I’ve long since learned the lesson (from ‘Anthology’) that the best Beatles versions of all of their songs were the ones they actually issued at the time and anything they left on the cutting room floor clearly deserved to be left there.
This isn’t Dylan we’re talking about (who doesn’t seem to have a clue when it comes to judging the value of his own work or which take was ‘best’). Love ‘Abbey Road’. But I don’t need the footnotes to enjoy the text.
Au contraire , few Dylan alternate takes surpass the released version. He has overlooked a few great songs but, not many given the extent of the catalogue.
Not sure I agree. I think there are quite a few versions of the tracks from ‘Blood on the Tracks’ on the last set which I actually prefer to the ‘originals’. I certainly have never listened to any previously unissued Beatles track or take and thought the same.
The first three volumes of The Bootleg Series are a brilliant alternative “best of” Dylan. It’s actually as good a starting point as any of his “proper” albums or compos.
I am perfectly happy with the BOTT he released – the alternative versions are absolutely fine but I really don’t agree that they are empirically better, nor can I think of any other alternative version of a Dylan song that I would take rather than the official release. As mentioned below, what he does have is a whole plethora of songs which weren’t even on an official album at all and should have been – Seven Curses, Love is Just a Four Letter World, Blind Willie McTell, etc ,etc. Same with Springsteen – his Tracks collection of previously unreleased stuff is enough on its own to cement his reputation.
That’s fine. I never argued that the versions on the BOTT box were ’empirically better’- only that I preferred one or two of the previously unissued versions to the ones on the original release. The point I suppose being that I can’t think of any previously unissued Beatles recording that was in any way better than anything they released at the time. The folks who got excited about ‘What’s the New Mary Jane’ are probably feeling a bit foolish these days…
Thinking back to the whole of Anthlogy, how much do I enjoy now? Not very much. Out of six CDs, I could easily boil that down to a single piece of vinyl, which itunes has done. I would include a couple of Harrison demos (where has the piano come from in this one?) and Come And Get It (which took Paul just forty minutes putting it all together, playing all the instruments while John observed from the control room). The Esher Demos could have its own release. Other than the long early take of Revolution, there isn’t much else I’d retain from the Pepper box or the White box. Having said that, I am interested in The Long One, an early stab at the medley and Goodbye On this one.
Your reasoning is why I’m disappointed contemporaneously recorded tracks they did actually release haven’t had the Giles treatment (I’m thinking Only A Northern Song, Hey Jude, Revolution, The Ballad Of John And Yoko and Old Brown Shoe – if he could do Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane, why not these?)
But Revolution wasn’t a remix of the actual B side.
Oddly, they tack early takes/instrumentals of Lady Madonna, The Inner Light & Across The Universe onto the White box, which were recorded in February before they even went to India. No Hey Bulldog, even though that was recorded with them.
It’s a real shame that Apple chose the “event” route for these Deluxe Album remasters, with a slightly different concept and packaging for each. I guess they thought that dealing with “The Beatles” doesn’t only cover the collector/fan/Steven Wilson demographic, but for a lot of (potential) buyers these sets are a bit frustrating.
Haven’t they seen the Jethro Tull, XTC or King Crimson sets?
They “COULD” have put together a multiple CD/DVD/BluRay box for each one of the albums, with a big book – and still have all these downsized 2-CD or vinyl variations for the civilians… I’m not a big Beatles fan, but with all the singles, mono versions, US mixes, the Anthology tracks, and the BBC sessions the first five albums could easily be 4 or 5 CDs each, and the 65-66 era LPs could be expanded by adding live concerts (judging by the Anthology live tracks there ARE good quality shows like the Shea Stadium gig). Get Phil Smee to do the design and your business plan is sorted for 8 years.
Apparently, there is technology that isolates each of the instruments on even a mono master. The remix possibilities are endless. It won’t be long before Beatles fans are putting their hands in their pockets for box sets of the early albums. Apple should be sorting their business plan now.
More fool people who have relegated it to the back room.
Since 1994, I must have played “Live at the BBC” five times for every one play of Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper’s combined.
A useful reminder in such situations … what would Noel or Liam Gallagher listen to?
Nothing Is Real is top podcasting. Haven’t listened to the latest yet (my bath is only scheduled for Sunday) but every episode so far has been marvellous.
Crikey – is it just me, or is that rather splendid?! Sounded great just through my little iPad speaker!! I’m thinking I might prefer that to the released version, which was never an album highlight for me.
It does sound magnificent. Ringo’s drumming is much more dynamic in the latter half and I like a bit of organ. I might prefer Paul’s vocal in the original. But I might not. Oh! Darling is a simple song to showcase his voice, along the lines of Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?, and his singing is superb.
In bitter interviews in the early seventies, John said he could have done a better job than Paul on Oh! Darling. Giles brings out the voices, including the creamy backing vocals.
I wonder what John Lennon was thinking about when he was aiming for “massiveness” in that song… a kind of guitary equivalent of Day In The Life? Was there anything around at the time that sounded like MBV or Spacemen 3? A job for Julian Cope I think…
“Appetite For Destruction” was recorded in the cultural maelstrom of mid-80s Hollywood, a pansexual smorgasbord of sensory excess (continues for several thousand words )
Tiggerlion says
The studio demo:
The strings:
Moose the Mooche says
I thought we’d all agreed that Abbey Road is rubbish?
Tahir W says
The moral here is that rubbish can be repackaged and make a mint all over again.
Tiggerlion says
Apart from the double A sided single, of course.
Those civilians who bought the blue album aren’t missing much, plus they have the added bonus of Old Brown Shoe.
Vulpes Vulpes says
Unsurpassable.
NigelT says
More outtakes to annoy Mrs. T…’Why don’t you just play the original, it’s much better…’.
SteveT says
Your Mrs T is more astute than my Mrs T.
eddie g says
I’ve long since learned the lesson (from ‘Anthology’) that the best Beatles versions of all of their songs were the ones they actually issued at the time and anything they left on the cutting room floor clearly deserved to be left there.
This isn’t Dylan we’re talking about (who doesn’t seem to have a clue when it comes to judging the value of his own work or which take was ‘best’). Love ‘Abbey Road’. But I don’t need the footnotes to enjoy the text.
Junior Wells says
Au contraire , few Dylan alternate takes surpass the released version. He has overlooked a few great songs but, not many given the extent of the catalogue.
eddie g says
Not sure I agree. I think there are quite a few versions of the tracks from ‘Blood on the Tracks’ on the last set which I actually prefer to the ‘originals’. I certainly have never listened to any previously unissued Beatles track or take and thought the same.
Junior Wells says
Yes, I can name a few. Idiot Wind off New York sessions for starters. Foot of pride , willie McTell left off albums But how much has he put out?
Moose the Mooche says
The first three volumes of The Bootleg Series are a brilliant alternative “best of” Dylan. It’s actually as good a starting point as any of his “proper” albums or compos.
Junior Wells says
Yeah ok, release them first, then release the official versions as outtakes.
Blue Boy says
I am perfectly happy with the BOTT he released – the alternative versions are absolutely fine but I really don’t agree that they are empirically better, nor can I think of any other alternative version of a Dylan song that I would take rather than the official release. As mentioned below, what he does have is a whole plethora of songs which weren’t even on an official album at all and should have been – Seven Curses, Love is Just a Four Letter World, Blind Willie McTell, etc ,etc. Same with Springsteen – his Tracks collection of previously unreleased stuff is enough on its own to cement his reputation.
Oh, and to the OP – yes. Yes it is. A great song.
eddie g says
That’s fine. I never argued that the versions on the BOTT box were ’empirically better’- only that I preferred one or two of the previously unissued versions to the ones on the original release. The point I suppose being that I can’t think of any previously unissued Beatles recording that was in any way better than anything they released at the time. The folks who got excited about ‘What’s the New Mary Jane’ are probably feeling a bit foolish these days…
Tiggerlion says
Hard to argue with you, eddie.
Thinking back to the whole of Anthlogy, how much do I enjoy now? Not very much. Out of six CDs, I could easily boil that down to a single piece of vinyl, which itunes has done. I would include a couple of Harrison demos (where has the piano come from in this one?) and Come And Get It (which took Paul just forty minutes putting it all together, playing all the instruments while John observed from the control room). The Esher Demos could have its own release. Other than the long early take of Revolution, there isn’t much else I’d retain from the Pepper box or the White box. Having said that, I am interested in The Long One, an early stab at the medley and Goodbye On this one.
Your reasoning is why I’m disappointed contemporaneously recorded tracks they did actually release haven’t had the Giles treatment (I’m thinking Only A Northern Song, Hey Jude, Revolution, The Ballad Of John And Yoko and Old Brown Shoe – if he could do Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane, why not these?)
Moose the Mooche says
Giles did Hey Jude on the 2015 reissue of 1.
I only know this because Fatima pointed it out the other day.
And she was talking to YOU, tiggs.
I mean really.
Tiggerlion says
But Revolution wasn’t a remix of the actual B side.
Oddly, they tack early takes/instrumentals of Lady Madonna, The Inner Light & Across The Universe onto the White box, which were recorded in February before they even went to India. No Hey Bulldog, even though that was recorded with them.
fatima Xberg says
It’s a real shame that Apple chose the “event” route for these Deluxe Album remasters, with a slightly different concept and packaging for each. I guess they thought that dealing with “The Beatles” doesn’t only cover the collector/fan/Steven Wilson demographic, but for a lot of (potential) buyers these sets are a bit frustrating.
Haven’t they seen the Jethro Tull, XTC or King Crimson sets?
They “COULD” have put together a multiple CD/DVD/BluRay box for each one of the albums, with a big book – and still have all these downsized 2-CD or vinyl variations for the civilians… I’m not a big Beatles fan, but with all the singles, mono versions, US mixes, the Anthology tracks, and the BBC sessions the first five albums could easily be 4 or 5 CDs each, and the 65-66 era LPs could be expanded by adding live concerts (judging by the Anthology live tracks there ARE good quality shows like the Shea Stadium gig). Get Phil Smee to do the design and your business plan is sorted for 8 years.
Tiggerlion says
Apparently, there is technology that isolates each of the instruments on even a mono master. The remix possibilities are endless. It won’t be long before Beatles fans are putting their hands in their pockets for box sets of the early albums. Apple should be sorting their business plan now.
Timbar says
It was when Beatles at the Beeb came out, that Mojo (or Q) summarised by saying “You’ll want it a lot, but listen to it seldom”
Lando Cakes says
Ouch. So harsh. But so fair.
atcf says
Live at the BBC is one of my favourite Beatles albums. You can feel the excitement of the time in a way the studio recordings can’t convey.
deramdaze says
More fool people who have relegated it to the back room.
Since 1994, I must have played “Live at the BBC” five times for every one play of Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper’s combined.
A useful reminder in such situations … what would Noel or Liam Gallagher listen to?
Tiggerlion says
Luis Boiler has put up a Playlist on Spotify so you can compare this mix with previous remasters.
DrJ says
Would you all like a podcast recorded this week at Abbey Road about the place and the reissue? Of course you would. #ad
https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/nothing-is-real-a-beatles-podcast/id1462587848?i=1000446845185
Tiggerlion says
Nothing Is Real is top podcasting. Haven’t listened to the latest yet (my bath is only scheduled for Sunday) but every episode so far has been marvellous.
NigelT says
Agreed Tiggs – highly recommended!
DrJ says
Thank you, that’s very kind. More to come!
dai says
Every Sunday? Whether you need one or not?
Tiggerlion says
No. Just once a quarter.
Tiggerlion says
Just to keep us salivating…
Billy Preston on the organ there.
NigelT says
Crikey – is it just me, or is that rather splendid?! Sounded great just through my little iPad speaker!! I’m thinking I might prefer that to the released version, which was never an album highlight for me.
Tiggerlion says
It does sound magnificent. Ringo’s drumming is much more dynamic in the latter half and I like a bit of organ. I might prefer Paul’s vocal in the original. But I might not. Oh! Darling is a simple song to showcase his voice, along the lines of Why Don’t We Do It In The Road?, and his singing is superb.
Lando Cakes says
I can confirm that it is not just you. Fab-tastic!
Mousey says
Fabuloid!
John Walters says
Toppermost of the Poppermost.
Tiggerlion says
In bitter interviews in the early seventies, John said he could have done a better job than Paul on Oh! Darling. Giles brings out the voices, including the creamy backing vocals.
Moose the Mooche says
For an album you don’t like, you don’t ‘arf go on about it.
I think it’s about time I put up my 4,000 word think-piece on Appetite For Destruction.
Tiggerlion says
There are thoughts to be had about AFD? Who knew?
Moose the Mooche says
….on reflection, I’m not sure typing the word “shite” 4000 times constitutes a think-piece…
Rigid Digit says
Maybe you could insert the words “absolute”, “total”, or “complete” for a bit of variety
Moose the Mooche says
You credit me with too much imagination. It’s easily done.
Diddley Farquar says
Mmm creamy vocals. How about the organ? Is that creamy enough for you?
Tiggerlion says
We’ve discussed Billy Preston’s organ before but no sign of it on this version.
Moose the Mooche says
Oh dear.
Tiggerlion says
It’s quite prominent amongst all the racket of I Want You.
Moose the Mooche says
I wonder what John Lennon was thinking about when he was aiming for “massiveness” in that song… a kind of guitary equivalent of Day In The Life? Was there anything around at the time that sounded like MBV or Spacemen 3? A job for Julian Cope I think…
Tiggerlion says
Tiggerlion says
Moose the Mooche says
“Appetite For Destruction” was recorded in the cultural maelstrom of mid-80s Hollywood, a pansexual smorgasbord of sensory excess (continues for several thousand words )
dai says
My $37 pre-order at Amazon Canada seems to be holding 🙂