Anthology One
Story Behind the Album
     The double album, is the first in a series of three by the Beatles and the series is the latest project by the Beatles. These albums are accompanied by a ten hour, eight tape movie compilation. It is done by the three surviving Beatles, (Paul, George,and Ringo for all those who are totally unfamilar with the Beatles), and it is also features Neil Aspinall, roadie, and Derek Taylor, publicicist who passed away soon after the project's completion. Both the videos and the albums are a great piece of work that span the career of the Beatles,and provide the most depth of any other project done on the Beatles (apart from books by Mark Lewisohn). Since it is done by the Beatles, it makes it official, and the audience gets to hear what they intended, and how they want it said. On one hand, however, this could be a hindrance because they are biased, and may not want to be entirely truthful. Despite this, they make for an excellent listening and are a must have for any Beatle fan.
  The songs are divided among, six discs and three albums. This one, the first, has material from the early days. It features songs never heard before from  before they had a contract, and also has the songs recorded in Hamburg with Tony Sheridan, "My Bonnie", and a few originals by the Beatles. The material is present in the beginning of the first disc and after that, the albums are composed of outtakes or live performances. Disc one's best songs include, the unreleased "How Do You Do It", which was released by Gerry and the Pacemakers, a fellow Liverpudlian band, early takes of "One After 909", "Please Please Me", "I Saw Her Standing There" live, which features a very out of tune John singing harmony, a very rocky "Money(That's What I Want)" and "Roll Over Beethoven" live. Disc Two opens with three songs from the Variety Show for the Queen Mother and has the introductions between songs including the infamous remark by John "For our last number, I'd like to ask your help. Could the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands. And the rest of you just rattle your jewelry." Other notable songs are: "Can't Buy Me Love", a different "You Can't Do That", a rocking "Long Tall Sally", a fantastic, unheard version of "Shout",  also unheard is "Leave My Kitten Alone" which is cute in retrospect of the Beatles accomplishments, two nice versions of "Eight Days A Week" and finally the "Kansas City/Hey Hey Hey Hey" medley.
Perhaps the best song on the album is also the most anticipated one. The first song, "Free As A Bird" was the first NEW Beatles song in 25 years. The song is beautiful, and sounds as though it could have been on Abbey Road.  It is mainly written, unsurprisingly by John, but it does contain new lines.  In the chorus, Paul and  George take turns singing, John began the line "Whatever happened to the life that we once knew" but he couldn't finish it so he sang the rhythm, and tone he  wanted, but Paul and George finish it beautifully with "Can we really live without eachother". The song has some of the best features of the Beatles and reminds me why I loved them so much. Ringo opens it with some longed after drumbeats, and he provides great drumming through out the song, and George provides fantastic slide guitar, and a beautiful solo. Paul gives his wonderous voice and some nice instrumental work. John's piano is gorgeous, although it had to be redone, because of the age of the tape and sound quality, and his  voice is very much longed for. His voice sounds  kind of eery and it brings the feeling of  remorse when first hearing it and being reminded that  he is gone. Despite it's sadness the song is awesome, and it is great to hear  the Beatles play together again. One only wishes it was before one of them died.
Track Listing
Disc One
1. Free As A Bird [Original: Lennon Beatles Version: All]
2. Speech: John
3. That'll Be The Day [Allison/Holly/Petty]
4. In Spite Of All The Danger [McCartney/ Harrison]
5. Speech: Paul
6. Hallelujah, I Love Her So [Charles]
7. You'll Be Mine
8. Cayenne [McCartney]
9. Speech: Paul
10. My Bonnie [trad. arr. Sheridan]
11. Ain't She Sweet [Ager/ Yellen]
12. Cry For A Shadow [Lennon/ Harrison]
13. Speech: John
14. Speech : Brian
15. Searchin' [Leiber/Stroller]
16. Three Cool Cats [Leiber/Stroller]
17. The Sheik Of Araby
18. Like Dreamers Do
19. Hello Little Girl
20. Speech: Brian
21. Besame Mucho [Velazquez/ Skylar]
22. Love Me Do
23. How Do You Do It [Murray]
24. Please Please Me
25. One After 909 (False Starts)
26. One After 909
27. Lend Me Your Comb [Twomey/Wise/Weisman]
28. I'll Get You
29. Speech: John
30. I Saw Her Standing There
31. From Me To You
32. Money (That's What I Want) [Gordy Jr. /Bradford]
33. You Really Got A Hold On Me [Robinson]
34. Roll Over Beethoven [Berry]
Disc Two
1. She Loves You
2. Til There  Was You [Wilson]
3. Twist And Shout [Russell/ Medley]
4. This Boy
5. I Want To Hold Your Hand
6. Speech: Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise
7. Moonlight Bay [Madden/Wenrich]
8. Can't Buy Me Love
9. All My Loving
10. You Can't Do That
11. And I Love Her
12. A Hard Day's Night
13. I Wanna Be Your Man
14. Long Tall Sally [Johnson/Penniman/Blackwell]
15. Boys [Dixon/Farrell]
16. Shout [Isley/Isley/Isley]
17. I'll Be Back (Demo)
18. I'll Be Back
19. You Know What To Do [Harrison]
20. No Reply (demo)
21. Mr. Moonlight [Johnson]
22. Leave My Kitten Alone [John/Turner/McDougal]
23. No Reply
24. Eight Days A Week (False Starts)
25. Eight Days A Week
26. Kansas City/ Hey Hey Hey Hey [Leiber/Stoller/Penniman]
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