Label: Vigotone, VT-189/190
Total time CD1: 73:30 CD2: 73:30
CD 1:
Tr Title Time
1 I Love This House 3:51
2 Lindiana 5:50
3 We Got Married 5:10
4 Move Over Busker 4:03
5 Good Times Coming/Feel The Sun 7:10
6 It's Not True 4:30
7 Press 4:24
8 However Absurd 4:40
9 Stranglehold 3:32
10 Footprints 4:30
11 Write Away 3:03
12 Tough On A Tightrope 4:24
13 Yvonne 4:21
14 Pretty Little Head 4:54
15 Talk More Talk 4:04
16 Only Love Remains 4:28
CD 2:
Tr Title Time
1 Beautiful Night 6:14
2 Loveliest Thing 4:02
3 Squid 6:35
4 This One 3:27
5 Love Come Tumbling Down 4:26
6 Atlantic Ocean 6:50
7 Love Mix 3:27
8 Return To Pepperland 4:53
9 Once Upon A Long Ago 4:13
10 P.S. Love Me Do 3:44
11 Big Day 5:38
12 Christian Pop 2:21
13 Peacocks 7:04
14 Rough Ride 4:45
15 Figure Of Eight 5:09
Compiled from the finest sources available, Pizza and Fairy Tales is a detailed examination of Paul McCartney's mid-80's era of "finding himself" in the new musical world order. Working with several esteemed producers, Macca veered from style to style looking for a direction. The result was a lot of music, much of it unheard previously, which is featured on this two-CD collection.
Disc One: 73:30
1. I Love This House (3:51)
2. Lindiana (5:50)
3. We Got Married (5:10)
Producers: Paul McCartney / David Foster
Engineers: Jon Kelly / Jon Jacobs
Studio Location: Sussex, England
Recorded: September - October and/or December 1-10, 1984
4. Move Over Busker (4:03)
5. Good Times Comin' / Feel The Sun (7:10)
6. It's Not True (4:30)
7. Press (4:24)
8. However Absurd (4:40)
9. Stranglehold (3:32)
10. Footprints (4:30)
11. Write Away (3:03)
12. Tough On A Tightrope (4:24)
13. Yvonne (4:21)
14. Pretty Little Head (4:54)
15. Talk More Talk (4:04)
Producers: Paul McCartney / Hugh Padgham
Engineers: Matt Butler, Jon Kelly, Matt Howe, Steve Jackson
Studio Location: Sussex, England
Recorded: Summer - Fall 1985
16. Only Love Remains (4:28)
Recorded Live: Royal Variety Performance - November 24, 1986
Disc Two: 73:30
1. Beautiful Night (6:14)
2. Loveliest Thing (4:02)
Producers: Paul McCartney / Phil Ramone
Engineers: Steve Rinkoff / Dave O'Donnell
Studio Location: Power Station, New York City
Recording: began August 21-29, 1986
Additional Recording: June 2-30, 1987
3. Squid (6:35)
Producer: Paul McCartney
Recording: began December 12, 1986
4. This One (3:27)
5. Love Come Tumbling Down (4:26)
Studio Location: Audio International Studios, London
Recorded: February 2, 1987
Previously unreleased alternate take
Producers: Paul McCartney / Phil Ramone
Engineers: Jon Jacobs / Steve Lyon
Studio Location: Sussex, England
Recording: began March 10, 1987
Additional Recording: June 2-30, 1987
6. Atlantic Ocean (6:50)
Producers: Paul McCartney / Phil Ramone
Studio Location: Sussex, England
Recording: began March 10, 1987
7. Love Mix (3:27)
Producers: Paul McCartney / Phil Ramone
Studio Location: Sussex, England
Recording: began April 24, 1987
8. Return To Pepperland (4:53)
9. Once Upon A Long Ago (4:13)
10. P.S. Love Me Do (3:44)
Producers: Paul McCartney / Phil Ramone
Studio Location: Sussex, England
Recording: began June 2 - 30, 1987
11. Big Day (5:38)
Recorded: 1986 -1987
Previously unreleased
12. Christian Pop (2:21)
13. Peacocks (7:04)
Recorded: March 1987
Previously unreleased: later adapted for "Paul McCartney's Liverpool Oratorio"
14. Rough Ride (4:45)
15. Figure Of Eight (5:09)
Producers: Paul McCartney / Trevor Horn / Stever Lipson
Engineer: Steve Lipson
Studio Location: Sussex, England
Recorded: December 21 - 24, 1987 + January 2-21, 1988
Paul McCartney was a busy man in the mid-to-late 80's, working on much in the way of quantity but producing little of quality. This collection features Macca trying to find his way in the music marketplace that existed during the period between 1984's Give My Regards To Broad Street and 1989's Flowers In The Dirt. On January 21, 1988, a compilation tape of many unfinished sessions from the last four years was assembled by Paul to give to prospective producers. That tape is the basis of Pizza and Fairy Tales. In addition, we've included several other tracks from the period, including the alternate Press To Play material (heard here in its finest quality to date), to give a fully-rounded view of a career in flux.
The earliest songs here fall between the Give My Regards To Broad Street and Press To Play sessions. Paul got together with MOR producer David Foster and recorded the basic tracks for three songs. Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, who had recently added a wonderful lead guitar to "No More Lonely Nights", also sat in. "I Love This House" is a decent little rocker, and was overdubbed further during the Press To Play sessions. However, it remained unheard until a section of it was used in episode four of 1995's Oobu Joobu radio series, and a slightly shorter mix than the one heard here was issued on the US "The World Tonight" CD single in 1997. "Lindiana" has a strong chorus melody and little else (the lyrics being especially horrid), and Paul has yet to release it in any form. "We Got Married", the clear winner of the three, made it onto Flowers In The Dirt after more overdubs were recorded in the summer of 1988. The version heard here is lacking the Robbie Macintosh and Hamish Stuart contributions as well as Guy Barker's trumpet.
Paul spent 1985 and early 1986 recording Press To Play with co-producer Hugh Padgham, the veteran of several albums by the likes of The Police and XTC. It was a left-turn for Paul, very different than anything he had recorded before, and its lack of commercial success upon its release in August of 1986 has soured him on the record in retrospect. However, it was a brave move, and while not completely successful as an artistic venture, it still had much to recommend it. Many early and alternate mixes of the tracks on the LP are included here. All are at an earlier stage of the recording process, with different vocals and instrumentation (in some cases) than the released versions. Highlights include "Good Times Coming / Feel The Sun", which is much longer than the releases version due to the bridge having an additional verse with a different melody, and a much tighter production on "Move Over Busker". This was possibly due to its being considered as a single at one point; when issued as a 45, "Pretty Little Head" underwent similar production slimming. It's very interesting to hear these tracks with less production; for example, "Press" is heard here with much less instrumentation (some guitar / synth overdubs are missing), so one can examine Paul's bass playing in greater detail, since it is not as audible in the released versions of the tracks. "Yvonne" was a completely unissued song co-written with Eric Stewart; it did show up ten years later on European copies on 10cc's Mirror Mirror album. Disc one concludes with Paul's presentation of "Only Love Remains" from his return engagement (23 years down the line) at the Royal Variety Show, thus the "clever" opening remarks he makes prior to the performance. It closely mirrors the 45 mix of the track, which added a synth introduction to what was originally a cold vocal intro.
Disc two begins with work done with another esteemed producer. While promoting the release of Press To Play in New York City in August 1986, Paul hooked up with Billy Joel's producer Phil Ramone (who first worked with Paul the previous year on the "Spies Like Us" 45). Billy's band plays on the next two songs, "Beautiful Night" and "Loveliest Thing". These songs were reportedly worked on further during sessions with Ramone held the next June. This is the first release of the full early version of "Beautiful Night"; a re-make with George Martin's orchestration and rave-up coda was of course released on Flaming Pie in 1997. "Loveliest Thing" was later heard on one of the many UK "Figure Of Eight" CD singles in 1989.
The next three songs were probably recorded by Paul alone (note the presence of a drum machine) at his home studio in late 1986 or early 1987. "Squid" is an instrumental, and "Big Day" might as well be, with only the monotonous title refrain serving as a "vocal track". Luckily, from this period we also have a lovely demo for "This One" with unfinished lyrics and a different arrangement (starting with the middle eight). The song would be revisited a couple of years down the road for Flowers In The Dirt, becoming the second single from that LP.
Paul was evidently impressed enough with Ramone's work to invite him to produce several sessions at Paul's home studio in Sussex during the spring of 1987. "Love Come Tumbling Down", "Atlantic Ocean", and "Love Mix" are all unimpressive dance-type compositions, and Ramone can hardly be faulted for the weak material. Nonetheless, waited until 1995 and Oobu Joobu before airing any of these in public. "Christian Pop" is a bit more interesting, as it evolved into a motif heard in his 1991 Liverpool Oratorio. A Linda track, the lengthy, mostly instrumental "Peacocks" is also included.
The month of June was spent trying to complete enough material for a 12" single to be released in September to promote the forthcoming All The Best compilation. Among the songs Paul and Phil completed were "Once Upon A Long Ago" and "Back On My Feet" (both eventually issued as part of the forthcoming single; the former is included here in its single version), "P.S. Love Me Do" (a horrid dance coupling of the two songs on the first Beatles single, thankfully not issued in the U.S., but issued in Japan as part of a special Flowers In The Dirt 2-CD tour package in 1990), and "Return To Pepperland". The latter, a bit of nostalgia inspired by the 20th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper, hasn't been released in any form.
On August 21, 1987, Paul copyrighted "Beautiful Night", "Once Upon A Long Ago", "Return To Pepperland", and "Love Come Tumbling Down". The latter two titles were considered for the 12" single, but in the end Paul went with "Long Ago" and "Back On My Feet" and wisely supplemented them with two oldies from his July CHOBA B CCCP oldies sessions.
Clearly in a creative slump, Paul fortuitously began a songwriting collaboration with Elvis Costello that summer and fall of 1987, and together they whipped up eight fantastic songs (which can be heard on The McCartney / MacManus Collaboration). Paul dismissed most of the work from the previous years and forged ahead with what would become Flowers In The Dirt album. Still searching for a producer, he turned to Tevor Horn and Steve Lipson, the team who had recent success with Frankie Goes To Hollywood.
The initial Flowers In The Dirt sessions were held in the winter of 1987-88, and produced four finished songs: "Rough Ride", "Figure Of Eight", "How Many People" and "Ou Est Le Soleil". Rough unfinished mixes of the first two titles are included here. "Figure Of Eight" is especially interesting, having an extra repeat of the final verse and chorus ultimately edited from the final mix.
While the material found on Pizza And Fairly Tales may not rank among his absolute best solo work, it is still an invaluable look into a personal period when Paul was unsure of himself as a performer, write, and producer. He would rediscover his music and his drive to perform live in the next decade, but this collection displays the road Paul traversed to get to the much-friendlier 1990's.
Ogden Richards (with thanks to Papa John)
February, 2000
THE ORIGINAL JANUARY 21, 1988 COMPILATION LINEUP:
Side A:
Return To Pepperland / Love Come Tumbling Down / Christian Pop / Atlantic Ocean /
Lindiana / I Love This House / We Got Married / Rough Ride / Figure Of Eight
Side B:
Squid / Big Day / Beautiful Night / Loveliest Thing / Love Mix / Peacocks / This One
Pizza And Fairy Tales
According to a Summer 1986 interview with Kurt Loder, Paul attempted in 1977 to patch up his personal relationship with John amid ongoing Apple rancor.
"I happened to be on my way to the Caribbean, so, passing through New York, I rang John up. But there was so much suspicion, even though I came bearing the olive branch. I said, 'Hey, I'd like to see you." He said, 'What for? What do you really want?' It was very difficult. Finally... he had this great line for me: he said, 'You're all pizza and fairy tales.' He had become sort of Americanized by then, so the best insult I could think of was to say, 'Oh, fuck off, Kojak,' and slam the phone down. 'Pizza and fairy tales' - I almost made that an album title."
Rolling Stone Issue 482
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
John Lennon - Imagine... More Session Tapes
Label: Vigotone, VT-185/186
Total Time: CD1: 57:44 CD2: 61:57
CD 1:
How Do You Sleep?
1 First Rehearsal
2 Riffing
3 Another Pass
4 Tuning Jam
5 Slow Rehearsal
6 A Bit of Reggae
7 “Slate 12” Low Vocal False Start
8 Low Vocal False Start 2 #2
9 Low Vocal Rehearsal
10 Piano Solo False Start
11 Piano Solo
12 Piano Solo Rehearsal
13 Eight-Track Take One
14 Phil’s Rhythm Instructions
15 Eight-Track Take Two
16 From George’s Solo
Miscellaneous Tracks
17 Imagine
18 How
19 I’m The Greatest
CD 2:
It's So Hard
1 1. John Starts Tape
2 King Curtis Arrives
3 Intro Playback
4 John Demostrates On Acoustic
5 King Curtis Riffs
6 First Pass and More Riffing
7 Second Pass
8 King Curtis Asks John a Question
9 Third Pass
10 John Gives King Curtis Feedback
11 Another Pass at the Intro
12 Another Pass at the Intro #2
13 Last Pass
I Don’t Want To Be A Soldier Mama, I Don’t Want To Die
14 John Discusses the 1966 Tour
15 First Playback
16 Playback Continued + the First “Hit It”
17 Playback Continued + the Second “Hit It”
18 John & King Curtis Talk
19 First Pass
20 John Instructs King Curtis
21 Second Pass
22 Third Pass
23 Last Pass
Imagine...More Sessions Tapes takes you inside the sessions of one of the greatest Beatles solo albums. You get to experience the finishing touches as they are applied in the final stages of the recording process. Collected here for the first time are an uncut "How Do You Sleep" rehearsal, the complete King Curtis overdub session for "It's So Hard" and "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die", along with some additional tracks offered with improved sonic clarity.
Imagine...More Session Tapes compliments our previous edition of Imagine outtakes, and together with that set gives you the most complete picture of any of the ex-Beatles' solo albums.
Imagine... if More Session Tapes from 1971 surfaced - of course you'd expect them to be added to Vigotone's on-going series examining the recorded work of John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (ret). This latest offering is actually a companion to Vigotone's earlier critically acclaimed 3CD set: John Lennon: Imagine...All The Outtakes (VT118-120), and there the listener will find an in-depth examination of the Imagine album, along with a broad range of alternate takes, rehearsals and demos. On this set we offer a narrower focus, examining a bit more closely the elements that go into making an album -- namely the rehearsals and overdubs that must be done as part of the working musicians' world. Admittedly, the repetitive nature and start and stop elements don't always lend themselves to the casual listening for pleasure that one might want at times, but as a way of looking into the mind and sometimes the heart of the artists, they can be quite revealing.
After the searing personal anguish of Plastic Ono Band, Lennon returned to calmer, more conventional territory with Imagine. While the album had a softer surface, it still was only somewhat less confessional. John has stated that "the first record was too real for people, so nobody bought it. Imagine ...because it is sugar coated is accepted. Now I understand what you have to do." If Imagine doesn't cut as deeply as POB, it is still a remarkable collection of songs that Lennon would never be able to better again.
disc one
tracks 1-16
how do you sleep?
(rehearsals and filming session)
From the recording sessions at the Lennons' Tittenhurst home, John leads the musicians through several rehearsal run-throughs of his scathing ode to his former partner. As the rehearsals proceed, one can hear Lennon taking the band slowly through the various riff changes, chord progressions and nuances that he obviously felt this song required. At this stage, most work is geared toward the instrumental elements of the song; when he does add vocals they are obviously intended just to guide the players through the song and not as proper performances. On at least one occasion a slate number is called out for the film crew documenting the sessions for an accompanying film version of the album. Some of this footage was also utilized in the Imagine: John Lennon documentary.
track 17
imagine
This version of "Imagine" features the same backing as the released version but has an alternate vocal marked take 7. Although this is the same version that opens Lost Lennon Tapes Volume 33, this is its first appearance from a tape source.
track 18
how
This track like the previous is the same version as that which appeared on the official Imagine album but with an alternate vocal. This tape source version supercedes its previous availability on Lost Lennon Tapes Volume 14 which was taken from a vinyl transcription disc.
track 19
i'm the greatest
This version of "I'm The Greatest" is different from the one that appeared on the earlier Vigotone set but is from the same session. It has appeared previously on the scarce After The Remember CD, but is taken here from a superior tape source.
disc two
After the basic tracks for Imagine had been recorded at the Lennons' Tittenhurst Ascot Sound Studios, they were then subject to overdubbing sessions at Record Plant studios in New York City during July 1971. While some songs were just given string overdubs, Lennon desired some grittier horn sounds on two of his harder-sounding songs on the album, "It's So Hard" and "I Don't Want To Be A Soldier". It was only natural then that for some authentic R&B horn parts that Lennon should want a top-flight R&B artist, and It (wasn't) So Hard to find a good one in sax player King Curtis.
King Curtis (born Curtis Ousley) was the last of the great R&B tenor sax greats. He came to prominence in the mid-50's as a session musician in New York, recording at one time or another for most of the East Coast R&B labels. A long association with Atlantic/Atco began in 1958 and his playing is heard on hit recordings by the Coasters among many others. He recorded singles under his own name for many small labels in the 1950's - his own Atco sessions ('58/'59), then Prestige/New Jazz and Prestige/TruSound for jazz and R&B albums in 1960 and 1961. In 1962 Curtis also enjoyed a #1 R&B hit with "Soul Twist" on Enjoy Records. He also contributed the sax solo on Buddy Holly's song "Reminiscing", a song covered by the Beatles during their Hamburg days. He was signed by Capitol for two years (1963-64), where he may have come into early contact with the Beatles through common label connections. He certainly made their acquaintance during the Beatles 1965 U.S. tour, appearing with them at their famed Shea Stadium concert. He later led Aretha Franklin's backing band and took an active studio role at Atlantic Records, contracting sessions and producing. He was murdered a month after doing overdub work for the Imagine album, stabbed to death during a punch-up in front of his apartment. It was Friday the 13th, August 1971.
tracks 1-13
it's so hard
As evident from this off-line tape, Lennon is in a relaxed, reflective mood as he greets King with remembrances of the last meeting from the Shea Stadium appearance. He's also in a productive mood as work begins right away on the overdubs for "It's So Hard". John clearly knows what he wants although, as George Martin once pointed out, he is not as technically expressive as brother Paul could be. Hence, his instructions to King come in the form of a lot of "ooh-oohs" and "ah-ahs" ads he tries to vocalize the parts he wants for the song. Fortunately King picks up on it rather effortlessly, soon nailing the opening sax bit, and riffing throughout the next couple of playback with an excited John calling out delighted encouragement ("...some great stuff on the solo!"). Certainly a good working atmosphere is evident this day.
tracks 14-23
i don't want to be a soldier
Next up comes a fairly straight-forward stab at everybody's favorite track on the album, after further reminiscing by John. This time it's about the scare the Beatles had on stage in the Bible Belt during the last 1966 US tour, with fireworks being thrown at the stage, and each of the Fabs looking about to see who had been shot. John seems amused as he remembers thinking that Ringo had got it! Again the tape shows work was done very efficiently for what would prove to be one of the last recording sessions for King Curtis. He delivers what John calls for during numerous playbacks...a true professional to the end.
In all, a brief, but interesting "fly on the wall" listening experience that can only make one appreciate even more one of the best post-Beatle albums by any of the Fab Four. What more could anyone want?
Queenie Epstein
November 1999
Total Time: CD1: 57:44 CD2: 61:57
CD 1:
How Do You Sleep?
1 First Rehearsal
2 Riffing
3 Another Pass
4 Tuning Jam
5 Slow Rehearsal
6 A Bit of Reggae
7 “Slate 12” Low Vocal False Start
8 Low Vocal False Start 2 #2
9 Low Vocal Rehearsal
10 Piano Solo False Start
11 Piano Solo
12 Piano Solo Rehearsal
13 Eight-Track Take One
14 Phil’s Rhythm Instructions
15 Eight-Track Take Two
16 From George’s Solo
Miscellaneous Tracks
17 Imagine
18 How
19 I’m The Greatest
CD 2:
It's So Hard
1 1. John Starts Tape
2 King Curtis Arrives
3 Intro Playback
4 John Demostrates On Acoustic
5 King Curtis Riffs
6 First Pass and More Riffing
7 Second Pass
8 King Curtis Asks John a Question
9 Third Pass
10 John Gives King Curtis Feedback
11 Another Pass at the Intro
12 Another Pass at the Intro #2
13 Last Pass
I Don’t Want To Be A Soldier Mama, I Don’t Want To Die
14 John Discusses the 1966 Tour
15 First Playback
16 Playback Continued + the First “Hit It”
17 Playback Continued + the Second “Hit It”
18 John & King Curtis Talk
19 First Pass
20 John Instructs King Curtis
21 Second Pass
22 Third Pass
23 Last Pass
Imagine...More Sessions Tapes takes you inside the sessions of one of the greatest Beatles solo albums. You get to experience the finishing touches as they are applied in the final stages of the recording process. Collected here for the first time are an uncut "How Do You Sleep" rehearsal, the complete King Curtis overdub session for "It's So Hard" and "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier Mama I Don't Wanna Die", along with some additional tracks offered with improved sonic clarity.
Imagine...More Session Tapes compliments our previous edition of Imagine outtakes, and together with that set gives you the most complete picture of any of the ex-Beatles' solo albums.
Imagine... if More Session Tapes from 1971 surfaced - of course you'd expect them to be added to Vigotone's on-going series examining the recorded work of John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (ret). This latest offering is actually a companion to Vigotone's earlier critically acclaimed 3CD set: John Lennon: Imagine...All The Outtakes (VT118-120), and there the listener will find an in-depth examination of the Imagine album, along with a broad range of alternate takes, rehearsals and demos. On this set we offer a narrower focus, examining a bit more closely the elements that go into making an album -- namely the rehearsals and overdubs that must be done as part of the working musicians' world. Admittedly, the repetitive nature and start and stop elements don't always lend themselves to the casual listening for pleasure that one might want at times, but as a way of looking into the mind and sometimes the heart of the artists, they can be quite revealing.
After the searing personal anguish of Plastic Ono Band, Lennon returned to calmer, more conventional territory with Imagine. While the album had a softer surface, it still was only somewhat less confessional. John has stated that "the first record was too real for people, so nobody bought it. Imagine ...because it is sugar coated is accepted. Now I understand what you have to do." If Imagine doesn't cut as deeply as POB, it is still a remarkable collection of songs that Lennon would never be able to better again.
disc one
tracks 1-16
how do you sleep?
(rehearsals and filming session)
From the recording sessions at the Lennons' Tittenhurst home, John leads the musicians through several rehearsal run-throughs of his scathing ode to his former partner. As the rehearsals proceed, one can hear Lennon taking the band slowly through the various riff changes, chord progressions and nuances that he obviously felt this song required. At this stage, most work is geared toward the instrumental elements of the song; when he does add vocals they are obviously intended just to guide the players through the song and not as proper performances. On at least one occasion a slate number is called out for the film crew documenting the sessions for an accompanying film version of the album. Some of this footage was also utilized in the Imagine: John Lennon documentary.
track 17
imagine
This version of "Imagine" features the same backing as the released version but has an alternate vocal marked take 7. Although this is the same version that opens Lost Lennon Tapes Volume 33, this is its first appearance from a tape source.
track 18
how
This track like the previous is the same version as that which appeared on the official Imagine album but with an alternate vocal. This tape source version supercedes its previous availability on Lost Lennon Tapes Volume 14 which was taken from a vinyl transcription disc.
track 19
i'm the greatest
This version of "I'm The Greatest" is different from the one that appeared on the earlier Vigotone set but is from the same session. It has appeared previously on the scarce After The Remember CD, but is taken here from a superior tape source.
disc two
After the basic tracks for Imagine had been recorded at the Lennons' Tittenhurst Ascot Sound Studios, they were then subject to overdubbing sessions at Record Plant studios in New York City during July 1971. While some songs were just given string overdubs, Lennon desired some grittier horn sounds on two of his harder-sounding songs on the album, "It's So Hard" and "I Don't Want To Be A Soldier". It was only natural then that for some authentic R&B horn parts that Lennon should want a top-flight R&B artist, and It (wasn't) So Hard to find a good one in sax player King Curtis.
King Curtis (born Curtis Ousley) was the last of the great R&B tenor sax greats. He came to prominence in the mid-50's as a session musician in New York, recording at one time or another for most of the East Coast R&B labels. A long association with Atlantic/Atco began in 1958 and his playing is heard on hit recordings by the Coasters among many others. He recorded singles under his own name for many small labels in the 1950's - his own Atco sessions ('58/'59), then Prestige/New Jazz and Prestige/TruSound for jazz and R&B albums in 1960 and 1961. In 1962 Curtis also enjoyed a #1 R&B hit with "Soul Twist" on Enjoy Records. He also contributed the sax solo on Buddy Holly's song "Reminiscing", a song covered by the Beatles during their Hamburg days. He was signed by Capitol for two years (1963-64), where he may have come into early contact with the Beatles through common label connections. He certainly made their acquaintance during the Beatles 1965 U.S. tour, appearing with them at their famed Shea Stadium concert. He later led Aretha Franklin's backing band and took an active studio role at Atlantic Records, contracting sessions and producing. He was murdered a month after doing overdub work for the Imagine album, stabbed to death during a punch-up in front of his apartment. It was Friday the 13th, August 1971.
tracks 1-13
it's so hard
As evident from this off-line tape, Lennon is in a relaxed, reflective mood as he greets King with remembrances of the last meeting from the Shea Stadium appearance. He's also in a productive mood as work begins right away on the overdubs for "It's So Hard". John clearly knows what he wants although, as George Martin once pointed out, he is not as technically expressive as brother Paul could be. Hence, his instructions to King come in the form of a lot of "ooh-oohs" and "ah-ahs" ads he tries to vocalize the parts he wants for the song. Fortunately King picks up on it rather effortlessly, soon nailing the opening sax bit, and riffing throughout the next couple of playback with an excited John calling out delighted encouragement ("...some great stuff on the solo!"). Certainly a good working atmosphere is evident this day.
tracks 14-23
i don't want to be a soldier
Next up comes a fairly straight-forward stab at everybody's favorite track on the album, after further reminiscing by John. This time it's about the scare the Beatles had on stage in the Bible Belt during the last 1966 US tour, with fireworks being thrown at the stage, and each of the Fabs looking about to see who had been shot. John seems amused as he remembers thinking that Ringo had got it! Again the tape shows work was done very efficiently for what would prove to be one of the last recording sessions for King Curtis. He delivers what John calls for during numerous playbacks...a true professional to the end.
In all, a brief, but interesting "fly on the wall" listening experience that can only make one appreciate even more one of the best post-Beatle albums by any of the Fab Four. What more could anyone want?
Queenie Epstein
November 1999
The Beatles - From Kinfauns To Chaos
Label: Vigotone, VT-183/184
CD 1 - Kinfauns:
"Obviously these acoustic demos differ greatly from the polished studio versions but we've made note of the major differences.
16 Claremont Drive Esher, Surrey
late May 1968"
Tr Title CD notes Time
1 Julia recorded in a higher key and features the verses in a different order. 3:55
2 Blackbird features a double-tracked vocal, no break, natural bird sounds and a slightly slower pace than the studio version 2:37
3 Rocky Raccoon this early version is significantly shorter lacking the opening and closing verses 2:53
4 Back in the USSR lacks the final verse "show me round your snow peaked mountains…" 2:57
5 Honey Pie this version also appeared on Anthology 3 in excellent stereo but missing the final verse. 2:09
6 Mother Nature’s Son lacks the picked intro of the finished version 2:20
7 Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da Paul occasionally loses time when he double tracked his vocal but this an otherwise spirited take. Not surprisingly this version is closer in feel to the Sessions version than the finished take. 3:18
8 Junk appeared on Anthology 3 in stereo but lacking some guitar bits and vocals heard here. 2:26
9 Dear Prudence John lets out a "whoops!" as he flubs his double track vocal and finishes with a spoken outro 4:39
10 Sexy Sadie features an undeveloped ending 2:29
11 Cry Baby Cry lacks the "cry baby cry" intro and has a different ending 2:32
12 Child of Nature earliest incarnation of "Jealous Guy" - an early highlight of the Lost Lennon tapes radio series 2:46
13 The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill animal noises courtesy of the other Beatles 2:42
14 I’m So Tired with an extra spoken passage: "when I hold you in your arms…" 3:10
15 YerBlues some early lyrics of note here: John is only "insecure" here an not "suicidal" like Dylan's Mr. Jones 3:32
16 Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me & My Monkey lyrically the same but otherwise completely different in feel 2:59
17 What’s The New Mary Jane what's noteworthy is that there's a demo for this song at all 2:40
18 Revolution lacks the "you say you'll change the constitution" verse 4:08
19 While My Guitar Gently Weeps features alternate early lyrics 2:35
20 Circles George dug this one up 14 years later for his Gone Troppo LP 2:19
21 Sour Milk Sea George gave this to Jackie Lomax to record for one of Apple's first releases 3:43
22 Not Guilty George only waited 11 years to get back to this one on his George Harrison LP 3:00
23 Piggies piggies "cut their porkchops" instead of "eat their bacon" here 2:07
CD 2 - Chaos:
E.M.I. Studios, No.3 Abbey Road London, NW8
Tuesday - June 6, 1968
Tr Title CD notes Time
1 Revolution #1 (take 20) playback #1 7:27
2 Revolution #1 (take 20) playback #2 7:18
3 Unfinished Jam #1 7:00
4 Unfinished Jam #2 1:58
5 Revolution #2 (take 1) 2:36
6 Revolution #2/Unfinished Jam #3 1:40
7 Revolution #2 (take 3) 2:02
8 Unfinished Jam #4/Revolution #1 (take 20) playback #3 5:03
9 Unfinished Jam #5 5:59
10 Revolution #1 (take 20) guitar and organ overdub (take 1) 2:36
11 Revolution #1 (take 20) guitar and organ overdub (take 2) 2:08
12 Revolution #1 (take 20) guitar and organ overdub (take 3) 8:32
13 Unfinished Jam #6 1:21
14 Revolution #1 (take 20) playback #4 0:34
15 Dialogue 2:01
16 Revolution #1 (take 20) guitar overdub 0:44
17 Dialogue/Loop Playback 4:39
18 Revolution #1 (take 20) RM1 ("take your knickers off and let's go") 2:22
Assembled from the finest quality master tapes available, From Kinfauns To Chaos documents an ending and a beginning: the end of the Beatles as a cohesive assemblage, and the beginning of John and Yoko as a collective unit. The two-CD set features, on disc one, the most complete, best sounding version to date of the May, 1968 "White Album" demos recorded at George's "Kinfauns" bungalow. Disc two highlights a June, 1968 mixing session for the "slow" version of Revolution, Revolution #1, featuring special (and constant) guest Yoko Ono. Get ready for a wacky, wild ride with the Fab Four (Plus One)!
From Kinfauns...
In many ways, the Beatles' trip to India in March of 1968 to study Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi can be seen as the true turning point of the group being a group. After completing sessions for a stopgap single, "Lady Madonna" / "Inner Light" in early February, they left for Rishikesh united in their desire for enlightenment, but they came back fragmented and somewhat disillusioned. Ringo left the meditation compound after two weeks, blaming bad food, but not before stating that the experience had been "just like Butlin's", the holiday camp where he used to play with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes in the early '60's. Paul flew off after a month, claiming he'd "Gotten as much as he needed". John and George brought up the rear after John had gotten wind of some possible misbehavior by the Yogi regarding one or more of the women who accompanied the Beatles on their trip. This deterioration of the trip was an ominous foreboding of the remainder of the Beatles' career: still a group in theory, but not in group practice.
During the period the four were there, however, the three songwriting Beatles' muses were working overtime, fueled by more "down time" than they had enjoyed in over five years, and the bucolic atmosphere in which they were living. The songs flowed as they hadn't in years... but in their composition the tunes were truly solo efforts, each reflecting John's, Paul's and George's own interests musically, philosophically and spiritually. Between the three composers, almost forty songs were written, most of which would end up on the Beatles' next eponymously-titled LP. Others were left for the last two Beatles album projects, Get Back/Let It Be and Abbey Road. Additional tunes were used were used for future solo projects, in either complete or similar form compared to the 1968 versions, with one in particular, George's "Circles", not seeing the light of day until fourteen years after its composition!
After John and Paul returned form the activities in New York to publicly launch their new company, Apple, in mid-May of 1968, the Beatles did something as a group they had never done prior to this period. The four gathered at George's house, "Kinfauns", in Esher, Surrey around the third week of May to record group demos for almost thirty of the songs they had penned in Rishikesh. While the individual Beatles had all recorded home demos before, the group generally rehearsed their songs at EMI either after having heard the solo demos, or simply after having the writer(s) in question show the others the chord changes, etc., in person. However, never before (and never again) did they join together to undertake something of this rudimentary nature. Recorded on George's four track equipment, the tracks were mixed to mono by George, and John, Paul and Ringo each received copies of this reduction tape.
George held on to the "Kinfauns" masters, and in 1996 was able to claim ownership of them in the credits of the third edition of the Beatles Anthology CD series. Geoff Emerick newly mixed some of these tapes to stereo at the time of Anthology's production, but John's copy of the original mono tape reduction is the source for the CD of this set. While bits of this tape have been heard on The Lost Lennon Tapes (both the radio and Bag records LP series), as well as previous, inferior CD issues, this is the first time that this copy of John's tape has been heard in its entirety, in crisp, glorious mono.
The "Esher Tapes" represent one last great gasp of the Beatles working as a unit, displaying the joy and spontaneity for which they had once been revered. The previous year's activities has severely curtailed such looseness in the recording process, what with the technical marvels of the "Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane" 45, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the other fabs' psychedelic wonders of 1967. Here were the four Beatles, playing and singing with abandon in a wonderfully loose atmosphere. Much of the recording actually echoes the 1965 Beach Boys Party! LP in terms of the taping's laid back approach (not to mention the fact that, as on Party!, one can hear conversations occurring in the background throughout most of the tape!). Never again would the fab four sound this happy; the upcoming sessions for The Beatles would cement that fact.
...To Chaos
Another important occurrence during the trip to India was that while John was in Rishikesh, he began to seriously consider pursuing a relationship with the woman who had been a shadowy presence in his life during the previous year and a half: avant garde artiste Yoko Ono. She sent him letters constantly during the trip, often simply featuring cryptic, monosyllabic phrases. John was entranced, and when he returned to the UK, he began his pursuit of Yoko, consummating the relationship in mid-May of 1968.
An immediate result of John's newfound love was that Yoko became a constant presence at all Beatles-related activities from June 1968 on. From film premieres (Yellow Submarine on July 17th), to photo sessions (the multiple location "mad day" photo session on July 28th, though she was not pictured in the photos), to recording sessions (the upcoming "White Album" dates), Ms. Ono was present and accounted for at all of these events. One such happening was the mixing session on June 4th 1968 for the "White Album" version of "Revolution", "Revolution #1, which was recorded on May 31st. Disc two of this collection features the unedited, offline recording of this EMI mixing date, made on John's portable tape recorder.
The thought of hearing this tape sounds extremely tantalizing, particularly when one is aware that this original, "slow" rendering of the Lennon classic (the first track to be worked on for The Beatles) was originally over ten minutes in length. However, Paul and the others objected strongly to the idea that this version should be issued as a single, as John intended. Macca's gripe was primarily that the middle section featured Yoko adding her own unique vocal stylings to the proceedings, not to mention the fact that ten minute singles weren't a particularly commercial concept then or now (not that any of this mattered to John or Yoko). In the end, John capitulated and the "Revolution #1" single idea was scrapped. However, the ten minute version was mixed down, and this Lennon archive tape captures the mixing session. Due to its offline nature, we hear music we've never heard before but, unfortunately, on top of the tune we also hear Yoko pontificating on any matter that crosses her mind. If this happened occasionally, it would be bad enough; however, the motor mouth antics occur throughout the entire tape, as the fabs play on in the background. This makes for a taxing listening experience at best, but one can argue that it's no worse than listening to something like "12 Bar Original"; at least this tape is interesting to hear more than once! Many musical items of note come to the fore, once the listener can tune out the jabbering.
The final six minutes of "Revolution #1" (which went unused on the "White Album", but are heard here) were used as a foundation on which to build the "musique concrete" "Revolution #9", utilizing tape loops, live "vocal performances" and other recorded oddities to build a dense collage of sound. While John (or more specifically Yoko) may have pushed for this "take" to be a single, this was happily not to be. In the end, the band recorded a faster, far superior version of "Revolution" in July of 1968, for placement on the B-side of the Beatles' first single on their own Apple label, Paul's seven minute opus, "Hey Jude". The shortened "Revolution #1" and the nine minute "Revolution #9" would both end up on the fourth side of the double LP "White Album".
Despite the fact that this archive tape is not something a person would pull out often for his or her listening pleasure, it is still a fascinating document of the disintegration of a band, and the genesis of a dysfunctional relationship. While it is admirable that John found what he wanted in a personal sense with Yoko, it is also unfortunate he could not separate his romantic life from his art. He would have, of course, disagreed wholeheartedly with that sentiment, but it can be argued that in a purely musical sense, John was "held back" during the period from mid-1968 to late 1969, writing only a few songs that were among his best. One listen to this "Revolution #1" mixing tape gives ample evidence as to why this was the case. Once he got back in touch with his own muse, particularly after kicking his heroin addiction in mid-1969, the compositional fire returned with songs like "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" and those which would end up on his first solo LP. Tellingly, these were not written for the Beatles.
Dr. Arthur Jackoff
November 1999
CD 1 - Kinfauns:
"Obviously these acoustic demos differ greatly from the polished studio versions but we've made note of the major differences.
16 Claremont Drive Esher, Surrey
late May 1968"
Tr Title CD notes Time
1 Julia recorded in a higher key and features the verses in a different order. 3:55
2 Blackbird features a double-tracked vocal, no break, natural bird sounds and a slightly slower pace than the studio version 2:37
3 Rocky Raccoon this early version is significantly shorter lacking the opening and closing verses 2:53
4 Back in the USSR lacks the final verse "show me round your snow peaked mountains…" 2:57
5 Honey Pie this version also appeared on Anthology 3 in excellent stereo but missing the final verse. 2:09
6 Mother Nature’s Son lacks the picked intro of the finished version 2:20
7 Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da Paul occasionally loses time when he double tracked his vocal but this an otherwise spirited take. Not surprisingly this version is closer in feel to the Sessions version than the finished take. 3:18
8 Junk appeared on Anthology 3 in stereo but lacking some guitar bits and vocals heard here. 2:26
9 Dear Prudence John lets out a "whoops!" as he flubs his double track vocal and finishes with a spoken outro 4:39
10 Sexy Sadie features an undeveloped ending 2:29
11 Cry Baby Cry lacks the "cry baby cry" intro and has a different ending 2:32
12 Child of Nature earliest incarnation of "Jealous Guy" - an early highlight of the Lost Lennon tapes radio series 2:46
13 The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill animal noises courtesy of the other Beatles 2:42
14 I’m So Tired with an extra spoken passage: "when I hold you in your arms…" 3:10
15 YerBlues some early lyrics of note here: John is only "insecure" here an not "suicidal" like Dylan's Mr. Jones 3:32
16 Everybody’s Got Something to Hide Except Me & My Monkey lyrically the same but otherwise completely different in feel 2:59
17 What’s The New Mary Jane what's noteworthy is that there's a demo for this song at all 2:40
18 Revolution lacks the "you say you'll change the constitution" verse 4:08
19 While My Guitar Gently Weeps features alternate early lyrics 2:35
20 Circles George dug this one up 14 years later for his Gone Troppo LP 2:19
21 Sour Milk Sea George gave this to Jackie Lomax to record for one of Apple's first releases 3:43
22 Not Guilty George only waited 11 years to get back to this one on his George Harrison LP 3:00
23 Piggies piggies "cut their porkchops" instead of "eat their bacon" here 2:07
CD 2 - Chaos:
E.M.I. Studios, No.3 Abbey Road London, NW8
Tuesday - June 6, 1968
Tr Title CD notes Time
1 Revolution #1 (take 20) playback #1 7:27
2 Revolution #1 (take 20) playback #2 7:18
3 Unfinished Jam #1 7:00
4 Unfinished Jam #2 1:58
5 Revolution #2 (take 1) 2:36
6 Revolution #2/Unfinished Jam #3 1:40
7 Revolution #2 (take 3) 2:02
8 Unfinished Jam #4/Revolution #1 (take 20) playback #3 5:03
9 Unfinished Jam #5 5:59
10 Revolution #1 (take 20) guitar and organ overdub (take 1) 2:36
11 Revolution #1 (take 20) guitar and organ overdub (take 2) 2:08
12 Revolution #1 (take 20) guitar and organ overdub (take 3) 8:32
13 Unfinished Jam #6 1:21
14 Revolution #1 (take 20) playback #4 0:34
15 Dialogue 2:01
16 Revolution #1 (take 20) guitar overdub 0:44
17 Dialogue/Loop Playback 4:39
18 Revolution #1 (take 20) RM1 ("take your knickers off and let's go") 2:22
Assembled from the finest quality master tapes available, From Kinfauns To Chaos documents an ending and a beginning: the end of the Beatles as a cohesive assemblage, and the beginning of John and Yoko as a collective unit. The two-CD set features, on disc one, the most complete, best sounding version to date of the May, 1968 "White Album" demos recorded at George's "Kinfauns" bungalow. Disc two highlights a June, 1968 mixing session for the "slow" version of Revolution, Revolution #1, featuring special (and constant) guest Yoko Ono. Get ready for a wacky, wild ride with the Fab Four (Plus One)!
From Kinfauns...
In many ways, the Beatles' trip to India in March of 1968 to study Transcendental Meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi can be seen as the true turning point of the group being a group. After completing sessions for a stopgap single, "Lady Madonna" / "Inner Light" in early February, they left for Rishikesh united in their desire for enlightenment, but they came back fragmented and somewhat disillusioned. Ringo left the meditation compound after two weeks, blaming bad food, but not before stating that the experience had been "just like Butlin's", the holiday camp where he used to play with Rory Storm and the Hurricanes in the early '60's. Paul flew off after a month, claiming he'd "Gotten as much as he needed". John and George brought up the rear after John had gotten wind of some possible misbehavior by the Yogi regarding one or more of the women who accompanied the Beatles on their trip. This deterioration of the trip was an ominous foreboding of the remainder of the Beatles' career: still a group in theory, but not in group practice.
During the period the four were there, however, the three songwriting Beatles' muses were working overtime, fueled by more "down time" than they had enjoyed in over five years, and the bucolic atmosphere in which they were living. The songs flowed as they hadn't in years... but in their composition the tunes were truly solo efforts, each reflecting John's, Paul's and George's own interests musically, philosophically and spiritually. Between the three composers, almost forty songs were written, most of which would end up on the Beatles' next eponymously-titled LP. Others were left for the last two Beatles album projects, Get Back/Let It Be and Abbey Road. Additional tunes were used were used for future solo projects, in either complete or similar form compared to the 1968 versions, with one in particular, George's "Circles", not seeing the light of day until fourteen years after its composition!
After John and Paul returned form the activities in New York to publicly launch their new company, Apple, in mid-May of 1968, the Beatles did something as a group they had never done prior to this period. The four gathered at George's house, "Kinfauns", in Esher, Surrey around the third week of May to record group demos for almost thirty of the songs they had penned in Rishikesh. While the individual Beatles had all recorded home demos before, the group generally rehearsed their songs at EMI either after having heard the solo demos, or simply after having the writer(s) in question show the others the chord changes, etc., in person. However, never before (and never again) did they join together to undertake something of this rudimentary nature. Recorded on George's four track equipment, the tracks were mixed to mono by George, and John, Paul and Ringo each received copies of this reduction tape.
George held on to the "Kinfauns" masters, and in 1996 was able to claim ownership of them in the credits of the third edition of the Beatles Anthology CD series. Geoff Emerick newly mixed some of these tapes to stereo at the time of Anthology's production, but John's copy of the original mono tape reduction is the source for the CD of this set. While bits of this tape have been heard on The Lost Lennon Tapes (both the radio and Bag records LP series), as well as previous, inferior CD issues, this is the first time that this copy of John's tape has been heard in its entirety, in crisp, glorious mono.
The "Esher Tapes" represent one last great gasp of the Beatles working as a unit, displaying the joy and spontaneity for which they had once been revered. The previous year's activities has severely curtailed such looseness in the recording process, what with the technical marvels of the "Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane" 45, Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the other fabs' psychedelic wonders of 1967. Here were the four Beatles, playing and singing with abandon in a wonderfully loose atmosphere. Much of the recording actually echoes the 1965 Beach Boys Party! LP in terms of the taping's laid back approach (not to mention the fact that, as on Party!, one can hear conversations occurring in the background throughout most of the tape!). Never again would the fab four sound this happy; the upcoming sessions for The Beatles would cement that fact.
...To Chaos
Another important occurrence during the trip to India was that while John was in Rishikesh, he began to seriously consider pursuing a relationship with the woman who had been a shadowy presence in his life during the previous year and a half: avant garde artiste Yoko Ono. She sent him letters constantly during the trip, often simply featuring cryptic, monosyllabic phrases. John was entranced, and when he returned to the UK, he began his pursuit of Yoko, consummating the relationship in mid-May of 1968.
An immediate result of John's newfound love was that Yoko became a constant presence at all Beatles-related activities from June 1968 on. From film premieres (Yellow Submarine on July 17th), to photo sessions (the multiple location "mad day" photo session on July 28th, though she was not pictured in the photos), to recording sessions (the upcoming "White Album" dates), Ms. Ono was present and accounted for at all of these events. One such happening was the mixing session on June 4th 1968 for the "White Album" version of "Revolution", "Revolution #1, which was recorded on May 31st. Disc two of this collection features the unedited, offline recording of this EMI mixing date, made on John's portable tape recorder.
The thought of hearing this tape sounds extremely tantalizing, particularly when one is aware that this original, "slow" rendering of the Lennon classic (the first track to be worked on for The Beatles) was originally over ten minutes in length. However, Paul and the others objected strongly to the idea that this version should be issued as a single, as John intended. Macca's gripe was primarily that the middle section featured Yoko adding her own unique vocal stylings to the proceedings, not to mention the fact that ten minute singles weren't a particularly commercial concept then or now (not that any of this mattered to John or Yoko). In the end, John capitulated and the "Revolution #1" single idea was scrapped. However, the ten minute version was mixed down, and this Lennon archive tape captures the mixing session. Due to its offline nature, we hear music we've never heard before but, unfortunately, on top of the tune we also hear Yoko pontificating on any matter that crosses her mind. If this happened occasionally, it would be bad enough; however, the motor mouth antics occur throughout the entire tape, as the fabs play on in the background. This makes for a taxing listening experience at best, but one can argue that it's no worse than listening to something like "12 Bar Original"; at least this tape is interesting to hear more than once! Many musical items of note come to the fore, once the listener can tune out the jabbering.
The final six minutes of "Revolution #1" (which went unused on the "White Album", but are heard here) were used as a foundation on which to build the "musique concrete" "Revolution #9", utilizing tape loops, live "vocal performances" and other recorded oddities to build a dense collage of sound. While John (or more specifically Yoko) may have pushed for this "take" to be a single, this was happily not to be. In the end, the band recorded a faster, far superior version of "Revolution" in July of 1968, for placement on the B-side of the Beatles' first single on their own Apple label, Paul's seven minute opus, "Hey Jude". The shortened "Revolution #1" and the nine minute "Revolution #9" would both end up on the fourth side of the double LP "White Album".
Despite the fact that this archive tape is not something a person would pull out often for his or her listening pleasure, it is still a fascinating document of the disintegration of a band, and the genesis of a dysfunctional relationship. While it is admirable that John found what he wanted in a personal sense with Yoko, it is also unfortunate he could not separate his romantic life from his art. He would have, of course, disagreed wholeheartedly with that sentiment, but it can be argued that in a purely musical sense, John was "held back" during the period from mid-1968 to late 1969, writing only a few songs that were among his best. One listen to this "Revolution #1" mixing tape gives ample evidence as to why this was the case. Once he got back in touch with his own muse, particularly after kicking his heroin addiction in mid-1969, the compositional fire returned with songs like "Instant Karma (We All Shine On)" and those which would end up on his first solo LP. Tellingly, these were not written for the Beatles.
Dr. Arthur Jackoff
November 1999
The Beatles - Get Back: The Glyn Johns Final Compilation
Label: Vigotone, VT-182
"Vigotone is proud to present the final Glyn Johns compilation of the legendary unissued Get Back LP. Uncirculated before now, and assembled just one day after the last official Beatles recording session in January 1970, this lineup features notable differences from the more common Spring 1969 compilation on As Nature Intended and is an important addition to the unreleased Beatles canon. Also included are two bonus, previously unheard versions of Teddy Boy, and informative liner notes and relevant photos.
"I cannot bring myself to listen to the Phil Spector version of the album - I heard a few bars of it once, and was totally disgusted, and think it's an absolute load of garbage."
-- Glyn Johns.
Tr Title CD notes
1 The One After 909 Lennon-McCartney
2 Rocker Lennon-McCartney
3 Save The Last Dance For Me
4 Don't Let Me Down Lennon-McCartney
5 Dig A Pony Lennon-McCartney
6 I've Got A Feeling Lennon-McCartney
7 Get Back Lennon-McCartney
8 Let It Be Lennon-McCartney
9 For You Blue Harrison
10 Two Of Us Lennon-McCartney
11 Maggie Mae Traditional
12 Dig It Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr
13 Long And Winding Road Lennon-McCartney
14 I Me Mine Harrison
15 Across The Universe Lennon-McCartney
Bonus Tracks:
16 Teddy Boy McCartney
17 Teddy Boy McCartney
"We had a meeting in Apple, and I said I think it's time we did something. And everybody at that time was very happy to not really work, because they were enjoying the rewards of their success. The guys were all rich, living in nice country homes out in Weybridge and Esher, They were all married. I wasn't. So it was like, Hey guys! C'mon! We can't sit around, we've got to do something, we're The Beatles!"
Paul McCartney 1989
The Beatles
Get Back - The Glyn Johns Final Compilation
Beatles collectors are quite familiar with The Beatles' Get Back album and film project. The unreleased album culled from the very tense, uncomfortable sessions in January, 1969 was assembled in the spring of 1969, but was ultimately shelved in favor of the overblown Phil Spector-produced version issued as Let It Be in May, 1970. The original Get Back album has been an unauthorized perennial since 1969, and can be heard in its best quality as part of Vigotone's CD The Beatles: As Nature Intended (VT-122). Also, an otherwise undocumented-by-studio-paperwork assembly was played on several U.S. radio stations in late 1969, which included a track, "The Walk", that didn't appear in the earlier sequence. This lineup was featured, along with contemporary commercials and DJ commentary from a WBCN-FM/Boston broadcast in September, 1969, on Vigotone's Posters, Incense and Strobe Candles (VT-109). What many collectors may not be familiar with, and certainly have not heard, is the final version of Get Back, compiled (as was the original) in 1970 by noted British recording engineer Glyn Johns.
By early January 1970, a full year after the initial recording sessions for the project, no album had yet been issued from the chaotic mess of tapes that had been laid down at the Beatles' new Apple studios. In fact, The Beatles issued another album in the interim, Abbey Road, in September 1969 while deciding the fate of the Get Back album. Earlier that year, in March, Glyn Johns had been given the piles of eight-track tapes from the January 1969 recording sessions at 3 Savile Row, and was told by John and Paul, "Remember that idea you had about putting together an album? There are the tapes, go and do it." A finished master tape of Get Back was assembled and completed by Johns in May of 1969. However, delays in the preparation of the packaging for the LP (which was to include a book of pictures and text), and in the completion of what now was to be a feature film instead of a television special were cited as reasons for the lack of any forthcoming album. In truth, the reasons were a little more involved and the album was still in limbo at the end of 1969.
At this stage of the much-delayed project, the Beatles couldn't quite reach an agreement on what they wanted where Get Back was concerned, particularly whether or not they liked Glyn Johns' album. Having at this point no real love for the project or each other, yet finding themselves contractually bound with film and album commitments, they instructed Glyn Johns to yet again come up with an album. The stipulation, however, was that it must now tie in musically with the as-yet unreleased film's tune lineup. Essentially Johns kept the majority of the already assembled album, altering it only in order to more accurately reflect the songs soon to be seen performed in the Let It Be film. He dropped "Teddy Boy" because it would not be seen in the film and possibly because Paul had told Johns that he was going to re-record it for his first solo album. But he added the songs "I Me Mine" and "Across The Universe" for the opposite reason: they WOULD be seen in the film (in rough versions filmed at Twickenham Studios). However, these additions to the LP were not actually recorded during the Get Back sessions (see accompanying track information for details).
In the end, it was all for naught. After all the effort and work put into the project, even this second version of the Get Back album would not see official release, as the Beatles still couldn't decide if they liked it. In the end, famed producer Phil Spector, who had just worked with John on "Instant Karma" was given the ball to run with. Spector turned the once raw, unadorned performances into the album Let It Be, which has been criticized for his heavy treatment of many of the songs, particularly the lushly orchestrated "The Long And Winding Road", which to this day causes Paul McCartney an itchy bum.
While it can't be argued that this version of the "Get Back" album is a lost treasure, this final Glyn Johns assembly does have some importance in the annals of Fabs history. It exclusively features a couple of tracks in forms that would be soon altered considerably ("I Me Mine", "Across The Universe"). Also this was the last time the original "warts and all" concept if "Get Back" was adhered to, which in the end was (ironically) perhaps its downfall in the eyes of the Beatles. It has never seen circulation amongst the vast regions of Beatles' fandom and we at Vigotone are pleased to have had the opportunity of presenting this last version of "Get Back". Now you have to decide for yourself which "Get Back" album is the one for you. But you really have to have them all, don't you ?
GET BACK (Version Two): Final tape banding and compilation performed by Glyn Johns at Olympic Sound Studios, Studio One, 117 Church Road, Barnes, London SW13, on January 5, 1970.
The One After 909 (Recorded 30 Jan 69)
The only track from the Get Back album which used a recording from the famed "rooftop concert", the last live performance of The Beatles. This version is a different mix than the one Phil Spector produced from the same recording for the Let It Be album.
Rocker (Recorded 22 Jan 69)
A rock and roll jam instrumental, this was used on both versions of Get Back in identical form. Paul McCartney bestowed the title on this tune after plowing through a number of tapes in order to catalog the large number of unlabeled tape boxes.
Save The Last Dance For Me (Recorded 22 Jan 69)
A short rendition ("because it wasn't meant to be on the new LP" according to Mal Evans) of the old Drifters hit. It was left on the album to maintain the "fun atmosphere of the whole session". A close comparison reveals some minor differences in the patter between this and the next rack on this version of Get Back.
Don't Let Me Down (Recorded 22 Jan 69)
Once again, using the same version from his previous edition of Get Back, this version of the song comes from the first day of recordings after the Get Back film project switched from Twickenham Film Studios to Apple Studios.
Dig A Pony (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
I've Got A Feeling (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
Recorded one after the other, Johns utilized the recordings from this date, but incorporated a spoken intro from January 22 that he edited onto the beginning. This would become standard practice for the album, extracting bits here and there from different sessions and editing them in to create the appearance of spontaneity.
Get Back (Recorded 28 Jan 69)
This song was the first material from this project to see commercial release, having been issued as a single in Britain on April 11, 1969, backed with a different version of "Don't Let Me Down" from the one selected for Get Back. It was the last Beatles single to be issued in mono in the UK, and this stereo single mix was done on April 7, 1969 for initial use in the US. Hence its inclusion on the album, for by the time the Get Back album would have come out, the song and the single version would have been too familiar to warrant any noticeable variations. However, this was something someone DIDN'T tell Phil Spector about when he was assembling the Let It Be album. He took this recording, remixed it, chopped off the extended code, and edited spoken chatter at the beginning and end to give the appearance that it was from the live rooftop performance seen in the film which it certainly wasn't.
Let It Be (Recorded 30 Jan 69 with 30 April 69 overdub)
This track was the one exception that Glyn Johns allowed on either version of Get Back to the original no frills, no overdub concept that the Beatles and George Martin had started out with originally. It included a lead guitar overdub that was laid down after the actual Get Back sessions, in April 1969. The day before compiling the final album master, January 4, 1970, he oversaw yet another overdub of guitar, backing vocals, drums, maracas and cellos. Interestingly, Johns refused to consider these for the Get Back album, remaining as faithful as possible to the no overdub edict. He did however move the track to the end of side one of the revised Get Back LP from its former position on side two of the first.
For You Blue (Recorded 25 Jan 69)
Originally recorded under the working title of "George's Blues", this was take six from the only time this song was worked on by the group. On this version of Get Back, Glyn Johns chopped the first (lasting seven seconds) of two false starts this song has on the earlier version of the album. A new vocal was taped for this song on January 8, 1970, after the Get Back album had seen its final compilation, so obviously it wasn't used on this version. The new vocal is most likely the one used by Phil Spector on Let It Be, although as with most recordings from these sessions detailed take information is either lacking or very incomplete.
Two Of Us (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
Another take selected from the January 24 session, "Two Of Us", was recorded under the working title "On Our Way Home". It's also seen in the Let It Be film in the song's original guise as an electrified rocking number before being rendered in its final acoustic form in both the film and on the album. This is an alternate take from the Let It Be LP track.
Maggie Mae (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
Recorded between takes of "Two Of Us" on January 24, this spontaneous rendition of an old Liverpool ode to an infamous lass is curiously the only recording to see inclusion on both Get Back and Let It Be in identical form. The lack of any discernible differences in the mixes suggests that Phil Spector merely used the same mix for his version or at the very least made his identical to Johns' version (which is suggested by Mark Lewisohn in The Beatles Recording Sessions).
Dig It (Recorded 26 Jan 69)
This is the second version of "Dig It", the first being recorded two days earlier in a heavier, electrified version which included slide guitar. The version included here is more keyboard oriented featuring Paul on piano and Billy Preston on his prominent organ (so to speak). Included both on Get Back and Let It Be, here much longer - the Get Back version being nearly four minutes long, and the Let It Be version only forty seconds. The Get Back version is mixed quite differently than the shorter excerpt, featuring audible Paul backing vocals. Interestingly, though, both use John's childlike spoken at the end of the song that actually comes from the end of the first version mentioned earlier.
I Me Mine (Recorded 3 Jan 70)
Following his brief tie to the Get Back album to the yet-to-be released film (still thought at this point to be called Get Back), Johns introduced the song "I Me Mine" in the LP line-up. However, even though this song is seen being performed in the film at Twickenham, it never resurfaced for proper studio recording once the project moved to Apple's recording studios. Therefore, on January 3, 1970, the Threetles (Paul, George and Ringo) assembled at Abbey Road Studios to record a version for inclusion on the LP (John was then on vacation in Denmark). This was actually somehow appropriate for even in the Twickenham film version John did not participate; instead he is seen dancing with Yoko as The Other Three seemingly serenade the two of them. The finished take is included on Get Back in its true length of 1:34, whereas the Phil Spector version on Let It Be, including overdubs and edits, was extended another 51 seconds to 2:25. There is also a bit of dialogue left in between George and Ringo prior to the track to continue the illusion of the "informal" nature of the record.
Across The Universe (Recorded 4/8 Feb 68)
As with "I Me Mine", "Across The Universe" was seen in the forthcoming film, and therefore was required to appear on the album. Once again, although the Beatles are seen plowing through a fairly horrible rendition of the song in the film, it was not attempted later at Apple. Instead, it was decided to use the recording of the track from the original Abbey Road studio session from February 1968, nearly a full year before the start of the Get Back project. The problem was the song had just seen release in December 1969 on the World Wildlife Fund charity album No One's Gonna Change Our World. Any inclusion on the current album would require using the same recording but somehow making it seem different from the WWF release and more like a Get Back recording. To do this, Johns mixed out the Beatles' own backing vocals, and all but mixed out the Gayleen Pease and Lizzie Bravo backing vocals (these were the two fans who had been recruited for the original recording sessions). These vocals are audible, but are kept in the background. By tacking on several seconds of chatter from John at the beginning and crossfading into the reprise of "Get Back", Johns was able to create the illusion that this was a different recording. (It should be noted that Phil Spector had to the same sort of thing with the song for Let It Be, but his efforts took a different direction.)
Get Back (reprise)
Heard over the closing credits of the Let It Be film and here at the end of the Get Back album, this brief reprise comes from the extended code of the recording that produced the "Get Back" single. A very close listen to the mono single mix of "Get Back" will reveal the first notes of this reprise section as the single fades out.
While it can't be argued that this version of the Get Back album is a lost treasure, this final Glyn Johns assembly does have some importance in the annals of Fabs history. It exclusively features a couple of tracks in forms that would be soon altered considerably ("I Me Mine", "Across The Universe"). Also this was the last time the original "warts and all" concept if Get Back was adhered to, which in the end was (ironically) perhaps its downfall in the eyes of the Beatles. It has never seen circulation amongst the vast regions of Beatles' fandom and we at Vigotone are pleased to have had the opportunity of presenting this last version of Get Back. Now you have to decide for yourself which Get Back album is the one for you. But you really have to have them all, don't you ?
Malcolm Neil
June 1999
BONUS TRACKS:
Teddy Boy (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
"Remix from eight-track by Johns/Martin Jan 69", according to annotations on reference tape which were made during later archival cataloging. The reference to Jan '69 is probably related to the recording date, not mixing, as this song was not given its first mix until March 1969 during Glyn Johns' first studio sessions after being given his assignment by John and Paul. This is a mix of the song in its full length. For his first Get Back compilation, Johns edited down this track from over five minutes to just over three minutes.
Teddy Boy (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
"Remix Stereo 1 from 8-track by Brown/Spector 25 Mar 70", again according to the annotation on reference tape notations. Producer Phil Spector working with engineer Peter Brown, remixed "Teddy Boy" for possible inclusion on the Let It Be album (that would really have pissed Paul off!), even though in the end it was not included. Spector did two mixes of the song, one full length and the other an edit. It is the first full-length version which is included here. It differs noticeably from Johns' with Spector placing the vocal and electric guitars more prominently in the mix and giving the track additional separation.
"Vigotone is proud to present the final Glyn Johns compilation of the legendary unissued Get Back LP. Uncirculated before now, and assembled just one day after the last official Beatles recording session in January 1970, this lineup features notable differences from the more common Spring 1969 compilation on As Nature Intended and is an important addition to the unreleased Beatles canon. Also included are two bonus, previously unheard versions of Teddy Boy, and informative liner notes and relevant photos.
"I cannot bring myself to listen to the Phil Spector version of the album - I heard a few bars of it once, and was totally disgusted, and think it's an absolute load of garbage."
-- Glyn Johns.
Tr Title CD notes
1 The One After 909 Lennon-McCartney
2 Rocker Lennon-McCartney
3 Save The Last Dance For Me
4 Don't Let Me Down Lennon-McCartney
5 Dig A Pony Lennon-McCartney
6 I've Got A Feeling Lennon-McCartney
7 Get Back Lennon-McCartney
8 Let It Be Lennon-McCartney
9 For You Blue Harrison
10 Two Of Us Lennon-McCartney
11 Maggie Mae Traditional
12 Dig It Lennon-McCartney-Harrison-Starr
13 Long And Winding Road Lennon-McCartney
14 I Me Mine Harrison
15 Across The Universe Lennon-McCartney
Bonus Tracks:
16 Teddy Boy McCartney
17 Teddy Boy McCartney
"We had a meeting in Apple, and I said I think it's time we did something. And everybody at that time was very happy to not really work, because they were enjoying the rewards of their success. The guys were all rich, living in nice country homes out in Weybridge and Esher, They were all married. I wasn't. So it was like, Hey guys! C'mon! We can't sit around, we've got to do something, we're The Beatles!"
Paul McCartney 1989
The Beatles
Get Back - The Glyn Johns Final Compilation
Beatles collectors are quite familiar with The Beatles' Get Back album and film project. The unreleased album culled from the very tense, uncomfortable sessions in January, 1969 was assembled in the spring of 1969, but was ultimately shelved in favor of the overblown Phil Spector-produced version issued as Let It Be in May, 1970. The original Get Back album has been an unauthorized perennial since 1969, and can be heard in its best quality as part of Vigotone's CD The Beatles: As Nature Intended (VT-122). Also, an otherwise undocumented-by-studio-paperwork assembly was played on several U.S. radio stations in late 1969, which included a track, "The Walk", that didn't appear in the earlier sequence. This lineup was featured, along with contemporary commercials and DJ commentary from a WBCN-FM/Boston broadcast in September, 1969, on Vigotone's Posters, Incense and Strobe Candles (VT-109). What many collectors may not be familiar with, and certainly have not heard, is the final version of Get Back, compiled (as was the original) in 1970 by noted British recording engineer Glyn Johns.
By early January 1970, a full year after the initial recording sessions for the project, no album had yet been issued from the chaotic mess of tapes that had been laid down at the Beatles' new Apple studios. In fact, The Beatles issued another album in the interim, Abbey Road, in September 1969 while deciding the fate of the Get Back album. Earlier that year, in March, Glyn Johns had been given the piles of eight-track tapes from the January 1969 recording sessions at 3 Savile Row, and was told by John and Paul, "Remember that idea you had about putting together an album? There are the tapes, go and do it." A finished master tape of Get Back was assembled and completed by Johns in May of 1969. However, delays in the preparation of the packaging for the LP (which was to include a book of pictures and text), and in the completion of what now was to be a feature film instead of a television special were cited as reasons for the lack of any forthcoming album. In truth, the reasons were a little more involved and the album was still in limbo at the end of 1969.
At this stage of the much-delayed project, the Beatles couldn't quite reach an agreement on what they wanted where Get Back was concerned, particularly whether or not they liked Glyn Johns' album. Having at this point no real love for the project or each other, yet finding themselves contractually bound with film and album commitments, they instructed Glyn Johns to yet again come up with an album. The stipulation, however, was that it must now tie in musically with the as-yet unreleased film's tune lineup. Essentially Johns kept the majority of the already assembled album, altering it only in order to more accurately reflect the songs soon to be seen performed in the Let It Be film. He dropped "Teddy Boy" because it would not be seen in the film and possibly because Paul had told Johns that he was going to re-record it for his first solo album. But he added the songs "I Me Mine" and "Across The Universe" for the opposite reason: they WOULD be seen in the film (in rough versions filmed at Twickenham Studios). However, these additions to the LP were not actually recorded during the Get Back sessions (see accompanying track information for details).
In the end, it was all for naught. After all the effort and work put into the project, even this second version of the Get Back album would not see official release, as the Beatles still couldn't decide if they liked it. In the end, famed producer Phil Spector, who had just worked with John on "Instant Karma" was given the ball to run with. Spector turned the once raw, unadorned performances into the album Let It Be, which has been criticized for his heavy treatment of many of the songs, particularly the lushly orchestrated "The Long And Winding Road", which to this day causes Paul McCartney an itchy bum.
While it can't be argued that this version of the "Get Back" album is a lost treasure, this final Glyn Johns assembly does have some importance in the annals of Fabs history. It exclusively features a couple of tracks in forms that would be soon altered considerably ("I Me Mine", "Across The Universe"). Also this was the last time the original "warts and all" concept if "Get Back" was adhered to, which in the end was (ironically) perhaps its downfall in the eyes of the Beatles. It has never seen circulation amongst the vast regions of Beatles' fandom and we at Vigotone are pleased to have had the opportunity of presenting this last version of "Get Back". Now you have to decide for yourself which "Get Back" album is the one for you. But you really have to have them all, don't you ?
GET BACK (Version Two): Final tape banding and compilation performed by Glyn Johns at Olympic Sound Studios, Studio One, 117 Church Road, Barnes, London SW13, on January 5, 1970.
The One After 909 (Recorded 30 Jan 69)
The only track from the Get Back album which used a recording from the famed "rooftop concert", the last live performance of The Beatles. This version is a different mix than the one Phil Spector produced from the same recording for the Let It Be album.
Rocker (Recorded 22 Jan 69)
A rock and roll jam instrumental, this was used on both versions of Get Back in identical form. Paul McCartney bestowed the title on this tune after plowing through a number of tapes in order to catalog the large number of unlabeled tape boxes.
Save The Last Dance For Me (Recorded 22 Jan 69)
A short rendition ("because it wasn't meant to be on the new LP" according to Mal Evans) of the old Drifters hit. It was left on the album to maintain the "fun atmosphere of the whole session". A close comparison reveals some minor differences in the patter between this and the next rack on this version of Get Back.
Don't Let Me Down (Recorded 22 Jan 69)
Once again, using the same version from his previous edition of Get Back, this version of the song comes from the first day of recordings after the Get Back film project switched from Twickenham Film Studios to Apple Studios.
Dig A Pony (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
I've Got A Feeling (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
Recorded one after the other, Johns utilized the recordings from this date, but incorporated a spoken intro from January 22 that he edited onto the beginning. This would become standard practice for the album, extracting bits here and there from different sessions and editing them in to create the appearance of spontaneity.
Get Back (Recorded 28 Jan 69)
This song was the first material from this project to see commercial release, having been issued as a single in Britain on April 11, 1969, backed with a different version of "Don't Let Me Down" from the one selected for Get Back. It was the last Beatles single to be issued in mono in the UK, and this stereo single mix was done on April 7, 1969 for initial use in the US. Hence its inclusion on the album, for by the time the Get Back album would have come out, the song and the single version would have been too familiar to warrant any noticeable variations. However, this was something someone DIDN'T tell Phil Spector about when he was assembling the Let It Be album. He took this recording, remixed it, chopped off the extended code, and edited spoken chatter at the beginning and end to give the appearance that it was from the live rooftop performance seen in the film which it certainly wasn't.
Let It Be (Recorded 30 Jan 69 with 30 April 69 overdub)
This track was the one exception that Glyn Johns allowed on either version of Get Back to the original no frills, no overdub concept that the Beatles and George Martin had started out with originally. It included a lead guitar overdub that was laid down after the actual Get Back sessions, in April 1969. The day before compiling the final album master, January 4, 1970, he oversaw yet another overdub of guitar, backing vocals, drums, maracas and cellos. Interestingly, Johns refused to consider these for the Get Back album, remaining as faithful as possible to the no overdub edict. He did however move the track to the end of side one of the revised Get Back LP from its former position on side two of the first.
For You Blue (Recorded 25 Jan 69)
Originally recorded under the working title of "George's Blues", this was take six from the only time this song was worked on by the group. On this version of Get Back, Glyn Johns chopped the first (lasting seven seconds) of two false starts this song has on the earlier version of the album. A new vocal was taped for this song on January 8, 1970, after the Get Back album had seen its final compilation, so obviously it wasn't used on this version. The new vocal is most likely the one used by Phil Spector on Let It Be, although as with most recordings from these sessions detailed take information is either lacking or very incomplete.
Two Of Us (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
Another take selected from the January 24 session, "Two Of Us", was recorded under the working title "On Our Way Home". It's also seen in the Let It Be film in the song's original guise as an electrified rocking number before being rendered in its final acoustic form in both the film and on the album. This is an alternate take from the Let It Be LP track.
Maggie Mae (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
Recorded between takes of "Two Of Us" on January 24, this spontaneous rendition of an old Liverpool ode to an infamous lass is curiously the only recording to see inclusion on both Get Back and Let It Be in identical form. The lack of any discernible differences in the mixes suggests that Phil Spector merely used the same mix for his version or at the very least made his identical to Johns' version (which is suggested by Mark Lewisohn in The Beatles Recording Sessions).
Dig It (Recorded 26 Jan 69)
This is the second version of "Dig It", the first being recorded two days earlier in a heavier, electrified version which included slide guitar. The version included here is more keyboard oriented featuring Paul on piano and Billy Preston on his prominent organ (so to speak). Included both on Get Back and Let It Be, here much longer - the Get Back version being nearly four minutes long, and the Let It Be version only forty seconds. The Get Back version is mixed quite differently than the shorter excerpt, featuring audible Paul backing vocals. Interestingly, though, both use John's childlike spoken at the end of the song that actually comes from the end of the first version mentioned earlier.
I Me Mine (Recorded 3 Jan 70)
Following his brief tie to the Get Back album to the yet-to-be released film (still thought at this point to be called Get Back), Johns introduced the song "I Me Mine" in the LP line-up. However, even though this song is seen being performed in the film at Twickenham, it never resurfaced for proper studio recording once the project moved to Apple's recording studios. Therefore, on January 3, 1970, the Threetles (Paul, George and Ringo) assembled at Abbey Road Studios to record a version for inclusion on the LP (John was then on vacation in Denmark). This was actually somehow appropriate for even in the Twickenham film version John did not participate; instead he is seen dancing with Yoko as The Other Three seemingly serenade the two of them. The finished take is included on Get Back in its true length of 1:34, whereas the Phil Spector version on Let It Be, including overdubs and edits, was extended another 51 seconds to 2:25. There is also a bit of dialogue left in between George and Ringo prior to the track to continue the illusion of the "informal" nature of the record.
Across The Universe (Recorded 4/8 Feb 68)
As with "I Me Mine", "Across The Universe" was seen in the forthcoming film, and therefore was required to appear on the album. Once again, although the Beatles are seen plowing through a fairly horrible rendition of the song in the film, it was not attempted later at Apple. Instead, it was decided to use the recording of the track from the original Abbey Road studio session from February 1968, nearly a full year before the start of the Get Back project. The problem was the song had just seen release in December 1969 on the World Wildlife Fund charity album No One's Gonna Change Our World. Any inclusion on the current album would require using the same recording but somehow making it seem different from the WWF release and more like a Get Back recording. To do this, Johns mixed out the Beatles' own backing vocals, and all but mixed out the Gayleen Pease and Lizzie Bravo backing vocals (these were the two fans who had been recruited for the original recording sessions). These vocals are audible, but are kept in the background. By tacking on several seconds of chatter from John at the beginning and crossfading into the reprise of "Get Back", Johns was able to create the illusion that this was a different recording. (It should be noted that Phil Spector had to the same sort of thing with the song for Let It Be, but his efforts took a different direction.)
Get Back (reprise)
Heard over the closing credits of the Let It Be film and here at the end of the Get Back album, this brief reprise comes from the extended code of the recording that produced the "Get Back" single. A very close listen to the mono single mix of "Get Back" will reveal the first notes of this reprise section as the single fades out.
While it can't be argued that this version of the Get Back album is a lost treasure, this final Glyn Johns assembly does have some importance in the annals of Fabs history. It exclusively features a couple of tracks in forms that would be soon altered considerably ("I Me Mine", "Across The Universe"). Also this was the last time the original "warts and all" concept if Get Back was adhered to, which in the end was (ironically) perhaps its downfall in the eyes of the Beatles. It has never seen circulation amongst the vast regions of Beatles' fandom and we at Vigotone are pleased to have had the opportunity of presenting this last version of Get Back. Now you have to decide for yourself which Get Back album is the one for you. But you really have to have them all, don't you ?
Malcolm Neil
June 1999
BONUS TRACKS:
Teddy Boy (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
"Remix from eight-track by Johns/Martin Jan 69", according to annotations on reference tape which were made during later archival cataloging. The reference to Jan '69 is probably related to the recording date, not mixing, as this song was not given its first mix until March 1969 during Glyn Johns' first studio sessions after being given his assignment by John and Paul. This is a mix of the song in its full length. For his first Get Back compilation, Johns edited down this track from over five minutes to just over three minutes.
Teddy Boy (Recorded 24 Jan 69)
"Remix Stereo 1 from 8-track by Brown/Spector 25 Mar 70", again according to the annotation on reference tape notations. Producer Phil Spector working with engineer Peter Brown, remixed "Teddy Boy" for possible inclusion on the Let It Be album (that would really have pissed Paul off!), even though in the end it was not included. Spector did two mixes of the song, one full length and the other an edit. It is the first full-length version which is included here. It differs noticeably from Johns' with Spector placing the vocal and electric guitars more prominently in the mix and giving the track additional separation.
George Harrison - Through Many Years
Label: Vigotone, VT-181
"George rarities continue to pop up and this set has 'em. The track listing will include some previously unheard All Things Must Pass outtakes taken from dubs made by the late Abbey Road engineer John Barrett and other surprises as well as some bonus material from Ringo. All tracks from tape sources."
George Harrison
All Things Must Pass Outtakes
1 I Live For You 3:41
2 Dehra Dun 3:30
3 Gopala Krishna 2:27
4 Going Down To Golders Green 2:27
5 Get Back 2:52
6 Pete Drake's Talking Steel Guitar 5:12
George's Solo Demos
7 Old Brown Shoe 3:08
8 All Things Must Pass 3:06
9 Something
Non-LP B-sides
10 Deep Blue 3:47
11 Miss O'Dell 2:20
12 I Don't Care Anymore 2:40
Ringo Starr
Alternate Version for George Martin TV special
13 Octopus's Garden 2:52
Sentimental Journey Outtake
14 Stormy Weather 2:54
Beaucoup Of Blues Outtakes
15 The Wishing Book 1:17
16 Whispering Book 3:09
Featuring unreleased and rare performances by "the other two" Beatles, Through Many Years is a tribute to the talents of George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The tracks included here have been taken from the finest sources available, including dubs made by late Abbey Road studio engineer John Barrett.
Introduction
Welcome to a collection of rare and unreleased tracks by "the other two" Beatles, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The recordings George and Ringo made in the early 70's bested those of their two more esteemed colleagues both aesthetically and critically (as well as on the charts!) many times, and the music featured here does nothing to challenge that fact.
Many of the tracks on this set owe their appearance on this set to the Abbey Road vault search the late John Barrett undertook in 1982. The reference cassettes he made while doing said research (see our other fine compilation Turn Me On Dead Man: The John Barrett Tapes for more details) are the primary source used for most of the tunes on Through Many Years. Other songs have come from the finest sources yet, so sit back and enjoy some down-to-earth music from the quiet one with a little help from his friend Ringo.
Gerard O'Brian
June 1999
1. I Live For You
This and the next five tracks were recorded during the All Things Must Pass sessions at Abbey Road between May and October of 1970. "I Live For You", an otherwise unreleased Harrison composition, has previously appeared on other releases from an acetate source, but this is a beautiful sounding take from the Barrett dubs.
2. Dehra Dun
A real surprise find, "Dehra Dun", another unissued Harrisong, was first heard by most fans in 1995 in a short informal rendition played by George on ukulele in The Beatles Anthology. George, Paul and Ringo are sitting on George's Henley-On-Thames grounds talking about songs the Beatles wrote in India in 1968, and this tune was one of them. Here's a 1970 studio version, obviously unfinished, but still exciting to hear.
3. Gopala Krishna
Not one of George's more comprehensible lyrics, but still a pleasant enough tune which seems to be a remnant of his Radha Krishna Temple work.
4. Going Down To Golders Green
A jam session in all but name, George is making this one up as he goes along, but does a good job of it. This happens to be the area in London where Badfinger lived, though whether that had anything to do with his name-checking the area is doubtful.
5. Get Back
This is a prize; George taking the piss out of a song he certainly got tired of performing during the interminable Get Back/Let It Be sessions, with hilarious results.
6. Pete Drake's Talking Steel Guitar
Ever wondered what "Danny Boy" or "Bridge Over Troubled Water" would sound like if performed vocally through a steel guitar? Well, you're about to find out, as the late, great Pete Drake showed George and Co. how it was done in this All Things Must Pass session tape extract.
7. Old Brown Shoe
8. All Things Must Pass
9. Something
These demos were recorded on February 25, 1969, George's 26th birthday. All three were done as "one man band" productions, and also appeared in somewhat inferior 1996 mixes on Anthology 3. Included here are John Barrett's 1982 mixes of the first two tracks, with "Something" coming from an original acetate just for completeness and authenticity's sake.
10. Deep Blue
11. Miss O'Dell
12. I Don't Care Anymore
The three heretofore-uncollected-on-LP-or-CD George Harrison B-sides, have all been painstakingly remastered from the finest sources available. Just to refresh your memory: "Deep Blue" was the B-side to "Bangla Desh" issued in July 1971; "Miss O'Dell" backed "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" in May of 1973; and "I Don't Care Anymore" was the flip side of the US "Dark Horse" 45, released in November of 1974, and the UK "Ding Dong Ding Dong" single in December of the same year.
13. Octopus's Garden
A fascinating version of Ringo's second and last authored Beatles track recorded for a George Martin IBA Network special broadcast on Christmas Eve 1969. Most of the Beatles basic tracks for the song recorded for the Abbey Road LP remained, but the bass, piano and lead guitar were removed in a remix done on December 2, 1969 at Abbey Road. This was due to the need to make the track different from the record because of Musician's Union lip-syncing rules. On December 8, these parts were re-recorded by other musicians, and Ringo redid his lead vocal, but all other elements of the Beatles' recording are present.
14. Stormy Weather
The one and only unreleased recording from Ringo's first solo effort, the "standards" LP, Sentimental Journey. Recorded November 6, 1969, produced by George Martin at Abbey Road, and unheard until now.
15. The Wishing Book
16. Nashville Freakout
Two unissued items from sessions for the second Nose LP, the countrified Beaucoups Of Blues. "The Wishing Book" (must be a short read) and the instrumental "Nashville Freakout" were recorded in late June of 1970 at Music City Recorders in Nashville, during sessions produced by Pete Drake. A different edit and mix of "Freakout" was titled "Nashville Jam" on the BOB CD reissue.
"George rarities continue to pop up and this set has 'em. The track listing will include some previously unheard All Things Must Pass outtakes taken from dubs made by the late Abbey Road engineer John Barrett and other surprises as well as some bonus material from Ringo. All tracks from tape sources."
George Harrison
All Things Must Pass Outtakes
1 I Live For You 3:41
2 Dehra Dun 3:30
3 Gopala Krishna 2:27
4 Going Down To Golders Green 2:27
5 Get Back 2:52
6 Pete Drake's Talking Steel Guitar 5:12
George's Solo Demos
7 Old Brown Shoe 3:08
8 All Things Must Pass 3:06
9 Something
Non-LP B-sides
10 Deep Blue 3:47
11 Miss O'Dell 2:20
12 I Don't Care Anymore 2:40
Ringo Starr
Alternate Version for George Martin TV special
13 Octopus's Garden 2:52
Sentimental Journey Outtake
14 Stormy Weather 2:54
Beaucoup Of Blues Outtakes
15 The Wishing Book 1:17
16 Whispering Book 3:09
Featuring unreleased and rare performances by "the other two" Beatles, Through Many Years is a tribute to the talents of George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The tracks included here have been taken from the finest sources available, including dubs made by late Abbey Road studio engineer John Barrett.
Introduction
Welcome to a collection of rare and unreleased tracks by "the other two" Beatles, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. The recordings George and Ringo made in the early 70's bested those of their two more esteemed colleagues both aesthetically and critically (as well as on the charts!) many times, and the music featured here does nothing to challenge that fact.
Many of the tracks on this set owe their appearance on this set to the Abbey Road vault search the late John Barrett undertook in 1982. The reference cassettes he made while doing said research (see our other fine compilation Turn Me On Dead Man: The John Barrett Tapes for more details) are the primary source used for most of the tunes on Through Many Years. Other songs have come from the finest sources yet, so sit back and enjoy some down-to-earth music from the quiet one with a little help from his friend Ringo.
Gerard O'Brian
June 1999
1. I Live For You
This and the next five tracks were recorded during the All Things Must Pass sessions at Abbey Road between May and October of 1970. "I Live For You", an otherwise unreleased Harrison composition, has previously appeared on other releases from an acetate source, but this is a beautiful sounding take from the Barrett dubs.
2. Dehra Dun
A real surprise find, "Dehra Dun", another unissued Harrisong, was first heard by most fans in 1995 in a short informal rendition played by George on ukulele in The Beatles Anthology. George, Paul and Ringo are sitting on George's Henley-On-Thames grounds talking about songs the Beatles wrote in India in 1968, and this tune was one of them. Here's a 1970 studio version, obviously unfinished, but still exciting to hear.
3. Gopala Krishna
Not one of George's more comprehensible lyrics, but still a pleasant enough tune which seems to be a remnant of his Radha Krishna Temple work.
4. Going Down To Golders Green
A jam session in all but name, George is making this one up as he goes along, but does a good job of it. This happens to be the area in London where Badfinger lived, though whether that had anything to do with his name-checking the area is doubtful.
5. Get Back
This is a prize; George taking the piss out of a song he certainly got tired of performing during the interminable Get Back/Let It Be sessions, with hilarious results.
6. Pete Drake's Talking Steel Guitar
Ever wondered what "Danny Boy" or "Bridge Over Troubled Water" would sound like if performed vocally through a steel guitar? Well, you're about to find out, as the late, great Pete Drake showed George and Co. how it was done in this All Things Must Pass session tape extract.
7. Old Brown Shoe
8. All Things Must Pass
9. Something
These demos were recorded on February 25, 1969, George's 26th birthday. All three were done as "one man band" productions, and also appeared in somewhat inferior 1996 mixes on Anthology 3. Included here are John Barrett's 1982 mixes of the first two tracks, with "Something" coming from an original acetate just for completeness and authenticity's sake.
10. Deep Blue
11. Miss O'Dell
12. I Don't Care Anymore
The three heretofore-uncollected-on-LP-or-CD George Harrison B-sides, have all been painstakingly remastered from the finest sources available. Just to refresh your memory: "Deep Blue" was the B-side to "Bangla Desh" issued in July 1971; "Miss O'Dell" backed "Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)" in May of 1973; and "I Don't Care Anymore" was the flip side of the US "Dark Horse" 45, released in November of 1974, and the UK "Ding Dong Ding Dong" single in December of the same year.
13. Octopus's Garden
A fascinating version of Ringo's second and last authored Beatles track recorded for a George Martin IBA Network special broadcast on Christmas Eve 1969. Most of the Beatles basic tracks for the song recorded for the Abbey Road LP remained, but the bass, piano and lead guitar were removed in a remix done on December 2, 1969 at Abbey Road. This was due to the need to make the track different from the record because of Musician's Union lip-syncing rules. On December 8, these parts were re-recorded by other musicians, and Ringo redid his lead vocal, but all other elements of the Beatles' recording are present.
14. Stormy Weather
The one and only unreleased recording from Ringo's first solo effort, the "standards" LP, Sentimental Journey. Recorded November 6, 1969, produced by George Martin at Abbey Road, and unheard until now.
15. The Wishing Book
16. Nashville Freakout
Two unissued items from sessions for the second Nose LP, the countrified Beaucoups Of Blues. "The Wishing Book" (must be a short read) and the instrumental "Nashville Freakout" were recorded in late June of 1970 at Music City Recorders in Nashville, during sessions produced by Pete Drake. A different edit and mix of "Freakout" was titled "Nashville Jam" on the BOB CD reissue.
The Beatles - Another Sessions...Plus
Label: Vigotone, VT-180
"Sessions has been one of the most popular titles amongst Beatles collectors since its non-issue by EMI in 1985. Thanks to the recent discovery of cassette dubs made by the late Abbey Road engineer John Barrett, we are happy to present Another Sessions, which feature alternate mixes and versions of the songs from that unreleased album, along with bonus tracks. It is a perfect companion to Turn Me On, Dead Man: The John Barrett Tapes, and includes a booklet with notes and photographs."
"This CD features mixes of the songs from the Sessions project, these are not the same, but rejected mixes from the John Barrett Tapes."
Tr Title CD notes Time
1 Come And Get It 1982 alternate mix 2:30
2 Leave My Kitten Alone 1982 mono mix 2:52
3 Not Guilty 1982 stereo mix 4:23
4 I'm Looking Through You take 4 - no fade 2:51
5 What's The New Mary Jane 1968 alternate stereo mix 5:43
6 How Do You Do It? unedited mono mix 1:56
7 Besame Mucho original mono mix
8 One After 909 1982 mono mix 2:56
9 If You've Got Troubles 1982 stereo mix 2:49
10 That Means A Lot 1982 stereo low reverb mix 2:31
11 While My Guitar Gently Weeps 1982 stereo mix with original ending 3:14
12 Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues 1982 stereo mix - no fade 1:33
13 Christmas Time Is Here Again 1995 B Side 3:03
14 Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da muddy stereo mix 2:50
Bonus Tracks
15 A Hard Day's Night 1982 stereo mix w/false starts 2:42
16 She's A Woman take one 1982 stereo mix - fragment 1:17
17 12-Bar Original 1965 mono mix 6:45
18 Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) 1982 stereo mix 2:00
19 I'm Looking Through You 1982 stereo mix 2:54
In the beginning, there was Sessions... and it was not very good.
At least, that was the opinion of the surviving Beatles, once they got wind that EMI had assembled this collection of unreleased items from the Beatles' recording sessions between 1962 and 1969. Indeed, Sessions was a haphazardly assembled collection, with a short running time, no regard to chronological order for its track listing, and with some unconscionable editing and mixing of tracks by the otherwise impeccably credentialed Geoff Emerick. This was the usual EMI way, however, and it stood to reason that this effort wasn't going to be much different than its other attempts at repackaging the Beatles' work.
This fact didn't deter EMI. Catalog numbers were assigned throughout the free world in December of 1984, an unexciting sleeve was prepared, and a single to promote the package was selected ("Leave My Kitten Alone"). Sessions was set for release in January of 1985. However, the mighty hand of Apple and their respective lawyers swung down just in time, and Sessions was shelved. Ten years later, with those pesky lawsuits between the Beatles and EMI out of the way and everybody being the best of buddies, the Beatles own version of Sessions, the much-expanded Anthology, was issued. The unloved, unwanted Sessions still resides in EMI's vaults, though unfortunately many of Emerick's mixes and edits that were produced for it were used in Anthology.
The original version of Sessions can be heard on Spank's wonderful package of the same name (SP-103). However, what we've done here for your listening pleasure is assemble an alternate version of Sessions. We have utilized a recent cache of tapes that have come to light from the archival efforts of the late John Barrett of EMI, whose work was one of the catalyst for the compilation of the original album. These different versions include alternate mixes he produced for 1983's The Beatles At Abbey Road show, as well as mixes done for his own use, most of which were superior to the ones Emerick produced! In addition, we've also added as bonus tracks some material from that At Abbey Road production, also taken from Barrett's tapes, and some mixes previously unissued on CD. All in all, it's a most enjoyable collection of material often heard but not in the forms included here. Enjoy !
Peter Mewtilate
June 1999
The tracks (all mixed by John Barrett in 1982 except where noted):
1. Come And Get It (stereo) (Recorded July 24, 1969)
Paul McCartney's demo for Badfinger's first hit was originally mixed down to stereo the day it was recorded. When Geoff Emerick assembled Sessions, he remixed it, but this a Barrett mix that predates the Emerick redo.
2. Leave My Kitten Alone (mono) (Recorded August 14, 1964)
When this previously unreleased track appeared on Sessions, it was in an odd mix that wasn't quite stereo and wasn't quite mono. This is a mono mix that was prepared by Barrett for the Abbey Road show.
3. Not Guilty (stereo) (Recorded August 8, 1968)
This unreleased-by-the-Beatles George Harrison song was the worst crime perpetrated on any track for Sessions. Emerick edited entire sections out, slowed the song down, and in general made it a less interesting track. Sadly, this was also the mix that was used for Anthology 3, so the crime has been perpetrated upon the masses. At any rate, this is the original full-length version of "Not Guilty" as mixed by John Barrett for himself.
4. I'm Looking Through You (stereo) (Recorded November 10-11, 1965)
The Sessions version was left alone for the most part, and was one of Emerick's better jobs on the album. The Barrett version we have placed here is the one used on Rubber Soul, yet this has a slate, two false starts (like the US LP featured by mistake) and ends cold.
5. What's The New Mary Jane (stereo) (Recorded August 14, 1968, mixed October 14, 1968)
What a difference exactly four years between "Leave My Kitten Alone" and this track makes... At any rate, here is another mix of this marvelous Lennon-penned track, one that is 1968 vintage (different from the one prepared the same day, which can be found on Turn Me On Dead Man). This was actually a track Emerick improved, taking off much of the Yoko Ono input which helped to make the original mixes a bit, shall we say, challenging.
6. How Do You Do It? (mono) (Recorded and mixed September 4, 1962)
Another Emerick hack-job for Sessions, where he for no apparent reason re-edited the original unissued track making the boys repeat lines that didn't need repeating and weren't repeated on the original version! This is the unadulterated mono mix.
7. Besame Mucho (mono) (Recorded and mixed on June 6, 1962)
All versions of this track, which was recorded at The Beatles' first recording test, are identical. This sole surviving mix, from a private collection, was returned to EMI in the early 80's. This is slightly flatter in equalization than the Sessions version, however.
8. One After 909 (mono) (Recorded and mixed March 5, 1963)
This is a mono mix prepared by Barrett of the first half of take 4 with the edit piece take 5. The Beatles were of course later to rescue this early Lennon/McCartney song from unissued limbo and use it for the Get Back / Let It Be project in 1969.
9. If You've Got Troubles (stereo) (Recorded February 18, 1965)
The mighty thumb of Geoff Emerick came down hard on the Sessions version of this rather lame Lennon/McCartney original, composed with the best intentions for Ringo to sing as his contribution to the Help! LP. Thankfully, along came Buck Owens to rescue the ringed one with "Act Naturally". When mixing for Sessions, Emerick left out the entire first verse of "If You've Got Troubles", leading from the intro and editing directly into the second verse. Why? Who knows? It's not as though the track was made any worse by it being there in the first place, which was obviously echoed by the Fab Three and George Martin when assembling Anthology 2, using the complete original take and ignoring the Sessions mix. Included here is another Barrett alternate stereo mix from 1982. "Rock on, anybody", indeed.
10. That Means A Lot (stereo) (Recorded February 20, 1965)
This unreleased Help! track is featured on our alternate lineup in a previously unheard dry mono mix.
11. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (stereo) (Recorded July 25, 1968)
A gem of this collection, here is the unadulterated take one of this The Beatles (The White Album) George Harrison classic. When this was first heard in the Abbey Road show in 1983 in a Barrett-mixed guise, it stunned all who heard in its beauty and simplicity, and Harrison's offhand comment "Let's hear that back" after strumming the last arpeggio seemed to bring it back to Earth. Unfortunately, Emerick on the Sessions mix saw fit to loop the last chords played before this arpeggio and fade it out, rather than allowing it to play to its actual conclusion. Even more unfortunately, this same version was used on Anthology 3. We're proud to feature the original mix, in its finest quality ever.
12. Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues (aka Mailman Blues) (stereo) (Recorded January 29, 1969)
This Lloyd Price song, most likely heard by The Beatles as a Buddy Holly cover, was one of the few coherent oldies performed during the Get Back / Let It Be sessions. However, more Emerick trickery was involved here, primarily by fading in the track and the fading it out before its actual end. Here is the Barrett mix, shorter but with full ending included.
13. Christmas Time Is Here Again (stereo) (Recorded November 28, 1967)
This version was issued in December 1995 as the B-side of "Free As A Bird". We've taken the liberty of restoring the original beginning.
14. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (stereo) (Recorded July 13, 1968)
This is an odd one, in that the mix of the alternate "Ob-La-Di..." included here is of rather muddy quality and it has previously appeared on some other releases. However, we figured you'd rather have it than not to have your alternate Sessions album contain all it should!
Bonus Tracks
15. A Hard Day's Night (stereo) (Recorded April 16, 1964)
A particularly funny bit of Lennon wit featured in this The Beatles At Abbey Road bit. It comes from take one, as the Fabs are trying to crash into the correct opening chord, and failing, much to John's amusement. When he comes down on a decisive "1-2-3-4!" count-in Barrett edited to the released take 9, though included an alternate stereo mix which he prepared, and which we've left in.
16. She's A Woman (stereo) (Recorded October 8, 1964)
Unfortunately, only a bit of this take one survives on the Abbey Road show tape, but it's so interesting that it begs inclusion.
17. 12-Bar Original (1965 mono mix)
18. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (stereo) (Recorded October 12, 1965)
19. I'm Looking Through You (stereo) (Recorded October 24, 1965)
Visitors attending The Beatles At Abbey Road, in most cases, heard only pieces of unreleased songs in an attempt to foil bootleggers. Not a stupid move on their part, since a complete recording was available within a month of the show's final performance. However, Barrett still mixed complete versions of the songs included in the show, and here are two of his finished otherwise unissued mixes. In Abbey Road, these tracks were played back-to-back so it made sense to present them the same way here!
"Sessions has been one of the most popular titles amongst Beatles collectors since its non-issue by EMI in 1985. Thanks to the recent discovery of cassette dubs made by the late Abbey Road engineer John Barrett, we are happy to present Another Sessions, which feature alternate mixes and versions of the songs from that unreleased album, along with bonus tracks. It is a perfect companion to Turn Me On, Dead Man: The John Barrett Tapes, and includes a booklet with notes and photographs."
"This CD features mixes of the songs from the Sessions project, these are not the same, but rejected mixes from the John Barrett Tapes."
Tr Title CD notes Time
1 Come And Get It 1982 alternate mix 2:30
2 Leave My Kitten Alone 1982 mono mix 2:52
3 Not Guilty 1982 stereo mix 4:23
4 I'm Looking Through You take 4 - no fade 2:51
5 What's The New Mary Jane 1968 alternate stereo mix 5:43
6 How Do You Do It? unedited mono mix 1:56
7 Besame Mucho original mono mix
8 One After 909 1982 mono mix 2:56
9 If You've Got Troubles 1982 stereo mix 2:49
10 That Means A Lot 1982 stereo low reverb mix 2:31
11 While My Guitar Gently Weeps 1982 stereo mix with original ending 3:14
12 Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues 1982 stereo mix - no fade 1:33
13 Christmas Time Is Here Again 1995 B Side 3:03
14 Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da muddy stereo mix 2:50
Bonus Tracks
15 A Hard Day's Night 1982 stereo mix w/false starts 2:42
16 She's A Woman take one 1982 stereo mix - fragment 1:17
17 12-Bar Original 1965 mono mix 6:45
18 Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) 1982 stereo mix 2:00
19 I'm Looking Through You 1982 stereo mix 2:54
In the beginning, there was Sessions... and it was not very good.
At least, that was the opinion of the surviving Beatles, once they got wind that EMI had assembled this collection of unreleased items from the Beatles' recording sessions between 1962 and 1969. Indeed, Sessions was a haphazardly assembled collection, with a short running time, no regard to chronological order for its track listing, and with some unconscionable editing and mixing of tracks by the otherwise impeccably credentialed Geoff Emerick. This was the usual EMI way, however, and it stood to reason that this effort wasn't going to be much different than its other attempts at repackaging the Beatles' work.
This fact didn't deter EMI. Catalog numbers were assigned throughout the free world in December of 1984, an unexciting sleeve was prepared, and a single to promote the package was selected ("Leave My Kitten Alone"). Sessions was set for release in January of 1985. However, the mighty hand of Apple and their respective lawyers swung down just in time, and Sessions was shelved. Ten years later, with those pesky lawsuits between the Beatles and EMI out of the way and everybody being the best of buddies, the Beatles own version of Sessions, the much-expanded Anthology, was issued. The unloved, unwanted Sessions still resides in EMI's vaults, though unfortunately many of Emerick's mixes and edits that were produced for it were used in Anthology.
The original version of Sessions can be heard on Spank's wonderful package of the same name (SP-103). However, what we've done here for your listening pleasure is assemble an alternate version of Sessions. We have utilized a recent cache of tapes that have come to light from the archival efforts of the late John Barrett of EMI, whose work was one of the catalyst for the compilation of the original album. These different versions include alternate mixes he produced for 1983's The Beatles At Abbey Road show, as well as mixes done for his own use, most of which were superior to the ones Emerick produced! In addition, we've also added as bonus tracks some material from that At Abbey Road production, also taken from Barrett's tapes, and some mixes previously unissued on CD. All in all, it's a most enjoyable collection of material often heard but not in the forms included here. Enjoy !
Peter Mewtilate
June 1999
The tracks (all mixed by John Barrett in 1982 except where noted):
1. Come And Get It (stereo) (Recorded July 24, 1969)
Paul McCartney's demo for Badfinger's first hit was originally mixed down to stereo the day it was recorded. When Geoff Emerick assembled Sessions, he remixed it, but this a Barrett mix that predates the Emerick redo.
2. Leave My Kitten Alone (mono) (Recorded August 14, 1964)
When this previously unreleased track appeared on Sessions, it was in an odd mix that wasn't quite stereo and wasn't quite mono. This is a mono mix that was prepared by Barrett for the Abbey Road show.
3. Not Guilty (stereo) (Recorded August 8, 1968)
This unreleased-by-the-Beatles George Harrison song was the worst crime perpetrated on any track for Sessions. Emerick edited entire sections out, slowed the song down, and in general made it a less interesting track. Sadly, this was also the mix that was used for Anthology 3, so the crime has been perpetrated upon the masses. At any rate, this is the original full-length version of "Not Guilty" as mixed by John Barrett for himself.
4. I'm Looking Through You (stereo) (Recorded November 10-11, 1965)
The Sessions version was left alone for the most part, and was one of Emerick's better jobs on the album. The Barrett version we have placed here is the one used on Rubber Soul, yet this has a slate, two false starts (like the US LP featured by mistake) and ends cold.
5. What's The New Mary Jane (stereo) (Recorded August 14, 1968, mixed October 14, 1968)
What a difference exactly four years between "Leave My Kitten Alone" and this track makes... At any rate, here is another mix of this marvelous Lennon-penned track, one that is 1968 vintage (different from the one prepared the same day, which can be found on Turn Me On Dead Man). This was actually a track Emerick improved, taking off much of the Yoko Ono input which helped to make the original mixes a bit, shall we say, challenging.
6. How Do You Do It? (mono) (Recorded and mixed September 4, 1962)
Another Emerick hack-job for Sessions, where he for no apparent reason re-edited the original unissued track making the boys repeat lines that didn't need repeating and weren't repeated on the original version! This is the unadulterated mono mix.
7. Besame Mucho (mono) (Recorded and mixed on June 6, 1962)
All versions of this track, which was recorded at The Beatles' first recording test, are identical. This sole surviving mix, from a private collection, was returned to EMI in the early 80's. This is slightly flatter in equalization than the Sessions version, however.
8. One After 909 (mono) (Recorded and mixed March 5, 1963)
This is a mono mix prepared by Barrett of the first half of take 4 with the edit piece take 5. The Beatles were of course later to rescue this early Lennon/McCartney song from unissued limbo and use it for the Get Back / Let It Be project in 1969.
9. If You've Got Troubles (stereo) (Recorded February 18, 1965)
The mighty thumb of Geoff Emerick came down hard on the Sessions version of this rather lame Lennon/McCartney original, composed with the best intentions for Ringo to sing as his contribution to the Help! LP. Thankfully, along came Buck Owens to rescue the ringed one with "Act Naturally". When mixing for Sessions, Emerick left out the entire first verse of "If You've Got Troubles", leading from the intro and editing directly into the second verse. Why? Who knows? It's not as though the track was made any worse by it being there in the first place, which was obviously echoed by the Fab Three and George Martin when assembling Anthology 2, using the complete original take and ignoring the Sessions mix. Included here is another Barrett alternate stereo mix from 1982. "Rock on, anybody", indeed.
10. That Means A Lot (stereo) (Recorded February 20, 1965)
This unreleased Help! track is featured on our alternate lineup in a previously unheard dry mono mix.
11. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (stereo) (Recorded July 25, 1968)
A gem of this collection, here is the unadulterated take one of this The Beatles (The White Album) George Harrison classic. When this was first heard in the Abbey Road show in 1983 in a Barrett-mixed guise, it stunned all who heard in its beauty and simplicity, and Harrison's offhand comment "Let's hear that back" after strumming the last arpeggio seemed to bring it back to Earth. Unfortunately, Emerick on the Sessions mix saw fit to loop the last chords played before this arpeggio and fade it out, rather than allowing it to play to its actual conclusion. Even more unfortunately, this same version was used on Anthology 3. We're proud to feature the original mix, in its finest quality ever.
12. Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues (aka Mailman Blues) (stereo) (Recorded January 29, 1969)
This Lloyd Price song, most likely heard by The Beatles as a Buddy Holly cover, was one of the few coherent oldies performed during the Get Back / Let It Be sessions. However, more Emerick trickery was involved here, primarily by fading in the track and the fading it out before its actual end. Here is the Barrett mix, shorter but with full ending included.
13. Christmas Time Is Here Again (stereo) (Recorded November 28, 1967)
This version was issued in December 1995 as the B-side of "Free As A Bird". We've taken the liberty of restoring the original beginning.
14. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (stereo) (Recorded July 13, 1968)
This is an odd one, in that the mix of the alternate "Ob-La-Di..." included here is of rather muddy quality and it has previously appeared on some other releases. However, we figured you'd rather have it than not to have your alternate Sessions album contain all it should!
Bonus Tracks
15. A Hard Day's Night (stereo) (Recorded April 16, 1964)
A particularly funny bit of Lennon wit featured in this The Beatles At Abbey Road bit. It comes from take one, as the Fabs are trying to crash into the correct opening chord, and failing, much to John's amusement. When he comes down on a decisive "1-2-3-4!" count-in Barrett edited to the released take 9, though included an alternate stereo mix which he prepared, and which we've left in.
16. She's A Woman (stereo) (Recorded October 8, 1964)
Unfortunately, only a bit of this take one survives on the Abbey Road show tape, but it's so interesting that it begs inclusion.
17. 12-Bar Original (1965 mono mix)
18. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (stereo) (Recorded October 12, 1965)
19. I'm Looking Through You (stereo) (Recorded October 24, 1965)
Visitors attending The Beatles At Abbey Road, in most cases, heard only pieces of unreleased songs in an attempt to foil bootleggers. Not a stupid move on their part, since a complete recording was available within a month of the show's final performance. However, Barrett still mixed complete versions of the songs included in the show, and here are two of his finished otherwise unissued mixes. In Abbey Road, these tracks were played back-to-back so it made sense to present them the same way here!
The Beatles - Turn Me On Dead Man: The John Barrett Tapes
Label: Vigotone, VT-178/179
Total Time: CD1: 60:00 CD2: 57:11
"This 2CD set will prove to be a revelatory experience for Beatle fans. The set is comprised of tracks taken directly from the late Abbey Road engineer's cassette dubs of material found during his vault searches in 1982. Included are previously unavailable tracks and mixes as well as items featuring significant upgrades in sound quality from earlier appearances on other collections. The package also includes a booklet with informative liner-notes and rare photos."
CD 1:
Tr Title CD notes
1 From Me To You stereo mix of mono 45
2 From Me To You 1982 stereo remix
3 Thank You Girl stereo mix of mono 45
4 Thank You Girl unechoed stereo version
5 One After 909 take 2 - 1982 mono mix
6 She Loves You 1966 stereo remix 1
7 She Loves You 1966 stereo remix 2
8 This Boy 1966 stereo remix 15
9 I'm A Loser 1982 stereo remix
10 Mr. Moonlight alternate version - 1982 stereo mix
11 What You're Doing unreleased take 11
12 That Means A Lot take 1 - stereo
13 That Means A Lot stereo edit piece
14 That Means A Lot mono - low reverb mix
15 That Means A Lot take 20 - stereo
16 That Means A Lot take 21 - stereo
17 That Means A Lot take 22 - stereo
18 That Means A Lot take 23 - stereo
19 That Means A Lot test - stereo
20 Help take 8 - basic tracks - 1982 stereo mix
21 Norwegian Wood take 1 w/slate
22 Norwegian Wood take 2 - major quality upgrade
23 12 Bar Original take 1 - major quality upgrade
24 12 Bar Original take 2 - major quality upgrade
25 Paperback Writer 1982 stereo remix
26 Rain 1982 stereo remix
27 Tomorrow Never Know mono mix 11
CD 2:
Tr Title CD notes
1 Strawberry Fields Forever take 7 - mono mix complete
2 Strawberry Fields Forever take 26 - mono mix with new vocal
3 Penny Lane complete oboe version - mono mix
4 Penny Lane mono mix 10
5 Penny Lane 1982 stereo remix
6 A Day In The Life 1982 stereo remix
7 Hello Goodbye 1982 stereo remix
8 Lady Madonna 1982 stereo remix - without sax overdub
9 Hey Jude - rehearsal 1982 stereo remix
10 What's The New Mary Jane 1968 stereo mix
11 Step Inside Love unedited 1982 stereo mix
12 Los Paranoias unedited 1982 stereo mix
13 The Way You Look Tonight 1982 stereo mix - unreleased song
14 Can You Take Me Back? 1982 stereo mix - long version
16 Shake, Rattle And Roll 1982 stereo mix
17 Kansas City / Miss Ann / Lawdy Miss Clawdy 1982 stereo mix
18 Not Fade Away 1982 stereo mix - unreleased song
19 Because 1982 stereo remix
Prior to the early 1980s, it was pure hearsay amongst Beatles aficionados as to what was inside the EMI vaults pertaining to the group's residency at Abbey Road and other studios from 1962 until 1970. Also, very little was known about actual recording dates of their album and singles. Most of the information that was available to fans came from contemporary reports in UK music magazines such as New Musical Express or Melody Maker, or fan mags like Beatles Monthly. This info, some correct, some not, was then regurgitated in many of the earlier Beatles books, such as Roy Carr and Tony Tyler's An Illustrated Record or Harry Castleman and Wally Podrazik's All Together Now.
All of this uncertainty was to change beginning in 1981. That year, an engineer at Abbey Road named John Barrett found he had cancer, and was looking for a way to occupy his time while undergoing treatment. Ken Townsend, the manager of the studios at the time, thought that finally going through the vaults and seeing exactly was and was not there with regards to the Beatles' many recording sessions would be an excellent task for the ailing engineer.
Barrett ripped into his task with gusto, spending weeks listening through every tape and making up a detailed "catalog" of sorts, with multi-colored tabs and dividers for easy access to the various sections, and color codings for the multitudes of mixes and takes which were included. The first fruits of this research was used on the insert for the box of EMI's The Beatles Singles Collection issued in December of 1982, which featured for the first time the recording dates for the tracks enclosed. Also, an informative article in Record Collector by Nick Piercey in October 1983 included EMI mouthpiece Mike Heatley using Barrett's guide when answering Piercey's queries about various Beatles recording issues.
Throughout 1982, Barrett was also compiling audio material for a Beatles multi-media show that would take place in the famed Abbey Road Studio 2 while it was being refurbished in the summer of 1983. While this cataloging and assemblage for The Beatles At Abbey Road (as the show was to be imaginatively titled) was occurring, Barrett was running cassette dubs of some of the more interesting material for his own use. Some of the material was mixed as he was running his tapes, while some tracks where the original mixes done at the time of the recording sessions. Barrett knew what he was doing; he dubbed off legendary tracks such as "Leave My Kitten Alone", which had never been issued, as well as the more interesting alternate takes in the vaults like "Norwegian Wood" take one. Also, many of the tracks he dubbed where stereo mixes of titles that at the time hadn't seen the light of day in stereo, or had seen limited release, such as "This Boy".
Meanwhile, the late Roger Scott, a well-known UK disc jockey, was enlisted to do the narration for the Abbey Road show, and was given copies of these dubs as well. Scott actually used some of the tracks from these dubs in 1984 (the same year Barrett died, in February) for a 12-hour radio show on the Beatles entitled "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". This material subsequently appeared (taken directly from the radio show discs) on the NEMS release "Not For Sale" in early 1985. Copies of some of the tapes made it into other hands one the Continent, who subsequently issued various series such as Ultra Rare Trax on Swingin' Pig, and Yellow Dog's Unsurpassed Masters, based on the Barrett dubs, mixed with other sources.
However, much of the material dubbed off by Barrett went unissued...until now. Taken from the original cassette dubs, here are a bunch o' Beatles tracks you've never heard in this forum. They are all either different mixes, or significant upgrades from previous appearances, or in some cases, completely unissued.
While John Barrett's name may not be as legendary in the Beatles' world as other researchers such as Mark Lewisohn, his initial work was the cornerstone for all that is now finally known about the Beatles' recording sessions. In tribute, we hope you enjoy these tapes... hopefully John Barrett would be happy to know that his efforts were not in vain !
Trevor Osmond Williams
June 1999
VIGO 178 - 27 Tracks - Total Time: 60:00
1. From Me To You (stereo) (Recorded March 5, 1963)
This track is the released take of the Beatles' third single, yet is featured here in the closest form yet to a stereo mix of the mono single version with the harmonica in place over the intro. It features the tail-end of Paul's "1-2-3" count-off, but does not include the introductory "Da-Da-Da"'s.
2. From Me To You (stereo) (Recorded March 5, 1963)
A Barrett remix of the previously available stereo version, which is sans the harmonica introduction, but features the "Da-Da-Da"'s!
3. Thank You Girl (stereo) (Recorded March 5 & 13, 1963)
The B-side of "From Me To You" is included in a stereo mix which is similar to the mono single version, which featured fewer harmonica overdubs in comparison to the next version. There is also a bit of studio noise at the beginning.
4. Thank You Girl (stereo) (Recorded March 5 & 13, 1963)
A long-awaited mix, an "unechoed" stereo version with harmonica over the middle-eight as well as the intro and outro. This previously appeared on Capitol's The Beatles Second Album, swamped in reverb placed there by the oh-so-wise Capitol Tower engineers in March of 1964.
5. One After 909 (mono) (Recorded March 5, 1963)
Take 2 of a series of five takes (hear them all in stereo on Vigotone's March 5, 1963 disc). George was obviously having problems with the solo here; listen to John's comment as the song fades out. The problem was solved with take 5 which was an edit piece which picks up the song from just before the solo to the end. A Barrett edit of take 4 and his edit piece can be heard on Another Sessions... Plus.
6. She Loves You
7. She Loves You (rechanneled stereo) (Recorded July 1, 1963, mixed November 8, 1966)
In late 1966, when it was apparent that there was not to be a new Beatles studio album in time for Christmas, a greatest hits was hastily assembled for the UK market only. Actually, A Collection Of Beatles Oldies (But Goldies) was welcomed by the fans at the time as a way of picking up several tracks which had never appeared on UK albums, of which "She Loves You" was one. The problem came when putting the stereo version of the album together, as the session tapes of "She Loves You", were long gone. Thus, on November 8, Geoff Emerick spent time trying to fashion a stereo version from the mono mixdown tape. The first mix you'll hear (with his voice featured on the beginning slate, as it is on the second mix as well) was the one used for the LP, with the bass frequencies emphasized in the left channel and the highs in the right. However, the second one has Emerick shifting the track from channel to channel when various sections of the song were being performed, not dissimilar to the trick United Artists engineers utilized on the US stereo A Hard Day's Night LP. (NOTE: in Mark Lewisohn's The Beatles Recording Sessions, he states that remix two was not the one used for the Oldies LP).
8. This Boy (stereo) (Recorded October 17, 1963, mixed November 10, 1966)
While the Oldies album was being prepared, it was discovered that there was one Beatles track which had not appeared on any UK LP to date: "Bad Boy", the Larry Williams potboiler which had surfaced on the US Beatles VI LP in June of 1965. The track was called up for remixing but instead of receiving the tape for "Bad Boy", the tape for "This Boy" had been sent instead! Engineer Peter Brown duly mixed the tracks into stereo for the first time, and it is his voice heard on the opening slate for "RS15". It was then discovered that this was the incorrect track required but "Bad Boy" was never remixed in the end, as the original 1965 mix was found to be sufficient. This mix of "This Boy" went unissued until 1976 when it appeared on a Capitol of Canada 45 with "All My Loving" on the flip side, but this is its first appearance with the slate.
9. I'm A Loser (stereo) (Recorded August 14, 1964)
An alternate stereo mix of the Beatles For Sale LP track prepared by Barrett in 1982 for the Abbey Road presentation.
10. Mr. Moonlight (stereo) (Recorded August 14, 1964)
This take was indeed issued on Anthology 1 in 1995 but in a compressed, extremely narrow stereo mix. This is a superior mix by Barrett which is more faithful to the stereo mixing style of 1964.
11. What You're Doing (stereo) (Recorded September 30, 1964)
A truly exciting never before issued item, the 11th take of this Beatles For Sale track which was temporarily marked "best" until the Beatles remade the song on October 26. It's a bit rough around the edges but features a slate, studio chat, full vocals from Paul & John, and includes a "false ending" which was not utilized in the final version.
12. That Means A Lot (Take 1) (stereo) (Recorded February 20, 1965, mixed February 23, 1965)
13. That Means A Lot (Edit piece) (stereo) (Recorded February 20, 1965)
14. That Means A Lot (Low reverb mix) (mono) (Recorded and mixed February 20, 1965)
15. That Means A Lot (Take 20) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
16. That Means A Lot (Take 21) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
17. That Means A Lot (Take 23) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
18. That Means A Lot (Take 24) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
19. That Means A Lot (test) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
With this series of takes, we track the journey of an unreleased Beatles song. This was not one of the Lennon/McCartney team's finer moments, and was eventually recorded by expatriate P.J. Proby on April 7, 1965 for an unsuccessful 45 release. However, The Beatles gave it a go over two separate recording sessions for Help! and the results are featured here, complete with slates and studio chatter. All the above tracks are either previously unavailable mixes (in the case of the first three), previously unreleased (Take 20 & 21) or in more superior quality than available before (the last three).
20. Help! (stereo) (instrumental) (Recorded April 13, 1965)
This take 8 "basic tracks" version was used in the Abbey Road show after being mixed to stereo by Barrett.
21. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (stereo) (Recorded October 12, 1965)
Take 1, as presented several times before on other releases, though it is included here with a slate and some studio chat previously unheard prior to this release. This was one of the two mixes produced by Barrett; the other one is found on Another Sessions.
22. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (stereo) (Recorded October 12, 1965)
Take 2, in markedly better quality than any previous issue.
23. 12 Bar Original
24. 12 Bar Original (stereo) (Recorded November 4, 1965)
An instrumental "Green Onions" cop, which was recorded as a desperation move when it seemed the Rubber Soul LP was going to be a bit short on tunes. Thankfully, John came up with "Girl", Paul offered "I'm Looking Through You", and "Wait" was dug up from the archives from its non-appearance on Help!. "12-Bar Original" was then released to the vaults, thus keeping it from being the song on Rubber Soul that everyone would skip over on repeated listenings! Here are takes 1 (a breakdown) and 2, in an upgrade from previous appearances in stereo with slate.
25. Paperback Writer (stereo) Recorded April 13-14, 1966)
26. Rain (stereo) Recorded April 14-16, 1966)
Both of these tracks, the A-sides and B-sides respectively of the Beatles' brilliant pre-Revolver 45, are remixes Barrett made specifically for the Abbey Road presentation with differences in placements of instruments and vocals immediately noticeable to those folks who take interest in such things!
27. Tomorrow Never Knows (mono) (Recorded April 6-7, 1966, mixed June 6, 1966)
As a special bonus, we have taken the liberty of straying from the Barrett tapes for one track. Featured here is the extremely rare mono mix (RM11) of "Tomorrow Never Knows" which was included on a select few first pressing of the monaural UK Revolver LP (matrix #XEX 606-1 only). This came about as a result of George Martin making a second call on July 14, 1966 (as the album was already in the cutting stages) to Geoff Emerick to replace this mix with RM8, which had been produced earlier, on April 27. However, it wasn't changed before some pressings had already been manufactured with RM11, thus insuring that very few people would ever get to hear this considerably different (in both content and length) mix. Now you can see for yourself if old George made the right decision.
VIGO 179 - 19 Tracks - Total Time: 57:11
1. Strawberry Fields Forever (mono) (Recorded and mixed November 29, 1966)
This is the complete mono mix (RM3) of take 7, which was cross-faded on Anthology 2 into a newly-created, drums-only mix of take 25. This original mono version was previously only available on an acetate included on Vigotone's It's Not Too Bad CD, but it has a count-in here (and is of course taken from tape!).
2. Strawberry Fields Forever (mono) (Recorded December 8-9 & 15, 1966, mixed December 15, 1966)
A rough mono mix (RM9 for those of you keeping score) which is new in that it features a rough John Lennon single-tracked vocal over the "orchestral version" (take 26) for the first time. All other mixes of this rendition which have appeared in the past have been in stereo with no complete vocal existing on top of the track.
3. Penny Lane (mono) (Recorded December 29, 1966, January 4-6 & 9-12, 1967, mixed January 12, 1967)
Another exciting discovery, the complete "oboe" version of "Penny Lane" as originally mixed down to mono (RM8) after recording woodwind and brass overdubs for the track on the 12th of January. Paul took his mix home and realized it needed something else to make it complete, which ended up being a Bach trumpet solo which was recorded five days later. In 1995, a hybrid of the oboe and trumpet versions was mixed for Anthology 2 but the "oboe only" mix appears here for the first time, complete with some studio noise and a count-in at the beginning.
4. Penny Lane (mono) (Recorded December 29, 1966, January 4-6 & 9-12, 1967, mixed January 17, 1967)
Along came David Mason and his Bach Trumpet, and "Penny Lane" was mixed into mono and completed. Or was it ? This mix (RM10), featuring a seven-note ending trumpet figure over the ending, is very close to the RM11 which was shipped to Capitol in the US immediately after its completion, and was used for the initial pressings of the promotional 45's for the song. However, the mix was improved upon on January 25, and RM14 is the one that was used from that point on. RM10 is included here in all of its mono glory.
5. Penny Lane (stereo) (Recorded December 29, 1966, January 4-6 & 9-12, 1967)
A stereo remix also prepared for the Abbey Road presentation, reflecting the final "non-trumpet ending".
6. A Day In The Life (stereo) (Recorded January 19-20, February 3 & 10, 1967)
7. Hello Goodbye (stereo) (Recorded October 2, 19-20 & 25, November 1-2, 1967)
8. Lady Madonna (stereo) (Recorded February 3 & 6, 1968)
All three of the above are stereo remixes by Barrett, again for The Beatles At Abbey Road. "A Day In The Life" includes John's count-in and therefore a clean guitar intro instead of the cross-faded Sgt. Pepper LP version. The other two have distinct differences, particularly "Lady Madonna" which doesn't include any of the saxophone overdubs found on the issued mixes.
9. Hey Jude (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
This particular performance of the Fab Four's most popular single was the soundtrack for a staple of Beatles movie marathons over the last 25 years: the clip of the Beatles rehearsing "Hey Jude" for the National Music Council of Great Britain's documentary, Music!. As this clip was also used in the Abbey Road presentation, Barrett found the multi-tracks for the rehearsal and mixed them into stereo to accompany the film.
10. What's The New Mary Jane (stereo) (Recorded August 14, 1968, mixed October 14, 1968)
An infamous unreleased John Lennon composition meant for the "White Album" but dropped when it was decided that one unlistenable track ("Revolution #9") was enough for one album. "Mary Jane" exists in a variety of different mixes, both vintage and more recent. This happens to be one of a six-minute and five-second duration, and one of two mix produced at this October 14 mixing session. After all that effort, "Mary Jane" wouldn't be issued officially until 1996 and Anthology 3 in a radically remixed form, albeit a more listenable form as well!
11. Step Inside Love (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
12. Los Paranoias (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
13. The Way You Look Tonight (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
14. Can You Take Me Back? (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
These four "songs" were recorded during the session for The Beatles (The White Album) track "I Will", with only Paul, John and Ringo in attendance. A whopping 67 takes were recorded during he eight-hour session, but to alleviate the tedium, Paul very informally broke into the above tunes. "Step Inside Love" and "Los Paranoias" were combined on Anthology 3 in 1996, but were edited in comparison to their appearance here. "Step Inside Love" is, of course, a tune Paul gave to Cilla Black and who had recorded it a few months earlier. "The Way You Look Tonight" has never previously surfaced and is basically the tune of "I Will" with impromptu lyrics. "Can You Take Me Back" is a never-heard before long version of the link track used between "Cry Baby Cry" and "Revolution #9" on The Beatles.
15. Shake, Rattle And Roll
16. Medley: Kansas City / Miss Ann / Lawdy Miss Clawdy
17. Blue Suede Shoes (stereo) (Recorded January 26, 1969)
The sessions described as "hell" by John Lennon, the dreaded Get Back / Let It Be project did produce some enjoyable musical moments. Most of them are collected on Vigotone's As Nature Intended and Get Back - The Glyn Johns Final Compilation, but this Barrett mixed medley of old rock'n'roll chestnuts is uncollected on either of those sets.
18. Not Fade Away (stereo) (Recorded January 29, 1969)
The first appearance of this Get Back / Let It Be track in stereo. A very loose rendition and another indication that Buddy Holly remained a fab favorite to the end. (Also check out "Mailman Bring Me No More Blues" on Sessions and Another Sessions...Plus).
19. Because (stereo) (Recorded August 1 & 4, 1969)
We end our trawl through the John Barrett tapes with one of the more effective ideas he utilized for The Beatles At Abbey Road: a vocals-only mix of "Because" from 1969's Abbey Road. Actually, it's vocals-only for half the song, with the synthesizer coming in a the "Love is old, love is new" section, but features a new mix throughout the track.
Total Time: CD1: 60:00 CD2: 57:11
"This 2CD set will prove to be a revelatory experience for Beatle fans. The set is comprised of tracks taken directly from the late Abbey Road engineer's cassette dubs of material found during his vault searches in 1982. Included are previously unavailable tracks and mixes as well as items featuring significant upgrades in sound quality from earlier appearances on other collections. The package also includes a booklet with informative liner-notes and rare photos."
CD 1:
Tr Title CD notes
1 From Me To You stereo mix of mono 45
2 From Me To You 1982 stereo remix
3 Thank You Girl stereo mix of mono 45
4 Thank You Girl unechoed stereo version
5 One After 909 take 2 - 1982 mono mix
6 She Loves You 1966 stereo remix 1
7 She Loves You 1966 stereo remix 2
8 This Boy 1966 stereo remix 15
9 I'm A Loser 1982 stereo remix
10 Mr. Moonlight alternate version - 1982 stereo mix
11 What You're Doing unreleased take 11
12 That Means A Lot take 1 - stereo
13 That Means A Lot stereo edit piece
14 That Means A Lot mono - low reverb mix
15 That Means A Lot take 20 - stereo
16 That Means A Lot take 21 - stereo
17 That Means A Lot take 22 - stereo
18 That Means A Lot take 23 - stereo
19 That Means A Lot test - stereo
20 Help take 8 - basic tracks - 1982 stereo mix
21 Norwegian Wood take 1 w/slate
22 Norwegian Wood take 2 - major quality upgrade
23 12 Bar Original take 1 - major quality upgrade
24 12 Bar Original take 2 - major quality upgrade
25 Paperback Writer 1982 stereo remix
26 Rain 1982 stereo remix
27 Tomorrow Never Know mono mix 11
CD 2:
Tr Title CD notes
1 Strawberry Fields Forever take 7 - mono mix complete
2 Strawberry Fields Forever take 26 - mono mix with new vocal
3 Penny Lane complete oboe version - mono mix
4 Penny Lane mono mix 10
5 Penny Lane 1982 stereo remix
6 A Day In The Life 1982 stereo remix
7 Hello Goodbye 1982 stereo remix
8 Lady Madonna 1982 stereo remix - without sax overdub
9 Hey Jude - rehearsal 1982 stereo remix
10 What's The New Mary Jane 1968 stereo mix
11 Step Inside Love unedited 1982 stereo mix
12 Los Paranoias unedited 1982 stereo mix
13 The Way You Look Tonight 1982 stereo mix - unreleased song
14 Can You Take Me Back? 1982 stereo mix - long version
16 Shake, Rattle And Roll 1982 stereo mix
17 Kansas City / Miss Ann / Lawdy Miss Clawdy 1982 stereo mix
18 Not Fade Away 1982 stereo mix - unreleased song
19 Because 1982 stereo remix
Prior to the early 1980s, it was pure hearsay amongst Beatles aficionados as to what was inside the EMI vaults pertaining to the group's residency at Abbey Road and other studios from 1962 until 1970. Also, very little was known about actual recording dates of their album and singles. Most of the information that was available to fans came from contemporary reports in UK music magazines such as New Musical Express or Melody Maker, or fan mags like Beatles Monthly. This info, some correct, some not, was then regurgitated in many of the earlier Beatles books, such as Roy Carr and Tony Tyler's An Illustrated Record or Harry Castleman and Wally Podrazik's All Together Now.
All of this uncertainty was to change beginning in 1981. That year, an engineer at Abbey Road named John Barrett found he had cancer, and was looking for a way to occupy his time while undergoing treatment. Ken Townsend, the manager of the studios at the time, thought that finally going through the vaults and seeing exactly was and was not there with regards to the Beatles' many recording sessions would be an excellent task for the ailing engineer.
Barrett ripped into his task with gusto, spending weeks listening through every tape and making up a detailed "catalog" of sorts, with multi-colored tabs and dividers for easy access to the various sections, and color codings for the multitudes of mixes and takes which were included. The first fruits of this research was used on the insert for the box of EMI's The Beatles Singles Collection issued in December of 1982, which featured for the first time the recording dates for the tracks enclosed. Also, an informative article in Record Collector by Nick Piercey in October 1983 included EMI mouthpiece Mike Heatley using Barrett's guide when answering Piercey's queries about various Beatles recording issues.
Throughout 1982, Barrett was also compiling audio material for a Beatles multi-media show that would take place in the famed Abbey Road Studio 2 while it was being refurbished in the summer of 1983. While this cataloging and assemblage for The Beatles At Abbey Road (as the show was to be imaginatively titled) was occurring, Barrett was running cassette dubs of some of the more interesting material for his own use. Some of the material was mixed as he was running his tapes, while some tracks where the original mixes done at the time of the recording sessions. Barrett knew what he was doing; he dubbed off legendary tracks such as "Leave My Kitten Alone", which had never been issued, as well as the more interesting alternate takes in the vaults like "Norwegian Wood" take one. Also, many of the tracks he dubbed where stereo mixes of titles that at the time hadn't seen the light of day in stereo, or had seen limited release, such as "This Boy".
Meanwhile, the late Roger Scott, a well-known UK disc jockey, was enlisted to do the narration for the Abbey Road show, and was given copies of these dubs as well. Scott actually used some of the tracks from these dubs in 1984 (the same year Barrett died, in February) for a 12-hour radio show on the Beatles entitled "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". This material subsequently appeared (taken directly from the radio show discs) on the NEMS release "Not For Sale" in early 1985. Copies of some of the tapes made it into other hands one the Continent, who subsequently issued various series such as Ultra Rare Trax on Swingin' Pig, and Yellow Dog's Unsurpassed Masters, based on the Barrett dubs, mixed with other sources.
However, much of the material dubbed off by Barrett went unissued...until now. Taken from the original cassette dubs, here are a bunch o' Beatles tracks you've never heard in this forum. They are all either different mixes, or significant upgrades from previous appearances, or in some cases, completely unissued.
While John Barrett's name may not be as legendary in the Beatles' world as other researchers such as Mark Lewisohn, his initial work was the cornerstone for all that is now finally known about the Beatles' recording sessions. In tribute, we hope you enjoy these tapes... hopefully John Barrett would be happy to know that his efforts were not in vain !
Trevor Osmond Williams
June 1999
VIGO 178 - 27 Tracks - Total Time: 60:00
1. From Me To You (stereo) (Recorded March 5, 1963)
This track is the released take of the Beatles' third single, yet is featured here in the closest form yet to a stereo mix of the mono single version with the harmonica in place over the intro. It features the tail-end of Paul's "1-2-3" count-off, but does not include the introductory "Da-Da-Da"'s.
2. From Me To You (stereo) (Recorded March 5, 1963)
A Barrett remix of the previously available stereo version, which is sans the harmonica introduction, but features the "Da-Da-Da"'s!
3. Thank You Girl (stereo) (Recorded March 5 & 13, 1963)
The B-side of "From Me To You" is included in a stereo mix which is similar to the mono single version, which featured fewer harmonica overdubs in comparison to the next version. There is also a bit of studio noise at the beginning.
4. Thank You Girl (stereo) (Recorded March 5 & 13, 1963)
A long-awaited mix, an "unechoed" stereo version with harmonica over the middle-eight as well as the intro and outro. This previously appeared on Capitol's The Beatles Second Album, swamped in reverb placed there by the oh-so-wise Capitol Tower engineers in March of 1964.
5. One After 909 (mono) (Recorded March 5, 1963)
Take 2 of a series of five takes (hear them all in stereo on Vigotone's March 5, 1963 disc). George was obviously having problems with the solo here; listen to John's comment as the song fades out. The problem was solved with take 5 which was an edit piece which picks up the song from just before the solo to the end. A Barrett edit of take 4 and his edit piece can be heard on Another Sessions... Plus.
6. She Loves You
7. She Loves You (rechanneled stereo) (Recorded July 1, 1963, mixed November 8, 1966)
In late 1966, when it was apparent that there was not to be a new Beatles studio album in time for Christmas, a greatest hits was hastily assembled for the UK market only. Actually, A Collection Of Beatles Oldies (But Goldies) was welcomed by the fans at the time as a way of picking up several tracks which had never appeared on UK albums, of which "She Loves You" was one. The problem came when putting the stereo version of the album together, as the session tapes of "She Loves You", were long gone. Thus, on November 8, Geoff Emerick spent time trying to fashion a stereo version from the mono mixdown tape. The first mix you'll hear (with his voice featured on the beginning slate, as it is on the second mix as well) was the one used for the LP, with the bass frequencies emphasized in the left channel and the highs in the right. However, the second one has Emerick shifting the track from channel to channel when various sections of the song were being performed, not dissimilar to the trick United Artists engineers utilized on the US stereo A Hard Day's Night LP. (NOTE: in Mark Lewisohn's The Beatles Recording Sessions, he states that remix two was not the one used for the Oldies LP).
8. This Boy (stereo) (Recorded October 17, 1963, mixed November 10, 1966)
While the Oldies album was being prepared, it was discovered that there was one Beatles track which had not appeared on any UK LP to date: "Bad Boy", the Larry Williams potboiler which had surfaced on the US Beatles VI LP in June of 1965. The track was called up for remixing but instead of receiving the tape for "Bad Boy", the tape for "This Boy" had been sent instead! Engineer Peter Brown duly mixed the tracks into stereo for the first time, and it is his voice heard on the opening slate for "RS15". It was then discovered that this was the incorrect track required but "Bad Boy" was never remixed in the end, as the original 1965 mix was found to be sufficient. This mix of "This Boy" went unissued until 1976 when it appeared on a Capitol of Canada 45 with "All My Loving" on the flip side, but this is its first appearance with the slate.
9. I'm A Loser (stereo) (Recorded August 14, 1964)
An alternate stereo mix of the Beatles For Sale LP track prepared by Barrett in 1982 for the Abbey Road presentation.
10. Mr. Moonlight (stereo) (Recorded August 14, 1964)
This take was indeed issued on Anthology 1 in 1995 but in a compressed, extremely narrow stereo mix. This is a superior mix by Barrett which is more faithful to the stereo mixing style of 1964.
11. What You're Doing (stereo) (Recorded September 30, 1964)
A truly exciting never before issued item, the 11th take of this Beatles For Sale track which was temporarily marked "best" until the Beatles remade the song on October 26. It's a bit rough around the edges but features a slate, studio chat, full vocals from Paul & John, and includes a "false ending" which was not utilized in the final version.
12. That Means A Lot (Take 1) (stereo) (Recorded February 20, 1965, mixed February 23, 1965)
13. That Means A Lot (Edit piece) (stereo) (Recorded February 20, 1965)
14. That Means A Lot (Low reverb mix) (mono) (Recorded and mixed February 20, 1965)
15. That Means A Lot (Take 20) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
16. That Means A Lot (Take 21) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
17. That Means A Lot (Take 23) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
18. That Means A Lot (Take 24) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
19. That Means A Lot (test) (stereo) (Recorded March 30, 1965)
With this series of takes, we track the journey of an unreleased Beatles song. This was not one of the Lennon/McCartney team's finer moments, and was eventually recorded by expatriate P.J. Proby on April 7, 1965 for an unsuccessful 45 release. However, The Beatles gave it a go over two separate recording sessions for Help! and the results are featured here, complete with slates and studio chatter. All the above tracks are either previously unavailable mixes (in the case of the first three), previously unreleased (Take 20 & 21) or in more superior quality than available before (the last three).
20. Help! (stereo) (instrumental) (Recorded April 13, 1965)
This take 8 "basic tracks" version was used in the Abbey Road show after being mixed to stereo by Barrett.
21. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (stereo) (Recorded October 12, 1965)
Take 1, as presented several times before on other releases, though it is included here with a slate and some studio chat previously unheard prior to this release. This was one of the two mixes produced by Barrett; the other one is found on Another Sessions.
22. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (stereo) (Recorded October 12, 1965)
Take 2, in markedly better quality than any previous issue.
23. 12 Bar Original
24. 12 Bar Original (stereo) (Recorded November 4, 1965)
An instrumental "Green Onions" cop, which was recorded as a desperation move when it seemed the Rubber Soul LP was going to be a bit short on tunes. Thankfully, John came up with "Girl", Paul offered "I'm Looking Through You", and "Wait" was dug up from the archives from its non-appearance on Help!. "12-Bar Original" was then released to the vaults, thus keeping it from being the song on Rubber Soul that everyone would skip over on repeated listenings! Here are takes 1 (a breakdown) and 2, in an upgrade from previous appearances in stereo with slate.
25. Paperback Writer (stereo) Recorded April 13-14, 1966)
26. Rain (stereo) Recorded April 14-16, 1966)
Both of these tracks, the A-sides and B-sides respectively of the Beatles' brilliant pre-Revolver 45, are remixes Barrett made specifically for the Abbey Road presentation with differences in placements of instruments and vocals immediately noticeable to those folks who take interest in such things!
27. Tomorrow Never Knows (mono) (Recorded April 6-7, 1966, mixed June 6, 1966)
As a special bonus, we have taken the liberty of straying from the Barrett tapes for one track. Featured here is the extremely rare mono mix (RM11) of "Tomorrow Never Knows" which was included on a select few first pressing of the monaural UK Revolver LP (matrix #XEX 606-1 only). This came about as a result of George Martin making a second call on July 14, 1966 (as the album was already in the cutting stages) to Geoff Emerick to replace this mix with RM8, which had been produced earlier, on April 27. However, it wasn't changed before some pressings had already been manufactured with RM11, thus insuring that very few people would ever get to hear this considerably different (in both content and length) mix. Now you can see for yourself if old George made the right decision.
VIGO 179 - 19 Tracks - Total Time: 57:11
1. Strawberry Fields Forever (mono) (Recorded and mixed November 29, 1966)
This is the complete mono mix (RM3) of take 7, which was cross-faded on Anthology 2 into a newly-created, drums-only mix of take 25. This original mono version was previously only available on an acetate included on Vigotone's It's Not Too Bad CD, but it has a count-in here (and is of course taken from tape!).
2. Strawberry Fields Forever (mono) (Recorded December 8-9 & 15, 1966, mixed December 15, 1966)
A rough mono mix (RM9 for those of you keeping score) which is new in that it features a rough John Lennon single-tracked vocal over the "orchestral version" (take 26) for the first time. All other mixes of this rendition which have appeared in the past have been in stereo with no complete vocal existing on top of the track.
3. Penny Lane (mono) (Recorded December 29, 1966, January 4-6 & 9-12, 1967, mixed January 12, 1967)
Another exciting discovery, the complete "oboe" version of "Penny Lane" as originally mixed down to mono (RM8) after recording woodwind and brass overdubs for the track on the 12th of January. Paul took his mix home and realized it needed something else to make it complete, which ended up being a Bach trumpet solo which was recorded five days later. In 1995, a hybrid of the oboe and trumpet versions was mixed for Anthology 2 but the "oboe only" mix appears here for the first time, complete with some studio noise and a count-in at the beginning.
4. Penny Lane (mono) (Recorded December 29, 1966, January 4-6 & 9-12, 1967, mixed January 17, 1967)
Along came David Mason and his Bach Trumpet, and "Penny Lane" was mixed into mono and completed. Or was it ? This mix (RM10), featuring a seven-note ending trumpet figure over the ending, is very close to the RM11 which was shipped to Capitol in the US immediately after its completion, and was used for the initial pressings of the promotional 45's for the song. However, the mix was improved upon on January 25, and RM14 is the one that was used from that point on. RM10 is included here in all of its mono glory.
5. Penny Lane (stereo) (Recorded December 29, 1966, January 4-6 & 9-12, 1967)
A stereo remix also prepared for the Abbey Road presentation, reflecting the final "non-trumpet ending".
6. A Day In The Life (stereo) (Recorded January 19-20, February 3 & 10, 1967)
7. Hello Goodbye (stereo) (Recorded October 2, 19-20 & 25, November 1-2, 1967)
8. Lady Madonna (stereo) (Recorded February 3 & 6, 1968)
All three of the above are stereo remixes by Barrett, again for The Beatles At Abbey Road. "A Day In The Life" includes John's count-in and therefore a clean guitar intro instead of the cross-faded Sgt. Pepper LP version. The other two have distinct differences, particularly "Lady Madonna" which doesn't include any of the saxophone overdubs found on the issued mixes.
9. Hey Jude (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
This particular performance of the Fab Four's most popular single was the soundtrack for a staple of Beatles movie marathons over the last 25 years: the clip of the Beatles rehearsing "Hey Jude" for the National Music Council of Great Britain's documentary, Music!. As this clip was also used in the Abbey Road presentation, Barrett found the multi-tracks for the rehearsal and mixed them into stereo to accompany the film.
10. What's The New Mary Jane (stereo) (Recorded August 14, 1968, mixed October 14, 1968)
An infamous unreleased John Lennon composition meant for the "White Album" but dropped when it was decided that one unlistenable track ("Revolution #9") was enough for one album. "Mary Jane" exists in a variety of different mixes, both vintage and more recent. This happens to be one of a six-minute and five-second duration, and one of two mix produced at this October 14 mixing session. After all that effort, "Mary Jane" wouldn't be issued officially until 1996 and Anthology 3 in a radically remixed form, albeit a more listenable form as well!
11. Step Inside Love (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
12. Los Paranoias (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
13. The Way You Look Tonight (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
14. Can You Take Me Back? (stereo) (Recorded September 16, 1968)
These four "songs" were recorded during the session for The Beatles (The White Album) track "I Will", with only Paul, John and Ringo in attendance. A whopping 67 takes were recorded during he eight-hour session, but to alleviate the tedium, Paul very informally broke into the above tunes. "Step Inside Love" and "Los Paranoias" were combined on Anthology 3 in 1996, but were edited in comparison to their appearance here. "Step Inside Love" is, of course, a tune Paul gave to Cilla Black and who had recorded it a few months earlier. "The Way You Look Tonight" has never previously surfaced and is basically the tune of "I Will" with impromptu lyrics. "Can You Take Me Back" is a never-heard before long version of the link track used between "Cry Baby Cry" and "Revolution #9" on The Beatles.
15. Shake, Rattle And Roll
16. Medley: Kansas City / Miss Ann / Lawdy Miss Clawdy
17. Blue Suede Shoes (stereo) (Recorded January 26, 1969)
The sessions described as "hell" by John Lennon, the dreaded Get Back / Let It Be project did produce some enjoyable musical moments. Most of them are collected on Vigotone's As Nature Intended and Get Back - The Glyn Johns Final Compilation, but this Barrett mixed medley of old rock'n'roll chestnuts is uncollected on either of those sets.
18. Not Fade Away (stereo) (Recorded January 29, 1969)
The first appearance of this Get Back / Let It Be track in stereo. A very loose rendition and another indication that Buddy Holly remained a fab favorite to the end. (Also check out "Mailman Bring Me No More Blues" on Sessions and Another Sessions...Plus).
19. Because (stereo) (Recorded August 1 & 4, 1969)
We end our trawl through the John Barrett tapes with one of the more effective ideas he utilized for The Beatles At Abbey Road: a vocals-only mix of "Because" from 1969's Abbey Road. Actually, it's vocals-only for half the song, with the synthesizer coming in a the "Love is old, love is new" section, but features a new mix throughout the track.
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