The "new" Beatles albums

[RobAdams]

In the mid 1990's it was a very nice time to be a Beatles fanatic. Between 1994 and 1996 there were 4 double CD sets of previously unreleased Beatles recordings. This was the first official release of previously unreleased Beatles tracks since the 1977 "HOLLYWOOD BOWL" album. In 1994 the LIVE AT THE BBC set was released, choc full of odd covers and familliar tunes recorded specially for broadcast on various BBC radio programs from 1963-65. In 1995 the ANTHOLOGY 1 set appeared, with one "new" track (FREE AS A BIRD), pre-EMI material, and various live tracks, outtakes and demos from 1957 to 1964. Early in 1996 the ANTHOLOGY 2 set was released. Another "new" track was featured (REAL LOVE), as well as live tracks up to 1966, and outtakes and demos between 1965 and 1968. A few months later the last of the bunch, ANTHOLOGY 3, was issued. This time there was no "new" song, but there were tons of outtakes and demos covering the Beatles' Apple years 1968-1970. These great collections added over 9 hours of recordings to their catalog.

Which of the 4 albums do you like the most?

[Martin Riley]

I'd go for ANTHOLOGY 2. I think Derek Taylor refers to it in the notes as the Years of Dash and Daring(or something like that) and I think this reflects the absolute creative spurt that the Beatles achieved at this time. They took what was basically an adolescent past time and turned it into an art form.

[RobAdams]

Although the 3 ANTHOLOGY releases were issued separately, it's almost like one long 6 CD album. The three discs I play the most out of the 6 are the second ones in each set - except ANTHOLOGY 3. The first disc in that set is awesome - the whole disc is an "alternate white album".

LIVE AT THE BBC is fun when I'm in the mood for their earlier sounds. A lot of the cover tunes making their first appearance on a Beatles album here were songs they used to perform live in the pre-fame days. This CD gives you a listenable approximation of what they sounded like playing in the Cavern in Liverpool, and in Hamburg.

During this same 1994-1996 period, three CD maxi-singles appeared as well, each with 3 previously unreleased tracks supporting. The single from the BBC set was BABY IT'S YOU, with BBC versions of I'LL FOLLOW THE SUN, DEVIL IN HER HEART and BOYS. The FREE AS A BIRD single offered I SAW HER STANDING THERE (alternate take), THIS BOY (alternate take) and CHRISTMAS TIME (IS HERE AGAIN) (previously unreleased track). The last of the CD maxi-singles was REAL LOVE, which added 3 more offerings: BABY'S IN BLACK (live), YELLOW SUBMARINE (alternate mix, with spoken intro and emphasis on sound effects), and HERE THERE AND EVERYWHERE (alternate take with edit).

What a great decade the 1990's were for a Beatles fan.

[bjm0rwo]

I voted for Live at the BBC.It was great to hear them playing live without,for the most part,screaming fans.They were very good at the covers also and their playing was tight.It's a shame there aren't any more live recordings especially in the later years but I'll settle for this one.

[RobAdams]

Hopefully we'll have a 'LET IT BE REVISTED' album to add to our collections in 2003!!!

[Kevin Still]

I love Anthology 2. That, to me, was the Beatles "main Sequence".
Between Help and Sgt. Pepper was just the best 3 years of music created until 1970-1973 and those awsome 3 Yes albums. You know which ones!!!!

[Dantalion Rides Again]

Although it's not my favorite period, I feel this one has the best tracks. Anthology 1 shows how great they were at that time. I don't feel the same can be said of the other two, mainly because of the nature of it - Anthology 1 is lots of nice live recordings of them during their live period.

I'm not crazy about BBC Sessions, but I haven't given it a fair shake either.

I bought the Anthologies on vinyl - they're triple records! :D

[Jackaranda]

Yellow Submarine Songtrack in 98 and 1 in 99-2000. My vote goes to Anthology 2 with Yellow Sub right there. But really, it's all great.

The new anthology footage is just a dream come true for Beatle fans.

[doctor_how]

Anthology 2 has some cool versions of the classic songs. I think they should've used the Anthology version of Good Morning, Good Morning instead of the one currently on Sgt. Pepper. It's perfect! It's also great to hear an old version of Tomorrow Never Knows.

[RobAdams]

Sorry Jack! The reason 1 and Yellow Submarine Songtrack weren't included was because the focus of the poll is on the albums that don't consist of previously released tracks for the most part.

[doctor_how]

Anthology 1 is awesome soley because of Free As a Bird. I'm not sure if the Decca demo version of Besame Mucho is on it, too, but if it is, that's probably the second best song on it.

[Steve K]

As a collector of Beatles bootlegs I think the most 'important' release of the 4 listed was anthology 1. It included the 'lost' Harrison tune "You Know What To Do" and the first recording ever of John, Paul and George in the same outfit "In Spite Of All The Danger". These aren’t tracks you'd play most often but wonderful to have.

In terms of listening pleasure Anthology 3 is my choice. The 'White Album' is my favourite Beatles record and the Esher demos and alternate studio takes on Anthology 3 are pretty mind blowing. We've had bootleg versions of many of the White Album demos for years (what, around 23 of the songs have been booted?) but Anthology 3 gave us a couple we'd never heard before and the sound quality on all of the demos was fantastic. Having said that my personal favourite Anthology 3 track is the crazy version of 'Got To Get You Into My Life'.

If Apple/Capitol ever agreed to release an alternate White Album/Acoustic White Album (and I expect that they one day will) it would be the hottest record of the new century for me.

The BBC stuff is also fantastic but much of it was around for years on not hard to get vinyl and later CDs, it's official release didn't have the same impact as the Anthology series.

[doctor_how]

I like the outfaked version of Glass Onion on The Sweetest Apples. (sorry about using a name, but it's the only place to find it) I traded for it!

[Earl Grey]

I love the Strawberry Fields series...

I had it on vinyl many years ago. It was good to find it on 'Anthology'.

[Sticks]

I voted for Anth 3 as that's my favourite period...the more complex the writing and recording the better.

The versions of Come Together (this is where you can hear John sing "Shoot Me" through his cupped hands...scary) and Sexy Sadie are evidence enough that there is a great deal of material still in the vaults (despite what George Martin might say) that the collector would love to hear. No alternate versions of these tracks were in the hands of bootleggers so their inclusion made this a special set.

The other great revelation on Anth 3 was the home demo of Mean Mister Mustard. When the track listing for this set was first mooted I scoffed at the reported inclusion of this demo; the chronology seemed completely wrong.

[Earl Grey]

What about 'Child Of The Universe' from the White Album demos?

Much more Hippie-Dippy than 'Jealous Guy'.

I like the way John curtailed his songs to fit the times.
We can take a lesson here.

EG

[Sticks]

What about 'Child Of The Universe' from the White Album demos?

Much more Hippie-Dippy than 'Jealous Guy'.

I like the way John curtailed his songs to fit the times.
We can take a lesson here.

EG

Gee Earl. If memory serves me well Child Of Nature wasn't on the Anthology discs. It was a serious omission and I thought that Yoko had held it over for John's anthology...well that's come and gone and still no sign of Child Of Nature. You've got to wonder why as it is a great insight to the song writer’s process and certainly Hippie-Dippy.

Child Of Nature is still a boot and still a great song to play for the uninitiated.