US Albums mixes used
 |
| Depicted at my local record shop here in Norway, with price tag |
The US Albums boxed set finally reached my corner of the globe, at a staggering NOK 1499,-! That’s roughly GBP 150 or USD 242. Guess I’ll be holding out until I go to New York next month for the 50th anniversary thing. But the contents needs to be analyzed, and here is an excellent analysis by “Slane”.
Mixes/Sources used on US Albums CDs.
(as posted on Steve Hoffman’s music corner forum)
Green= Same basic Mix used on CD as on original LP
Red= Different Mix used on CD
2009= Sourced from 2009 Remasters (Mono & Stereo)
Remix= 1987 Stereo Remix, sourced from 2009 Remasters
* Folddown of stereo mix used on original mono LP
** Duophonic/Fake Stereo used on original stereo LP
The CDs have replaced the above with true mono and true stereo instead.
US Unique Mixes in bold and underlined (even when they haven’t been included on the CDs)
Hope everyone can understand this!
MEET THE BEATLES
MONO
I Want To Hold Your Hand (2009)
I Saw Her Standing There (2009)
This Boy (2009)
*It Won’t Be Long (2009)
*All I’ve Got To Do (2009)
*All My Loving (2009)
*Don’t Bother Me (2009)
*Little Child (2009)
*Till There Was You (2009)
*Hold Me Tight (2009)
*I Wanna Be Your Man (2009)
*Not A Second Time (2009)
STEREO
**I Want To Hold Your Hand (2009)
I Saw Her Standing There (2009)
**This Boy (2009)
It Won’t Be Long (2009)
All I’ve Got To Do (2009)
All My Loving (2009)
Don’t Bother Me (2009)
Little Child (2009)
Till There Was You (2009)
Hold Me Tight (2009)
I Wanna Be Your Man (2009)
Not A Second Time (2009)
THE BEATLES SECOND ALBUM
MONO
*Roll Over Beethoven (2009)
*Thank You Girl (2009)
*You Really Got A Hold On Me (2009)
*Devil In Her Heart (2009)
*Money (2009)
You Can’t Do That (Unique Mix)
Long Tall Sally (Unique Mix)
I Call Your Name (Unique Mix)
*Please Mr Postman (2009)
I’ll Get You (2009)
She Loves You (2009)
STEREO (Note: all mixes stripped of additional Capitol reverb, even on the ‘correct’ basic mixes listed here)
Roll Over Beethoven (2009)
Thank You Girl (2009)
You Really Got A Hold On Me (2009)
Devil In Her Heart (2009)
Money (2009)
**You Can’t Do That (2009)
Long Tall Sally (2009)
I Call Your Name (2009)
Please Mr Postman (2009)
**I’ll Get You (2009 Mono)
**She Loves You (2009 Mono)
SOMETHING NEW
MONO
I’ll Cry Instead (Unique Mix)
Things We Said Today (2009)
Any Time At All (Unique Mix)
When I Get Home (Unique Mix)
Slow Down (2009)
Matchbox (2009)
Tell Me Why (2009)
And I Love Her (Unique Mix)
I’m Happy Just To Dance With You (2009)
If I Fell (2009)
*Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand (2009)
STEREO
I’ll Cry Instead (2009)
Things We Said Today (2009)
Any Time At All (2009)
When I Get Home (2009)
Slow Down (2009)
Matchbox (2009)
Tell Me Why (2009)
And I Love Her (2009)
I’m Happy Just To Dance With You (2009)
If I Fell (2009)
Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand (2009)
BEATLES ’65
MONO
No Reply (2009)
I’m A Loser (2009)
Baby’s In Black (2009)
Rock And Roll Music (2009)
I’ll Follow The Sun (2009)
Mr Moonlight (2009)
Honey Don’t (2009)
I’ll Be Back (Unique Mix)
She’s A Woman (Unique Mix)
I Feel Fine (Unique Mix)
Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby (2009)
STEREO
No Reply (2009)
I’m A Loser (2009)
Baby’s In Black (2009)
Rock And Roll Music (2009)
I’ll Follow The Sun (2009)
Mr Moonlight (2009)
Honey Don’t (2009)
I’ll Be Back (2009)
**She’s A Woman (2009)
**I Feel Fine (2009)
Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby (2009)
THE EARLY BEATLES
MONO (entire original mono LP was a folddown of the stereo LP)
*Love Me Do (2009) *near enough, as the fold of the EMI fake stereo on the LP reproduced the original mono mix*
*Twist And Shout (2009)
*Anna (2009)
*Chains (2009)
*Boys (2009)
*Ask Me Why (2009)
*Please Please Me (2009)
*PS I Love You (2009) *near enough, as Love Me Do*
*Baby It’s You (2009)
*A Taste Of Honey (2009)
*Do You Want To Know A Secret (2009)
STEREO
**Love Me Do (2009 Mono)
Twist And Shout (2009)
Anna (2009)
Chains (2009)
Boys (2009)
Ask Me Why (2009)
Please Please Me (2009)
**PS I Love You (2009 Mono)
Baby It’s You (2009)
A Taste Of Honey (2009)
Do You Want To Know A Secret (2009)
BEATLES VI
MONO
Kansas City (2009)
Eight Days A Week (2009)
You Like Me Too Much (2009)
Bad Boy (2009)
I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party (2009)
Words Of Love (2009)
What You’re Doing (2009)
Yes It Is (2009)
Dizzy Miss Lizzy (2009)
Tell Me What You See (2009)
Every Little Thing (2009)
STEREO
Kansas City (2009)
Eight Days A Week (2009)
You Like Me Too Much (Remix)
Bad Boy (2009)
I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party (2009)
Words Of Love (2009)
What You’re Doing (2009)
**Yes It Is (2009)
Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Remix)
Tell Me What You See (Remix)
Every Little Thing (2009)
RUBBER SOUL
MONO
I’ve Just Seen A Face (2009)
Norwegian Wood (2009)
You Won’t See Me (2009)
Think For Yourself (2009)
The Word (2009)
Michelle (Unique Mix)
It’s Only Love (2009)
Girl (2009)
I’m Looking Through You (2009)
In My Life (2009)
Wait (2009)
Run For Your Life (2009)
STEREO
I’ve Just Seen A Face (Remix)
Norwegian Wood (Remix)
You Won’t See Me (Remix)
Think For Yourself (Remix)
The Word (Unique Mix)
Michelle (Remix)
It’s Only Love (Remix)
Girl (Remix)
I’m Looking Through You (Unique Mix)
In My Life (Remix)
Wait (Remix)
Run For Your Life (Remix)
YESTERDAY AND TODAY
MONO
*Drive My Car (2009)
I’m Only Sleeping (Unique Mix)
Nowhere Man (2009)
Doctor Robert (Unique Mix)
Yesterday (2009)
Act Naturally (2009)
And Your Bird Can Sing (Unique Mix)
*If I Needed Someone (2009)
We Can Work It Out (2009)
What Goes On (2009)
Day Tripper (2009)
STEREO (Based on the True Stereo LP)
Drive My Car (Remix)
I’m Only Sleeping (2009)
Nowhere Man (Remix)
Doctor Robert (2009)
Yesterday (Remix)
Act Naturally (Remix)
And Your Bird Can Sing (2009)
If I Needed Someone (Remix)
We Can Work It Out (Unique Mix)
What Goes On (Remix)
Day Tripper (Unique Mix)
A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
MONO
A Hard Day’s Night (2009)
Tell Me Why (2009)
I’ll Cry Instead (Unique Mix) (same as on mono Something New)
I’m Happy Just To Dance With You (2009)
I Should Have Known Better (2009)
If I Fell (2009)
And I Love Her (Unique Mix) (same as on mono Something New)
Can’t Buy Me Love (2009)
STEREO (panned-mono on original ‘stereo’ LP, some tracks were actually just mono)
**A Hard Day’s Night (2009)
**Tell Me Why (2009)
**I’ll Cry Instead (Unique Mix) (MONO) (same as on mono Something New and mono AHDN above)
**I’m Happy Just To Dance With You (2009)
**I Should Have Known Better (2009)
**If I Fell (2009)
**And I Love Her (2009) (original LP had single-tracked vocal version from the mono)
**Can’t Buy Me Love (2009)
HELP!
MONO (entire original mono LP was a folddown of the stereo LP)
*Help! (2009) (James Bond intro edited to beginning)
*The Night Before (2009)
*You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away (2009)
*I Need You (2009)
*Another Girl (2009)
*Ticket To Ride (2009) (original LP had a folddown of Duophonic mix made from mono mix)
*You’re Gonna Lose That Girl (2009)
STEREO
Help! (Remix) (James Bond intro edited to beginning)
The Night Before (Remix)
You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away (Remix)
I Need You (Remix)
Another Girl (Remix)
**Ticket To Ride (Remix)
You’re Gonna Lose That Girl (Remix)
REVOLVER
MONO & STEREO All mixes correct (same as 2009)
HEY JUDE
(Stereo Only) All mixes correct (same as 2009)
(Paperback Writer had reversed channels on original, The Ballad Of John & Yoko had the ending slightly faded)
So, in summing it up, it looks like they did exactly like we anticipated, and like they laid out in the liner notes in the booklet, first transcribed and reported by Steve Marinucci in the Beatles Examiner and repeated in our blog post on December 13th: Keeping the unique US mixes where they were, using the remasters for the rest. And fake duophonic stereo and fold down mono’s don’t count as unique. But they missed out on six tracks. The stereo “Long Tall Sally”, “I Call Your Name”, “Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand”, “I’m Only Sleeping”, “Dr Robert” and “And Your Bird Can Sing” used to have unique US mixes, but have been replaced with the 2009 Remasters.
No one seems to be able to confirm 100% that the US stereo mixes of “Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand” and “And Your Bird Can Sing” were unique mixes on the LPs, but the general concensus is that they were. The other 4 were definitely unique mixes that have been missed.
Of course, we seem to be talking about the US mixes as if they belong to the original US albums, but in reality some of the unique US stereo mixes only occurred on later pressings from the seventies, whereas the original sixties release just had fake duophonic stereo made by processing the same master tape as the regular mono record was sourced from.
The guide to variations between the various officially released mixes can be found here.
TheBeatlesRarity.com has a walkthrough of the new boxed set with a different approach than the one we featured. They describe the various unique US mixes they expected to be there and checked if they passed or failed the test. Most of them failed.
Will you be at beatlefest?
I'm going to try to pop in there at some point.
Why didn`t they preserved the same mixes from the first release? I won`t be getting the same experience as it was given on the period these albums were firstly pressed on US, right?
Can I say that this US Albums box set is a rehash of the 2 volumes of Capitol Albums that weren`t continued?
thanks!
This is confusing as hell- especially since its the MASTERING, as much or more than the MIXES, that set the US LPs apart from the UK albums!
To be fair, Universal Music couldn't go right with this boxed set. Had they used the same mixes as the Capitol Albums boxed sets, they would have been criticised for repacking the first eight which people had already bought, as well as for an inferior sound compared to the UK remasters. Some times the original US Capitol master tapes were duplicates of duplicates. So they went for another experience; correct track order, artwork and inner sleeves, the best sound experience, but sprinkled with the unique US mixes and a nice touch with the butcher/trunk cover sticker thing. Too bad they forgot about some of those unique US mixes. But you knew they would have to make a few mistakes, they always do.
…..///:-)
Where Is The Magical Mystery Tour?
One thing that puzzles me about this collection: In the Capitol v. EMI list of mixes, numerous songs, particularly on "Beatles VI" and "Rubber Soul," are listed as "remixes." Does this mean they were remixed exclusively for this collection, or from 2009, or from even farther back?
Back in 1987, George Martin remixed the songs on the stereo UK "Help!" and "Rubber Soul" albums for CD. In 2009, his mixes were reproduced for the remastered stereo albums. It's those remixes that are indicated.
I disagree, Roger.
Had they used the same mixes as the Capitol Albums, fans would have had to choose between (a) selling the originals and going for the full box, or (b) skipped Beatles Story and just buying the albums they didn't have after the first two.
They didn't forget about those unique US mixes: they intentionally omitted them. The booklet basically calls the fold down and duophonic mixes inferior and not worth releasing, despite it being a clear part of the feel of the album.
Universal Music cheaper out. They did not bother bringing in an engineer for these albums: instead, they assembled these albums as if in iTunes, taking the existing mixes and putting them in right running order. Fades and timing between the tracks make it sound uneven.
My recommendation to those considering this box still? Don't. All that money for just packaging: it's just not worth it.
Steve Shorten had this to say:
Technical info on the new Beatles "US Albums" boxed set:
An analysis of the iTunes LP manifest included with the new "US Albums" boxed set shows exactly which recordings on the set have been completely remastered and which were sourced (from which sources) from the 2009 mono and stereo sets. Rather than needing to rely on auditory judgments, this method relies on unique identifiers (XID codes) used by Apple (the computer company) for each master they sell.
Intriguingly, an examination of the XID codes also shows that Apple has assigned XID codes to the tracks from the 2009 boxed set "The Beatles in Mono" which has yet to be released via iTunes.
Mono masters unique to the new set include Long Tall Sally, I Call Your Name, I'll Cry Instead, And I Love Her, Any Time at All, When I Get Home, a SECOND mono version of And I Love Her, I'll Be Back, She's A Woman, I Feel Fine, Help!, Michelle, I'm Only Sleeping, Dr. Robert and And Your Bird Can Sing.
Stereo masters unique to the new set: If I Fell, Help!, The Word, I'm Looking Through You, We Can Work it Out and Day Tripper.
All stereo tracks originally appearing on the UK Help! and Rubber Soul albums use the 2009 remasters of George Martin's 1987 remixes EXCEPT for I've Just Seen a Face and It's Only Love which utilize the 2009 remasters of the original 1965 mixes which appeared as bonus material on the mono Help! CD.
All alternate mono mixes that originally appeared on the US LPs ARE included in the new set.
Alternate stereo mixes that originally appeared on the US LPs but are NOT included in the new set include: Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand and I Call Your Name. In addition, stereo mixes that appeared on the 1969 Longines (Capitol Record Club) pressing and all tape issues of "Yesterday and Today" (and later Capitol pressings of the LP starting around 1978) which are NOT included in the new set: I'm Only Sleeping, Dr. Robert, And Your Bird Can Sing.
The new master of I Call Your Name (mono) may be in error; there seems to be no difference between this and the version on Mono Masters. The two mixes of And I Love Her (mono) found on the new set seem to be identical, but the version contained on the soundtrack LP runs at a slower speed. The new masters in mono and stereo of Help! include the James Bond Theme intro but do not represent alternate mixes of the song (the stereo version seems to utilize the 1987 remix; this needs to be confirmed).
This comment has been removed by the author.
This comment has been removed by the author.
Trying to figure out what is different about the stereo mix of "If I Fell." Brennan. only lists one stereo mix used on both Something New and the UK A Hard Days Night. Of course, the U.S. stereo copies of the A Hard Days Night soundtrack had the "panned" version. Secondly if it is a different mix, is it on both the A Hard Days Night and Something New discs in the new box set?
I think I've answered my own question on "If I Fell" after further comparison. The mix is the same but (similarly to "And I Love Her") it plays slower on the stereo Something New album. Additionally, "It's Only Love" and "I've Just Seen A Face" are both the 1987 remixes and NOT the 1965 original stereo mixes. This is apparent for "I've Just Seen A Face" by the additional echo placed on the track in the '87 remix which is not on the '65 stereo mix but does show up on The U.S> Albums box set. For "It's Only Love" the give-away is the first chorus. Notice the difference in the double-tracked vocal on the secong time John sings "It's Only Love." There was a fix to this on the '87 remix, that also shows up on The U.S> Albums box set. Aside from that, I think all the other (very valuable) info on the mixes used is 100% right on.