How Capitol DESTROYED The Beatles Revolver Album
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- Опубліковано 30 тра 2024
- Although 'Yesterday & Today' is famous for being called the 'butcher' album, the Capitol version of 'Revolver' comes a close second. Incredibly, it was released with three tracks missing. This video presents the full sorry story of how and why it happened.
0:00 - Opener.
0:37 - Introduction.
1:27 - Capitol Records in the early 1960's.
2:04 - The legacy of Dave Dexter Jnr.
4:04 - What The Beatles thought of Capitol.
4:38 - Dexter's replacement - Bill Miller.
5:32 - 'Revolver' is recorded & released.
6:05 - September 1966.
6:35 - The imbalance of Revolver.
7:25 - Why was Revolver butchered?
7:34 - Yesterday & Today.
9:05 - Canada & Mexico
9:16 - The U.S. Capitol is hard to defend.
9:37 - UK imports via mail-order.
10:22 - The Beatles finally stop Capitol.
10:36 - Who needs this album today?
10:59 - My go-to pressings.
11:26 - Rumours & closing comments.
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Thank you!
The UK version of Revolver is possibly the best pop album ever made. Culling 3 brilliant songs is a travesty. The original mono Uk version is the first Beatles album I ever heard. Needless to say my mind was blown. Great video and yes I still play it (on my Mono remaster).
3 dogs, .... get over it, terrible songs.
"Revolver" UK is the best. Capital "Help", by far the worst.
As a kid we would hold out on buying a Beatles album until we could find a British version.
Couldn't agree more. The best album in terms of songs and their musicianship.
Best rock album ever
The UK version really is Revolver as the album was meant to be it is a masterpiece and constantly voted as the Beatles top Album. Many pick Revolver over Sgt Peppers but both are brilliant.
I've said to many, if there was no Revolver there'd be no Sgt. Pepper...all the "fixins" are there...
Great channel!
Revolver is one of those albums where you notice a clear distinction between John and George’s psychedelic/power pop tendencies and Paul’s more baroque pop approach. In the UK Revolver these dueling creative styles are placed in an ideal balance that somehow makes the album stronger than the sum of its parts. Nixing three of John’s tracks for the US version means shifting this balance way into the Paul/baroque wing. Don’t get me wrong - Paul’s at an absolute creative peak here, with some of the best songs he’s ever written. However, losing those John songs deprives the album of a lot of that edge - for instance, that trebly, buzzy, slightly distorted guitar crunch - that (to me, at least) defines the album and its sound.
Both 'And Your Bird Can Sing' and 'Dr. Robert' validate your point very well.
Like many young men, it was Lennon who drew me in. He was the cool one to Paul's thumbs up, kinda awkward elder statesman. It was only as I got older I really started to 'get' McCartney. Revolver is the perfect example. Not only does he casually invent baroque pop, he makes it all seem so effortless.
And also Ringo’s songwriting Vs literally everyone else
As a kid here in the US at the time I didn't know there were different versions in the UK. I remember worrying that John's songwriting was drying up!
How to destroy the revolver: 1) skim paperback writer and rain of the top and remove it. 2) remove the other great lennon contributions I'm Only Sleeping”, “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “Doctor Robert” -
The three songs that Capitol culled from the fourteen track 'Revolver' set appeared on the album that appeared in America before 'Revolver', which was 'The Beatles Yesterday and Today' which had as it's first cover the famous 'butcher' sleeve. Maybe the butcher sleeve photos were not merely the suggestion of the photographer. The band agreed to those photos of the 'butcher' cover in overt protest at what Capitol were doing to their albums...
wrong.
My Mom was a very early Beatle fan. She got all the Capitol releases as they were released (Including the "Introducing the Beatles" on VeeJay). I was 5 when they debuted on Ed Sullivan (my first pop culture memory) and Beatle Capitol records were played constantly in our house as I grew up. The music fused into my DNA. We had no idea about the US/UK differences into the 70s. So the US versions with their sequencing were ingrained. I didn't ever hear the UK original versions till in the late 70s or maybe early 80s. A friend got a new box set of the Japanese pressings which followed the UK versions. I have to say, it was very strange to hear the UK sequencing of the songs. As a song would end, in my head I would hear the start of the next song on the US version and often it was a different song. That I was a kid made it different for me than for older folks. I completely understand the Beatles point of view but I heard all the songs anyway. I don't think I'll ever lose that orientation around the US versions but in the end the love I gave it is equal to the love they made.
Ned your comments concerning the Capitol albums mirrored my experience exactly. Like you, when I listen to any of the pre-Sgt. Peppers non-Capitol albums I am taken back when the tracks are not in the same order as I remember them growing up. I had heard some of the British LPs during the time they were released and I thought that the English album buyers were cheated because they never got the singles on the LPs. To get those they had to buy the 45. Other than the Beatles and the staff at Capitol, the public was unaware of the changes in the releases.
Ned I was also 5 and recall the Ed Sullivan debut exactly as you do! I can even tell you where on the sofa I sat (next to my sister). I do remember seeing the UK Hard Days Night at Wallichs Music City and was pissed to see how many songs we were cheated out of!
@@erictrovinger6265 If you don't mind me saying, that is a "Stateside" point of view with regard to singles. Singles in UK at that time were expensive relative to teenage wages, who could probably 'just about' afford them as a treat, or if they saved up. Singles were the main driver for teen sales and for promotion of a band. Obviously albums, being very much more expensive were a luxury. The Beatles reckoned that if they put single tracks on albums they would be cheating fans who had already bought them. I think that out of 218 tracks on the 13 Beatle's LPs, about 16 were released on singles. I also suspect that in the 60's the average American teen was wealthier (or had wealthier parents) than the average British teen.
On the Capitol albums you wouldn’t hear the songs Misery and There’s a Place (1963) until the US Rarities album was released around 1980.
@@Noycey64 Both of those songs were available on "Introducing... The Beatles" on the Veejay label released in January '64. Despite legal disputes causing it to be released in two versions (both include those two songs) it sold over a million copies. We had it in our house in '64. So even though they weren't on any Capitol release in the 60s, it was easy to hear those songs.
One of my formative musical memories was listening to the Capitol version of Revolver at the age of ten, and having shivers up my spine, so enchanted and entranced by the music. Even with three less tracks, you couldn't take that feeling away.
I got it in the 'States when I was 14. "She Said" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" are incomparable.
Yes, and after growing up with that version, the other three songs just seem extraneous.
U. S. Record companies habitually removed tracks from British albums to make room for singles since the British record industry primarily kept singles and albums separate.
I grew up with "Yesterday And Today", "Rubber Soul", and "Revolver" on my record player. I loved them, and didn't know any better.
Even after, Sgt Peppers, The White Album and Abbey Road, I thought those three represented The Beatles at their best. I had all three albums recorded onto a 3 hour tape on my reel-to-reel. I wore that tape out. 😄
That's okay, I had them too, and had nary a clue about the UK albums. When I finally discovered them, years later when I read Neville Standard's book, it was hard to still take the Capitol albums seriously. I saw them for what they were, a collection of songs rather than the coherent albums the Beatles intended. At least 5 years before the original CD's, I ended up piecing together the UK albums, using the Capitol albums, on to cassettes to hear the proper sequencing for the first time. This is why God made tape decks and turntables.
I agree that the 'Paperback Writer/Rain' single could have been used on one or both of those albums. I think 'Rain' works better on Revolver and 'Paperback Writer' would have fit nicely on Yesterday and Today. This could have left 'I'm Only Sleeping' on Revolver and given John a better presence.
While my father served with the Australian military in Vietnam he collected quite a few American records and reel to reel tapes. He was never a Beatles fan but he did a reel to reel copy of The Beatles Yesterday and Today which I loved and I used to play on a massive Akai tape deck we had at home. It was the only Beatles album I had until I started buying records in 1982 and it sticks in my mind because I thought it was a great album. The tracks that I remember most were Drive my car, I’m only sleeping, And your bird can sing, and Dr. Robert. That tape and the tape deck disappeared after dad sold it and his reel to reel collection and the tape deck for $20 in the late eighties! It was really a shame because I should have kept that tape.
Irrelevant that your father was a soldier. Off topic
@@RGalindoM Um, his father collected those tapes in Vietnam, the country and the War. Too relevant, actually.
@@ralphabetsoup
The topic is the Beatles, not the collector’s profession/occupation.
Got it?
@@RGalindoM What do you care? Part of the story. Deal with it!
@@ralphabetsoup
Part of the story that a soldier had a Beatles album. Very important, for sure.
A year of purchasing and owning lap is enough.
Did the soldier had the opportunity to listen to the music while in combat?
You all think that killing Vietnamese peasants is an honorable job.
My older sister had both Y & T (2nd state) and Revolver (Capitol) in 1966. I remember her complaining of the lack of Paul songs on Y & T and John songs on Revolver. Her solution was to stack them together on the family hi-fi and play them back to back. I was only 7 at the time but remember marveling at how the Beatles had changed. I was so used to hearing the "Folky" Rubber Soul which she played non-stop. The electric guitar songs dominating Y & T and Revolver sounded much more in your face and aggressive. I loved them both. My Dad HATED the Beatles with every fiber of his being. That is until he heard The Long And Winding Road. I was in the car when TLAWR came over the airwaves. He was saying how much he liked it. When informed that it was the Beatles he said, "Those long haired freaks finally got it right!!" Great video Andrew. Thank you Sir, RNB
Yes, Rubber Soul and Revolver are different sounding albums, but I hear people say they could be a double album. I don't agree. I think Help! and Rubber Soul sound more alike than Rubber Soul and Revolver.
@@michaelharrington75 I agree with you M H. RNB
Nice name
Still amazes me how people thought the Beatles had long hair lol
@@michaelharrington75 I agree. I actually think that Revolver and Sgt Pepper are a more appropriate pairing. I did a mashup of the two with an adjusted track sequencing for my own amusement and it is very enjoyable to listen to.
In my opinion there are two "freak" albums in the Beatles catalogue (a bit how Abe Simpson refers to Hawaii and Alaska as "freak" US states), 'Magical Mystery Tour' and 'Yellow Submarine'. 'Magical Mystery Tour' (US Capitol version) is an absolute triumph -- love it to bits. 'Yellow Submarine' is basically an EP with George Martin's movie score on side B. It's hard for me to even consider 'Yellow Submarine' a Beatles album, so therefore it's the worst for me hands down. I'd never actually studied the track listing of 'Yesterday and Today' until now, and it's great, but as you say, had they'd put in 'Paperback Writer', 'Rain' and 'I'm Down' instead of Lennon's 'Revolver' tracks, it would have been a phenomenal collection, leaving Capitol to actually do 'Revolver' justice. Great video once again.
You nailed it. Yellow submarine was an EP.
Incorrect-- It had several stellar songs, not found elsewhere.
Agree. US Help! is is basically an EP with George Martin's movie score interspersed.
@@909One92 not george martin but yes
As for MMT - do get the German B-3 version. It's an acoustical revelation.
Maybe it’s the worst in the UK/US scheme of things…but as you said…in that era we couldn’t get (nor were they available in smaller cities til almost the Let It Be Lp) the “import” versions.
So the other thing You mentioned was critical…the US “Rubber Soul, “Revolver” and “Yesterday and Today” were critical to the youth at that time…especially this guy🙂!
I never warmed up to the English versions till many years later even after owning them.
But now, they all sound brilliant. I know it must sound weird to hear someone say it…but I am and always will be a lover of their music. I was lucky enough to have both versions. Thanks for the great spotlight on where the problem rested.👍💚
As a young Canadian Beatles fan in the 1980s I thought the Capitol albums were identical to the albums released in England. Information and discographies were hard to find then. When the CD's came out in 1987 I discovered how much we had been cheated by Capitol US (the first two Canadian Capitol Beatles albums were much better). So no nostalgy for me. I hate the Capitol US albums, except for Rubber Soul !
Also Magical Mystery Tour was a great collection
There is a lot of competition for the worst Beatles album, they were sensible not to produce a live a album because apart from Ringo they were extremely poor musicians
what would have been a better question is what is the worst Paul McCartney album?
remember the famous quote 'the only song you wrote was yesterday but since you are gone you are just another day', I would not argue with John Lennon either about this although the truth is they wrote some excellent songs but became great when recorded by other artists
@@pmoran7971 "... apart from Ringo they were extremely poor musicians" ....uh-oh, you done it now ! the Beatle Borgs are going to jump all over you.
I don't think he has to worry about Beatle Borgs. They won't be as fascinated as I am by such brilliant opinions. I am much more interested in hearing P Moran...sorry Maestro Moran's opinions on topics such as Burt Bacharach's over-use of chord extensions to cover up Hal David's schmaltzy shtick, on Aretha Franklin's failure to integrate the whole of the Western classical tradition into her repetitive songs or perhaps John Coltrane's inability to sing A Love Supreme. Come on Maestro enlighten us!!!
@@floridaruttles3984 it is even worse than that Florida Ruffles if you want to make Ringo unhappy
whisper in his ear John Bonham or Keith Moon, I would like to do a list of songs that were made great by artists that reproduced Beatles songs, it is a very long list!
As a side note: 1967 was also the year where The Beatles' masters for 1st German pressings drastically improved (with Sgt. Pepper). So I wonder if that renegotiation with EMI, apart from not messing around with tracklists and/or cover designs maybe also included supplying better tape masters to foreign subdivisions as well. Do you have any info on that, Andrew?
A lot of people at Capitol,including many of the big name recording artists held the same general disdain for rock-n-roll and teen oriented pop music as those running the label. Frank Sinatra,Dean Martin and Stan Freberg were all outspoken critics of it. Freberg found huge success openly mocking it,and even Nat King Cole released “Mr Cole won’t Rock and Roll”,making fun of the 50’s style of rock n roll music.
Imagine how they must have felt when the Beatles took America by storm and then psychedelic music later emerged. Even the reprise label (started and once owned by Frank Sinatra) ended up releasing bands like “the Electric prunes”
I also have to admit that I love Sinatra,Nat King Cole and the jazz music the older folks at Capitol liked as well as the Beatles and all the rock n roll stuff and I supposed I can understand to a certain extent how those folks must have felt.
As an American,I agree with you completely about the handling of the US release of revolver too. I don’t blame The Beatles one bit for being upset. The UK version is the best and I was glad to hear the missing songs. In my opinion record company’s shouldn’t be focused entirely on money,it should mainly be about music.
There are always reactionaries, those reflexively protecting the traditional and familiar and rejecting the new and novel...
When I was a child, I never knew why the Revolver we had (still have it), on the orange Capitol label, was missing 3 tracks. Much later I learnt about UK and US discographies.
I grew up in the US listening to my parent's copy of Revolver and always loved that album. When Revolver was released on CD I of course bought it and was blown away by the additional songs, not that I had never heard them before because I also had the vinyl version of Yesterday and Today but because I had become so familiar with the running order of the US version. I much prefer the UK version and as others have said, it's one of their best albums.
As an American I absolutely love this album I found it at a resale shop for $5 still in the shrink wrap it was open but barely played and I listened to it 5 times that day it was absolutely mind blowing I’ve never heard another record that amazing since. I’m so used to the us track list that the English version just seems to drag on in comparison. And only giving John 2 songs made both of those songs super special and you really listen closer because it must be important there’s only two and ending both sides with them was pure genius and really gave John the defining touch of the album in my opinion
Dragging on for 35 minutes? How does it compare to The White Album dragging on for 1 h 30 minutes? Must be mission impossible for you lol. And a Beatles album with McCartney/Harrison domination over Lennon? What a joke
One of the most artful "clickbait that ain't clickbait" arcs that I've seen. Another banger from Parlogram.
Obviously, the songs that were left on the US version are also great. But even as a kid who didn't know the story behind the abbreviated US variation of the album, "Revolver" always felt 'LESS'. It was my least favorite album while I was growing up.
As I got older and started buying imports; then when the original round of CDs were released, I was always amazed at how the simple addition of three songs on the UK version turned my least favorite into my most favorite...which it has remained now for about 40 years. I absolutely love Revolver.
Side note: In contrast, the US Version of "Rubber Soul" was perhaps my favorite at the time. Even if it is also mostly a US butchered hodgepodge, the song selection...and the way they connect thematically, make it a very satisfying listen.
great take, the key is that Rubber Soul didn't simply remove songs. It removed and replaced songs. It also just so happens that the songs it removed (sans Nowhere Man) are in my opinion the weakest cuts off the U.K. album. And the replacements are some of my favorite (and most folky) cuts from Help.
@@seanberrodin801 Nowhere Man, Drive My Car (included in the Red album compilation and Love) and If I Needed Someone are great. What Goes On is the weakest. The original UK is miles better than Capitol's bastardization
@@marty48 I’m anti drive my car. It’s not a good opener and I find it trite as a song. A classic example of a Paul McCartney snoozer.
@@seanberrodin801 Well, that's your personal issue. It's not one of their classics, but it's a highly regarded song. US version wasn't a carefully crafted consistent piece, as some Americans believe. It was mostly chance: I've Just Seen a Face and It's Only Love just happened to be the only two tracks from the UK Help! that had not been released in the US. Nowhere Man/What Goes On had been picked for a US single.
@@chaffsalvo How can an album feel incomplete when it has more songs? The US Revolver is just the original album minus three songs.
I have always loved Revolver even in it’s US configuration. Although I much prefer the UK version which is my favorite. While I do have problems with Dave Dexter Jr I do defend his initial decision to reject the Beatles in 1963. If you look at the 1960’s Capitol inner sleeves, the list of artists sound nothing like the Beatles and it was those artists that were selling in the US. Obviously the Beatles did break through but it’s easy to see with hindsight. I do think his work on the album selections and packaging works as well. My biggest problem was his arrogance and his article on John Lennon in the December 1980 issue of Billboard magazine did not endear Dexter to anyone as it was filled with venom toward a man who had just recently been taken from us. Always an enjoyable video Andrew. Thanks very much!
Capitol had Sinatra in them days.
Like many others in the US, I never knew that we were missing 3 songs by John on 'Revolver'. It wasn't until a new guy moved into the neighborhood in 1968 who was from England and was showing us his Beatles collection that I became aware of the differences... and his copy sounded way better than mine. Dangit to heck! Curse you Capital! Thanks for digging up bad memories Andrew! ;)
Hi Andrew... thank you for this USA Revolver video. I am one of the millions in the USA who grew up on this album, and the others prior to Sgt. Pepper, and I can't tell you how thrilled I was to eventually get a copy of the UK Revolver..I have long considered the UK Revolver to be the best album the Beatles recorded. I think it's flawless. Can't wait for your next video. Thanks again!
I'm probably in the small minority that likes it. If you look at it in the context of the US discography imo, it's a good album. The Rubber Soul, Y&T, and Revolver trio has gotta be the best thing I've heard!
Yep. For me also, those three-in-a-row have it over British Rubber Soul and Revolver. Hatchet jobs or not, I think all three have great continuity. Even superior, in the case of Rubber Soul, for elevating 'I've Just Seen a Face' to its important status, instead of just being a throwaway 'HELP!' LP
B-Side.
@@DavidCKendall There’s a case made as to Capitol’s cut and paste unintentionally produced a Folk Rock album. Back in the day we did know know the US albums had less songs and felt shortchanged by Capitol.
You may be in a minority in the comments, by virtue of bias - the commenters will mostly be people who liked the video. But I'm not sure it's a small minority or even a minority of people who were American kids back then. For us, yes, that was the trio. Certainly was for me. For the UK version we've had for 35 years now, it's Help-Rubber Soul-Revolver.
@@alanogy Rubber Soul, Revolver, and Sgt Pepper are among the trio of the best albums and influential of all time for many individuals and musicians, whether US or UK versions. As to Yellow Submarine, Help, and Hard Day's Night, as I've stated, they are in the USA, considered Movie Score albums a separate category.
What is y and t?
Growing up in Canada in the 60's and 70's I knew only the Capitol releases of Beatles albums. I had heard of the UK albums were different but because we rarely had access to them I didn't give them much thought. It wasn't until CDs started appearing in 1987 that Canada got the official UK catalogue. It was only at that point that I understood the hatchet job they did on Revolver. Not all was lost, however, since at the same time they released the CDs, Capitol Canada issued the the same masters on vinyl. So in the end we did end up with the record The Beatles intended.
@@quiricomazarin476 Like the majority of Canadians I didn't have easy access to Montreal or Toronto, and when I did imports still were not readily available or were way to much money for a kid in high school. Gee, it would be nice to contribute here without having to deal with such comments.
@@quiricomazarin476 that's true. I grew up in canada and bought all the japanese pressings of the UK records in Toronto around 1977 at a cool store on Yonge St. called Records on Wheels.
@@quiricomazarin476 I am glad you appologized. Cool.
@@quiricomazarin476 sorry brother ... born in Toronto. I got Blue Blood. Living in Tsawwassen 30 minutes away from CunucK Town.
I never heard the story of Billboard having ads for UK pressings ,let alone in 1968 . That's mind boggling . Andrew you do do your homework. Kudos ...
Of the US copies of Beatles albums I have and knew about, “Revolver” has always been my favorite. I didn’t realize until years later the UK versions had more tracks on the releases. The missing songs from “Revolver” just make their best album better IMO.
As an American, I had no clue about this greedy practice of trimming the U.S. releases down. I distinctly remember looking at the songlist for Revolver at the time and thinking, "Is Lennon now getting so stoned he only came up with two songs?" 😸 Of course, I found out later...the U.K. version is an absolute gem. 😻
Thank you Andrew for another delightful, excellent video. You have helped reinforce my life-long obsession with the Beatles and Beatles vinyl. Your videos are a joy to watch!!
My pleasure, Seth!
I love everything about this channel! The video editing, Andrew and learning more about the Beatles! Please never stop!
Thank you, Renato.
I’m a recent collector of the Beatles Capitol run, due to affordability and accessibility on the used market. We regularly pull Yesterday and Today and Revolver together and spin them back to back.
I'm from México, but I grew up listening to the European editions of The Beatles albums because my dad lived in Spain and he was a great fan of the Beatles, so he brought his record collection to México. So in the 90s when I started to build my record collection I was in the US and went to a record shop to look for some records, I bought Revolver among others, but it wasn't until I got back to México when I listened to it and realized that there were those 3 songs missing. I felt a little frustrated because And Your Bird Can Sing and Dr Robert were two of my favorites. I didn't know why those songs were omitted and hated that Capitol edition. It wasn't until the 2000s when investigating in the internet that I learned about the differences between UK and US editions. That's why I always hated the US editions and always try to avoid them.
@@quiricomazarin476 Hello my friend! To tell you the truth, I don't know very much about Mexican editions because I've only collected the European editions, but they are the same versions as the USA editions, with the exception of Rubber Soul, despite being from Capitol it had the tracklist of the original from UK, I don't know why they decided to release the UK version of Rubber Soul here in México, it's a mystery to me.
Thankfully, as a US fan, I got into the Beatles the year the CDs were released. I later got ahold of a cassette of the US Revolver and thought it was such an abomination. I think it comes across as so bad because of what you mentioned-nothing replaced the missing songs. If it had included Paperback Writer and Rain, we’d be having very different discussions about the UK vs US Revolver today!
I just was getting into The Beatles in the late 70s, so when EMI re-released and re-pressed the Parlophone albums in the very early 1980s, I went and got each as it was released. Each of those UK albums was a revelation, with the slight exception of "Help" and "Revover," which I had in stereo in Australian pressings. (The latter knocked me out, however, because my introduction to "Revolver" was a friend's US stereo copy. However, hearing the mono UK copy of "Revolver" introduced me to new versions of many tracks. "Spot the difference between mono and stereo and countries" became a kind of "Where's Waldo" because, well, I was 15.)
When the Beatles catalogue came out on CD in the late 1980s, I thought Revolver was their best work. I also wondered why no one ever mentioned it in the same breath as the White Album or Peppers. This video explains it perfectly. The US Revolver was missing some of the best tracks. Over time Revolver's reputation has skyrocketed and is now considered the Beatles best album in many circles. Thank you for filling me in on this historical oddity.
Oh man, you knocked me for a loop at the beginning Andrew, but when you quickly clarified that it was the U.S. album, it all made sense. I grew up with the US version, but it was never one of my favorites until the 1987 CD release of the UK version then it quickly rose to the number 1 spot for me. The U.K. version is without a doubt a masterpiece. The U.S. version lacking some of John's greatest songs is a both disappointing and forgettable. I still spin it every ten years or so just for a giggle.
I think you’re absolutely right John I think capital records what they should’ve done is they should have put a double album together using the revolver album on site to the second record a month before the UK would’ve had it, and I would’ve added the songs paperback writer rain and I am down the clothes off for yesterday and today album I think that would’ve been a great addition and that would be two great albums anyway.
I think that capital records today horrible mistake when they only had 11 songs because being a musical actor that I am I love to hear albums with more tracks the more tracks there are the better
I grew up listening to the UK release of revolver I didn’t get to hear the US version until I got the Beatles US box set. Even though the US version of revolver they didn’t use the master tapes from Capitol to use the 2009 remaster which is interesting but it’s still one of my favorite albums.
As a young boy I was into 45rpm singles rather than albums. Because of this I've never heard the Capitol version of Revolver. But I eventually discovered albums in 1967 while visiting family in Scotland. One of my cousins had all the Beatles' albums…Revolver was the current one, with Sgt. Pepper's about to come out. I got to hear the whole catalog up through Revolver over a 3-4 day period! Then after Pepper came out I managed to talk my folks into buying both it and Revolver. My dad was concerned the vinyl would get warped during the flight home, but that didn't happen.
After coming back home I soon figured out the Capitol albums were different to the EMI ones, so I again managed to talk my folks into forking out some cash. My cousin bought all the albums I didn't have and shipped 'em "across the pond" to me. Still have 'em.
I wonder how your friends reacted when you showed them all your unique Beatles records
@@Vinyl_guy I don’t remember anyone being impressed. ☺️ I was the biggest music fan of my group of friends. Later on, when we became teenagers, it evened out. But by then the ‘60s were over and no-one, not even me, was listening to “oldies.” I didn’t listen much to the Beatles again ‘til the CD remasters came out in the ‘80s. That was when I really got into ‘em.
Terrific history and video, PA - and I'm most impressed with your knowledge about the realities of the time, and the impossibility of most Americans to know the differences between UK and US releases.
I was one of those teenagers who noticed the small ads for British record stores in the back of Billboard, and my 'go to' shop was Heanor Record Centre, Derbyshire, shown here in your video. They're the shop that provided me with all the great Kinks singles that were never given airplay in the US - and I never minded having to wait two or three weeks between the time I sent them my order and the moment I received them. Their catalogs always had track listings.
I wasn't able to purchase British imports, locally, until 1970/71 - and only when I visited Boston or NYC on the odd visit. Nothing like that existed in my small town.
Thank you for creating your excellent channel!
ETA: About the only way anyone could see track listings during those years was by having access to Schwann catalogs, but not every record store sold them, and they were only for US releases.
Great video Andrew. Well researched and thoroughly entertaining. I came for the 'From Liverpool' Beatles box set and stayed for everything that you have produced over the past weekend.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
I grew up in Canada listening to and loving Yesterday and Today since it came out, primarily due to the songs from Revolver.
It was years before I found out it wasn't a "real" album but I found out. I still give it a regular spin.
Please listen to me young people. If you take away all of their hit records and listen to the stuff that never played on the radio you will see just how powerful their music was.
When I was a kid in the US and collecting Beatles lps, around ‘79 or ‘80, I only had access to the Capitol lp versions until I stumbled upon a UK Parlophone import of Revolver. I quickly tracked down a Parlophone version of Rubber Soul, which quickly replaced my Capitol version in my play rotation. Now as a late-blooming vinyl renaissance geezer, I am paradoxically collecting Capitol lps. Go figure.
Love your channel, Andrew! Your videos are entertaining and informative, and I love the retro logo bumpers!
My mom got me into The Beatles at a very early age. My aunt gave me 3 Beatles 45rpm records from her collection when I got my first record player. I never actually heard any albums by The Beatles in their entirety until later in high school. The only version of Revolver I was ever familiar with is the UK version after I bought it on cd. I can't imagine it any other way, especially when looking at the track listing. I have a good friend though who grew up with the US version that his mom had. Therefore, he loves the US pressing. I can see how nostalgia comes into play with that. Great video!
Thanks for watching, Eddie!
In 1966, the era of the centrality of the "album" for popular music had not yet quite arrived. After Sgt. Pepper, it would have been unthinkable to do the kind of mix-and-match jobs that Capitol did with the earlier records, but the song was the unit that mattered before that. I don't think they gave much thought to the gestalt of the overall album.
Exactly - note how the back cover refers to "selections" (All Selections BMI) - a quaint practice British record covers had once used but which had all but died out by 1962. The Capitol Beatles albums pre-67 were all basically compilations. Meet The Beatles, mind you, must have had the same cachet as the Marble Arch LP by The Kinks, "Well Respected Kinks". That's the LP that got me into the group and when I finally found out that their debut album was a mish-mash of cover versions and with none of the rip-roaring original single compositions that I recognised, I was amazed.
Actually a some of the Rubber Soul and Revolver were used to create the Yesterday and Today album. But what bothered me back in 1966 was the fact that Paperback Writer and Rain were missing from both the Yesterday and Today and Capitol Revolver albums. I would have preferred those two single tracks to be on the former than the latter album.
Thanks for this video. As a huge lifelong Beatles fan I honestly never realized the entire explanation for this topic and your explanation makes perfect sense. Revolver remains my hands down favorite and IMO the best Beatles album ever. Your explanation of how they could have used Paperback Writer/Rain and I'm Down makes perfect sense and you're right-would have probably made the US Revolver an ever more stunning and drop dead ALL TIME piece than it still (I believe) is. My jaw dropped open in 1966 when I first got Revolver US and my mouth didn't close from the awe of it until months later. I may have been laid out flat on the floor had it gone down as you suggest it should have. For years I marvelled about how the UK album was so much more killer but never realized the WHY so fully...until now. Thanks, Cheers!
Being a teenager and Beatles fan in mid '60s, I never knew that there were differences between the UK and US versions. The US versions were what was available in stores near me.
As a young Beatles fan, I became aware of the inanity of the UK/US divide with Beatles' issues right around "Beatles '65" / "Beatles for Sale". I knew there were differences before, but I chalked that up to Capitol being late to the party - but by late 1964 I understood it was greed at play. Why release one album when you can release two?
A local disc jockey in Boston played "Kansas City", "What You're Doing", and "Words of Love" off of "Beatles for Sale" for a short while in late 1964 / early 1965 on a Sunday show devoted to new releases and stray tracks and even oldies - he played things other than what was on the stations "approved" playlist - so I was aware of these tracks six months before we got them on "Beatles VI" (June, 1965).
I was a real Little Richard fan, so I really loved McCarney's vocal on "Kansas City" and I remember being really cheesed off that Capitol were sitting on it and not releasing it. I was 12 years old at the time, so as you can imagine, six months was FOREVER back then - and I waited impatiently. When it finally came out, I played it 15 times straight!
All that time - I knew it existed, but I couldn't get a copy - and it was so frustrating! (Imported pop records were almost unheard of at the time - classical, sure - and maybe pop records in New York, but maybe not even there) - even I knew we got 11 or 12 songs an album rather than the 14 the UK fans got - and when you factor in the fact that their singles generally weren't on the album - the UK fans really got more like 16 new tracks - and we might get as few as 11.
While I get the whole royalty division thing, I don't buy at all the notion that it was "necessary". Those records sold in hefty enough quantities to pay for anybody's bloody royalties, and all the fat-assed executives would STILL have received a Christmas bonus. What all of that horseshit really boils down to is good, old fashioned, red, white, and blue all-American corporate, capitalist greed. Period. There is no other impulse at work.
Capitol Records never gave a runny crap about "art". They wanted a big third quarter or whatever, and that was the Alpha and the Omega of the whole sorry exercise.
The American "Revolver" was and is an embarrassing fiasco. It was so short-sighted, stupid and unnecessary and it used to anger people in real time back in the day. (Important people, like, eh, John Lennon, for instance!) It isn't like fans didn't know about this stuff! Capitol thought they were being like The Kremlin or something, and that the great unwashed didn't know any better, but fans were quite aware they were getting screwed. They just treated us like we were stupid and ignorant and would buy whatever crap they tossed out. And they were right! Because it was the Beatles, ffs!
I've despised Capitol Records, as a label, for what they pulled on people in the '60's. Their entire A&R department deserve their own semi-detached sub-division in Hell. They screwed around with all of their best artists - the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Peggy Lee - Cannonball Adderly, too, probably - they dictated to all of them, gave them marching orders, interfered with their recording projects, and were quite ruthless in not promoting records they didn't like or understand - like "Pet Sounds" - which was obviously so over their heads it was SAD, and which they basically, and with malice aforethought, assassinated by releasing The Best of the Beach Boys just two months later in what should have still been the heavy promotion honeymoon period for "Sounds". They deliberately sabotaged that album. They thought Brian Wilson was getting to grandiose and his records were costing too much. Never mind that it's a brilliant piece of art - no, no - that's not good enough. One reason, I believe, was because they wanted Brian Wilson to write more songs about cars and surfing or some bullshit. "Write another song about Summer, Brian!" Capitol could relate to "Be True to Your School", but had trouble with "God Only Knows".
Sorry - all these decades later, and I still get enraged! Sinatra started Reprise Records to get away from these cost-accountant troglodytes just to make the records he wanted to make instead of getting collaborators shoved down his throat and basically told to "shut up and sing".
That was the general attitude of the American record business in the mid 20th Century. Artists weren't artists - they were "product". Trouble is - the Beatles were artists.
So very well stated on every one of your points, Neil B - but let's not let Reprise Records off the hook. They did the same thing to The Kinks "product" that Capitol did with their roster - and their art director, Ed Thrasher (Ed TRASHER) destroyed the Kinks "Face To Face" artwork in comparison to Pye's beautiful British release.
One of the problems, though, was that there was no US market for EPs, so US labels stuck those stray tracks onto LPs.
@@total.stranger Yes, the non-existent EP market in the States led to a lot of shenanigans - and admittedly, some challenges. A lot of those early Kinks albums had horrible designs in America - garish and silly. They made the records look as dorky as Dino, Desi, and Billy. Reprise was great for Old Blue Eyes, though - because there was nobody there to tell him he couldn't do "Strangers in the Night" or whatever. I'm not a Sinatra fan particularly - but I think he'd proven himself to the extent that he should have been able to make the records he wanted to make without being dictated to by some grey-flannel A&R dwarf at Capitol. The moral of the story, I guess, is that American record labels in the '60's were pretty terrible.
Great post, Neil.
Neil B your my kind of person . Long story of my short story with Capitol on Vine Street circa 1967 . Their was a guy named Nick Venet ( sp ) that worked with The Beach Boys early on . I met him when he was an A&R man in 1967 if I recall . In any event he turned me on to another record label at which I became a staff writer . I had no idea at that time he had worked with The Beach Boys until a year or two later . When your a twenty year old kid you know nothing in respect to how important it is to get to know the right people . Los Angeles is so different from New York - where I was from - . L.A. is a dog eat dog world, and Capital epitomized that ...
@@total.strangerUS Reprise did a fine job shaving off the bottom (bass) on those Kinks records. They killed Axis Bold As Love (IMO)!
I grew up with the US version of Revolver and was freaked out to discover that the UK version had 3 more songs. I don't listen to my US pressing any more. Most of my Beatles albums are 1970 US Apple versions that were being closed out after Allen Klein got his mitts on the company.
The early US albums that I do listen to are The Beatle's Second Album (all rockers), Beatles 65 (the cut-and-paste aspect really shows), and Rubber Soul (which becomes more of a folk album). I already had many of the UK versions of the albums before I picked up a used copy of The Early Beatles in a used bin, so that one never got ingrained into memory.
You and me both. I started looking for the imports in the early eighties. My original "Help" and "Magical Mystery Tour" are the two that I have. Don’t listen to them much anymore.
The Beatles "Second Album" is excellent, considering - and the stereo "Roll Over, Beethoven" just pops.
I was 18, with a brand new Beatles LP. High as a kite, listening to Revolver on a battery powered extremely low quality "phonograph," in the back of a '63 Chevy wagon, parked, snowstorm happening, electric heater powered by "borrowed" AC from a hotels lamppost, huddled with the heater and record player between my legs, naked, and played "She Said She Said" maybe 20 times. It hit home like no other Beatles song ever did. When much later I read about the trip that inspired the song, it wasn't the trip I had. Glad I didn't know the Peter Fonda story....
so glad I grew up on the CDs, but I do remember a lot of the cassette tapes we had, and those were the Capitol album versions... amongst them we had Yesterday and Today and the American Rubber Soul (which is the version I actually heard first)... we also had some American vinyl, mostly Capitol 45s (one of which was I Am the Walrus with that one measure not edited out), but we had the Hard Day's Night soundtrack and even a rare bootleg which never lists the Beatles name but oddly includes the Pete Best Love Me Do take from their first time at EMI. I do not think I ever had an American revolver, and from the looks of it, probably a good thing I never encountered it.
great review, as always! keep up the terrific work!
Having grown up with the U.S. "Revolver," I never noticed the conspicuous absence of its three missing Lennon songs as a youth. In hindsight I'd have to say that "She Said, She Said" and "Tomorrow Never Knows" are so incredibly strong that it's a case of quality over quantity - in other words, any album containing those two songs couldn't possibly suffer from Bill Miller's castration job, disrespectful as it was.
That said, when I listen to "Revolver" now I typically go to the superior U.K. version, unless I'm seriously pressed for time and/or feeling unabashedly nostalgic.
...But yeah, Bill Miller be damned!!!
Tomorrow Never Knows is the dream that the guy in I'm Only Sleeping is having. The one song seems to lead into the other for me. Could have been a great 1-2 punch of Lennon on Revolver.
The Yellow submarine album is by far their least best effort, I would say worst but like you say they don’t have a bad album. The reason why is only because of the second side. The songs on side is one are amazing especially hey bull dog.
It was never released in the UK.
It should have been an EP in the UK and two singles in the US
Am I the only one who enjoys Martin's score and is glad it was released in full on one side of the LP?
@@markboulton954 I like it it’s just I wish instead of putting it on a Beatles record make it a George Martin record and put the other songs from the movie like “sgt peppers” “nowhere land” “Eleanor Rigby” “when I’m sixty four”
Yellow Sub was never a new Beatles album. Just a soundtrack from the film on a British EP. Since the US didn't do EPs anymore, they added all the tracks it has now and it became what people know it as now.
Awesome episode as usual! As a young Beatles fan I remember being so excited when my mom bought Revolver for me while out shopping one day. I don’t think I bothered her too much about buying it for me.😆I thought it was strange that there were only two Lennon tracks, but that didn’t stop me from absolutely loving the album. When I became familiar with the UK version’s 14 tracks, it made sense. However, hearing the three songs as part of Revolver still seemed slightly strange to me, because I associated them with being on Yesterday and Today.
Andrew I could listen to you talk about The Beatles for days... I recently purchased a copy of the 2014 mono Revolver album and have been listening to it for days. The sound is exquisite. Thanks for another great video!!!
I've never liked 'Dr. Robert', but 'I'm Only Sleeping' and 'And Your Bird Can Sing' are great. Big mistake.
If I had to remove three tracks from 'Revolver', they would be 'Yellow Submarine', 'Dr. Robert' and 'I Want to Tell You'. I've customised the album and I've removed those three and replaced them with 'Paperback Writer' and 'Rain'.
One hell of an album.
@Mark Schultz It isn't the album The Beatles wanted to hit the stores, but it's the album that I like. Moreover, I've added two songs from the 'Revolver' sessions, which makes some sense. Replacing 'Yellow Submarine' with 'The Ballad of John and Yoko' wouldn't, since that one was written in 1968 or 1969. I've customised 'Abbey Road' and that song is on it instead of 'Octopus's Garden', among others.
I've customised dozens of albums (including every Beatles album except 'Yellow Submarine') with B sides, non-album singles, live and demo versions that surpass their studio counterparts... it's not just more enjoyable, it's also a way of experiencing an album in a different way. I strongly recommend everyone to customise their albums.
I'm gonna be honest, I enjoy Capitol's Revolver a lot. I mostly listen to the U.S. Albums and Yesterday and Today is often in rotation so I never feel like I miss out on the three tracks. Also I prefer Good Day Sunshine transitioning into For No One and then into I Want to Tell You more than the UK side 2 order. Doctor Robert just comes in too abruptly for my liking and I much prefer its placement on Yesterday and Today. But that's just me, when looking at just the one album the UK album is clearly superior
@@quiricomazarin476 sounds like bragging to me! ;)
@@quiricomazarin476 right on, man. Cheers.
@@quiricomazarin476 ... cool. I don't know many who can say A Hard Days Night is in the Top 3. (It's my favourite for a few reasons) John's voice never sounded better, the use of the the 12 string Ricky guitar, andthe first album of all originals.
I mentioned in another post, how I grew up in the United States (parents from the UK), but travelled to Canada often with my parents during the 1960’s. I not only purchased each American Beatle's album as they came out in the 60’s, but was able to buy both Canadian and UK imports in Vancouver, B.C., much to the amazement of my friends back in the States who drooled over my UK copies.
I always treated Yesterday & Today and Revolver as two of the same album, like a double LP set, since they came out close to one another. The U.S. version of Revolver, by curtailing its track listing, became glaringly an obvious Capital mistake when I obtained my UK copy in late 1966. Later when cassette decks came out (I had attached it to our new stereo receiver by 1971), I dubbed my copy of Revolver and Y&T and placed the songs in the UK order and added the other 66’ songs at the end, including the singles Rain/Paperback Writer from the ‘71 Hey Jude Album.
As I have mentioned before, I actually prefer the more “muddy” U.S. stereo sound with added reverb, enhanced bass, and needed stereo separation with multi speakers; but that is due to nostalgic feelings on my part, and the technology available with U.S. “Hi-Fi’s” that brought to life, through those grand woofers, and filling the room with a concert like experience. Little record players could not duplicate that. With that said, I tended not to play my UK imports on speaker as much but preferred their clarity on headphones; my sympathy for the American albums is all about the sound experience that the tech in America provided and the simple nostalgia for many of us on this side of the pond.
I love listening to your episodes. Such memories; and your knowledge of the different pressings is fascinating.
Thank you, Dore. I'm glad you enjoy them.
I remember how pissed off I was when I learned that Capital Record's has been skimming a couple of songs off of each album in order to create its own non-existent mythical, bogus Beatles album. Listening to the UK versions many years later, was an eye opener for me. It's always been the same old, same old story of Corporate greed taking an artist's creation and picking it apart on the whim of some degenerate company hack. American corporate greed has always managed to shit on an anvil, screw up a free lunch, and create chaos in a funeral procession containing a single car. Accomplishing its goal of turning something into something less while charging the consumer more, doing it all before noon in a single day.
Lighten Up, Francis!
And to think the first album I ever bought with my own money as a child was THIS record, it cracks me up! I remembered being so excited to get it....little knowing I was getting ripped off by the Capitol haters. I still own it despite it sounding terrible due to me playing it to death. And where I do think the UK track listing sounds more cohesive I'll always have a bit of love for this poorly edited version.
Another fine video! Thank you!!! When I was boy, everything was right with the Capitol version of this album, until I heard the UK version. Then I discovered Roy Carr and Tony Tyler's The Beatles: An Illustrated Record and found out what they were doin' to me and every other North American. You're quite right about what Capitol could have done with Paperback Writer/Rain. But taken as a three album trilogy, Rubber Soul, Yesterday, And Today and Revolver are incredible releases. Keep up the fantastic videos!
I grew up buying and listening to the American versions of all the Beatles records. As you stated we never knew the difference at least in the beginning. I was fortunate in my hometown of Milwaukee to have two record stores that starting in 1970 selling Beatles and Stones UK imports. I bought some Stones but grabbed everything I could find on EMI, Odeon etc. of the Beatles. At first, I like many, were confused at all the different versions. However, these days even though I play many different releases I do prefer the UK mono releases. I was also lucky enough to see the Beatles in 64’ in my hometown of Milwaukee. Note that I said see….I really did not hear them. Yet the energy of the moment will live on in my memory forever.
Love your posts and all the great history and recommendations.
The US Revolver was great before 1987. Then the cds came out and now the US feels incomplete. Unlike RubberSoul, which still felt like a complete entity, Revolver in the US now feels like a car on three wheels.
The Capitol Beatles albums have fascinated me ever since a local department store chain imported large amounts of the Canadian pressings and sold them in a very reasonable price here in Finland in the late 1980's. I had just started to buy the Beatles albums, and the Capitol imports were a cheap way to do it. Although I agree that Capitol should not have messed with their catalogue, I think that Dave Dexter is too much vilified for doing what he was asked to do by his employer. In the early 1960's there was no precedent of a foreign artist making it big in the US market and when an album of an European artist was released, it was always tailored for the US market. The albums of the Rolling Stones were compiled differently in the US than the UK originals, and I believe that was case with all the other UK artists until the Beatles put their foot down and demanded their creative vision being treated more respectfully. Capitol's aim was to make the Beatles a succesful recording act in a very different market. To ensure that they did the changes they thought would make the albums suit the American audience better and that's what they would have done even if someone else had been in charge than Dave Dexter.
@@quiricomazarin476 No I don’t. I initially had the ”Beatlemania - With the Beatles” -album though, but I gave all my Beatles vinyl away in the early 1990’s and now I am getting myself again all the Beatles tracks on vinyl mixing with the Capitol, Parlophone and Apple albums.
Thanks@Mark Schultz , Turkey is still not making it easy though. About Capitol you are of course right. By “making Beatles a successful recording act” I meant just that, a band that makes a lot of money. My main point was that it was not just Dexter that did that for the Beatles, that was done to all the other foreign acts by all the other record companies as well.
@Mark Schultz keep on dodging the bullets!
I had never seen it in that way. But I liked your explanation. In that context, I have to agree with you. Here, in Brazil we had a false mono pressing with the same UK tracklist for both, Rubber Soul and Revolver. I suppose from the EMI stereo master tapes. But I imagine how difficult was for you to make that sort of choice about the fab4. You're a real brave man, Andrew. Great vídeo again.
In many ways, Brazilian fans were treated even worse, specially with the atrocious sound quality. At least it started to follow the UK albums, as early as Rubber Soul. We even got the double EP version of MMT.
Actually Rubber Soul was true mono and there was never a true stereo Rubber soul till the release of the CDs (and digital mastered vinyl). From Revolver on Brazil had the folded down monos.
Sir, your diligent research of the topic is amazing, like not only mentioning the Capitol 'compilators' of Beatles' US albums but finding their interviews and quotes on the matter.
Also, pointing out the detail that John's songs were left off this album so it became more like Paul's & George's album. But, of course, when you subtract John's songs, you're left with the other two writers (plus Ringo on YS on vocals). Another detail you highlighted is that 'variations' of the US album could be confusing to Beatles fans then.
Leaving off some tracks , adding another ones... Well, it is just not right. I have the albums (Rubber Soul & Revolver) only on CDs.
My two favorite Beatles records are Revolver and Rubber Soul and fortunately I own the UK pressings of both. And My Bird Can Sing missing from that album is blasphemy. One of my favorite Lennon songs. If you take those two records alone the Beatles would be one of the greatest bands of the 60s!
My two favorite Beatles albums as well. Imao they are both miles better than Sgt. Pepper, which I've always found to be, once you take away all of the studio trickery, one of their weakest albums song wise. Especially Lennon's songs, other than Lucy and A Day in the Life.
Both the Capitol "Revolver" and "Yesterday and Today" had eleven songs on the Album. Too bad some Capitol exec didn't have the sense to include "Paperback Writer" and "Rain" on "Yesterday and Today", because then both records would have had twelve songs on each album, they would have sold even more records, and Mr. JL would have had 3 songs on the US version of "Revolver."
Capitol was all about selling product.
@@8avexp True, but those two records would have sold better if both albums had a dozen songs on them. Simply no reason to have left out the latest hit(s) that had been released back in late April of that year.
Paperback Writer & Rain Would have been perfect for Yesterday & Today.
One thing worth mentioning is that, if you are any kind of audiophile, the irony is that the US pressing has the best sound quality of any pressing I’ve owned (at the high cost of the JL songs). I am lucky to own an early 70’s EMI stereo pressing, the original US stereo pressing and the XEX’ UK mono pressing. Simply due to the size of the grooves, you get phenomenal sound from a clean original US pressing that bests the other two. I can’t afford an original UK stereo edition, but I imagine it being similar to my 70’s pressing.
If you want to hear the stereo mix of 75% of the album in its clearest form, check out this pressing.
I remember listening to this album constantly with a friend and we thoroughly enjoyed it. It was all we had since we lived in the U.S. Around 1984-1985 I was able to obtain a British copy and enjoyed it even more.
I grew up with the US LPs, so the UK version of Revolver felt more like an improved, expanded edition when I finally heard it. Either way, it's still my favorite album. The US version of Rubber Soul, in my opinion, is by far the worst of the lot, with Capitol's ham-fisted changes completely wrecking the intended vibe.
Agree. I also thought Pet Sounds was lousy. The 1972 reissue on the Beach Boys label is excellent!
I think it's incredibly funny how the Beatles reacted to the butchering of their albums by actually posing for the "Butcher" cover of Yesterday & Today a few months before Revolver's release. The U.S. Revolver does suffer from the missing 3 key Lennon tunes and all this butchering by Capital was finally stopped with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (unless you want to count the inner groove).
I was just about to post about that last U.S. alteration, the inner groove on Sgt. Pepper (and no coloured inner sleeve). I'm sure it all came down to cost-cutting; cutting that endless inner groove would have been risky, imagine the cutting engineer getting to the end of side two and screwing it up and having to start all over again. I'm sure that sort of thing had been done before, but whoever ran the mastering studio probably decided it wasn't worth it. Oh well, it just makes the U.K. copies more collectible, although I wonder how that bit of audio played out on the original tape?
Lovely as always, Andrew! Being a Yank, sure, the almost Lennonless version is what I was used to, but there's no denying it has no value now. I've always assumed the reason those three songs got tossed to Capitol was that George Martin reckoned they were the least commercial tracks he had, hence best used to fill an lp. (i would love to hear the initial arrangement of And Your Bird in finished form, the one in D sounding sooo like an homage to the Byrds, but alas...).I do take issue with one thing, though--I definitely prefer the early mono mixes on Y and T to the UK-issued ones, and for that matter, the US stereo mixes Martin sent that Capitol only used sporadically later. On the subject of mono Revolver--a big YES on remix 11 for Tomorrow Never Knows for me. Far more interesting use of tape loops, even given the cutoff guitar solo, and if there is a deluxe package, most obviously we want that on there, as well as (finally) an official release of the three US stereo mixes.
Many thanks (from France) Andrew. There are some many 60's UK albums that have been butchered by US compagnies : especially when they were replacing a couple tracks or more by successful songs released as singles (Procol Harum, Traffic, Hendrix ..). Back in the days, I bought (by mistake) a US vinyl version of Revolver and was so amazed that there were 3 tracks missing .. what a disappointment. I brought the vinyl back to the store the day after.
I still have the US “Revolver” and it was a re-release with the green Capitol “Bullseye” label from the early 1970’s.
The US release of “Magical Mystery Tour” was another example being a stereo release in late 1967 with side 1 were songs from the movie, and side 2 were the singles which were made in Duophonic and it sounded so bad. The mono US release of “Magical Mystery Tour” is the one to look for.
Or the German for Stereo
I have the same one.
The worst of the Beatles is better than anything on the radio today.
A great review! I remember having the Capitol 'Revolver' as a kid while also having All Together Now, one of the first comprehensive Beatles and related discography books, so I knew about the differences and wishing to have the UK edition. Thankfully, 'Yesterday and Today' (then owned on 8-Track!) and 'Rubber Soul' filled the gaps for me back then. Today, I have the real version and can't see any real need for anyone but a collector to have the 1966 Capitol release even if the Apple US release is nice to have just for the label (and why anyone but a completist would want "the purple label" is beyond me), but to have been there at that time and to experience the album even in it's shortened version at a young age is a memory that will never leave me.
Hi Andrew, thanks for the awesome episodes so far, I thoroughly enjoy them and always re-watch, thanks for sharing your knowledge I have added some brilliant pressings to my collection. I always watch on your episodes on TV so fired up the computer to leave some feedback. Cheers for making me aware of the Jaeson Jones Overview of Australian Beatles Records book, (live in Australia) while most of our LPs were pressed from UK metal work I have noticed a slight difference in clarity or overall warmth that the UKs have over ours, a great example is the Hey Jude UK export pressing (thanks for the episode on that one). In saying that my mono Rubber Soul -1 -1 and stereo Revolver -1 -1 sound excellent and were pretty cheap in comparison to a UK pressing. Love the mono box, singles box , EPs box and BC13 box comparisons episodes, the improved 2012 stereo box is especially a favourite (the Dutch 65 Help is a winner), appreciate the heads up on the key 70’s German stereo pressings PPM, MMT and Peppers, although I do also like the mid 70’s Rubber Soul A-3xx B-2xx and Revolver A-2 B-2. I really enjoyed the deep dive episodes for Rubber Soul and the Revolver -1 mono. The mono -5-5 Rubber Soul is a rare beast, so I’ll have to settle for my -4-4 for now. The 2014 does sound fantastic though. My 1984 HTM -6 -6 Rubbers Soul is a great sounding pressing though and like you said narrows the left and right split somewhat, thanks for the hook up. The recent episode of the capital revolver made me think about the Netherlands ‘The Alternative Revolver’ bootleg I have where they include both Rain as track 8 and Paperback Writer as #9, Capital really did miss a trick not to include one to get to 12 tracks although I wonder how Hey Jude would have looked? I look forward to the Yesterday and Today episode and hope the rumour on the Revolver remaster happens. Really enjoyed the recent Stones singles box comparison, value wise not nearly as good as the Beatles singles box (only one slight warp in my box) and like the stones in mono box I’m not sure about the double ups. I have a competent setup, Rotel integrated amp and project carbon with a 2M blue. FYI they mention you regularly on the Steve Hoffman Beatle forums. Future episode suggestions - top 5 mono and stereo pressing of the Beatles LPs you haven’t deep dived into as yet, I know it is guided by what you have at hand to compare. Maybe an episode on the stones mono box?
Thanks for watching, Zane and for sharing your thoughts. The Stones mono box set is being reissued shortly, so a video on it is certainly on the cards.
Andrew, this video was quite a revelation to me. Now I knew all about Dave Dexter Jr, and his dubious reverb-reworkings of Beatles classics. I also remember an interview he did in Billboard immediately following Lennon's murder, complaining about and insulting John, which showed an immense lack of respect. But I always wondered why the American copies of A Hard Days Night and Help! had those awful jazzy instrumentals thrown haphazardly onto a Beatles album? That'd be like Led Zeppelin II having easy-listening instrumentals tossed in for no reason. It had to be because of Dexter and his disregard for all things rock & roll. I think thats the answer.
The original AHDN only had the songs from the film, which wasn't enough for an album. That was solved by adding those song instrumentals, thus a "full" album.
According to Bruce Spizer, the author of “The Beatles Story on Capitol Records”, it was Dexter on the Help album. He even named the songs! Ironically, unlike the Help tracks, George Martin did the instrumentals on A Hard Day’s Night, but someone at UA was responsible for their inclusion.
removing I’m only sleeping from the capitol version of revolver is like a blatant violation of the geneva conventions. inexcusable
Great update on Revolver. Btw your opening retro images are just brilliant and innovative.
Imo Paperwork Writer & Rain should have been included at the time as they themselves captured the Revolver feel especially Rain (imagine that as a Giles Martin mashup with She Said She Said if a Love 2 album was created with more mashups/remixes…) She Said She Said was also one of those rare tracks that didn’t feature Paul at all.
Tomorrow Never Knows heralded a new direction as the last track but in fact was the first track completed.
Never quite understood why The Beatles didn’t perform some of the Revolver tracks on their last world tour of 66, that remains a mystery..
Imo Revolver remains a great pop album but it was Sgt Pepper that literally blew EVERYONE away the following year, and as great as Revolver was and remains Sgt Pepper took everything to a higher level😎👌
Revolver and Rubber Soul are my 2 favs. I am an audiophile and I always bought Parlophone versions of Beatles records because they sounded better. When the rerelease of the mono catalog came out a few years back, made from the original master tapes, I bought the whole catalog. I wasn't disappointed- beautiful, deep, rich organic, foot-tapping analog sound.
My two favorites as well.
I grew up with the US Revolver album. It was mind blowing to me. Sure it didn't have 3 great Lennon tunes but they had just been released on the Yesterday and Today album. And that was a fantastic album. Playing those 2 albums was always amazing to me then. So it was nothing but win win for all Beatles fans. All our retrospective criticisms are kind of irrelevant. We were happy. But man don't we just love talking about them still?? The Beatles were out greatest musical lovers. I still listen.
To be honest, having grown up in the U.S., I've always felt that the U.S. Revolver lineup sequences a lot better without John's three missing tracks. The reason is because the U.S. Revolver becomes a far more compact LP in equal parts, social commentary (Taxman, Eleanor Rigby, For No One) and pure psychedelia (Love You To, She Said She Said and Tomorrow Never Knows) with good advancements in pop thrown in (Yellow Submarine, Got to Get You Into my Life, Here, There and Everywhere). When I listen to the U.K. version, Dr. Robert seems klunky, simple and out of place. I'm Only Sleeping, great song, would have slowed the momentum of the album down wherever you put it in the U.S. lineup, and And Your Bird Can Sing could have fit equally on Help! or Rubber Soul as much as it would have on Revolver. I love your idea that the Paperback Writer/Rain single would have worked very well on Revolver. I completely agree.
I had the rude awaken of wanting to listen to Im Only Sleeping and not being able to a couple months back, and being someone who owns every Beatles vinyl, didn't realize I had the capital pressing of revolver and the song was no where in my collection. I quickly picked up the stereo remaster and the track list has been restored!
I love your commentary. However I know the Beatles via the Canadian versions. Rubber Soul, Yesterday and Today, and Revolver make up a major trilogy. Thirteenth songs on an LP are so much! I prefer the shorter versions because our mind can create a visual image of the Beatles! As for the editing, you have opened my eyes to how rare a good mixing is!
If it still has Tomorrow Never Knows and She Said She Said, it's still a stellar album. Even without three good tracks, this collection is far from worst.
Yes I grew up with the Capitol albums, but as soon as I found a copy of the UK album and found out it had 14 tracks and the 3 missing tracks were all John Lennon songs, I purchased it right away and stopped listening to the 11-track Capitol Revolver, which I eventually got rid of, cause it now seemed like a rip-off. And finally listening to the complete unedited Revolver, I can understand why it's regarded as equal or superior to Sgt. Pepper....
agree re rip-off
George Martin refused to put strawberry fields and penny Lane on pepper because they had been released on a single. But hadn't this been the case with Eleanor rigby and yellow sub on revolver 😕
@@bobwoodhouse9178 no, you got it wrong. Both Strawberry Fields & Penny Lane were originally album tracks recorded for Pepper, not for the singles market, but EMI pressured them into releasing a single because they were greedy and needed new Beatles product to sell and they didn't want to wait till the album was released. In those days, they had to have a new single every 3 or 4 months. So George Martin reluctantly sacrificed those 2 classics because of record company pressure. still should've used them for Pepper. Penny Lane could've been used with the trumpet ending, and they could've expanded or completely change the extra fadeout on strawberry fields, something exclusively for the album and not available on the single....
Good point about Submarine and Rigby...
I grew up with the US albums. I love the US albums of Rubber Soul, Yesterday and Today, and Revolver. It’s probably my favorite Beatle era of songwriting and performing.
Great video Andrew!! In Australia, we followed the British releases. I never understood why the American market hacked up these releases!! Even the best of the albums like "Yesterday & Today" made little sense to me - as the songs came from 3 different eras. If George Martin had given them "Eleanor Rigby" instead of "And Your Bird Can Sing" - and Capitol had added "I'm Down", "12 Bar Original", "Rain" & "And Your Bird Can Sing" to Revolver - they could have had a slightly better album with 2 extra Lennon tracks. .
I think the US Help! LP is right up there as the worst Beatles album. Not a big fan of Ken Thorne's orchestration and of Richard Lester's snub of George Martin handling the reigns instead.
Disagree, as to Help which is a film Sound Track of The Movie no different than Singing In The Rain, The Music Man and of course Hard Day’s Night.
Couldn’t agree more.
@@jmad627 Before DVDs, before VHS Beta VCR or RCA’s “needle vision”, the only way to enjoy a movie after its run in the theater was movie soundtrack, paper back adaptation of the screenplay, and pictures in teen magazines, which my older sister and I at age 8 did. As to worst US album by “Crapitol” it’s a tie between Something New/ Something New and Yesterday and Today. Honorable mention, Hey Jude and Early Beatles.
Something New had l’ll Cry Instead, I’m Happy Just to Dance (at a different speed the soundtrack), Tell Me Why, If I Fell, And I Love Her, and filler Komm, gib mid deiner Hand (literally translated Come give me thy (2nd person singular case is used between lovers) hand (a command) or the English title I Want To Hold Your Hand as filler. Yesterday and Today had many favorites but randomly assigned to tracts, and one of the weaker tracts Doctor Robert between Nowhere Man and Yesterday. An album that has two Ringo Tracks. It has no continuity, it doesn’t tell a story. The same could be said of Hey Jude compilation album (the record stores in the city I lived in got the word and didn’t stock it, Can’t Buy Me Love was already on two other LPs the rest were on 45s and I should have known better being releasesI like all the above very much, but it was apparent that Capitol was interested in capital, they figured at least The Beatles were a game changer, fans bought albums rather than rush out and purchase singles, and the LP was supplanting the 45 as the future of the record buying public.
@@Renshen1957 and here’s the thing…I have them all, lol!
@@jmad627 As do I both US and UK Albums.
I was one of those original US Beatles fans who had no idea in the 1960s that we were getting different versions of albums than the original British ones. But I still love the Capital albums as I heard them growing up. The Beatles Second Album is one of my favorites though it has no direct counterpart in Britain. Same with Beatles 6 and Yesterday and Today. Revolver’s loss was Y&T’s gain and those three tracks are part of the flavor of it. I’m glad the practice of altering the albums in the US stopped with Sergeant Pepper as rock was evolving and maturing and albums became more than just an arbitrary collection of songs. But for us unknowing kids in the 60s, the Beatles experience may have been different, but it was just as fun and exciting getting the music the way we did. I still appreciate the fact that the hit singles were usually included on the Capital albums while they were not on the British albums. Yes, Revolver was a better Album in its original form, but even missing those tracks it’s still great. I’d never dream of labeling it as their worst album. That would probably be the Yellow Submarine album.
Interesting video Andrew. I’ve got both the UK and US albums. I don’t tend to play the US one very often tbh. It just seems strange without the 3 missing JL tracks.
Yet another entertaining and informative video Andrew. Ha, a mess is right! I totally agree that Paperback Writer, Rain and I'm Down could have gone on Yesterday and Today instead, leaving Revolver unmolested.
I was 14 when Revolver was released. And I had NO CLUE of a Parlophone/EMI existence. Us kids back then were delerious to have any Beatles albums. It's only in hindsight that we understand the dynamics of the Parlophone/EMI vs Capitol and Vee Jay releases. Of course today, I have all the EMI releases and appreciate the integrity of each album.
Agree. We just bought the records and slapped them on the hi-fi mainly when our parents weren’t home. I watch some of these videos with people obsessed over which pressing or plant it came out of. As kids growing up in the 60’s that never entered of minds! It wasn’t until I put together a high end system in the 80’s I noticed the huge difference in certain labels and pressings but I have never obsessed over. I will say that my original US MONO copies of Rubber Soul & Revolver kick ass on my MONO cartridge!
The people in the US at the time had no idea the albums were different in the UK. Albums in the States normally contained 12 tracks on average. The US version of Revolver with 11 tracks is a Folk Rock masterpiece! The US Yesterday And Today album with some of those tracks and others left over is another masterpiece, of the top 40 kind! I love them both.
Odd to think after the 1967 clause banning USA 'Mash ups' that the LP version of Magical Mystery tour would become part of the Beatles cannon. I would love to have seen what Dave Dexter jnr would have done with the White Album. With Hey Jude/ Revolution/Lady Madonna and The inner light available he could have really gone to town! Great show as always.
I think side 4 should replace Revolution #1 with the single version and Revolution #9 with Hey Jude. Take out Good Night and have side 4 open with Lady Madonna
Lady Madonna
Revolution
Savoy Truffle
Cry Baby Cry
Hey Jude
What a horrid thought, if that moron sliced up The White Album". I shudder to think what he would’ve done.
Well, here's Capitol leaked track list for Sgt. Pepper!
Side 1
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
With A Little Help From My Friends
Misery
Fixing A Hole
She's Leaving Home
Side 2
Penny Lane
Thank You Girl
When I'm Sixty Four
Lovely Rita
Good Morning Good Morning
What Goes On
A great opportunity to finally issue these older Beatles tracks! It doesn't make the album incoherent in any way. Obviously they couldn't include Lucy in the Sky due to that controversy and everything. It's a shame The Beatles shut down Capitol's creativity factory.
@@SoundlabStudios63 man throw in “hey bulldog” too cuz it was recorded around that time… and even “across the universe?” Sheeesh
I prefer UK Parlophone LPS. Great video as always, Andrew! Thanks for sharing knowledge, entertainment and also Inspiration!
My pleasure, Joan!