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Meet
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Beatles:
A
guide
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John
McKenzie,
Professional
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Select the perfect Beatles albums (or just
buy 'em all!)
A guide by
mama_k8_99, Beatles fanatic
See all
products
Preface
Ah, The Fab Four. We all know who they are,
but if you're trying to begin your Beatles
collection, you may not know where to start.
After all, there were over a dozen albums
released by the group, not to mention the
compilations, box sets, yadda yadda yadda.
So here are my summaries with which you can
choose they best album for you.
The Early Years
'Please Please Me' was the Beatles'
first album to be released. This made the
group huge in England. As I understand it,
this album is basically what the group
played in clubs while they were becoming
famous, and it is certainly the first album
I reach for when I'm looking for some of the
group's early best. It's full of pep and has
the energy you might expect from a live
Beatles show.
'With the Beatles', the band's second
album in the UK and their first in the US.
This one contains fewer hits than the
Beatles' debut album, but has great
lesser-heard songs, including excellent
covers of "Please Mr. Postman," "Roll Over
Beethoven," "Money," "Devil in Her Heart,"
"Till There Was You," and "You've Really Got
a Hold on Me." Also, if you're looking for
some of the Quiet Beatle's earlier work,
this is the album to buy. Harrison's first
songwriting effort, "Don't Bother Me," and
he also sings lead on "Roll Over Beethoven"
and "Devil in Her Heart."
'A Hard Day's Night (1964 Film)' was the
soundtrack to the band's film of the same
name. Aside from the album's major hits, the
rest of the tracks also did well, and
although it's not one of my very favorites,
it's the one to buy if you want to hear the
Beatles songs you regularly hear on oldies
stations.
'Beatles for Sale' shows a bit of growth
on the band's part, and, in my opinion,
contains more interesting, slightly more
complex music. The album manages to be
deeper without losing the energy that much
of the earlier Beatles work has--all in all,
a great album.
'Help! [UK]' was the group's second
album that accompanied a film. Along with
upbeat songs, this album contains some
mellower songs and shows the group's
interest in some different genres of music
(it was in this period the group began to be
influenced by musicians like Bob Dylan).
The Band Gets More Serious
'Rubber Soul' was the beginning of the
group's dissatisfaction with their
teeny-bopper image. The album is probably
not the most famous from the period, but is
definetly important to own to get a taste of
the evolution of the band.
'Revolver [UK]', dubbed the greatest
album of all time by VH1, is a must-own.
With it's exciting, peppy psychadellia, you
really can't go wrong with Revolver.
'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band',
the first concept album ever, was loved by
critics and remains one of the most
groundbreaking albums in rock history.
Although many fans claim the album is
overrated, it is probably talked about so
much because it's so good and definetly
worth buying if you want a deep,
psychadellic album.
'Magical Mystery Tour', another film
album, is little more subdued than previous
work, this one is probably the epitome of
the Beatle's trippy period.
Things Fall Apart
Even the Beatles themselved have admitted
that the double-disc
'The Beatles (The White Album)' was the
beginning of the end. The four distinct
styles of each Beatle is apparent, but for a
two-disc album there isn't really one bad
song. Many fans argue that this is the
greatest the group released.
'Yellow Submarine (Songtrack)', a
childlike, playful album, contains the
classic title track as well as great songs
like "Hey, Bulldog," "It' All Too Much," and
"All Together Now." If you buy the afore
mentioned remastered version, it contains
some of the best of Sgt. Peppers and other
albums (it is the soundtrack as it appeared
in the film, which drew from many albums).
If you're looking for the original release
with some instramental tunes from the film,
try
'Yellow Submarine (Original Motion Picture
Soundtrack)'
'Abbey Road' was actually the last album
the group ever recorded, but was released
second-to-last. It is a excellent studio
album, and contains greats like "Here Comes
The Sun," "Something," and "Come Together."
This is another great album if you're a
Harrison fan--two of his most classic songs
("Something" and "Here Comes The Sun") are
on Abbey Road. All in all, it's a mellow and
absolutly classic album.
A disorderly, but very rock n' roll roots
album,
'Let It Be' was done when everyone was
angry at everyone else in the band (and it
shows!). Recorded under the intensions first
of simply being rehersals for a live album
and later as the soundtrack to the film of
the same name, the album was cleaned up and
edited by legendary producer Phil Spector.
It contains tunes like "Let it Be," "The
Long and Winding Road," and "Two of Us."
It's bawdy and confused, but still necessary
to the Beatles collecter looking for the
band's entire history.
Post-Beatles Releases
Two of the first Beatle compilations ever,
'1962-1966' and
'1967-1970' are good to own if you're
looking for hits and highlights of the
group's entire career.
'Past Masters, Vol. 1' and
'Past Masters, Vol. 2' were, as I
understand it, released in the '80s to
satisfy CD collecters looking to own the
singles the Beatles didn't release on
albums. They're not only great for new
Beatles fans because they include a taste of
the group's best from their earlier and
later years, but most fans own them to get
singles like "Lady Madonna," "Revolution,"
"She Loves You" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"
that aren't available on the albums.
'Anthology 1',
'Anthology 2', and
'Anthology 3' are compliations of
false-starts, alternate takes, and
previously unheard Beatles music, released
in the early '90s along with the Anthology
interviws and book. They also include "Real
Love" and "Free As A Bird," songs recorded
by John Lennon in the '70s but never
included on an album, and finished by the
surviving "Threetles" in the '90s. If you
want versions you've probably not heard
before, these albms are the ones to own.
'Live at the BBC' is a great early
Beatles album that consists of Beatle
performances from their radio show on the
BBC, "Pop Go The Beatles." It contains a ton
of excellent covers as well as live versions
of Beatle hits. It's one of my favorites,
and a good one to buy if you want to hear
Beatles covers they hardly ever play on the
radio.
Recently topping the charts,
'The Beatles 1' contains the group's
number one hits, but is a flawed compilation
according to some fans: it contains no songs
from the band's legendary Sgt. Pepper album
and only one George Harrison song. Although
it offers the band' biggest anfd best, it is
not a comprehensive album by any means. |
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![Revolver [UK]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002UAR.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg)
![Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [Deluxe Edition]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002UAU.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg)
![Yellow Submarine (Songtrack) [Original recording reissued] [Original recording remastered]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00000K4ES.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg)
![Yellow Submarine (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Soundtrack]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002UB0.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg)
![Let It Be [Soundtrack]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000002UB6.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg)
![Live at the BBC [Live] [Original recording reissued]](http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000007MVD.01.TZZZZZZZ.jpg)
