Beatles - Thank You Girl/Do You Want To Know A Secret (1964) [Italian single - imported from USA]

Artist: The Beatles
Single: Thank You Girl/Do You Want To Know A Secret

Year of Release: 1964
Country: Italy
Label: Vee Jay Records
Catalogue number: VJ 587
Matrix codes: 63-3219 URJ // 63-3191 URJ

[Tracklisting]
1. Thank You Girl 2:01
2. Do You Want To Know A Secret 1:58

[Review]
This 7" 45rpm record was pressed in USA as an export edition for Italy. "Record imported from the U.S.A." is stated on the picture sleeve, prepared by Bluebell Records, it has silver prints on colourband labels and a red "BIEM" import duty sticker is affixed to one of the labels. "Thank You Girl" is the A-side. This is probably a second pressing from 1964 (first pressings have a green sticker and a different font type and later pressings have black prints on yellow labels).

[Equipment: Phase 2.5]
Turntable: Pro-Ject 1-Xpression III w/Speed Box II
Cartridge: Audio-Technica AT440mLa 
Integrated Amplifier: Marantz PM6006
Soundcard: Creative E-MU 0202

Beatles - Please Please Me (1963) [UK original mono -1N/-1N]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Please Please Me [UK mono]

Year of Release: 1963
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PMC 1202
Matrix codes: XEX 421-1N // XEX 422-1N



[Tracklisting]
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

Total running time: 33:00

[Review]
Here you have a transfer from my original UK mono copy of "Please Please Me" (-1N/-1N), that you can compare to the 2014 reissue. A close inspection reveals that this is a fourth pressing.
"The Beatles' Please Please Me album was rush-released by Parlophone on 22nd March, 1963 to capitalise on the enormous success of the title track which had been the group's second single and their first no. 1 in the majority of UK charts. Ten of the album's fourteen tracks were recorded in just one day - 11th February, 1963. The iconic front cover shot was taken at the then headquarters of EMI Limited at 20 Manchester Square in London's West End in early 1963 by Angus McBean. Given that the UK album chart in those days tended to be dominated by more 'adult' tastes such as film soundtracks and easy listening vocalists, it was a surprise when Please Please Me hit the top of the chart in May 1963 and remained there for thirty weeks before being replaced by With The Beatles." (from thebeatles.com)

Beatles - Revolver (1966) [UK original mono -2/-3]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Revolver [UK mono]

Year of Release: 1966
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PMC 7009
Matrix codes: XEX 605-2 // XEX 606-3



[Tracklisting]
1. Taxman
2. Eleanor Rigby
3. I'm Only Sleeping
4. Love You To
5. Here, There And Everywhere
6. Yellow Submarine
7. She Said She Said
8. Good Day Sunshine
9. And Your Bird Can Sing
10. For No One
11. Doctor Robert
12. I Want To Tell You
13. Got To Get You Into My Life
14. Tomorrow Never Knows

Total running time: 35:07

[Review]
Here you have a transfer from my original UK mono copy of "Revolver" (-2/-3), that you can compare to the 2014 reissue. This is a second pressing. The version of Tomorrow Never Knows is the mono regular version (remix 8), not the early withdrawn one.
"The Beatles' seventh album was released in early August 1966. Following the release of Rubber Soul the group had embarked on what was to be their final UK concert tour and following a lengthy break, they returned to Abbey Road to record continually for three months. The first recordings released from these sessions, engineered by Geoff Emerick, was the single 'Paperback Writer' and 'Rain' and those tracks gave an indication of what was to come." (from thebeatles.com)

Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) [UK original mono -1/-1]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [UK mono]

Year of Release: 1967
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PMC 7027
Matrix codes: XEX 637-1 // XEX 638-1



[Tracklisting]
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
2. With A Little Help From My Friends
3. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
4. Getting Better
5. Fixing A Hole
6. She's Leaving Home
7. Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite!
8. Within You Without You
9. When I'm Sixty-Four
10. Lovely Rita
11. Good Morning Good Morning
12. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)
13. A Day In The Life

Total running time: 39:27

[Review]
Here is a transfer from my UK mono copy of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (the umpteenth transfer available of this album). This is a first pressing (without "patents pending" on the outer sleeve), so that anyone can compare the "real deal" to the mono reissue.
"Released on 1st June, 1967, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the band's eighth album became the soundtrack to the summer of love but its appeal is timeless. Work had begun on the recording in late 1966. In the Britain the album hit number #1 and between June, 1967 and February, 1968 spent a total of 27 weeks at the top during an initial chart run of 148 weeks. All of this, in spite of a BBC ban on 'A Day In The Life'. In the US, the album was released in exactly same way as in Britain... well almost. The high-pitched tone and the garbled speech embedded in the UK run-out groove did not appear on the American release. The album enjoyed a fifteen week stay at the top of the US Top 200 albums during its initial chart run of 88 weeks." (from thebeatles.com)
"You've never really heard 'Sgt Pepper' until you've heard it in mono." (George Martin)
This rip was made a few years ago, I thought I'd "refresh" it, moving it higher in my feed, as it's my most popular rip ever.

[Equipment: Phase 2]
Turntable: Pro-Ject 1-Xpression III w/Speed Box II
Cartridge: Audio-Technica AT440mLa
Integrated Amplifier: Denon PMA-700AE
Soundcard: Creative E-MU 0202

Beatles - A Collection Of Beatles Oldies (1966) [UK stereo -1G/-1G]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: A Collection Of Beatles Oldies [UK stereo]

Year of Release: 1966
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PCS 7016
Matrix codes: YEX 619-1G // YEX 620-1G



[Tracklisting]
1. She Loves You
2. From Me to You
3. We Can Work It Out
4. Help!
5. Michelle
6. Yesterday
7. I Feel Fine
8. Yellow Submarine
9. Can't Buy Me Love
10. Bad Boy
11. Day Tripper
12. A Hard Day's Night
13. Ticket to Ride
14. Paperback Writer
15. Eleanor Rigby
16. I Want to Hold Your Hand

Total running time: 38:56

[Review]
Here you have a transfer from my UK stereo "2-box EMI" copy of "A Collection Of Beatles Oldies" (-1G/-1G). This is a fourth pressing (take into account this is not the best pressing available).
"A Collection of Beatles Oldies (subtitled But Goldies!) is a compilation album featuring a selection of songs by The Beatles recorded between 1963 and 1966. The album was released in the United Kingdom and Australia in both mono (catalogue number PMC 7016) and stereo (PCS 7016). The album only reached No. 7 in the UK album chart, perhaps because most fans already owned most of the tracks on other releases. However, the album continued to sell reasonably well, remained in print for many years, and was only deleted when the compact disc age approached (and made obsolete by the Past Masters compilations). It was also the longest album that the Beatles had released to that point, totalling almost 40 minutes of music." (from wikipedia)

Beatles - Beatles For Sale (1964) [UK original mono -4N/-3N]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Beatles For Sale [UK mono]

Year of Release: 1964
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PMC 1240
Matrix codes: XEX 503-4N // XEX 504-3N



[Tracklisting]
1. No Reply
2. I'm a Loser
3. Baby's In Black
4. Rock And Roll Music
5. I'll Follow The Sun
6. Mr. Moonlight
7. Kansas City
8. Eight Days A Week
9. Words Of Love
10. Honey Don't
11. Every Little Thing
12. I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
13. What You're Doing
14. Everybody's Trying to Be My Baby

Total running time: 34:43

[Review]
Here you have a transfer from my original UK mono copy of "Beatles For Sale" (-4N/-3N), that you can compare to the 2014 reissue. This is a first pressing (variation A).
"Beatles For Sale was released on 4th December, 1964 just 21 weeks after A Hard Day's Night. It was their fourth album release in less than two years. Beatles For Sale had been recorded on seven days scattered between August and October when their schedule was crammed with stage performances in the UK, Canada and the US and well as radio and television work. Given the lack of time it was not surprising that the group reverted to the 1963 formula of eight original songs and six covers. The album hit the UK number one spot and retained that position for eleven of the 46 weeks that it spent in the Top Twenty." (from thebeatles.com)

Beatles - A Hard Day's Night (1964) [UK original mono -3N/-3N]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: A Hard Day's Night [UK mono]

Year of Release: 1964
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PMC 1230
Matrix codes: XEX 481-3N // XEX 482-3N



[Tracklisting]
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

Total running time: 30:36

[Review]
Here you have a transfer from my original UK mono copy of "A Hard Day's Night" (-3N/-3N), that you can compare to the 2014 reissue. This is a first pressing (variation A).
"Released on 10th July, 1964, the Beatles third album in less than eighteen months was timed to coincide with the cinema opening of their first movie. Of the album's 13 tracks seven were featured in the soundtrack of the film. One single had been released ahead of the album that being "Can't Buy Me Love"/"You Can't Do That" which had been issued on 20thMarch. It was also quite remarkable that for the first time on a Beatles album that all of the titles had been composed by John and Paul. The album reached no.1 in the UK charts towards the end of July and occupied the top spot for 21 of the 38 weeks that it spent in the Top Twenty." (from thebeatles.com)

Beatles - Please Please Me (1963) [German "dry" Stereo Master]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Please Please Me [German Stereo Master]

Year of Release: 1963
Country: Germany
Label: Apple/Electrola
Catalogue number: 1C 072-04219
Matrix codes: SHZE 117 A-2 04219-A-2 // SHZE 117 B-2 04219-B-2



[Tracklisting]
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

Total running time: 33:19

[Review]
Here's a very nice transfer from my pristine late German stereo copy of "Please Please Me" (1977), with catalogue number Apple/Electrola 1C 072-04219. This was pressed from the famous "Die Beatles" stampers (dead wax information SHZE-117-A-2/B-2) and it has a unique mastering. The EQ and compressed LP cutting master was bypassed and the flat tape was used, so this specific German master lacks the extra EQ and compression which was applied to the UK master. Consequently some of the tracks have a less perceived reverb and a natural quality and it seems as though you’re there in the studio. As Steve Hoffman wrote in 2002 "the stereo tape copies that were made for Germany were made from the not Equalized and Compressed version; that is why the first album in stereo on Parlophone sounds so wonky and the German version sounds so much better (at least to our modern ears)" and "whenever I play I Saw Her Standing There for anyone from this disc, mouths usually drop open". My friend Prof Stoned wrote "It looks to me like this special cutting occurred due to ignoring the mastering instructions, rather than being transferred from some unprocessed work parts". In any case to my ears, for what it's worth, this rip sounds awesome.

Beatles - Help! (1965) [UK original mono -2/-2]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Help! [UK mono]

Year of Release: 1965
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PMC 1255
Matrix codes: XEX 549-2 // XEX 550-2



[Tracklisting]
1. Help!
2. The Night Before
3. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
4. I Need You
5. Another Girl
6. You're Going To Lose That Girl
7. Ticket To Ride
8. Act Naturally
9. It's Only Love
10. You Like Me Too Much
11. Tell Me What You See
12. I've Just Seen A Face
13. Yesterday
14. Dizzy Miss Lizzy

Total running time: 34:08

[Review]
Here you have a transfer from my original UK mono copy of "Help!" (-2/-2), that you can compare to the 2014 reissue. This is a first pressing (variation B).
"Like A Hard Day's Night, Help! contained the songs from the film on side one of the album with the other side devoted to other new recordings including two covers. Unlike A Hard Day's Night, the two singles released prior to and alongside the album had exclusive B-sides. Help! also marked the return of George Harrison as a songwriter. George contributed one song to each side of the album. The striking album front cover features The Beatles making semaphore signals but these do not spell Help! The album went immediately to no.1 in the British charts remaining there for a total of nine of its 37 weeks in the Top Twenty." (from thebeatles.com)

Beatles - With The Beatles (1963) [UK original mono -7N/-7N]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: With The Beatles [UK mono]

Year of Release: 1963
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PMC 1206
Matrix codes: XEX 447-7N // XEX 448-7N



[Tracklisting]
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 Mr. 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

Total running time: 33:39

[Review]
Here you have a transfer from my original UK mono copy of "With The Beatles" (-7N/-7N), that you can compare to the 2014 reissue. This is a late second pressing, with "You Really Got A Hold On Me" credit on the Side 2 and "Dominion, Belinda (Ldn.) Ltd." publishing credit for "Money". To my ears it's bass shy, when compared to the 2009 remasters.
"With The Beatles carried on where Please Please Me had left off, melding more Lennon-McCartney originals with further highlights from their stage set. It also included the song-writing debut of their twenty-year old, Lead Guitarist, George Harrison. While the majority of their debut album had been completed in one day, The Beatles had to record their second release in-between other engagements that included, concert tours, numerous radio and TV performances (including the prestigious Sunday Night At The London Palladium) and their first international tour to Sweden. It was around this time that the term 'Beatlemania' was first coined and this was very much in evidence when they took part in that year's Royal Variety Performance in the presence of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. If that wasn't enough they also had to write, record and promote three new 45's all of which reached the no.1 spot in the UK charts. None of the tracks from With The Beatles was released as a single in the UK and the distinctive black and white cover shot by Robert Freeman also broke new ground for a pop album." (from thebeatles.com)

Beatles - Rubber Soul (1965) [UK original mono -4/-4]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Rubber Soul [UK mono]

Year of Release: 1965
Country: UK
Label: Parlophone
Catalogue number: PMC 1267
Matrix codes: XEX 579-4 // XEX 580-4



[Tracklisting]
1. Drive My Car
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won't See Me
4. Nowhere Man
5. Think For Yourself
6. The Word
7. Michelle
8. What Goes On?
9. Girl
10. I'm Looking Through You
11. In My Life
12. Wait
13. If I Needed Someone
14. Run For Your Life

Total running time: 35:59

[Review]
Here you have a transfer from my original UK mono copy of "Rubber Soul" (-4/-4), that you can compare to the recently released reissue. This is a "non loud cut" first pressing. Take into account that a -4/-4 cut allegedly sounds a bit muffled compared to a -5/-5 cut.
"Rubber Soul was another album for Christmas - released on 3rd December, 1965 just two weeks after final mixing had taken place. The album consisted of eleven songs by John and Paul, two by George and another with the unique writing credit of Lennon-McCartney-Starkey. The inclusion of a sitar on the song Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) also illustrated George's growing interest in Indian music and culture. Rubber Soul was also the last Beatles album for which Norman Smith manned the control desk. The front cover photograph of Rubber Soul was again taken by Robert Freeman but the way the faces appear slightly distorted on the sleeve was a result on a happy accident while the image was being projected. It is also interesting to note that the group's name is absent from the front of the sleeve. The album spent nine weeks at the album chart summit in the UK during a healthy 43 chart stay." (from thebeatles.com)

Beatles - Past Masters (2012) [180-gram EU Vinyl Remaster]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Past Masters

Year of Release: 2012
Country: European Union
Label: Apple
Catalogue number: 6994351
Matrix codes: 5099969943515 | 3A00180-01 A2 // 5099969943515 | 3A00180-01 B1 // 5099969943515 | 3A00180-02 C1 // 5099969943515 | 3A00180-02 D1



Disc 1
 
[Tracklisting]
1. Love Me Do* 2:23
2. From Me To You 1:56
3. Thank You Girl 2:03
4. She Loves You* 2:20
5. I'll Get You* 2:05
6. I Want To Hold Your Hand 2:25
7. This Boy 2:15
8. Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand 2:25
9. Sie Liebt Dich 2:18
10. Long Tall Sally 2:02
11. I Call Your Name 2:07
12. Slow Down 2:55
13. Matchbox 1:57
14. I Feel Fine 2:19
15. She's A Woman 3:02
16. Bad Boy 2:20
17. Yes It Is 2:41
18. I'm Down 2:31

Total running time: 42:19
All tracks stereo except for * (collapsed to mono).

Disc 2

[Tracklisting]
1. Day Tripper 2:47
2. We Can Work It Out 2:14
3. Paperback Writer 2:18
4. Rain 3:00
5. Lady Madonna 2:15
6. The Inner Light 2:34
7. Hey Jude 7:07
8. Revolution 3:23
9. Get Back 3:10
10. Don't Let Me Down 3:34
11. The Ballad Of John And Yoko 2:58
12. Old Brown Shoe 3:17
13. Across The Universe 3:47
14. Let It Be 3:49
15. You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)* 4:18

Total running time: 50:47
All tracks stereo except for * (collapsed to mono).

[Review]
'Past Masters' is a compilation album set which was originally released in 1988. Compiled by Mark Lewisohn, a Beatles authority, this is a collection of hits and rarities that includes every song commercially by the band not available on the 12 official UK albums or 'Magical Mystery Tour', preferably in stereo (with some exceptions, when a stereo mix had never been made). Disc 1 (that was originally released as "Volume 1") contains 11 tracks from UK singles including B-sides, both tracks from the German single 'Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand' / 'Sie Liebt Dich', all tracks from the 'Long Tall Sally' UK EP and the US-only track 'Bad Boy' from the US album 'Beatles VI'. Disc 2 (that was originally released as "Volume 2") contains 14 tracks from UK singles including B-sides and the "Wildlife" version of 'Across the Universe' from the charity album 'No One's Gonna Change Our World'.

The "Beatles in stereo" remastered vinyl records are sourced from a 24/48 digital master, not from an analogue master. Although I recognise there's a big difference between 24/48 and 16/44.1, I usually avoid digital-sourced vinyl records sampled at less than 96 kHz. So you'll never see me working on the Beatles official album remasters on vinyl: I'm in love with my three "Beatles collection" BC-13 blue boxes, that are genuine analogue-sourced copies and sooner or later I'll transfer them from scratch. I decided to do this transfer of 'Past Masters', though, after a comparison with the original release from 1988 on vinyl, which was also sourced from a digital master (supposedly at 16-bit) and which sounds much "thinner" to my ears. What's more, the CD counterparts of the remastered vinyl records are a bit dynamically compressed (not brickwalled, though) and so they sound louder.

Beatles - Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You (1962) [50th Anniversary Reissue single]

Artist: The Beatles
Single: Love Me Do
Year of Release: 2012
Country: Europe
Label: MPL Communications
Catalogue numbers: 5099901740172A/5099901740172B
Matrix codes: BC91232-01 A1 | 0174017 // BC88258-01 B1 | 0174017



[Tracklisting]
1. Love Me Do (Ringo version) 2:23
2. P.S. I Love You 2:03

Archive (RAR password: mccannonlabs)

[Review]
When the Beatles signed to EMI in 1962 they recorded "Love Me Do" twice at the company's Abbey Road studios in London.
On September 4th, the song was recorded, with George Martin producing, featuring Ringo Starr on drums. A week later, on September 11th, George Martin produced another version of the song, which this time featured session drummer, Andy White, and with Ringo playing tambourine. This record featuring Ringo on drums was pressed and released on the Parlophone label. It was this record which eventually charted and reached number 17 in the UK charts on December 29th, 1962, but was subsequently replaced by the Andy White version following a decision to include the latter on the "Please Please Me" album.

Beatles - Beatles' Greatest [Dutch]

Artist: The Beatles
Album: Beatles' Greatest [Dutch]
Year of Release: 1967
Country: Holland
Label: Odeon
Catalogue number: 5C 062-04207
Matrix codes: YBEX 50069 33499-1-Y // YBEX 50070 33498-1-Y



[Tracklisting]
1. I Want To Hold Your Hand
2. Twist And Shout
3. A Hard Day's Night
4. Eight Days A Week
5. I Should Have Known Better
6. Long Tall Sally
7. She Loves You
8. Please Mister Postman
9. I Feel Fine
10. Rock And Roll Music
11. Ticket To Ride
12. Please Please Me
13. It Won't Be Long
14. From Me To You
15. Can't Buy Me Love
16. All My Loving

Total running time: 38:23

Archive (RAR password: mccannonlabs)


[Review]
This stereo compilation was released in this form in 1967 in Holland. This transfer is from my copy, which honestly I could not identify (the vinyl is black, it has a grey label, STEMRA is written on it and matrix codes are listed above). Here you have the uncommon untrimmed version of I Feel Fine (with "whispering intro") and the horrible fake stereo version of She Loves You. The version of All My Loving is the standard one, with no "hi hat intro". The version of I Want To Hold Your Hand could be a unique "lost stereo mix" made in 1965 and different from the commonly known stereo mix made in 1966, but I'm really not sure (are handclaps and rhythm guitar mixed louder than you expected?).