With The Beatles – 1964 US Albums in Mono box set released today, we explore the ways the Fab’s American releases differed from the English originals…
1964
INTRODUCING… THE BEATLES
Vee-Jay; January 10, 1964
What it is: The US version of Please Please Me, originally scheduled for July 1963 but delayed due to Vee-Jay owner Ewart Abner’s gambling debts. By most reckonings, the most counterfeited album of all time.
What’s in/out: The release initially omitted the title track and “Ask Me Why” as Vee-Jay had previously released them as a single. However, when Beechwood Music Inc. halted sales as they owned the publishing rights to “Love Me Do” and “P.S. I Love You”, Vee-Jay swiftly restored the two culled tracks in their place.
Highest US chart position: 2
MEET THE BEATLES!
Capitol; January 20, 1964
What it is: With Vee-Jay’s financial issues holding up The Beatles’ US release schedule, clamour for the band rising and their second album already released in the UK, Capitol stepped in to release a US version of With The Beatles just 10 days after their US debut album.
What’s in/out: The US album format expected just 12 tracks and the current hit, so the covers (bar “Till There Was You”) were stripped off and replaced with “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, “I Saw Her Standing There” and “This Boy”.
Highest US chart position: 1
THE EARLY BEATLES
Capitol; March 22, 1964
What it is: Capitol goes back to 1963 after Vee-Jay’s licence to release the early Beatles’ material expires.
What’s in/out: 11 of the 14 tracks from Introducing… The Beatles, leaving out “Misery”, “There’s A Place” and “I Saw Her Standing There” – the latter having already appeared on Meet The Beatles.
Highest US chart position: 43
THE BEATLES’ SECOND ALBUM
Capitol; April 10, 1964
What it is: Eager to capitalise on Beatlemania, Capitol compiled a third album from as-yet-unreleased tracks.
What’s in/out: Included are the five covers from With The Beatles which didn’t make Meet The Beatles!, b-sides “Thank You Girl” and “You Can’t Do That”, “She Loves You” and its b-side “I’ll Get You” and two new recordings – “Long Tall Sally” and “I Call Your Name”.
Highest US chart position: 1
A HARD DAY’S NIGHT
United Artists; June 26, 1964
What it is: More like an actual soundtrack to the band’s first film, rather than the studio album that was the UK version.
What’s in/out: United Artists version omitted all of the UK album’s second side bar “I’ll Cry Instead”, and instead dotted the songs from the film with easy-listening instrumental versions of “I Should Have Known Better”, “And I Love Her”, “Ringo’s Theme (This Boy)” and “A Hard Day’s Night”, arranged and conducted by George Martin.
Highest US chart position: 1
SOMETHING NEW
Capitol, July 20, 1964
What it is: A somewhat milking-it post-script to A Hard Day’s Night. Not entirely new, it turned out.
What’s in/out: Various mixes of “If I Fell”, “I’ll Cry Instead”, “Tell Me Why” and “I’m Happy Just To Dance With You” from A Hard Day’s Night, accompanied by most of the UK version’s side two (“And I Love Her”, “Any Time At All”, “When I Get Home”, “Things We Said Today”). Plus “Slow Down” and “Matchbox” from the “Long Tall Sally” EP and “Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand”.
Highest US chart position: 2
BEATLES ‘65
Capitol; December 15, 1964
What it is: Capitol’s take on Beatles For Sale.
What’s in/out: Just eight of the songs from the parent album made the cut (sorry America, no “Eight Days A Week”, “Kansas City/Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey”, “Words Of Love”, “I Don’t Want To Spoil The Party”, “Every Little Thing” or “What You’re Doing”), plus “I’ll Be Back” from A Hard Day’s Night, “I Feel Fine” and its b-side “She’s A Woman”.
Highest US chart position: 1
1965
BEATLES VI
Capitol; June 14, 1965
What it is: Another of Capitol’s stop-gap albums.
What’s in/out: Beatles VI compiled the six Beatles For Sale tracks that were left off Beatles ’65 alongside “Ticket To Ride” b-side “Yes It Is”, and “You Like Me Too Much” and “Tell Me What You See” from the UK’s forthcoming Help! album. There were also the only two songs The Beatles recorded specifically for the American market: “Dizzy Miss Lizzy” and “Bad Boy”, both Larry Williams covers.
Highest US chart position: 1
HELP!
Capitol; August 13, 1965
What it is: Help! soundtrack, following the basic blueprint of America’s A Hard Day’s Night.
What’s in/out: Out go all of the UK’s side two songs in favour of sporadic instrumentals written or arranged by Ken Thorne: “From Me To You Fantasy”, “In The Tyrol”, “Another Hard Day’s Night”, “The Bitter End/You Can’t Do That” and “The Chase”.
Highest US chart position: 1
RUBBER SOUL
Capitol; December 6, 1965
What it is: Lacking obvious cover versions to save for stop-gap albums, here’s where Capitol resorted to pure butchery. The intention was to rework Rubber Soul as a folk-rock album. Go home, Capitol, you’re drunk.
What’s in/out: “Drive My Car”, “Nowhere Man”, “What Goes On” and “If I Needed Someone” were removed for later release and replaced by “I’ve Just Seen A Face” and “It’s Only Love” from Help!.
Highest chart position: US 1
1966
YESTERDAY AND TODAY
Capitol; June 22, 1966
What it is: Notorious for its withdrawn butcher sleeve, Yesterday And Today acted as a mid-period mash-up. An illuminating, enjoyable mess.
What’s in/out: This was where the four tracks cut from the US Rubber Soul landed; “Act Naturally” and “Yesterday” left over from Help!; “I’m Only Sleeping”, “And Your Bird Can Sing” and “Dr Robert” from the forthcoming Revolver album; and both sides of the “Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out” single.
Highest chart position: US 1
REVOLVER
Capitol, August 8, 1966
What it is: Revolver, minus most of John. And thankfully the last time the label would alter The Beatles’ records. When the band resigned with Capitol in 1967 it was on the condition that no future track listings would be changed.
What’s in/out: With three Yesterday And Today tracks removed – all John’s – Capitol’s 11-track Revolver was a far less balanced affair.
Highest chart position: US 1
With thanks to Peter Watts
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