Review: The Beatles Capitol Releases

There have been thousands of reviews of the Beatles' music over the years. Surely more than any other group in history, their songs and albums have been dissected so many times that no one really needs to hear from another fan his opinion concerning the music of the Fab Four. So why am I writing this review? It's not so much to critique the music but rather to explain for those who may not know that there were different versions of some of their albums.

From the very beginning of their recording career in 1962 up until the end of 1966, there were a different set of songs included for each album released in the U.S. and the U.K. I specifically want to discuss the period from late '65 to mid '66. This is known as the Beatles' mid period and includes the albums Rubber Soul, Yesterday and Today, and Revolver. Having been a fan since the Beatlemania days in 1964, I have long contemplated which period was their best. After all these years of listening, I am convinced this is the time when they were at their most creative as a unit. Of course, many brilliant songs were written and recorded by the Beatles in the late '60s, but I feel this is the time when they were really peaking as a band and not just as John, Paul, or George, with the others backing them up.

For the British releases on Parlophone Records, the Beatles for the most part had control over the content of the albums. Typically they would release a single and an album, which did not include the single or it's flip side, on the same day. For the U.S. Capitol Records releases, the single was included on the album and several tracks from the British LP were left off to compensate.

By the time they got to "Rubber Soul", the Beatles were really upset with Capitol and decided for the followup release, "Yesterday and Today", they were going to make a statement by having an album cover of them sitting in lab coats covered with dismembered baby dolls and raw pieces of meat. Although Paul McCartney claimed at the time that this was the Beatles comment on the Vietnam War, it is widely believed it was done to symbolize how the big American record company had butchered their work. In fact, the original photo on the front of Y&T has long been known as the "Butcher Block" cover. Approximately 750,000 of these sleeves were issued before being recalled by Capitol who felt it was too distasteful. In some cases, the new cover with the Beatles sitting in and around an old steamer trunk was simply pasted over the original. These Butcher Block covers by the way will today demand a hefty sum on the collector's market.

Here are the differences in the albums:
Rubber Soul: The U.K. version contains 14 songs starting off with Drive My Car and also included the hit single Nowhere Man, one of John's best. The US version has only 12 songs starting out with I've Just Seen a Face, an upbeat acoustic song of Paul's actually pulled from the U.K. version of the Help album. Many critics claim this is the better of the two versions because it maintains a more acoustic, folky sound than the UK version.

Yesterday and Today: A U.S. release only, it was meant to be a bridge between Rubber Soul and Revolver containing songs from the U.K. versions of Help, Rubber Soul, and the upcoming Revolver. Though critics panned it for it's choppiness and it did not sell well when first released, it contains some of the best Beatle songs from this period. Imagine having Yesterday, Nowhere Man, We Can Work It Out, and Day Tripper all on the same LP!

Revolver: Long considered the Beatles best album and by some the best rock album ever made, was also released in two versions. The UK release had 14 songs including I'm Only Sleeping and Doctor Robert. The U.S. version was the same with the exclusion of these two songs which had previously been released on Y&T.

Confused? The point is if you are looking for the US versions of these albums because they are the ones that have been stuck in your head for years, the only one you will find at this point is Rubber Soul. The U.S. mono and stereo versions are included in the boxed set The Capitol Albums Volume 2 along with three earlier albums. I would highly recommend it.

You can however, create your own mix of these three albums. Just find a friend and borrow the following CDs. Help, Rubber Soul, Revolver, (these are all the UK versions), and Past Masters Volume 2. You will then have every song you need to recreate the three US albums. Go to Wikipedia or a Beatle source of your choice and get the running order of songs on each album. I would also recommend two singles from this period that were not included on any of these albums. Paperback Writer and Rain. Both can be found on Past Masters Volume 2.

If you are a purist, I would stick with the UK versions as the Beatles intended. But if you are an elder Beatlephile like me and grew up with the US versions of these albums, I think you will enjoy hearing them again.