sally great dane and unbooted tape source 40. If I Fell unbooted tape source 41. Boys unbooted tape source 42. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You (instrumental) unbooted tape source 43. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You (vocal) unbooted tape source 44. I Should Have Known Better (false start) unbooted tape source 45. I Should Have Known Better (single tracked) unbooted tape source 46. I Should Have Known Better (with harmonica) unbooted tape source 47. Things We Said Today unbooted tape source 48. A Hard Day's Night unbooted tape source 49. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey unbooted tape source 50. From Us To You (wrong lyrics) unbooted tape source 51. From Us To You (no overdubs) unbooted tape source Bonus 52. alternate "9: "hold it!"" -1 apple and filler beebs 53. alternate "9: "hold it!"" -2 apple
CD10 - TOP GEAR (26 November 1964)
1. "so hold tight" great dane 2. I'm A Loser bbc trailer and pyramid 3. "let's have a few, hard facts' great dane and filler beebs 4. Honey Don't bbc trailer and filler beebs 5. "a rare ringo vocal" filler beebs 6. She's A Woman bbc trailer and pyramid 7. "even though it is conceited" bbc trailer 8. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby bbc trailer 9. "brother george beatle" great dane 10. I'll Follow The Sun bbc trailer and great dane 11. "records, that's what were here for" great dane 12. I Feel Fine bbc trailer 13. "i hope you feel fine too" great dane SATURDAY CLUB (26 December 1964) 14. "they're here" pyramid 15. Rock And Roll Music bbc trailer and great dane 16. "like britain only with buttons" great dane 17. I'm A Loser bbc trailer and pyramid 18. outro pyramid 19. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby bbc trailer 20. "a sort of joint effort" great dane 21. I Feel Fine bbc trailer 22. "we like the old numbers" great dane 23. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey bbc trailer 24. "so to the last number" great dane 25. She's A Woman bbc trailer 26. "my favouite side too" great dane THE BEATLES (INVITE YOU TO TAKE A TICKET TO RIDE) (7 June 1965) 27. Ticket To Ride Intro bbc trailer and great dane 28. Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby great dane 29. I'm A Loser great dane 30. "double entendre" great dane 31. The Night Before great dane 32. Honey Don't great dane 33. "the producer asked for it" great dane 34. Dizzy Miss Lizzy apple and great dane 35. outro/intro great dane 36. She's A Woman great dane 37. "who leave you as they found you" great dane 38. Ticket To Ride great dane and apple TOP OF THE POPS 39. "the one what who never speaks" bbc trailer 40. "paul's thinking, i'm doing" bbc trailer 41. ticket to ride edit bbc trailer 42. "painting buckingham palace" bbc trailer TOP GEAR RECORDING SESSION (17 November 1964) 43. session talk/ I Feel Fine (false start) bbc trailer 44. I Feel Fine (single track vocal) filler beebs 45. session Talk bbc trailer (note, the 'session' She's A Woman and I Feel Fine (double tracked) are on this disc twice already - they weren't about to be repeated a third time!!) Bonus Tracks 46. Honey Don't (edit) bbc trailer 47. Ticket To Ride (unfettered) apple
Below are a couple reviews of this set:
Below is historical information on compiling the Live at the BBC collections from Wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Live_at_the_BBC_(Beatles_album)
Live at the BBC is a 1994 compilation album featuring performances by the Beatles that were originally broadcast on various BBC Light Programme radio shows from 1963 to 1965. The mono album, available in multiple formats but most commonly as a two-CD set, consists of 56 songs and 13 tracks of dialogue; 30 of the songs had never been issued previously by the Beatles. It was the first official release by the Beatles of previously unreleased performances since The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl in 1977 and the first containing previously unreleased songs since their final studio album, Let It Be, in 1970.
Although the songs were recorded ahead of broadcast, allowing for retakes and occasional overdubbing, they are essentially "live in studio" performances. Most of the songs are cover versions of material from the late 1950s and early 1960s, reflecting the stage set they developed before Beatlemania. Before the album's release, comprehensive collections of the Beatles' BBC performances had become available on bootlegs.
A remastered repackaging of the album was released on 11 November 2013 on the occasion of the release of On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2, a second volume of BBC Radio broadcasts.[1] The two volumes were also released as a double set.
History
Recording
The Beatles performed for 52 BBC Radio programmes, beginning with an appearance on the series Teenager's Turn—Here We Go, recorded on 7 March 1962, and ending with the special The Beatles Invite You to Take a Ticket to Ride, recorded on 26 May 1965. 47 of their BBC appearances occurred in 1963 and 1964, including 10 on Saturday Club and 15 on their own weekly series Pop Go the Beatles, which began in June 1963.[2] As the Beatles had not accumulated many original songs by this time, the majority of their BBC performances consisted of cover versions, drawing on the repertoire that they had developed for their early stage act. In total, 275 performances of 88 different songs were broadcast, of which 36 songs never appeared on their studio albums.[3]
Several of the programmes aired live, but most were recorded days (or occasionally weeks) ahead of the broadcast date.[2] The BBC's studio facilities were not as advanced as those at Abbey Road, offering only monaural recording (no multitracking) and basic overdubbing; few retakes of songs could be attempted owing to time limitations.[3] It was not the BBC's practice to archive either the session tapes or the shows' master tapes, owing to storage space and contractual restrictions.[4]
Earlier collections and presentations
The first collection of Beatles BBC performances was the bootleg album Yellow Matter Custard, issued in 1971, consisting of 14 songs that were probably off-air home recordings made during the original radio broadcasts.[5] Some additional performances with similar "tinny" sound appeared on other bootlegs in the following years; then in 1980, the bootleg The Beatles Broadcasts was released featuring 18 BBC songs with superior sound quality.[5]
To commemorate the 20th anniversary of their first BBC appearance, the BBC (nicknamed "the Beeb") aired the two-hour radio special "The Beatles at the Beeb" in 1982, featuring a mix of BBC performances and interviews (the show was expanded to three hours when syndicated to other countries).[6] The more comprehensive series The Beeb's Lost Beatles Tapes was broadcast by BBC Radio 1 in 1988 as 14 half-hour episodes. When gathering material for that series, only a small number of original tapes were found; many more performances were obtained from vinyl recordings of the programmes that the BBC Transcription Department had made to distribute to BBC stations around the world.[4]
By that time, a 13-album bootleg series had appeared under the title The Beatles at the Beeb, featuring many previously unavailable performances.[5] This was surpassed in 1993 by The Complete BBC Sessions, a nine-CD box set released by Great Dane in Italy, where copyright protection for the broadcasts had expired;[7] the set contained performances from 44 of the Beatles' 52 BBC appearances, including many complete shows.[8]
Compilation and release
An official Beatles BBC album was being planned as early as 1982,[9] and it was reported that "EMI was preparing an album" of the BBC material by late 1991.[10] To supplement the archive he had partially rebuilt for The Beeb's Lost Beatles Tapes, BBC Radio producer Kevin Howlett sought out additional sources, such as tapes kept by people involved in the original sessions; others had contacted him after the series aired to inform him of their own home recordings of additional broadcasts.[4] Remaining gaps were filled by recordings taken from available bootlegs.[7]
The selected songs included "I'll Be on My Way", the only Lennon–McCartney composition that the Beatles recorded for the BBC with no available studio version. The Buddy Holly-style ballad was their first composition to be "given away" without the Beatles attempting to record it for their own release. The song was given to Billy J. Kramer, another artist managed by Brian Epstein recording for Parlophone, who released it in the United Kingdom as the B-side of a cover version of "Do You Want to Know a Secret".[11]
In all, 56 songs were chosen for the album, along with some banter among the group and the hosts. Abbey Road engineer Peter Mew used audio manipulation software to reduce noise, repair minor drop-outs and equalise to a more consistent sound from one track to the next.[4] The resulting sound quality was considered generally better than the best equivalent bootlegged versions available at the time, although a small number of tracks were noted as exceptions.[7]
Live at the BBC was released on 30 November 1994 in the UK (Apple/Parlophone PCSP 726), and on 6 December 1994 in the United States (Apple/Capitol CDP 7243-8-31796-2-6). The track listing on the back of the CD case inadvertently included the word "Top" at the start of the song title "So How Come (No One Loves Me)"; the listing was corrected for the 2001 reissue. When "Baby It's You" was released as a single in March 1995, it contained three other BBC songs that were not included in the album, two of which would eventually be found on volume two.
2013 remaster
The 11 November 2013 remastered reissue features a number of minor changes. The reissue includes two additional speech tracks, "What is it, George?" (track 17 on disc 1), and "Ringo? Yep!" (track 3 on disc 2), and one additional song, the closing version of "From Us To You" at the end of disc 2. The opening version of “From Us To You” has announcer speech over the music, which was not present in the original version. The reissue removes the crossfades between tracks, providing clean starts and endings for each track except one, the crowd noise between Some Other Guy and Thank You Girl. The speech track "Have a Banana!" from the original version was not separable from "A Hard Day's Night", so the song and speech were merged into a single track, though the last few seconds where Ringo is actually offered a banana was cut out.
Live at the BBC debuted at number 1 on the Canadian charts,[16] peaked at number 3 on the US Billboard 200 album chart[17] and reached number 1 on the UK Albums Chart.[18] The album sold an estimated 8 million copies worldwide during its first year of release.[19]
A reviewer for Time said that the collection contained "few buried treasures", but "as a time capsule, the set is invaluable".[20] Another reviewer described it as "worth hearing" even though the album is a "quaint memento" in which The Beatles sound "scruffy and fairly tame".[21] Anthony DeCurtis, writing for Rolling Stone, was more enthusiastic, calling the album "an exhilarating portrait of a band in the process of shaping its own voice and vision" while noting the "irresistible" spirit and energy of the performances.[22]
The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Historical Album.[citation needed]
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