Merseybeat

About the Artist
Born in Wichita Falls, Texas, and raised in Texas and Southern California, from an early age Frank was immersed in a variety of musical styles. His father worked in the big band/swing genre as a trumpet player, while his mother, devoted to classical music, introduced him to the works of Tchaikovsky and Borodin even before he was old enough for school. In fact, Frank's house was filled with records, from all of the major classical composers to every Frank Sinatra record. By the time he was three years old he had memorized and could sing all of Sinatra's songs, often serenading the ice cream man for free ice cream! (Already a professional!) Named after Frank Sinatra and born on Elvis Presley's birthday, there was no doubt Frank was destined to become a musician. He is also a distant relation to Buddy Holly. Music is in his blood and in particular, Rock 'n' roll!!!

Product Description
All new/original Merseybeat rock'n'roll by West Texas recording artist Frank Lee Sprague.

Merseybeat,Frank Lee Sprague,The Orchard,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

Average customer rating: All the # 1 hits of the Beatles. As good as you think it is great collection Memories of past music I'm in love with the Beatles, and I feel fine

The Beatles 1 The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Rubber Soul Sounds Of Summer - The Very Best Of The Beach Boys ELV1S 30 #1 Hits Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Abbey Road ASIN: B00004ZAV3 Release Date: 2000-11-14

Tracks:

1. Love Me Do
2. From Me to You
3. She Loves You
4. I Want to Hold Your Hand
5. Can't Buy Me Love
6. A Hard Day's Night
7. I Feel Fine
8. Eight Days a Week
9. Ticket to Ride
10. Help!
11. Yesterday
12. Day Tripper
13. We Can Work It Out
14. Paperback Writer
15. Yellow Submarine
16. Eleanor Rigby
17. Penny Lane
18. All You Need Is Love
19. Hello Goodbye
20. Lady Madonna
21. Hey Jude
22. Get Back
23. The Ballad of John & Yoko
24. Something
25. Come Together
26. Let It Be
27. The Long and Winding Road

Amazon.com essential recording

Proving yet again their willingness to dice 'n' slice their burgeoning legacy into new--if not exactly fresh--product, the Fab Four Minus One have released this single-disc compendium of their No. 1 hits. Though obviously superfluous to the faithful (who may also find themselves quibbling over the precise definition of "No. 1 hit" and the exclusion of seeming contenders like "Please Please Me" and "Strawberry Fields"), newly arrived visitors from the Pleiades star cluster and other neophytes will find it a concise and generous (nearly 80 minutes) single-disc introduction to the band's career-spanning, unparalleled dominance of pop music in the 1960s. But beyond being a mere trophy case of commercial success (and it won't be hard to find critics who'll argue that these singles aren't even the band's best work), it's also a Cliff's Notes take on a remarkable seven-year run of musical evolution, one that stretches from the neo-skiffle of "Love Me Do" through a remarkable synthesis of R&B, rockabilly, Tin Pan Alley, gospel, country, and classical that still defies efforts to effectively deconstruct it. This is the pop monument equivalent of the '27 Yankees and '90s Bulls; it's every bit as obvious and dominating--and just as essential. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews:

All the # 1 hits of the Beatles........2007-07-18

This record has all the number one hits in the history of the Beatles, what you can add to that.

As good as you think it is.......2007-07-08

John, Paul, George, and Ringo. If this phrase does not move you then you should go back to your George Michael videos and prey he'll become heterosexual! This is everything that you remember from the Beatles.

great collection.......2007-07-06

Beatles 1 is a good collection of the Beatles #1 hit singles. Perfect for the casual Beatles fan or for someone just being introduced to the Beatles music for the first time. If you are interested in hearing more Beatles music, collect their albums. Depending on your taste, you can get their early 60s stuff or their late 60s stuff or both time periods. Personally, I enjoy their early 60s stuff more than their late 60s stuff and have a collection of their early 60s albums.

Memories of past music.......2007-06-27

I guess this is a CD of their best songs and is well worth buying. Now I have a tape and CD of their music and could not be happier.

I'm in love with the Beatles, and I feel fine.......2007-06-18

"Beatles 1" is a great album. I could leave it at that, but I think I would just be stating the obvious, so I will give you a more in depth look.



You are probably aware, but just in case you don't know by now, "Beatles 1' is chronologically organized using songs that reached number one in the United States and/or the United Kingdom. Even though that means that some of your favorite songs won't be on here, and even some number ones will not make it (Strawberry Fields Forever, Please Please Me), it is still an exceptional collection of music that very few bands in history could ever dream of putting together. From "Love Me Do" to "The Long And Winding Road," this album is fantastic. While "Beatles 1" does have some weak spots, even those songs are far above the best of most other bands.



All in all, I have to say that If you are new to The Beatles, then you should get this album in a heartbeat. However, if you own a lot of Beatles music, then you probably shouldn't buy this album, unless you really want to here the digitally Remastered quality, because you probably will already know most of the songs.

Average customer rating: This fixes the Beatles #1 mistake The "hit machine" continues to strike Once again, a great Starter kit when the psychedelic counterculture hijacked the Top 40 500,000,000 record executives just couldn't be wrong

The Beatles: 1967-1970 The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Progressive Rock | Progressive | Rock | Styles | Music General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: 1962-1966 Let It Be The Beatles (The White Album) Abbey Road Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band ASIN: B000002UZ1 Release Date: 1993-10-05

Tracks:

1. Strawberry Fields Forever
2. Penny Lane
3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
4. With a Little Help from My Friends
5. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
6. Day in the Life
7. All You Need Is Love
8. I Am the Walrus
9. Hello Goodbye
10. Fool on the Hill
11. Magical Mystery Tour
12. Lady Madonna
13. Hey Jude
14. Revolution

Tracks:

1. Back in the U.S.S.R.
2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
4. Get Back
5. Don't Let Me Down
6. Ballad of John and Yoko
7. Old Brown Shoe
8. Here Comes the Sun
9. Come Together
10. Something
11. Octopus's Garden
12. Let It Be
13. Across the Universe
14. Long and Winding Road

Amazon.com

Even as the Beatles began heading toward an inevitable breakup, their prolific ways continued; this two-disc look back only skims the surface of their later achievements. Excerpts from Sgt. Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, the white album, Abbey Road, and Let It Be compete for space with classic singles that do as much or more to prove their eclecticism: the epic ballad "Hey Jude," the plaintive "Strawberry Fields Forever," straight rock & roll of all stripes from the plainspoken "Revolution" and "Get Back" to the surreal "Come Together." Decades after the split, this (and its companion set of 1962-1966 cuts) remains a favored introduction for young listeners and a key sampler for veteran fans. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews:

This fixes the Beatles #1 mistake.......2007-07-17

Their mistake was including Revolution1 on the white album instead of the catchy faster Revolution that can be found on the blue album. That makes this worth buying if you don't want to get it on past masters volume two.

The "hit machine" continues to strike.......2007-04-29

This band was amazing, I am to young to have been part of it, but I do feel like I was there when I listen to this band. This band will never be forgotten. So many classic hits they have produced !

Once again, a great Starter kit.......2007-03-08

Like I said with the review for the Red album, if you're just getting into the Beatles, no better place to start. Listen to it for the course of about 2-3 months and once you get the idea of what they're about and the direction of their music, then you can branch off onto the albums like "Revolver", "Sgt. Peppers", "Abbey Road", etc. you won't regret it for the rest of your life.

If there was anything a person can do in their life, getting into the Beatles could defintely be one of the best (and smartest)choices you'll ever have to make

when the psychedelic counterculture hijacked the Top 40.......2007-01-14

The BLUE and RED ALBUMS make more sense to me now than they did in when they were first compiled in 1973. At the time, it just seemed like a blatant marketing move, but that was when many of us were immersed in Beatles albums, and would not settle for a "superficial greatest hits." In reality they were always indispensable because they included so many great singles that were not on the regular albums.

CDs changed the way we listen to music (you don't have to get up and change sides every 20 or 30 minutes, and you can program out cuts you don't want to hear), and while you can of course create your own collection, this is pretty close to perfection as a hit singles highlights gets for the late Beatles. Perfect for driving! These discs only contain about 60 minutes of music, and it could be 80, but by the 1990s the 1973 collections were classics themselves. I can't give the set less than 5 stars considering the music that it DOES include!

Personally, one of my gripes was always that REVOLVER should have been in the BLUE ALBUM so that all the late psychedelic music would be together. Some other ideas to make what is nearly perfect even better --

1) Substitute George's "It's All Too Much" for "Lucy In the Sky." George's great song ended up stuck on YELLOW SUBMARINE, but it was part of the SGT. PEPPER'S sessions, and is a much better song than LSD. 2) Move "A Day in the Life" so that it follows "With a Little Help From My Friends". 3) In the animal department, substitute Paul's "Blackbird" from the WHITE ALBUM for "Octopus's Garden." 4) Substitute John's "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" from the WHITE ALBUM for John's "The Ballad of John & Yoko," a non-album single which I never liked. The former is Lennon at his subversive best, and the song works just as well with Iraq as the backdrop as it did with Vietnam. 5) Substitute Paul's "Two of Us" from LET IT BE for George's "Old Brown Shoe," a non-album single. 6) Substitute John's "Rain," a non-album single (B-side to "Paperback Writer" from 1966, currently available only on PAST MASTERS, Vol. 2), for Paul's reggae-influenced "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da."

The late Beatles worked on multiple levels, and what was just immaculate pop to some represented emerging higher consciousness to others. Those seeds of enlightenment are still in the music, and we need them more than ever!

500,000,000 record executives just couldn't be wrong.......2006-10-22

The Beatles' "Blue Album" celebrates their talent by boasting nothing but just some of their infamous hits from the years 1967-1970. These songs come from several of the greatest rock albums of all time including Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Beatles ("The White Album"), Abbey Road and Let It Be. The Beatles' "Blue Album" both proves their genius and demonstrates their singular talent that no other band can replicate.

The two CD set allows us to realize that The Beatles wrote many different types of songs with different styles. This is also essential music that offers something for just about anyone who listens to the two CD set. The first CD starts off strong with the popular and psychedelic "Strawberry Fields Forever," other psychedelic and experimental songs include "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" and "I Am The Walrus." There are beautiful ballads celebrating love including "All You Need Is Love" and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da." The Beatles also address the angst of a love that is no longer in the songs "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "The Long And Winding Road." Finally, the band sings songs that are just plain fun including "Octopus's Garden" and "Back In The U.S.S.R."

Another reviewer makes an excellent point: If you want to understand the sharp differences in style between John Lennon and Paul McCartney at this time in their careers there is no better comparison than between "Hey Jude," which is an classic ballad indeed, and "Revolution," which is rather conceited, smug and bitter all at once.

The Beatles' use of the unconscious when writing trippy songs like "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "A Day In The Life" enabled them to reach out to their fans and ultimately the world. The lyrics make sense even when they make no sense; this only adds to the beauty of the more psychedelic, trippy songs. Moreover, the songs on this two CD set work so well because they address universal themes of wanting to be loved, celebrating love and mourning a lost love.

The liner notes boast the lyrics to each song and great color photos of the band. The liner notes include the song credits, too.

Indeed, The Beatles were so prolific in their writing and performing that this two CD set barely skims the surface of what they truly accomplished between the years 1967 and 1970. If you like this CD set I highly recommend you buy individual Beatles' albums to discover more about the band's creativity and boldness.

Overall, this two CD set is more than just an introductory retrospective of The Beatles' music during the turbulent late 1960s. The "Blue Album" celebrates The Beatles' ability to communicate their political beliefs and amorous feelings for other people through their songs. These songs remind us to understand and appreciate the blessings of love, the evils of war and the importance of world peace--now.

I highly recommend this CD for Beatles fans, fans of great 1970s rock music and anyone who wants to experience how The Beatles taught us what was right through their music. This two CD set is a must have for any Beatles' collector as well as for anyone who wants to study the history of rock and roll.

Average customer rating: So many hits ! GREAT SONGS, GREAT MEMORIES Beatles 1962-1966 Great Beatle Music A Great Starter Kit

1962-1966 The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Singer-Songwriters | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Folk Rock | Rock | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Beatles: 1967-1970 A Hard Day's Night Let It Be The Beatles (The White Album) Abbey Road ASIN: B000002UYZ Release Date: 1993-10-05

Tracks:

1. Love Me Do
2. Please Please Me
3. From Me to You
4. She Loves You
5. I Want to Hold Your Hand
6. All My Loving
7. Can't Buy Me Love
8. Hard Day's Night
9. And I Love Her
10. Eight Days a Week
11. I Feel Fine
12. Ticket to Ride
13. Yesterday

Tracks:

1. Help!
2. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
3. We Can Work It Out
4. Day Tripper
5. Drive My Car
6. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
7. Nowhere Man
8. Michelle
9. In My Life
10. Girl
11. Paperback Writer
12. Eleanor Rigby
13. Yellow Submarine

Amazon.com

The closest the Beatles came to a greatest hits package, this document of the early part of their career features hit singles (in chronological order) and selected album tracks, running from "Love Me Do" through the groundbreaking Rubber Soul and Revolver albums. While this may be an excellent intro for beginners, real fans will never be content with only selections, especially when you're dealing with those aforementioned albums. Capitol packages the collection on two discs, copying the original vinyl version--but, of course, CDs hold more music than records did. Still, you do get 26 bona fide classics, so there's no real need to complain. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

So many hits !.......2007-04-29

Great double album from the early days, I just love to listen to this cd and really feel the "sweet sixties" A great cd for everyone. The Beatles will survive forever !

GREAT SONGS, GREAT MEMORIES.......2007-04-14

These CDs sound great and are great sounds. If you do not have any Beatles yet and you know you will not buy all of their CDs then get this and it's blue brother 1967-70 and you can't go wrong. This album has a special place in my heart. I got the 8-track tapes back in 1973 when they came out and played them over and over and over. IMHO these are the best songs released in the first half of the 1960s by anyone. The state of Rock n Roll was on life support when these guys hit the scene in 1964 in the USA at least. They jump started RnR all over again and the rest is history. Like I said these are the best of the best so get these if you get anything. Rock on. Jim in So Cal.

Beatles 1962-1966.......2007-04-10

Some great early hits and of course a fine cd, afterall it is the Beatles

Great Beatle Music.......2007-03-09

We really liked the selections on this CD. They would have been nicer if the individual tracks were a little longer. The memories they brought back really made our week.

A Great Starter Kit.......2007-03-08

I'm pretty sure that a lot of the under 40 Beatles fans' journey with the Fab Four stated off here. It took me a week of the album lying around the house for me to get started on it and once I did, I was so pissed off for wasting that week NOT listening to it. It goes without saying that I was hooked from the beginning and not even 6 months from listening to it, it has already changed my life and the way I view music.

When I have kids, they'll be sure to grow up on The Beatles and the lagacy can live on for another 100 years through the next generation

Average customer rating: Love songs to touch any lovers. A pop masterpiece Must Have What else but Fab! PURE BEATLES'SOUND!!!!!!!

A Hard Day's Night The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Help! [UK] With the Beatles Please Please Me Rubber Soul Beatles for Sale ASIN: B000002UAF Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. A Hard Day's Night
2. I Should Have Known Better
3. If I Fell
4. I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
5. And I Love Her
6. Tell Me Why
7. Can't Buy Me Love
8. Any Time At All
9. I'll Cry Instead
10. Things We Said Today
11. When I Get Home
12. You Can't Do That
13. I'll Be Back

Amazon.com

Strummmmm! That dramatic guitar chord that kicks of A Hard Day's Night (album, song, movie) still jumps right out at you, slaps you in the face, and jump-starts your heart. And you know what? Both the music and the film are still as crisp and lively as they were in 1964. Of course, only the first seven songs are actually in the movie (and they are the strongest of the bunch, from the rousing rock & roll of the title track and the hit single "Can't Buy Me Love," to the beautiful ballads "If I Fell" and "And I Love Her"). But nobody's going to complain about having songs like "I'll Cry Instead" and "Things We Said Today" in the second half of the record; they sure don't feel like leftovers. Yet another high-point for John, Paul, George, and Ringo--four fab fellows who hit the highest heights imaginable. --Jim Emerson

Album Details

Same Tracks as the USA Version.

Customer Reviews:

Love songs to touch any lovers........2007-07-18

This is one of The Beatles earlier albums. It is filled with quirky love songs. I love them all. I'm a sucker for love songs. Not one of their most experimental albums, but certainly good for what it is. The Beatles have never put out a bad album. BUY IT. LOVE IT.

A pop masterpiece.......2007-06-09

Though my favorite Beatle era has long been their middle period (RS through MMT), with their later period (1968 to the end) coming in second place, I've been getting reacquainted with this wonderful earlier album in a major way lately. Their early period might not be as polished, sophisticated, deep, or mature as their middle or later periods, but the songs on this album are all absolutely incredible. There's not a single filler song; all of them are loaded with energy, great hooks, wonderful instrumentation, and some suprisingly mature and introspective lyrics for being only their third album. The songs may all be about love, but each one is special and unique, dealing with different types and aspects of love. These aren't the typical simplistic love pop songs of 1964. It's also a landmark album in that it was their first to consist entirely of original material.

It's amazing to rediscover just how great the early Beatles were, how much kick their music had to it, making up with pure pop/rock energy what it lacked for in terms of maturity and sophistication. It's also probably true that this album is the most accurate picture of what Beatlemania was like, while the phenomenon was still new and exciting, before they had grown weary and cynical of touring and having to keep up a happy squeaky-clean public image. The guys singing these songs were still cute happy-go-lucky moptops. And though only the first 7 songs were included in the film, the other 6 are nothing to sneeze at. More bands should have such high-quality leftovers. (Although, surprisingly, this is one of the few albums where Ringo doesn't get any songs.)

The songs range from energetic pop, such as the opening title track (the opening chord still has an amazing effect so many decades later), "Can't Buy Me Love," and "Tell Me Why," to soft romantic ballads, such as "And I Love Her" (which contains some of Paul's finest lyrics, and I'm usually no longer a fan of the schmaltzy songs he often sang!) and "If I Fell" (which has some beautiful harmonising), to songs with a more complex (for a pop song) view on love and relationships, such as "You Can't Do That" (about a jealous and insecure lover) and "I'll Cry Instead" (an angry and depressed lover who got burned and wants revenge). The final track, "I'll Be Back," has also long been one of my favoritest Beatles' songs; it's so poignant and beautiful, the type of song that anyone who's had one's heart broken but still wants another chance to have a relationship with that person can relate to. And since John is my favorite Beatle, it certainly doesn't hurt my opinion of this album that he sings 9 of the 13 songs.

Overall, it's a great slice of pop paradise and Beatlemania, proving that there actually were some truly great albums made in 1964. This is far from the typical album of the era, with just a few great songs padded out by a bunch of filler. Every single track is a winner, with never a dull moment.

Must Have.......2007-05-24

This music is sweet -- no Beatles fan can neglect to add this to their collection. The music and the movie are a highlights from my childhood. Ahh, those were the days.

What else but Fab!.......2007-05-14

These tunes are so much fun! The songs that were part of the soundtrack instantly take you back to the scenes in the film. What else can you say about the Beatles? Every song is good to excellent and each song points in a different musical direction. No fillers or junk where chord selection is flipped upside down and a similar song churned out. Fab four fabulous as usual!

PURE BEATLES'SOUND!!!!!!!.......2007-05-05

This is the biggest example of the "beatlemania" fever; this album was so original (the only one album composed enterely of Lennon-McCartney songs) this was also their third album recorded and all the material are excellent and fresh, the fab four doing one of their best effords; very rock'n'roll songs like A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, I'M HAPPY JUST TO DANCE WITH YOU and TELL ME WHY, great acoustic ballads like AND I LOVE HER, IF I FELL and I'LL BE BACK, excellent pop songs like THINGS WE SAID TODAY and I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER, including the country song I'LL CRY INSTEAD, and the greatest No. 1 hit song CAN'T BUY ME LOVE! this album is essential in every beatles and rock and roll collection!!

Average customer rating: Emotional experience This is the version to get It just feels fun to listen to... Buy for Love Sound Quality

Love (CD + Audio DVD) The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Paul McCartney - The Space Within US Memory Almost Full [Deluxe Limited Edition] Love Living in the Material World (CD+DVD) Endless Wire ASIN: B000JJS8TM Release Date: 2006-11-21

Tracks:

1. Because
2. Get Back
3. Glass Onion
4. Eleanor Rigby/Julia (Transition)
5. I Am The Walrus
6. I Want To Hold Your Hand
7. Drive My Car/The Word/What You're Doing
8. Gnik Nus
9. Something/Blue Jay Way (Transition)
10. Being For The Benefit of Mr. Kite!/I Want You (She's So Heavy)/Helter Skelter
11. Help!
12. Blackbird/Yesterday
13. Strawberry Fields Forever
14. Within You Without You/Tomorrow Never Knows
15. Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
16. Octopus's Garden
17. Lady Madonna
18. Here Comes The Sun/The Inner Light (Transition)
19. Come Together/Dear Prudence/Cry Baby Cry (Transition)
20. Revolution
21. Back In The U.S.S.R.
22. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
23. A Day In The Life
24. Hey Jude
25. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
26. All You Need Is Love

From Amazon.co.uk

It begins with a twittering of birdsong lifted from "Across the Universe." And once the triple-tracked a capella harmonies of "Because" enter, followed by snatches from "A Hard Day's Night" and "The End," leading into a fired-up "Get Back," it becomes obvious that this is far more than just another Beatles compilation. This is Love, conceived by the Fabs' former producer George Martin and son Giles as a stageshow soundtrack to Cirque de Soleil's Las Vegas spectacular of the same name, but appears to have taken on a life of its own. Whereas the Beatles' last release, 1, delivered the (over?) familiar hits in a nice, simple package, Love is a mélange of the familiar and obscure, all literally mixed together in one 78-minute audio collage which succeeds in reminding the listener just why the Beatles truly are, as Lennon put it, "toppermost of the poppermost." There's no new Beatles material per se, but the songs are all approached differently--some are cut together in a flawlessly mixed medley (check out "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!/I Want You/Helter Skelter"), some reassemble different backing tracks and vocal performances to create new spins on old classics; but all the songs are revitalized considerably. Even in its weakest moments (which probably work better in the context of the show itself), Love is still a formidable prospect, and one has to admire Martin's willingness to go out on a limb with such a project. While purists may complain that the cut 'n' paste nature of the project is simply tampering with perfection, at the very least it'll make them reach for the originals and enjoy them all over again. For newcomers and everyone else, it makes a fine listen, both in its sonic clarity (the actual tracks are the best they've sounded on CD) and audacious nature. --Thom Allott

More from the Fab Four

The Capitol Albums, Vol. 2	Revolver	Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Anthology 1	Anthology 2	Anthology 3

Album Description

FIRST TIME EVER SPECIAL EDITION will include both the stereo CD and a BONUS AUDIO DVD packaged in a digi-package with O-card. The DVD is audio only and will contain 81 minutes of music in both 5.1 surround sound and stereo (presented in DVD-Audio MLP, DTS, Dolby and PCM).

"Love" is a fascinating reworking of numerous classic Beatles recordings by the band's original producer, Sir George Martin, and his son Giles. "Love" is also the title of the highly successful Cirque du Soleil show, a co-production with Apple Corps featuring the music of the Beatles, currently wowing audiences in Las Vegas. In creating the music for the show and for the album, George and Giles have created a continuous "soundscape"--a series of well-known Beatles songs augmented by additional instrumentation and vocals taken from their vast bank of original multi-track tapes. If you can imagine "Strawberry Fields Forever" beginning with John's original demo before going into an early take of the song and then climaxing in a musical collage including the piano solo from "In My Life" and the harpsichord pattern from "Piggies" and lots, lots more--or "Get Back" prefaced by the "Hard Day's Night" opening guitar chord, the guitar and drum solos from "The End," and segued into "Glass Onion," you will begin to get the picture. But hearing is believing! The guys have pushed back the boundaries and come up with a brand-new work that will add to the enduring legacy of the band. The result is an amazing album that not only reinforces the timeless quality of the group's recordings--the fans will have fun enjoying the roller-coaster experience of the album whilst trying to spot where all the pieces come from--it is also destined to open up a new legion of fans to the Beatles experience.

Customer Reviews:

Emotional experience.......2007-07-19

The CD gives more sound, more detail and more depth to the titles chosen for the CD...After seeing Beatles LOVE Cirque de Soliel in Vegas last week, it brings you to an emotional and sensual high unlike any Cirque or compilation of Beatles music. You hear vastly mroe than any other Beatles CD... You KNOW the lyrics and can sing to all of them...The sharpness of the instruments and vocals breathes a new life (not that they were 'old') and passion into the lyrics...You hear so much more...The show is a feast for the eyes and I found myself smiling/crying silently because of the feeling it gave as well as certain parts taking my breath away...even now, just hearing a Beatles song on the radio (I have XM) you notice mroe and appreciate the simplicity of their music and lyrics, yet they are not simplisitc at all...John and George (who planted the Cirque seed...) would have been so proud and would have approved completely of the 'newfound' music and interpretation of Cirque...Buy the CD - it flows superbly and ages well like a fine wine...And if you get the chance, go to Las Vegas and see the show...There are no bad seats and feel what this music can do to you...BTW...I was born in 1965 and BARELY remember the Beatles in their hayday (just glimpses as a child from the radio...), but can utterly appreciate what they have given to the world...

This is the version to get.......2007-07-19

First things first, Love by the Beatles, features music that is all from the Beatles original recordings. That said, the starting point for this CD is very strong. If you can get past the fact that there are what amounts to remixes of many of the recordings. I am a firm believer that any music by the Beatles is great music. Love by the Beatles is no exception to that belief. The sound hear is outstanding. There are many of the classic Beatles songs hear, with some eerie renditions and some excellent. There is an ethereal quality to Strawberry Fields and I am the Walrus sounds excellent. This is a must have for Beatles fans. I rate it a strong four stars.

The Audio DVD that comes with this special version sounds so outstanding on surround sound, it elevates this 4 star CD to a 5 star must have. The music sounds perfect.

It just feels fun to listen to..........2007-07-18

Found myself smiling widely as I realized each new direction that the mix was taking. I have always enjoyed the Beatles music, but this album turned on a new light for me. I now realize how complex their music is. The audio quality of the DVD-audio disc is top shelf.

Buy for Love.......2007-07-16

This is a product for the die hard Beatles fans as some of the mixing is very different than were used to

Sound Quality.......2007-07-10

We all know the Beatles were the greatest. What people aren't discussing here is the sound quality of the disc. It is incredible! I bought a new Acura RDX which is one of the only vehicles that has DVD Audio true surround sound in it. The sound is amazing! Every instrument is so clear and distinct. It is all around you. Even Paul McCartney was amazed at the quality of the surround sound recording! Once you hear a good DVD Audio disc, it is hard to go back to traditional discs.

Average customer rating: The Start Please Please Me Oh Yeah, this is the good stuff Damn, this is the Beatles! AND ... THE DREAM STARTED

Please Please Me The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: With the Beatles A Hard Day's Night Beatles for Sale Help! [UK] Rubber Soul ASIN: B000002UA9 Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. I Saw Her Standing There
2. Misery
3. Anna (Go To Him)
4. Chains
5. Boys
6. Ask Me Why
7. Please Please Me
8. Love Me Do
9. P.S. I Love You
10. Baby It's You
11. Do You Want To Know A Secret
12. A Taste Of Honey
13. There's A Place
14. Twist And Shout

Amazon.com

Their first-ever album, raw and rough and still very rock & roll. Lennon and McCartney begin to flex their writing muscles and had already scored two UK hits when this appeared, but they still relied heavily on the cover material to see them through. Their insecurity about their own abilities seems curious in hindsight since they'd pulled the title song and "I Saw Her Standing There" (with thanks to Little Richard) out of their hats. But they were an unknown quantity, still to launch a million bands and take pop music to places it had never dreamed off. A small step for four men, a giant leap for music. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

The Start.......2007-07-19

Amazing to think that this is the same group of lads that would give us their swan song Abbey Road a mere 6 years later. However, the youthfulness and exuberance on this album makes it a great beginning. I haven't had this in my collection for a while and listening to it again I marvel at the innocence of this release. Being a huge fan since childhood this isn't one of my top Beatles albums but it sure is a fun listen and definitely a record to purchase.

Please Please Me.......2007-06-13

Good luck on locating these Russian CDs. Exceptional material, sound, and stereo separation.

Oh Yeah, this is the good stuff.......2007-06-12

The Beatles' debut album. Before they got pretentious. Which isn't to say they weren't still great when they got pretentious, just they were great AND pretentious. Here they're just great. People are so awed by the ostentation of the later albums that they underrate this one. But it's got an immediacy none of the other Beatles albums have (well, maybe A HARD DAY'S NIGHT). As everybody else notes, it's practically a live album. I could do without Paul's cover "A Taste of Honey," but otherwise this is perfection. You got "Please Please Me," probably the dirtiest hit song since Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti." You got Ringo singing a cover of "Boys," making it a great little gay camp number. John Lennon does punk before punk with the cover of the Isley Brothers' "Twist and Shout." And "I Saw Here Standing There" is one of the most perfect album openers ever. Given the fact that overblown pretension is so much the order of the day in every corner of the pop music world at the moment (it's like all we're back to the era of those mid-50s standards by Perry Como and Doris Day with all the overdone plush strings and sentimental bombast -- You know, the music rock, rap and soul was supposed to kill), this lean, punchy album is an essential antidote. Play it along with Louis Armstrong 's early Fives and Sevens recordings and The Ramones' first album in order the get the desired effect.

Damn, this is the Beatles!.......2007-05-09

Why do some people only look into their later stuff, and completly ignore the early stuff? Take _______ note, what peopel say, the Beatles progressed a _____load. You won't find any strings, horns, or not even much piano, just the foru and their guitars (with some harmonica and other _____). When this first came out, it was a revolution for rock music. Plus, it's influential and very _________ good.

This has my favorite early Beatles song, I Saw Her Standing There. But that's not it. It has Love Me Do, Anna, Twist and Shout, just 14 extremely catchy songs. I do wish that Amazon would put some _________ samples. Seriously. You listening, you piece of ______ site?

I will say that this, Please Please Me was, yes, a ________ stepping stone for rock. _____ the people who say the Beatles were nothing more than just a 60's Backstreet Boys. This is when the group members all worked together, made pure music, and didn't use _________ overdubbing and recording. The guy who wrote a review some reviews below explained well. Yeah, The Beatles later albums were nothing influential, despite what anyone says (Sgt. Pepper's did ____ for rock, just pop. It's nothing more than a noveltly record). I didn't give a _____, Hendrix and Zeppelin carried the tourch, im glad the Beatles went their own way, because Sgt. Pepper may have been the most overhyped album, ever, but it still is a masterpiece.

I can't reccomend this enough. Buy it!

AND ... THE DREAM STARTED.......2007-05-05

Welcome to the birth of Beatlemania!!! this was the first shock that the most popular musical group made to the world! their first example with very powerful and magnificent songs, from the "1,2,3,4" in I SAW HER STANDING THERE (wonderful rock'n'roll song) to the romanticysm of DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET; this disc has the great hit LOVE ME DO, The very strong rock of TWIST AND SHOUT, many excellent covers like ANNA GO TO HIM and BABY IT'S YOU, the Ringo's debut as a singer in BOYS, the beautiful ballad P.S. I LOVE YOU and their first No.1 hit in UK charts PLEASE PLEASE ME; if you don't have beatles records or you are beginning to meet this group, you have to buy this cd first. ¡Enjoy the birth of the Modern Music!

Average customer rating: Beyond the Hype The first really good Beatle album! Beware! Great Album from the Greatest Group with the beatles cd

With the Beatles The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Pop | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Classic Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Rock | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music International | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Please Please Me Beatles for Sale A Hard Day's Night Help! [UK] Rubber Soul ASIN: B000002UAC Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. It Won't Be Long
2. All I've Got To Do
3. All My Loving
4. Don't Bother Me
5. Little Child
6. Till There Was You
7. Please Mister Postman
8. Roll Over Beethoven
9. Hold Me Tight
10. You Really Got A Hold On Me
11. I Wanna Be Your Man
12. Devil In Her Heart
13. Not A Second Time
14. Money

Amazon.com

They still had plenty of covers to fill out the running time, but the Lennon-McCartney writing team was gathering steam and beginning to knock out pop classics as if they were pulling them out of thin air. "All My Loving" and "I Wanna Be your Man" come from this record, issued hurriedly to capitalize on English Beatlemania. But even when they were laying into some classic Chuck Berry, by this time the Beatles had acquired a unique sound in the blend of John's and Paul's voices, while George was coming on by leaps and bounds as a guitar player. While not absolutely essential, as a snapshot of a band in a place and time, With the Beatles is good for a smile. --Chris Nickson

Customer Reviews:

Beyond the Hype.......2007-07-19

For me these early Beatles discs are for a younger day. I listen now and know why I was caught up in the excitement too. They rocked! They also showed enough chutzpah to cover r&b material (sometimes better than the original recording artists) and introduce little known gems. And they did it all with amazing energy, fun and skill.

The first really good Beatle album!.......2007-06-14

'With the Beatles' (1963), was the first really good (almost great) Beatle album for me. Roll Over Beethoven, Money (That's What I Want), You Really Got a Hold on Me, Little Child, All My Loving, It Won't be Long and Don't Bother Me (George is my favorite Beatle) are among the best tracks here. But again, I'm not actually here to review the item at free will. I am compelled once again to state for the good of the listening public the differences between the UK and US Beatles album releases of the 1960s. 'With the...' is the REAL, OFFICAL, BEATLE-SANCTIONED version of the group's second album. (That is, to correct a previous reviewer, Amazon does have the right title up for the right album; this is the British (read:real) version.) In America, on the other hand, the album was released as Meet the Beatles, as most Americans would never have heard of them before (Capitol, the American record company, passed on releasing Please Please Me, the group's first album) and repackaged it to feature some of the songs from this album and material from the (in America) rejected Please Please Me. Along the way, new songs were also added in (recent hit singles), and many of the fine covers within lost to the US public, to be issued later on Early Beatles, another Capitol release.

In conclusion, With the Beatles is the album on this page, not Meet the Beatles. Also, as any REAL fan or purist will be happy to tell you, the British ones, the real, Beatle-sanctioned ones are the only albums that count, period. And as for this album, 5/5, if just for being such a great step up from Please Please Me.

Beware!.......2007-06-08

Though I am pleased with the CD, I mistakenly thought I was buying "Meet The Beatles". The covers look identical to the orginal LP, which apparently is not available in a CD.

Great Album from the Greatest Group.......2007-05-28

This is a four star album in that is does not come close to the classics that would follow in the Beatles catalogue. This was one of my first exposures to the Beatles and there really are some wonderful songs on this album. All My Loving is worth the cost of the CD alone. Enjoy.

with the beatles cd.......2007-05-21

fresh music from a legendary band that is easy to enjoy. This is truly one of the group's finest albums.

Average customer rating: SO FUN AND FULL OF MEMORIES Top Band This One And EPIC ANTHOLOGY Give You Almost All The Hollies You Need Somewhat Disappointing Collection Wonderful Album

Hollies - Hollies Greatest Hits The Hollies Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music Britain | British Isles | Europe | International | Styles | Music General | Pop | Styles | Music Soft Rock | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: The Byrds - Greatest Hits The Lovin' Spoonful - Greatest Hits The Grass Roots - All Time Greatest Hits The Association's Greatest Hits Mercy, Mercy, Mercy: A Collection ASIN: B000063CNC Release Date: 2002-03-26

Tracks:

1. Bus Stop
2. Carrie-Anne
3. Look Through Any Window
4. Stop, Stop, Stop
5. Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress
6. Dear Eloise
7. He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother
8. Just One Look
9. King Midas In Reverse
10. Long Dark Road
11. Pay You Back With Interest
12. On A Carousel
13. The Air That I Breathe

Customer Reviews:

SO FUN AND FULL OF MEMORIES.......2007-05-14

ALL THE GREAT AND FUN SONGS ARE ON THIS CD. IT'S LIKE BEING BACK IN TIME. I ENJOY IT VERY MUCH.

Top Band.......2007-04-07

Here is a band that produced alot of good songs.There is alot of songs on this disk that are well known,and still get alot of radio play today.The name was influenced from Buddy Holly.They certainly did have one hell of alot of hits this band.Bus Stop ,Carrie-Anne ,Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress ,Dear Eloise ,and a personal favorite He Ain't Heavy...He's My Brother ,Just One Look ,On A Carousel ,and in my opinion the best song of all The Air That I Breathe,i just love that tune.

This One And EPIC ANTHOLOGY Give You Almost All The Hollies You Need.......2007-04-07

With the exception of the great singles "I'm Alive" and "I Can't Let Go", this CD, when combined with EPIC ANTHOLOGY, gives you all of the Hollies music that you really need. Actually, for some people, EPIC ANTHOLOGY might be enough, since much of the material the Hollies got in their pre-Epic years was a bit shoddy, with a number of R&B covers that are a travesty bordering on sacrilege, without any of the soul or spirit of the originals. In fact, according to one source, the reason that the Hollies left Imperial is because the label forced second-rate material on them. However, this claim needs to be taken like the humor in AMERICAN WEDDING, HARVARD MAN, DRIVE ME CRAZY, SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE, WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU, SABRINA, THE TEENAGE WITCH, and/or the two GARFIELD movies, since songs like "Bus Stop", "Pay You Back With Interest", and "Look Through Any Window" are great. It's true, however, that the band's sound developed an increasing level of complexity during the Epic years, as is obvious on the moderate 1972 hit "Long Dark Road", whose line "It's over...and we can't revive what's past" led me to plaster my wall with pretty actresses as a deterrent to attending food-related reunions at my old school. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" is a song that inspired me to support community-service requirements for high-school graduation, and that some people whom I've worked with in the past could learn a lot from as far as how to treat others is concerned. Both songs, and five others, appear on both compilations, but despite the crossover, you won't be creating clutter for your living area by getting both CDs. If anything, you'll be learning how a great band evolved between 1963 and 1975.

Somewhat Disappointing Collection.......2007-01-11

While this album has several duds; there are winners enough (Air That I Breathe, Carousel)to make it worth the price.

Wonderful Album.......2006-11-10

Thanks for the prompt delivery and the quality of the Hollies Greatest Hits CD..

Average customer rating: Fab - ulous!!! A must have! Like the 2nd, an essential Fills in the void created when these singles were omitted from the original LPs There are better and more interesting samplings

Past Masters, Vol. 1 The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Past Masters, Vol. 2 Please Please Me A Hard Day's Night Beatles for Sale With the Beatles ASIN: B000002USY Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Love Me Do (Single Version)
2. From Me To You
3. Thank You Girl
4. She Loves You
5. I'll Get You
6. I Want To Hold Your Hand
7. This Boy
8. Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand (I Want To Hold Your Hand)
9. Sie Liebt Dich (She Loves You)
10. Long Tall Sally
11. I Call Your Name
12. Slow Down
13. Matchbox
14. I Feel Fine
15. She's a Woman
16. Bad Boy
17. Yes It Is
18. I'm Down

Amazon.com

Although they were probably the band that most transformed rock from a singles medium to an album-oriented form, the Beatles also released many singles and EP tracks that never made it onto albums. In the U.S., Capitol turned the group's early LPs, through Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, into compilations, more or less, throwing the hit singles onto the vinyl to augment the album tracks. When the label later released the U.K. albums on CD, it posed a problem: What to do with the non-LP singles? Past Masters, Volume 1 compiles 18 of those singles, including some of their best-known tracks, running from "Love Me Do," "She Love You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," and "This Boy" to "I Feel Fine" and Paul's homage to Little Richard, "I'm Down." Essential stuff. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

Fab - ulous!!!.......2007-05-15

Great collection. If you love the Fab Four as I do, buy this disc.

A must have!.......2007-02-21

It brings back so many memories! It is great to have all of these songs in one collection. I recommend it to any Beatle lover.

Like the 2nd, an essential.......2007-02-09

Some of the Beatles' best cuts were regulated to non-LP b-sides (or at least are now ever since the US albums were dropped from the market in favor of the UK ones), and the best of those (other than Rain and Revolution, found on Volume 2) can be found here: This Boy is a superb, R&B-laced original; She's a Woman, a brilliant rockabilly/Elvis throwback (later covered quite nicely by Jeff Beck); I'm Down is relentless rock 'n' roll. You also get a straight reissue of the Long Tall Sally EP: Long Tall Sally itself and I Call Your Name are two bare essentials, both charged-up, three-chord rock with Lennon's powerful vocals. The other two tracks from that EP (Slow Down, with an interesting guitar solo; Matchbox) are nothing special but coulda been worse. Then there are the classic #1's from the early days that didn't make it onto an LP: From Me to You; She Loves You; I Want to Hold Your Hand and I Feel Fine are presented in their original versions here, while Love Me Do is an alternate version with Ringo (rather than a session drummer) drumming, though it isn't much different than the original, that's no real reason to complain. Bad Boy is an awesome rocker (from the US-only Beatles VI, which doesn't exist on CD unless you shell out $60 for The Capitol Albums, Volume 2) that didn't deserve to disappear. The German-language versions of She Loves You and I Want to Hold Your Hand may seem like padding, but they're fun and interesting, though certainly not perfect or the originals: the only song that doesn't do the job for me is Yes It Is, one of their weakest.
The only way to get several of these tracks other than buying this is through The Capitol Albums boxed sets. So if you don't feel like spending $60 or more, go here for some great rare Beatles!
Why don't the Rolling Stones or the Who have collections like these? Both bands recorded some quality single-only material that is now fairly hard to find, except through greatest-hits albums.

Fills in the void created when these singles were omitted from the original LPs.......2007-01-21

It's well-known that The Beatles ruled the charts for the majority of the 60s and the record company knew the value of their prizes when they released songs as singles (never putting them on LPs), split albums into EPs and releasing different versions of the same album (as was the case with "Revolver," and the beginning of the song "Help!" among many examples).

The two "Past Masters" CDs, to me, fill the void one might feel was created by the omission of the singles from the LPs. The fact that singles such as "Love Me Do," "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," and "She Loves You" were omitted from LPs in the first place seems a bit weird to me - someone born after The Beatles long split up (at least on paper, anyway).

But just thinking about John and Paul cranking out more timeless and poignant songs (separately and together) as opposed to insisting the singles be put on the albums attests to the fact that they are the greatest songwriters of the modern era of music.

Both "Past Masters" are essentials to a Beatles collection. - Donna Di Giacomo

There are better and more interesting samplings.......2006-12-09

These tracks appear to be the A and B sides of 45 rpm and some 33 1/3 rpm LP records that I have tucked away in my closet. Volume One is a very good cross section of The Beatles hits early in their career, along with songs that are (were) rarely heard on the radio, particularly Matchbox (sung by Ringo) which was originally recorded by Carl Perkins, a country rock-a-billy or country rock artist. Yes It Is, is a soulful love song sung (and probably written) by John Lennon. Unique to The Beatles are their early appearances in a night club in Hamburg, Germany thus the two tracks sung in German. What you hear and hopefully enjoy while listening to this CD, is the energy, warmth, passion and diversity that John, George, Paul and Ringo put into each song. There are better, less well known, cuts that show a greater diversity of the Fab Four. But Volume One is a good place to start for a neophyte "The Beatles" fan.

Average customer rating: This is previously unreleased material, not masters... 5 star for historic value alone PRESENT AT THE CREATION A Must-Have for Beatles Collectors Listen to Shout! w/ earphones Not a Traditional Greatest Hits Collection , but a Historical Retrospective

Anthology 1 The Beatles Manufacturer: Capitol ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Pop | Styles | Music Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music General | Rock | Styles | Music British Invasion | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Supergroups | Classic Rock | Styles | Music General | Classic Rock | Styles | Music Similar Items: Anthology 2 Anthology 3 Live at the BBC Past Masters, Vol. 1 Past Masters, Vol. 2 ASIN: B000002TYX Release Date: 1995-11-21

Tracks:

1. Free As A Bird
2. 'We Were Four Guys...That's All'
3. That'll Be The Day
4. In Spite Of All The Danger
5. 'Sometimes I'd Borrow...Those Still Exist'
6. Hallelujah, I Love Her So
7. You'll Be Mine
8. Cayenne
9. 'First Of All...It Didn't Do A Thing Here'
10. My Bonnie
11. Ain't She Sweet?
12. Cry For A Shadow
13. 'Brian Was A Beautiful Guy...He Presented Us Well
14. 'I Secured Them...A Beatle Drink Even Then'
15. Searchin'
16. Three Cool Cats
17. The Sheik Of Araby
18. Like Dreamers Do
19. Hello Little Girl
20. 'Well, The Recording Test...By My Artists'
21. Besame Mucho
22. Love Me Do
23. How Do You Do It
24. Please, Please Me
25. One After 909 (Sequence)
26. One After 909
27. Lend Me Your Comb
28. I'll Get You
29. 'We Were Performers...In Britain'
30. I Saw Her Standing There
31. From Me To You
32. Money (That's What I Want)
33. You Really Got A Hold On Me
34. Roll Over Beethoven

Tracks:

1. She Loves You
2. Till There Was You
3. Twist and Shout
4. This Boy
5. I Want To Hold Your Hand
6. 'Boys, What I Was Thinking...'
7. Moonlight Bay
8. Can't Buy Me Love
9. All My Loving
10. You Can't Do That
11. And I Love Her
12. A Hard Day's Night
13. I Wanna Be Your Man
14. Long Tall Sally
15. Boys
16. Shout
17. I'll Be Back (Demo)
18. I'll Be Back (Complete)
19. You Know What To Do
20. No Reply (Demo)
21. Mr. Moonlight
22. Leave My Kitten Alone
23. No Reply
24. Eight Days A Week (Sequence)
25. Eight Days A Week
26. Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey

Amazon.com

This is the first release in a three-part series that essentially amounted to the three surviving Beatles officially sanctioning the release of tracks that had been bootlegged for years. Thus, you get some of their earliest recordings as teens; the tracks they cut in Hamburg, Germany; their Decca audition tapes (which were rejected); and, finally, alternate takes and works in progress of songs that are now part of the world's consciousness. Oh, yeah, you also get "Free As a Bird," the John Lennon track the other Beatles "finished" in 1995; it's out of context in the company of some of the group's early classics. Beatlemaniacs, of course, love exploring this stuff, but the three Anthologies are hardly a place for beginners to start their explorations. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews:

This is previously unreleased material, not masters... 5 star for historic value alone.......2007-06-14

First off, this CD gets 5 stars for historic value alone. No, John, Paul, George and Ringo weren't at the height of their abilities then (Ringo wasn't even involved through much of this.) However, these are fairly good, very interesting recordings. I'm not a music theory expert, or anything but I don't see- or hear- what's so out of tune, tempo, and harmony, according to one of the negative reviews. Nothing seems off key, and to a Beatles fan, this stuff is fun, and some of their great wit is present here. No, there earliest, previously unreleased originals are not lyrically or musically great, but not terrible (and 'Youl'll be Mine' is a hoot if you can make out the words.) The recording qaulity is very poor on some of the VERY earliest recordings but, but there old, and the musicanship (is that a word?) still seems pretty good. In fact 'Cry for a Shadow', an early instrumental, is great material. As for the Decca tapes, they're not great, although that could be because of Brian Epstein's selections, of which we hear five here. Still, 'Three Cool Cats' is great fun (with George's lead vocal),as is Searchin', and one would have though Paul's 'Like Dreamers Do' would have sold Decca the group, at least as songwriters. 'Hello Little Girl' and Sheak of Araby' were okay, too. We hear some of Stuart Sutcliff's bass (in very poor qaulity), and some of Pete Best's drums (Ringo was clearly WAY better.) The early sessions with George Martin are interestig, not bad ( the false starts section for 'One of 909' is really fun(ny).) The live cuts (I saw Her Standing There, Roll Over Beethoven, etc.) that end disc one are of course great. I listen to dsic 2 less but great material (an early cut of 'Can't buy Me Love', 'And I Love Her, Eight Days a Week, Hard Day's Night, et al.) abound. Watch also for the Ed Sullivan Show performance of 'All my Loving'. There is also material from the Royal Command performance- priceless.

Of course 'Free as a Bird' is here, and if you love the Beatles, you'll want to own it, although 'Real Love' (on Anthology 2), is a better song. The audio snippets help narrate you through, and are generally interesting and enlightening (same for the liner notes in the booklet), although most of them are of medicore audio qaulity. They don't annoy me, and although absent on later 'Anthologies', create a smooth guide from track to track here (with the notes of course.)

Finally, to the one star reviewer I refered to earlier: I looked up all the people you list as "great guitarists... great drummers"- they are all jazz musicians. Now, I have nothing against jazz, in fact it's a side interest of mine, but comparing the Beatles to jazz is apples to oranges, to use the cliched analogy, for lack of a better one. You can't compare jazz to pop/rock (especially early 60s pop/rock), and in fact, I can't imagine how someone with your tastes, wondered into/got interested in the Beatles, to begin with. In short, the styles, practiced skills, theories, and criteria for good musicians/songs are simply different in these two, very different genres. Sorry you don't like this stuff. I like this and jazz. Make peace with the fact that its apples and oranges, and its the Beatles and your tastes.

(SIDE NOTE: Don't even get me started on the reviewer who prefers the Stones; I'll address that in another review.)

So, sorry for all the ranting. Overall I give Anthology one, 5 stars for historic value alone (the music isn't bad either.) But don't buy if you're not a 'diehard fan' or are just starting a collection!

PRESENT AT THE CREATION.......2007-04-14

THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGIES ARE A RECORD OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LEGENDARY BAND. IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW IT WAS DONE HAVE A LISTEN HERE. NOW IF WE COULD ONLY GET SOME EARLY MOZART...

A Must-Have for Beatles Collectors.......2006-12-05

Of the three Beatles Anthology volumes, this first one is easily the most exciting for Beatles fans and collectors. The idea here is to give a new spin to the old classics, and present alternate takes, working versions, live renditions, all of which are being released here for the first time.

This volume takes fans back to the very beginning, to 1958's "That'll Be The Day." What a thrill. Then we hear home demos that were recorded in Paul's garage. This is followed by the material recorded in Hamburg with Tony Sheridan. We are treated to five selections from the Beatles' Decca Audition. Even if it wasn't the greatest tape the Beatles could've made, I'm sure Decca is stil kicking themselves now for not signing the Beatles!

It gets better and better as time goes by. The Beatles sang "I'll Get You" at the London Palladium in 1963, and "All My Loving" on Ed Sullivan in 1964. Both of those recordings are presented here. Other highlights include:

*One After 909 - I actually prefer this version to the one that got released in 1970.
*Eight Days a Week - the tight harmony at the beginning works well. Also the false starts were interesting.
*How Do You Do It - the unreleased single.
*Free As A Bird - a new Beatles masterpiece.

Die-hard Beatles fans will not be disappointed with this set!

Listen to Shout! w/ earphones.......2006-10-01

The whole Anthology is spectacular!! I bought them when they came out 10 years ago. I'm sure this has been mentioned, but if you listen to Shout! from Disc 2; which was prerecorded for a TV special; towards the end, you hear John say "Everybody f@@in' shout now" 4 or 5 times. It went on the air that way and I don't think no one caught it. Pretty wild when you think about it. Incidently, that TV special was released on VHS back in the late 80s. If you can find it, it's pretty awesome.

Not a Traditional Greatest Hits Collection , but a Historical Retrospective.......2006-05-12

The Beatles need no introduction when it comes to the elite of Rock/Pop music. When trying to "rank" the greatest artists of the Rock/Pop era, there is no doubt that the quartet from England ranks number one on just about every list. Going even further, the Beatles might be the top act in the history of modern music - among any genre. Some quarter-century after their breakup, the Beatles began to consider their place in history. This impetus played a key role in the release of the three volume, "Beatles Anthology" CD set and corresponding television documentary. One of the main attractions of this project was that it would bring the three surviving Beatles together for the first time since the famous breakup. Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr would collaborate together on two unfinished John Lennon songs: "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love" - creating a "virtual" reunion among the four band members. This three volume set would not be an ordinary greatest hits collection - it would provide a historical retrospective to the band through rare and unreleased material. It is the first volume, "Beatles Anthology 1" that covers the early days of the Beatles from their days as the Quarrymen through their material in late 1964 found on their fourth album, "Beatles For Sale".

As mentioned, this CD serves as a historical retrospective to the band. The material is arranged in chronological order. Some of the material is prefaced with spoken words by Lennon, McCartney, and Brian Epstein. The spoken words help set the stage for the material that is to follow. Included with the collection is a 46 page booklet that describes each of the tracks. As for the tracks themselves, these consist of demo cuts, alternative cuts, live cuts, and bootlegs. One thing that helps is to follow the material in the booklet with the music - using the booklet and music hand-in-hand helps complete the historical experience that this collection provides. This should not be confused with a traditional "Greatest Hits Collection". This is no greatest hits collection: Some of the material consisted of covers and songs that were never heard before. At the same time, the "name" songs are all different versions from what is heard in the mainstream. As a result, this helps enhance the listening experience.

Here are 10 things to look for - in no particular order:

1) "Free as a Bird" is a good song - it isn't a great one. There probably wasn't much to choose from to sustain a "virtual" reunion between the four members of the Beatles. The engineering of the song isn't bad. The song will grow on you as you hear it. It would have been nice if Ringo Starr had gotten a vocal since the other three Beatles got vocals. It is also worth noting that Harrison's "Wilbury" partner Jeff Lynne produced the song. I didn't think this song belonged as the first song, but given the fact that this doesn't fit in with the early material - I'm not sure where this should have been put.

2) George Martin does a masterful job at providing continuity and fusion to the collection. While he didn't actually produce "Free as a Bird", he produced the Anthology series as a whole.

3) The "Pre-Beatles" material is very interesting. This isn't going to have the best recording quality. In fact the 1958 Quarrymen cuts from the Phillips studio are going to have some pretty bad quality. Yet, this is going to add to the whole "historical" listening experience that this collection provides.

4) The Quarrymen and early Beatles material consist of a large number of covers. Some of the more common covers include "That'll Be the Day" (Buddy Holly), "Aint She Sweet" (Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps), and "Shout" (Isley Brothers). But perhaps the best one is the Beatles cover of the song made famous by the Coasters - "Besame Mucho". This cover stands out and shows a Latin side to the band that was rarely seen.

5) I was also surprised about the instrumental pieces that were included. "Cayenne" and "Cry For a Shadow" are two instrumentals that are included on this collection. Both instrumentals stand out.

6) The Tony Sheridan song, "My Bonnie" is included as well. It is on this version that features Sheridan on lead vocals and the Beatles supporting him as his band. Only some shouts by McCartney can be heard on background vocals.

7) There is a very funny comedy skit featuring the Beatles on the British comedy show, "The Morecambe and Wise" show. I can't get enough of when Ringo is referred to as "Bongo". This skit has a segue into a very funny version of "Moonlight Bay". This shows a lighter side of the band.

8) I would have liked to have seen more of the Ed Sullivan material included on this CD collection. I'm disappointed there isn't Ed himself providing the introduction It would have made the historical perspective "complete". The only "Sullivan" song included is "All My Loving".

9) As for the spoken words, I actually would have preferred if more spoken words were included. The spoken parts that are included serve as a great lead-in - but there are parts that don't have the spoken word add-in.

10) I love some of the unfinished demo cuts. I heard a disc-jockey in "New York" so impressed with this collection as he said "...and this is the junk!" It's amazing how stuff that didn't make it through editing could sound so good, but in this case it works.

Overall, this is one terrific collection. I've heard that this collection is not geared toward the novice fan, but I think anyone with an interest in modern music history will appreciate this collection. This collection is best listened to when you listen to it from start to finish. I wish more groups would follow this formula for producing retrospectives. This collection is highly recommended.

Rock Music:

1. Midnight to Six Man [Box set] [Import]
2. Miss Jamaica [Import]
3. Mustn't Grumble [Import]
4. Mwng [Import]
5. (Oo Oo) I've Been Calling
6. Out of Nothing [Import]
7. Outside Closer [Import]
8. Over the Rainbow [Import]
9. Please Don't Stay
10. Poems & Explosions [Import]

Rock Music