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Music CDs Reviewed:
Beatles: Anthology 3
Recommended Books:
Recommended Video:
The Beatles long-anticipated 3-volume Anthology series of outtakes and historical recordings represents a milestone in classic rock. It is acommpanied by an eight-volume video rockumentary titled The Beatles Anthology Collector's Set.
There are many interesting arrangements for songs that are much different than the released versions, and numerous "layered" outtakes demonstrating the various layers of overdubbing that was required for such experimentation when using the primitive 4-track equipment of that time.
This volume starts with the first "new" Beatle song, "Free as a Bird" (based on a John Lennon demo), and covers the very earliest historical recordings, outtakes from the first albums, and live recordings from early concerts and BBC Radio sessions.
Many
a Beatle fanatic started down the bootleg road, like I did, with a first listen
to this song. Originally
titled "Beatle Bop" and recorded in a single session that yielded four songs
(the other three featured Tony Sheridan with the Beatles as a backing band),
"Cry for a Shadow" is an instrumental written by Lennon and Harrison, which
makes it unique to this day. John Lennon plays rhythm guitar, George Harrison
plays lead guitar, Paul McCartney plays bass, and Pete Best plays drums. The
sessions were produced by Bert Kaempfert in Hamburg, Germany, during the Beatles'
second visit from April through July of 1961 to play in the Reeperbahn-section
clubs. At the same session, the Beatles played on Tony Sheridan's "My Bonnie"
(the first-ever single with Beatles playing).
An early version of the song, played a bit slower and with more of a blues feeling, and a cool bossa-nova beat in middle. Paul had to sing while John played harmonica -- a first for the group. Pete Best played drums on this version.
Live at the Princess Wales Theatre by Leicester Square in London, attended by the Queen. This song is from the musical "The Music Man" and a hit for Peggy Lee in 1961. At the end, John tells the people in the cheaper seats to clap their hands, and the rest to "rattle your jewelry" and then announces "Twist and Shout" (a song that was first recorded in 1962 by the Isley Brothers).
One of the lost Beatle songs recorded during the "Beatles For Sale" sessions but never released. This song, written by Little Willie John, Titus Turner, and James McDougal, was a 1959 R&B hit for Little Willie John and covered by Johnny Preston before the Beatles tried it and shelved it. A reference to a "big fat bulldog" may have influenced John's "Hey Bulldog" (Yellow Submarine album), which is a similar rocker.
A song recorded for the album "Let It Be" was actually worked on way back in the beginning, six years earlier. This take shows how they did it much more slowly, with an R&B feel to it.
The
Beatles Anthology, Volume 2, truly deliver the goods for those of you who
like to listen to layered outtakes and different arrangements, especially from
the Sgt. Pepper era.
It opens with the other "new" Beatles song, "Real Love" (also based on a John Lennon original demo).
A Paul McCartney song recorded during the "Help" sessions that was shelved and never released by the Beatles, although Paul gave it to P.J. Proby, who had a minor hit with it in 1965.
First take of this masterpiece, in a different key than the released version, recorded live in the studio with minimal overdubs on the first day in the studio for the "Rubber Soul" album.
Fascinating alternate early take with a different arrangement, unfinished but shelved. The arrangement was changed again for the released version.
Recorded under the title "Mark 1" this take of this mind-altering song was one of the first things recorded for the "Revolver" album and is noticeably different, with less overdubs, than the released version.
This song, the first for the "Sgt. Pepper" sessions though it did not appear on that album, underwent many changes in the studio. The released version is a combination of take 7 and take 26. This is the full take 7 by itself, along with the extra verse, and the drum solo edited onto the end.
Introduced with John's count-off of "sugar plum fairy" this is the basic track of the final version, without overdubs, and with a guide vocal by Paul (later changed due to Paul's "oh shit" at the end). The orchestra was added later, and the ending was changed. You can feel the raw power of this song without the orchestra, and also feel its unfinished, avant-garde attitude.
Take 16 of this song is the basic track without all the mystery overdubs, showing the real power of the mantra-like beat and including mistakes.
This
volume covers the most prolific period of Beatle creativity, from the White
Album through Abbey Road and Let It Be.
It also includes parts of the Get Back live sessions, conducted at Apple headquarters and in the cavernous Twickenham movie studios, and the rooftop concert at Apple headquarters in Saville Row, London.
This demo sounds like the Beatles Unplugged, with just George Harrison on guitar. The song would undergo two major remakes before its release on the White Album with Eric Clapton playing lead guitar.
George recorded this version with the Beatles for the White Album, but it was shelved. It reappeared with a different arrangement on George's 1979 solo album, "George Harrison". Great jam at the end!
Live from the roof of Apple headquarters in Savile Row. This concert was immortalized in the "Let It Be" movie. It was the last song of their last live performance. The cops show up to shut it down. Get back!
Recorded in Apple's basement studio as part of the Let It Be movie, with no overdubs. John's tracking remark at end, followed by "you bounder, you cheat!"
