Beatles BBC Sampler

Ltd. ed. litho from the official Beatles store. Photo: © 2013 Apple Corps Ltd.

Just got word that there’s going to be produced a 14-track limited edition sampler from “On Air – Live At The BBC Volume 2”, both on vinyl and CD. Of course, this will only be a promotional item, not intended for sale.

Now that the tracklist is out, it’s strange that they didn’t try to make the 1995 vinyl and CD single/EP “Baby It’s You” redundant. All three bonus tracks, “Boys”, “Devil In Her Heart” and “I’ll Follow The Sun” that weren’t included on the original “Live at the BBC” album will be available on the second volume. However, on the new album is the second BBC performance of ‘Devil In Her Heart’. The first version, recorded on 20 August 1963, is still only available on the Baby It’s You EP, and the only reason to still keep the EP. Or to search for it if you haven’t got it.

One more thing: the track most likely to have been inserted to replace “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport“, is this:

I Feel Fine (studio out-take) (Lennon-McCartney)

Rec: 17 November 1964

BBC Playhouse Theatre, London

Producer: Bernie Andrews

The Beatles began using a four-track machine at EMI in October 1963, but multi-tracking did not start at the BBC until the seventies. There was a method to ‘overdub’ by copying a first recording to another tape, while at the same time adding more instruments or vocals. This take of ‘I Feel Fine’ is the one onto which John overdubbed another lead vocal. The completed version is included on the first volume of Live At The BBC.

It’ll be fun to see what else Apple/Universal/Capitol and of course, the BBC itself has in store for us while we’re waiting. Not to mention iTunes!

We do expect some sort of podcasts and radio specials, after all, the material is tailored for such use.

“On Air – Live At The BBC Volume 2” back cover photo. Photo: © 2013 Apple Corps Ltd.