The Beatles
I'm So Tired
SOLO ALBUMS
Preface
If you began collecting Beatles vinyl when the capitol mixes
and albums were readily available, it seems ironic that the EMI mixes have become the dominant mixes when CD releases began in 1987. Now, the Capitol albums are no longer found retail, save on cassete, already phasing out. On mixes: The concept of stereo
in the mixing of a record in the early sixties was on a par with popular technology. The one-speaker system of common 60s' radios and record players proves this. Of course, by the late sixties, the stereo-hi-fi became affordable and pop sounds filled the space. So, for most of their career when the Beatles gathered
together to agree on a final mix, it was the mono
EMI/Parlophone mix. As George Harrison explained, when Martin first played them a stereo mix, they asked him what the other speaker was for. They caught on after a while to stereo, but always concentrated on the mono mix.
When their
approval was given on the mono mix, George Martin would mix for stereo, and Captitol in America would remix the songs slated for single release, adding echo or changing the sound to fit the AM radio speaker format. The following is a comparison of the differing mixes and/or sound quality of various pressings.
Parlophone e.p. collection Box set complete with picture sleeves, MMT booklet and bonus rarieties e.p.
-except for bonus e.p. and MMT, all are the Parlophone "mono mixes". Some have extra tambourine, some have higher levels of guitar, and the vocals sound a little different.
-
Bonus E.P has "She's A Woman" mixed in stereo, more piano, less echo, longer fade than Capitol.
"Drive My Car" more tambourine than Capitol mix.
"When I get Home" has louder cowbell, more bass.
Tambourine in fade of "Things we Said Today" not in Capitol mix.
Opening riff of "I am the Walrus" repeats keyboard riff 2 times more than Capitol album mix.
Sgt. Pepper mono mix has flanged vocals
on "Lucy..." and higher pitched "Shes' Leaving..." -
capitol rainbow or black and yellow parlophone,parlophone has the "inner groove" gibberish for the cheaper record players to repeat in a loop because the tone arm stayed in that groove at the end (no auto).
(8-track version repeats SPLHCB Reprise an extra verse!)
Magical Mystery Tour capitol maroon label.
Added singles and b side, "Penny Lane", "Hello
Goodbye", "All you Need is Love" to the MMT ep making an
album, more likely because the e.p. format was not as
popular in US as in UK,
The one capitol release config. that gave instead of took,
and was adopted by EMI for the CD release. MMT side has
stereo mixes, cuts 2 riffs of the intro to "Walrus".
Has the treble<->bass stereo mixes between speakers, same as
the singles, a "pseudo-stereo" effect. "Walrus" is a
combination of these two, starting out in full stereo, then
going into pseudo stereo at the "..sitting in an english
garden..." part. There was an attempt to have the spectrum
between the channels, as bass one side up to treble other.
The Beatles (white album) - deutsche (german) grammophone- apple, no inserts vg+, excellent sound, quality
vinyl. The mixing is a giant leap into full stereo, not just
dividing by tracks as before (rhythm track left, vocals and
lead right with some panning) but placing the tracks in a
layered sound on sound spectrum. The mono mix is different
from the stereo in the "animal" sound effects.
The sound is great on Capitol Orange label.
-The sound ranges from cut and dried, very clean to raunchy
slamming into the VU distortion range, which Paul explained
was the sought after effect on a few tracks. There are
various rhtym tracks buried in the mixes, which come through
out of phase, (see the web site for the "OOP" effect) and vocal performances as raw as any Beatles
album.
Some notes on the "White Album"-
Songs were developed quickly, as they sought new ways to
develop tracks, and this atmosphere comes through.
-The tension from working long hours to complete all these
tracks took its toll on the personal interactions of the
group. (While you could take sides and say that John was
difficult, you have to remember that one of his best songs "Across
the Universe" was rejected in favor of "Lady Madonna", both
recorded in february of 1968.)
-George Martin rejected some of Johns' mixes and the track
Whats' the New Mary Jane. Martin added a string part to
Glass Onion
and deleted some tape loops and sound effects from the mix
right before album release. The original mono mix of "Glass
Onion" and a stereo mix of "..Mary Jane" are on Anthology 3.
Introducing the Beatles - VeeJay 1062- mono, good vinyl, plays amazingly clean, interesting for the different mixes which offer more rhythm guitar on some
tracks than EMI.
Bakground of the Vee Jay label.
--Vee Jay was a r-n-b label formed in 1953 Chicago
by Vivan Carter and James Braaken that captured some great
black talent of the 50s' like Jerry Butler(He Will Break
Your Heart), Gene Chandler,Dee Clark(Raindrops), Gladys Knight, John Lee Hooker(Boom Boom Boom) and blues man Jimmy
Reed(Bright Lights, Big City) .... all had hits for Vee Jay
in the 50s'.
Through spotty management they had lost the market, some of
their artists, and were seeking to get back into it when a
waify englishman called Brian Epstein went through the phone
book and called them up....
" 'ello?,...is mista Vee JAy at 'ome?"
Then maybe to the boys:
..."Its' okay: Yanks aren't that into Rock-n-Roll ..."
--This is the Parlophone album "Please Please Me" recorded for EMI in
62', in the U.S. only VeeJay would release it, on a 1 album trial
contract basis when the beatles were unknowns. The VJ label
lost untold fortunes by not promoting or distributing it
across the country in '63. By the time the Beatles made the
US top ten charts in early 64, they were already on Capitol,
who sensed the growing craze in europe and began releasing
and promoting everything heavily.
-Capitol obtained the contract to work directly with EMI, who
shipped them the masters to do with as they saw fit. They
released the second EMI album, "With the.." as "Meet the...",
cutting a few tracks for later release, and thus was born
their "butcher" reputation. The rest were combined with some singles for
"The Beatles Second Album" and "Something New".
-Vee Jay still sat on the "Introducing.. " album, releasing various singles ("Twist and Shout", "Please Please Me", "PS I Love You") a four song e.p. of hits from that album same titles as singles.
-Vee-Jay kept re-releasing "Introducing the.." over the next few years (despite suits by capitol)with different songs and covers in a desperate attempt to cash in on what they missed.
Capitol finally released the remainder of the "Please Please Me" album as "The Early.." but without the cut "Misery", later included on "Rarities".
Hear the Beatles Tell All!- VeeJay 60's
interview with beatles.
Could be found in discount chains like Target in the 70's
re-released by that crazy Vee Jay, where I found mine.
Stereo with interesting drum solos, not by the Beatles, and a
very composed and sober John, while the others are less serious.
Live Peace in Toronto- EMI-apple import reissue, sound alright, not a spectacular performance, but a great sound from Clapton and Yoko shines like the diva superstar she is:
"John...Lets' hope for peace..." I'm serious.
La Grande Storia del Rock: Beatles, Same old Hamburg Tapes, released in Italy this time, with the Tony Sheridan session and "Cry for A Shadow" by George!
Has the vwey first chart hit in "My Bonnie/ The Saints"
which was popular in Germany, 61' (before they signed to EMI Parlophone).
Por Siempre Beatles - Odeon green, spanish titles
mono-sounds like a second generation tape of old records.Very weird for vinyl
-- a collection of singles and b-sides: "The Inner Light", "Baby your'e a rich man", "I'm Down",
"Blue Jay Way", "Yes it is" being the least likely to be found together on vinyl. Odeon was a partner of EMI in Europe and re-designed the covers and labels for release in France, Germany and Spain.
--Some Odeon e.p.s have different photos, some are just cropped differently.
Abbey Road
- capitol maroon
Sound quality is not as high as the Apple or later 80s' pressings
when capitol was competing with EMI CDs for sound quality and which are sought out by vinyl audiophiles/beatles fans.
Hard Days Night- Capitol Green label; mid-80s'
Poor sound quality, "stereo" that is closer to mono and movie music make this album hard to get into. The Parlophone/EMI "Hard Days' Night", actually in stereo and without movie music, is recommended.
Help!
Capitol version with movie music,
-Only songs from the movie were used.
a lite version of the emi, which has another whole side of hits.
yet with a fold out cover with more photos.
Beatles 65' this album ROCKS.
-Capitol Rainbow label, mono, thick vinyl.
-Capitol took the most solid tracks of "Beatles for Sale", and threw in one of the better Beatles Singles(I Feel Fine) to create a masterpiece.
They discarded the chaff("What You're Doing, Kansas City, 8 days") and added another super Beatles cut (from EMI "Hard Days Night"): "I'll Be Back" which matches the acoustic sad mood of babys' in black and i'm a loser.
-There is more echo than emi on the I feel fine and shes' a woman tracks.
-Beatles leave out a rhythm guitar "hit" in "She's A Woman" and
bark like dogs at very end of fade in "I Feel Fine".
-This, and the other 60's - 80's Capitol Beatles Releases are in cassette release only now,(Jan. 2000) to be phased out in the next year or so. With all the mergers going on, who knows what will happen, but it seems like the end for the 60s'Capitol release configurations.
-There are copies of Capitol Releases on CD imported from Japan.
(Expect to pay at least $10-30 more than a retail CD for these.)
Beatles IV
The rest of "Beatles for Sale" is on this album, released later in 65'. - b side of Ticket to Ride, "Yes it is" and 2 great rockers from EMI "Collection of Oldies" album : "Bad Boy" and "Dizzy Miss Lizzy", (originally by Larry Williams who also wrote "Bonie Moronie") "You like me too Much" from Help! and other covers from Beatles for Sale: Kansas City, Words of Love.
"Every Little Thing", is another overlooked gem which might go onto my "ideal" Beatles 65' except it would make it too dark and weighted towards John.
Rubber Soul
-Capitol Rubber Soul has "I've Just Seen A Face" and "It's Only Love" from Help, making a different album
- "Nowhere Man", "If I needed
Someone" and "What Goes On?", cut for later release.
-Sound is excellent on capitol rainbow, or last Capitol vinyl.
-Acoustic nature of album enhanced by tube amplifier.
-Background vocals on "Girl" are "tittititit.."
Reel Music - capitol (special reel label)
-inner sleeve with photos, cover is a painting of movie beatles at a movie theater. A promotional single for this album called "the Beatles Movie Medley" charted in 82, and is collectible now.
-Has cleaner mixes of "Hard Days' Night" songs than previous Capitol album and other movie hits. Sound quality good, do not believe these to be re-mixed heavily.
Yellow Submarine - capitol maroon, sound fair, crisper treble sound on "All You Need Is Love" than MMT.
-Clean crisp sound on the Capitol Maroon label.
-Noticed a "digital" phone ringing in "Hey Bulldog" on each riff vamp, starting right before the talking, barking and laughing part, you have to listen carefully for it, but it is there.
-Flipside is all movie music.
-Its' All Too Much has extra verse in film not on album.
-New CD Songtrack remixes; a more centered stereo image and
cleaning of vocal tracks noticablein new re-mix of "Nowhere Man".
Rock and Roll Music - Double album, capitol orange,
label, mid-70's. Has cover art of 50's nostalgia, (which John and Paul protested, leading its' removal and to Johns' approval of the "Hollywood Bowl" cover the next year.) Released as two albums (vol. 1, vol. 2)a few years later. (nice stereo mixes, has tracks which were previously available as singles like "I'm Down", and samples from the first album to the last. Vinyl quality is good, sound is superb.
Revolver - Parlophone / EMI / Capitol - import reissues --Revolver mixes could be better, there are rhythm track issues
(drums at times are faint, and/or overdubbed / distorted)
-Capitol took the John songs I'm Only Sleeping, Mr. Robert and And Your Bird Can Sing from Revolver, put them out on Yesterday and Today along with some tracks cut from Capitol Rubber Soul.
-The mix of "I'm Only Sleeping" on Capitol has re-arranged verses and less backward guitar noises.
-The EMI/Parlophone Revolver, while it has these tracks seems to be a flexible, very thin and low-grade vinyl.
- Early 80's imports more fragile than the Capitol, although the sound can be
Rarities - Capitol rainbow with picture sleeve, vinyl double+good. Great tracks and notes. -Note
Imagine : (lennonphoto)apple with sleeve/ Thick vinyl, great quality.
Mind Games : apple with sleeve/ sound quality and mixing seems muddy.
Ram : Apple / Thicker vinyl, superb sound quality
Venus and Mars : capitol.
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Pauls' speech at John Lennons' induction to R&R H.O.F.
Dear John,
I remember when we first met, at Woolton, at the village fete. It was a beautiful summer day
and I walked in there and saw you on stage. And you were singing "Come Go With Me," by
the Dell Vikings, But you didn't know the words so you made them up. "Come go with me to
the penitentiary." It's not in the lyrics.
I remember writing our first songs together. We used to go to my house, my Dad's home, and
we used to smoke Ty-Phoo tea with the pipe my dad kept in a drawer. It didn't do much for us
but it got us on the road.
We wanted to be famous.
I remember the visits to your mum's house. Julia was a very handsome woman, very beautiful
woman. She had long, red hair and she played a ukulele. I'd never seen a woman that could
do that. And I remember to having to tell you the guitar chords because you used to play the
ukulele chords.
And then on your 21st birthday you got 100 pounds off one of your rich relatives up in
Edinburgh, so we decided we'd go to Spain. So we hitch-hiked out of Liverpool, got as far as
Paris, and decided to stop there, for a week. And eventually got our haircut, by a fellow
named Jurgen, and that ended up being the "Beatle haircut."
I remember introducing you to my mate George, my schoolmate, and getting him into the
band by playing "Raunchy" on the top deck of a bus. You were impressed. And we met Ringo
who'd been working the whole season at Butlin's camp - he was a seasoned professional - but
the beard had to go, and it did.
Later on we got a gig at the Cavern Club in Liverpool which was officially a blues club. We
didn't really know any blues numbers. We loved the blues but we didn't know any blues
numbers, so we had announcements like "Ladies and gentlemen, this is a great Big Bill
Broonzy number called "Wake Up Little Suzie." And they kept passing up little notes - "This
is not the blues, this is not the blues. This is pop." But we kept going.
And then we ended up touring. It was a bloke called Larry Parnes who gave us our first tour.
I remember we all changed names for that tour. I changed mine to Paul Ramon, George
became Carl Harrison and, although people think you didn't really change your name, I seem
to remember you were Long John Silver for the duration of that tour. (Bang goes another
myth.)
We'd been on a van touring later and we'd have the kind of night where the windsceen would
break. We would be on the motorway going back up to Liverpool. It was freezing so we had
to lie on top of each other in the back of the van creating a Beatle sandwich. We got to know
each other. These were the ways we got to know each other.
We got to Hamburg and met the likes of Little Richard, Gene Vincent...I remember Little
Richard inviting us back to his hotel. He was looking at Ringo's ring and said, "I love that
ring." He said, "I've got a ring like that. I could give you a ring like that." So we all went
back to the hotel with him. (We never got a ring.)
We went back with Gene Vincent to his hotel room once. It was all going fine until he reached
in his bedside drawer and pulled out a gun. We' said "Er, we've got to go, Gene, we've got to
go..." We got out quick!
And then came the USA -- New York City -- where we met up with Phil Spector, the Ronettes,
Supremes, our heroes, our heroines. And then later in L.A., we met up with Elvis Presley for
one great evening. We saw the boy on his home territory. He was the first person I ever saw
with a remote control on a TV. Boy! He was a hero, man.
And then later, Ed Sullivan. We'd wanted to be famous, now we were getting really famous. I
mean imagine meeting Mitzi Gaynor in Miami!
Later, after that, recording at Abbey Road. I still remember doing "Love Me Do." You
officially had the vocal "love me do" but because you played the harmonica, George Martin
suddenly said in the middle is the session, "Will Paul sing the line "love me do?", the crucial
line. I can still hear it to this day - you would go "Whaaa whaa," and I'd go "loove me
doo-oo." Nerves, man.
I remember doing the vocal to "Kansas City" -- well I couldn't quite get it, because it's hard
to do that stuff. You know, screaming out the top of your head. You came down from the
control room and took me to one side and said "You can do it, you've just got to scream, you
can do it." So, thank you. Thank you for that. I did it.
I remember writing "A Day in the Life" with you, and the little look we gave each other when
we wrote the line "I'd love to turn you on." We kinda knew what we were doing, you know. A
sneaky little look.
After that there was this girl called Yoko. Yoko Ono. She showed up at my house one day. It
was John Cage's birthday and she said she wanted to get hold of manuscripts of various
composers to give to him, and she wanted one from me and you. So I said," Well it's ok by
me. but you'll have to go to John."
And she did...
After that I set up a couple of Brennell recording machines we used to have and you stayed up
all night and recorded "Two Virgins." But you took the cover yourselves -- nothing to do with
me.
And then, after that there were the phone calls to you. The joy for me after all the business
shit that we'd gone through was that we were actually getting back together and
communicating once again. And the joy as you told me about how you were baking bread
now. And how you were playing with your little baby, Sean. That was great for me because it gave me something to hold on to.
So now, years on, here we are. All these people. Here we are, assembled, to thank you for
everything that you mean to all of us.
This letter comes with love, from your friend
Paul.
John Lennon, you've made it. Tonight you are in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.
God bless you.
Paul