Meet the Beatles! (2024 - Mono - Opaque Blue Vinyl)

Track list

Side 1

1. I Want to Hold Your Hand

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:27 • Studio version • A • Mono

   Paul McCartney : Bass guitar, Handclaps, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums, Handclaps John Lennon : Handclaps, Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Handclaps, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Oct 17, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Oct 21, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

2. I Saw Her Standing There

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:55 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B]

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Handclaps, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums, Handclaps John Lennon : Backing vocals, Handclaps, Rhythm guitar George Harrison : Handclaps, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer A.B. Lincoln : Second engineer

   Session Recording: Feb 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Feb 25, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

3. This Boy

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:16 • Studio version • A • Mono

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Acoustic guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Lead guitar, Vocals George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Oct 17, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Oct 21, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

4. It Won't Be Long

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:14 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Backing vocals, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Geoff Emerick : Second engineer Norman Smith : Recording engineer Richard Langham : Second engineer

   Session Recording: Jul 30, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Oct 29, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

5. All I've Got to Do

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:05 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Backing vocals, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Sep 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Sep 30, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

6. All My Loving

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:08 • Studio version • B3 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Backing vocals, Rhythm guitar George Harrison : Backing vocals, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Jul 30, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Oct 29, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

Side 2

1. Don't Bother Me

   Written by George Harrison

   2:30 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Woodblock Ringo Starr : Bongo, Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar, Tambourine George Harrison : Lead guitar, Vocals George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Sep 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Sep 12, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Oct 29, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

2. Little Child

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   1:48 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Piano, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Sep 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Sep 12, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Oct 03, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Oct 29, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

3. Till There Was You

   Written by Meredith Willson

   2:16 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Vocals Ringo Starr : Bongos John Lennon : Acoustic rhythm guitar George Harrison : Acoustic lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Jul 18, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Jul 30, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Oct 29, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

4. Hold Me Tight

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:33 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Handclaps, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums, Handclaps John Lennon : Backing vocals, Handclaps, Rhythm guitar George Harrison : Backing vocals, Handclaps, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Sep 12, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Sep 30, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Oct 29, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

5. I Wanna Be Your Man

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   1:59 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass Ringo Starr : Drums, Maracas, Vocals John Lennon : Backing vocals, Rhythm guitar George Harrison : Lead guitar George Martin : Hammond organ, Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Sep 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Sep 12, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Oct 03, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Oct 29, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

6. Not a Second Time

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:10 • Studio version • B2 • Mono • Mono made from [B] by Capitol

   Paul McCartney : Bass Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Acoustic rhythm guitar, Vocals George Martin : Piano, Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer

   Session Recording: Sep 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Oct 29, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Three, Abbey Road

Sold in Target (USA), HMV (UK), JPC (DE), FNAC (FR)

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of The Beatles’ arrival in the US, seven of The Beatles’ US albums, first released between 1964 and 1965, were reissued in mono on a new vinyl box set, on November 22, 2024. The albums include “Meet The Beatles!“, “The Beatles’ Second Album“, “A Hard Day’s Night“, “Something New“, “Beatles ’65“, “The Early Beatles“, and “The Beatles’ Story“. Except for the double-LP documentary album “The Beatles’ Story“, all albums were available individually. These albums were pressed from the original master tapes for this vinyl release.

From US 1964 Albums | The Beatles:

‘The Beatles: 1964 U.S. Albums In Mono’ Spotlights Seven Albums Released in America Between January 1964 & March 1965; 180-gram Vinyl LPs Analog Cut from the Original Mono Masters

London – September 12, 2024 – Originally compiled for U.S. release between January 1964 and March 1965 by Capitol Records and United Artists, seven Beatles albums have been analog cut for 180-gram audiophile vinyl from their original mono master tapes for global release on November 22 by Apple Corps Ltd./Capitol/UMe.

Out of print on vinyl since 1995, the seven mono albums are available now for preorder in a new eight-LP box set titled The Beatles: 1964 U.S. Albums In Mono, with six of the titles also available individually. All seven albums – Meet The Beatles!; The Beatles’ Second Album; A Hard Day’s Night (Original Motion Picture Sound Track); Something New; The Beatles’ Story (2LP); Beatles ’65; and The Early Beatles – feature faithfully replicated artwork and new four-panel inserts with essays written by American Beatles historian and author Bruce Spizer. The albums’ new vinyl lacquers were cut by Kevin Reeves at Nashville’s East Iris Studios. The box set collects the seven albums, and all except The Beatles’ Story are also available individually.

On February 7, 1964, scores of screaming, swooning fans gathered at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport to catch a glimpse of John, Paul, George and Ringo as The Beatles took their first steps on American soil. Two nights later, on February 9, 73 million viewers in the U.S. and millions more in Canada tuned in to CBS to watch The Beatles make their American television debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show”. In this cultural watershed moment in American history, The Beatles performed five songs on the live broadcast. “Beatlemania”, already in full, feverish bloom in The Beatles’ native U.K. and developing in the U.S., exploded with blissful fervor across America and around the world. The British Invasion had begun.

Shortly before The Beatles’ history-making Stateside visit, Capitol Records secured exclusive U.S. rights to release the band’s recordings in a deal with EMI. The storied, already iconic record label rush released Meet The Beatles! on January 20, 1964. The album features 12 tracks drawn largely from the band’s U.K. album With The Beatles (released November 22, 1963). Showcasing the band’s original songwriting, Capitol replaced five cover songs from the U.K. album with three originals: both sides of The Beatle’s first Capitol single (“I Want To Hold Your Hand”/“I Saw Her Standing There”) and the latest U.K. single’s B-side (“This Boy”). The album hit Number 1 and held the top spot for 11 weeks, launching a hitmaking string of Beatles albums compiled, titled and packaged by Capitol for the American market.

By early April, more than 3.6 million Meet The Beatles! albums had been sold, and on the singles front, The Beatles swept the Billboard Hot 100’s top 5 positions on April 4, a stunning chart record that still stands. On April 10, Capitol released The Beatles’ Second Album. Its 11 tracks include the five covers not included on Meet The Beatles!, three songs previously released in the U.S. by the Swan and Vee-Jay labels, plus the B-side to the band’s U.S. “Can’t Buy Me Love” single (“You Can’t Do That”), and two new songs recorded in March during sessions for the band’s soon to be released debut film, A Hard Day’s Night (“I Call Your Name” and a cover of Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally”). Upon release, The Beatles’ Second Album replaced Meet The Beatles! atop Billboard’s albums chart for five weeks at Number 1.

On June 26, United Artists rush released the U.S. soundtrack album for A Hard Day’s Night, which the studio would release to theaters nationwide in August. Along with its buoyant title track, the album features “Can’t Buy Me Love”, “And I Love Her”, and five more Beatles originals, as well as four George Martin-arranged orchestral instrumentals of Beatles songs. The soundtrack topped Billboard’s albums chart at Number 1 for 14 consecutive weeks, tallying a whopping 51 weeks on the chart. Capitol quickly released “A Hard Day’s Night” as a single, topping Billboard’s Hot 100 chart and selling more than a million copies in short order.

Released by Capitol on July 20, The Beatles’ Something New album includes five songs featured in the band’s A Hard Day’s Night film and six tracks new for America, including “Things We Said Today” and “Any Time At All”. Something New held at Number 2 on Billboard’s albums chart for nine weeks, just below the soundtrack.

Released in U.S. theaters in August, A Hard Day’s Night was a box office smash and a critics pick, earning two Academy Awardâ nominations. Within days of the film’s release, The Beatles returned to North America for a monthlong mad dash of 32 concerts across the U.S. and Canada from August 19 to September 20.

Capitol’s next Beatles release was on November 23: The Beatles’ Story, described on its cover as “A Narrative and Music Biography of Beatlemania on 2 Long-Play Records.” A charming audio grab bag of band member interview clips and quips; Beatles song snips; instrumental versions of Beatles songs performed by the Hollyridge Strings; narration and Beatles storytelling by John Babcock and others; plus various other bits and bobs, the gatefold-packaged double album has a relatively short total runtime of 50 minutes across its four sides.

Capitol capped 1964 with the forward-looking Beatles ’65 album, rush released on December 15 and promising “Great New Hits by John * Paul * George * Ringo” on its cover. The album plucks eight tracks from the U.K. Number 1 Beatles For Sale album (released December 4), plus three more songs new for America, including “I’ll Be Back” and both sides of the band’s latest U.K. single (“I Feel Fine”/“She’s A Woman”). Out in time for the holidays, Beatles ’65 sold nearly two million copies within its first two weeks of release and held Number 1 for nine of its 71 weeks on Billboard’s albums chart.

1964 was a banner year for The Beatles in the U.S. (and all around the world), even by the band’s own ‘toppermost of the poppermost’ standards. The Beatles racked up 17 U.S. Top 40 singles including six Number 1s, six Top 10 albums including four Number 1s, and a blockbuster film. By year’s end, Capitol had sold more than 15 million Beatles records.

Capitol released The Early Beatles on March 22, 1965. The album’s 11 tracks were first released in the U.S. by Vee-Jay Records, starting in February 1963 with the “Please Please Me”/“Ask Me Why” single, with the rest issued in January 1964 on Vee-Jay’s Introducing The Beatles album. Vee-Jay also released three songs from that album as hitmaking U.S. singles in early 1964 (“Twist And Shout,” “Do You Want To Know A Secret,” and “Love Me Do”). Capitol’s exclusive American release rights for the tracks took effect in October 1964 upon settlement with Vee-Jay, and The Early Beatles collected them for their Capitol debut.

Sixty years on, Beatlemania is timeless. The Beatles’ beacon is alight evermore, renewed with the wonder of each generation’s joyful discovery and in creative exploration of the band’s music and cultural eminence by musicians, filmmakers, writers, and other fans of all stripes.

Mastering Notes

These albums were cut for vinyl from the original master tapes using a completely analog signal path and with constant reference to first generation pressings of the original albums. They were made using a Studer A80 master recorder with analog preview & program paths, and a Neumann VMS70 cutting lathe originally installed in Capitol Studios in 1971. This specific all-analog cutting technique allows faithful representation of the full musical range and dynamics present on the original tapes.

Thomas Scheppke • 1 month ago

The PaulMcCartney Project • 1 month ago

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