Red & Blue ALBUM HISTORY + Alpha Omega |
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 พ.ย. 2023
- The Beatles 1962-1966 and The Beatles 1967-70 (commonly known as the Red and Blue albums) have a more interesting history than is usually told. Matt delves into how these classic compilations came to be and with the help of writer Peter Doggett, dispels some age old myths about Alpha Omega.
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You mentioned The Rutles. "Get Up And Go." "Yellow Submarine Sandwich." The sixties wouldn't have been the sixties without the songwriting team of Dirk and Stig. "All You Need Is Cash."
Agree the beatles did everything they could to copy the rutles and sadly ron nasty passed away a couple of years
ago to no fanfare even though his contribution to music history is beyond belief
In the latter 1970's, I worked in the same LA office as George Martin. George was working on two things: his recording studio called Air Montserrat and the remixing of the Red and Blue albums into "true" stereo. He worked for over a year putting this together and when he presented the finished products to The Beatles for approval, he was turned down. I still have copies of these remixes and they were superior to the Red and Blue albums.
Very cool - thank you for sharing!
My Beatles fandom began at the age of 4 or 5 with the red and blue albums that my dad played constantly in the car in the late 80s. In the ensuing 35 years, I’d never heard of the Alpha Omega compilation. I can’t wait to read the Doggett book. Thank you! 😊
For those looking to buy original Alpha Omega albums, be careful of the bootlegs of this bootleg album. 😄
There still is a market for anything Beatles!
i'm a certified beatles maniac but don't need what you accurately termed slipshod collections. i never considered that the red album sides were that short but good lord they were important to me at age 7 when i first saw them, first got them. keep the beatles videos coming even the ones where you determine that you weren't harsh enough regarding john and yoko's poorly received 1972 two-record set! i enjoy what you have to say and never knew of "alpha omega" sets (for example).@@popgoesthe60s52
Thanks Matt !! That IS surprising that George Harrison had a big input on the song selection!! Why did he not choose some of his excellent songs for the "Red"? I Need You, If I Needed Someone, Taxman? What does make sense is the album is loaded with "Rubber Soul" tracks. George has stated many times that this is his fave Beatles album.
I agree with your two George songs!
These two albums were my first exposure to most of The Beatles work, and to Anglo-American pop music in general. (I lived on a farm in Italy, and had little opportunity to hear it). It was a real Oh, wow experience. I like that you show the color version of the photo from the inside cover at the end of the video. This is the first time I've noticed that Yoko is in it. I remember that back in the day there was kind of a thing about where was George in the picture. We'd eventually decide that it had to be the guy in the front, but it really doesn't look like him. It was an intriguing photograph that we spent a lot of time examining.
First-gen fan, here (thanks to my older siblings, who always bought the latest Beatles records and played them constantly). I had no need to buy the Red/Blue albums, but I'm happy that they introduced the band to people who weren't around (or were too young) when the original records were released.
Great job reviewing these classic albums, Matt. I distinctly remember the impact these albums had. Being a huge Beatle fan and owning most of the original albums, I never purchased either one but several of my friends did and consequently became fans themselves. I believe releasing these at that time had a huge impact on the average music fan and aided in keeping the Beatles as a band relevant through the solo 70's.
These were my first Beatles albums, purchased by my late brother Tim in the year, I believe, that they were released. Or it may have been 1975, but at any rate, I was in roughly 7th grade and they blew my mind!! I've never been the same.
With so much hype over the reissue of the upcoming Red & Blue releases it was nice to hear a down to earth evaluation of the originals. The background information was very interesting even to an old Beatles follower like me. Just proves you can never stop learning when you're open to it.
Thank you, Terry. I was hoping people would feel that way!
Thanks for bringing all those threads of Beatle history together.
I got into the Beatles around the late 70s & early 80s, and those albums were a fantastic introduction to their music. The Blue album was great, and I still remember rainy weekend afternoons listening to While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Across The Universe and The Long And Winding Road. There really was nothing of that quality on the radio from contemporary bands, and there still isn't today.
It's strange that nobody ever mentions the fact, that there was a yellow album (1962-1965) and a green album (1966-1969) by the Beach Boys, done exactly the same way. They even issued another green album by German beat band The Lords (1964-1971). Best wishes from Germany and thanks for your great videos.
Have never seen these!
The Rutles' All You Need Is Cash is a spoof of Tony Palmer's All You Need Is Love - History of Popular Music, episode 14 Mighty Good - the Beatles (aired May 14, 1977)
Fascinating! This fan was 12 when she watched the Beatles three appearances on Ed Sullivan. My dad, bless he heart, was the one who introduced my sister and I to the Fab Four when he presented us with Meet the Beatles prior to those appearances. Love your channel! Can't tell you how much I look forward to each episode. Thank YOU for your good work!
I appreciate that - thanks!
I recall seeing the TV commercial for the Alpha-Omega LPs and thinking "WTF"?
I tried to find some of the commercials to play in the video. I would love to see them!
Another great podcast. I have a photo somewhere of me and my baby sister sitting on the couch on Christmas morning. I'm holding those two albums (presents). Those were the days :)
Santa was very good to you that year!
I really appreciate the work/research & objectivity in all the videos you present. I may think to myself that I know a lot of the Beatles' history as a fan for over years, but I enjoy the 'new' journey still about all Beatle facts. Thanks GAZ (Melbourne/Australia)
I appreciate that Gaz!
Great discussion as always! I also think the red and blue albums sparked a 1970s Beatles revival. It was soon after their release that shows like "Beatlemania" came into production, you had that SNL Beatles thing, and the 4 members were questioned, and nauseam, when the Beatles would re unite.
Thank you adm!
Very interesting info I’d not heard about these releases and the film here, Matt! I came upon these albums in a similar way. One of my best friends growing up had the records and we used to play them in his living room. Great packaging, the colors & the pictures used. I remember playing spot the Beatles in the inner gatefold picture. Thanks for emphasizing how important these are to us 2nd generation fans!
Great stuff as always. Without fail, I learn something new about The Beatles each and every time.
That is high praise - thank you, navillus!
My life changed when my mother came back from the Miracle Mart with the Red Album in 1982 ! Never heard of Alpha Omega - All thing must past and A taste of Honey on the same side ? Really ? - and the The Long And Winding Road project before ! Thanks for another great review !
Thank you, Matt! I learned a lot in this video. Love your content, always
Thank you Cynthia!
When the Red and Blue albums were first released on CD 1993, George was the only Beatle to attend the launch event and was called up to the stage by George Martin to say a few words.
Thanks Matt! Excellent review..:)
I agree I would put the Doggett book in my top 5 Beatle books. Impressive when you think how many hundreds and hundreds of Beatles books that have been published over the decades
The three words that give away Georges fingerprints on the track listing are.... Old Brown Shoe. My parents gave me these in June of 1973 for my Junior High School Graduation present. I devoured them. They came with a cool paper insert listing the complete Beatles Capital discography. Good stuff Matt. Thank you sir. RNB
I wish George would have added Taxman and If I Needed Someone 🙂
@@popgoesthe60s52 Yeah, very true. At least he spared us You Like Me Too Much
Great video again. For the last month I was absolutely adamant I wasn't going to buy the new red and blue albums. I caved in again 😂
I remember seeing the Alpha Omega albums at the local record store. At the time, I was just starting my Beatles journey, and didn't know what to think of these albums. I bought the Red and Blue albums around 1974. Two years later, the Rock 'N' Roll Music album came out which I also purchased. So those were the first three that I bought. From there, I delved into the individual albums. I liked the fact that the Red and Blue albums had a separate paper listing tracks and the albums they came from. That helped me in buying the individual albums.
Excellent as always.
Good analysis, Joe. Just happy that finally, their biggest song of Beatlemania, Twist and Shout, has finally made it on the Red album. The other pleasant surprise is This Boy, the flip side of I Want to Hold Your Hand in the UK, is finally on the Red Album, one of their best songs during Beatlemania, also. I heard Giles Martin's analysis on these albums from a few songs, and I think he was very pleased with the bongos on A Hard Day's Night, and pleased with Nowhere Man. He knew that I Am the Walrus would be different. That may grow on us. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
The Peter Doggett book is a must-read. Picked that up some years back and it’s really authoritative.
That was excellent Matt 👍
The James Bond intro to Help! which was used on the Red album is still my favorite version.
Mine too!
Great episode. I too was second generation Beatles fan, but I inherited most of the albums so I never bothered with these collections. There was an earlier compilation that I did have--the "Beatles Again/Hey Jude" singles compilation. I listened to it to death, but it also confused me, with its early Hard Day's Night tracks alongside much later songs like Old Brown Shoe and Ballad of John and Yoko. I was simply mesmerized by the album cover photo.
Excellent ! Bravo Matt ! 🙂👍
Interesting story, had never heard of it before, thanks!
I'm glad they put so much more songs on the albums, even if young people today perhaps tend to use streaming with playlists. It's interesting to see on Spotify which song mixes have made it to the top through frequent listening. Unfortunately, it's often the old versions and it's difficult to convince new listeners that they should definitely listen to the new remixes, as they are so much more headphone-friendly. But who knows, maybe this will now change with the introduction of the two new albums.
I remember a TV ad on UHF channels for Alpha & Omega. Later that year I got the Red & Blue albums for Xmass
I tried to find those commercials but so far, no luck.
The red and blue albums made great cds for long drives :)
I’m from across the river from NJ and I never seen those boots. Cool score
Hey Matt, another great video very articulate and informative. On your recommendation, I purchased the book you never give me your money by Peter Doggett so far very interesting read. Just curious what other books would be in your top five . I’m sure Mark Lewison would be in your top five most likely if you’re inclined to share that would be awesome. Have a great day and keep those awesome videos coming all the best, David.
Hey David, many have asked about my top 5 so I think that would make a good stand alone video. Stay tuned!
The Blue Album was the album that introduced me to the Beatles, but hilariously we didn't own the Red Album, so I assumed the band was only active for 3 years! Wasnt till years later that I even heard the first half of their discography
Thank you Matt. You have certainly done your homework. I seem to recall an interview with John, in which describes the task of picking out the “Best of” songs including “In My Life” and “Girl”. Not sure if my mind is playing tricks with me or not. One thing I want to point out, is the power and beauty of the inner sleeve photo on the red album. Of all the great (and frankly not-so-great, weird and silly) photos taken on the photo day, in 1968, the photo in front of the fence is one of the most powerful posed shots in rock history. It shows the boys in a crowd of fans, with almost none paying the least attention to them, including the small boy upfront. It goes back to what John always said, “We were just a band that made it big.”
Thanks Matt for another great show. I actually owned the Beatles Alpha Omega way back in the late 70’s but unfortunately don’t have that copy anymore. Tho it was released in the early 70’s, I do recall seeing the commercial on tv. Like you I’m a second generation fan, so 73 I was only seven and didn’t start getting into the Beatles until around 76 after seeing the play Beatlemania at the Blackstone Theater in Chicago. I was hooked man. Anyhoo lol…I ended up finding yet another pristine copy of Alpha Omega in mint condition, so it’s back in my collection. I know there is a Vol II. I can go on and on but dinner is ready so time to eat. Have a time. Joe
An excellent explanation, Matt of how the Red and Blue albums came to be and the background leading to their release. Incidentally, when these albums were first released in 1973, the price was £3.99 (or $5 USD) per set!
Thank you for that pricing and the warm comment.
Another great vid, thank you. Like so many others, the red and blue albums were my intro to the Beatles and i just about totally wore out my brothers albums. Speaking of the covers, it took a lot to convince me that the same 4 people were on the blue as on the red. John in particular changed so much in 6 years!
You are welcome- I appreciate the comment.
My elder brother bought the Red and Blue albums as C-cassettes in 1973. He was 17 and I was 10. We played the tapes until they were worn out. I still have the cassettes but there's not much signal left on them. Lots of authentic tape hiss though :)
I probably won't like the extended track list, but we'll see it tomorrow.
As a kid growing up during the 1970s, I was aware more of the Beatles as a cultural phenomenon, than as a music group. Knew next to nothing about their music. Knew their song "Helter Skelter" (which initially scared me) from the 1976 Charles Manson movie, starring Steven Railsbeck as Manson. In the late 1970s, I checked out from the library copies of both the Red and Blue Beatles albums, to find out why the Beatles were so well thought of by many people. To my surprise, I liked practically all the songs on each of the albums. Years later learned that the Red album cover photo had also been the cover photo for their 1963 album Please Please Me, and that the Blue album cover photo was initially a near identical imitation of the Please Please Me album cover, taken for the 1969 album Get Back, which turned into 1970's Let It Be album. Have always liked the inside Black and White photo of the group, standing by a fence surrounded by children. My guess is the photo was taken during a 1968 group photo shoot. But why place the Beatles next to a fence, surrounded by children?
Thanks for the comments Robert!
❤️ Like many, the Red and Blue albums were my Beatles gateway. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent looking at the photo on the gatefold and marveling at the music. 💙
According to a John interview in April 1973, he did have at least some involvement in the original release..
"Allen Klein knocked out the basic list and we'd say Yes/No and so on. I made sure they used Linda's picture of the same pose as our first album. I didn't want lousy versions going out and asked Capitol/EMI 'Please ask George Martin to take care of this, I don't want some strange guy making dubbed versions'."
Odd that John thought Linda took the 1969 photo, rather than Angus McBean.
I have to admit I was completely unaware of the Alpha/Omega records and in fact I'm just finding out about them now. Going back to something you said earlier, I think it would be great if you did an episode on your choice of the five best books on the Beatles and why you chose them.
That is a good idea. I will follow up on that in some fashion.
Great video Matt! The red album was the first Beatles album I listened to as a friend from school had a copy and I went his house to listen…. I got my own copy a couple of years later but I still have the running order in my head when I hear a song from these collections. Great job with the background on these. Peter Doggett’s book does a great job giving some previously unknown details. Klein’s company did a similar compilation with the Stones with their Hot Rocks collections which were also big sellers. Thanks for sharing!
I should have mentioned Hot Rocks, which I think came out December 1971. Good catch!
Fascinating as ever Matt.
Thank you Bob!
Good to see you Matt. I reckon you could do a video on the colour of underpants the Beatles were wearing (or not!) during the recording of Rubber Soul and it would be fascinating and I would learn something new that I never knew before. Don't change anything please.
I appreciate that David! I won’t be changing anything!
Interesting to have it confirmed that George was heavily involved in the track selection. This makes his underrepresentation on the Red album all the more puzzling, or could it mean that he didn't think his earlier tracks and performances, even from Rubber Soul and Revolver, could stand up against what was definitely the creme de la creme of Lennon and McCartney.
Great review and history of the Red and blue album Matt👍These 2 albums were my introduction to The Beatles, especially the blue which my Dad played ALOT, I must have been 3 years old when hearing these albums for the first time. -Although Im not to happy with some of the songs they added to the 2023 version ...I think Im going to make my own Album That Never Was 😁 and put the songs that I think should have been included and instead of 1962-1966 and 1967-1970, Im going to call this "New" edition of The Red and Blue albums -Legacy.
Nothing beats the original releases. Those two releases were iconically untouchable.
Excellent history of the red and blue albums. Hope the new releases get another new generation of Beatles fans again!
When the new gen asks Spotify to play Beatles Greatest, this should present itself! Thanks Larry.
Great history. I remember the release very well- I was eight years old by a few weeks and my first-wave Beatlemania was at full peak. I had gotten my first albums, Second and Y&T- just weeks before, and had many of the singles. One of my older brothers bought both Red and Blue close to day one, and going from memory, the price would probably have been 7.99- that was the cost of the White Album, and the single discs from Capitol were generally on sale at 3.99. The little record store/headshop where he bought them- Budget Records and Tapes- barely existed for three or four years, and the grayish wood-paneled mini-mall it occupied was demolished a couple years ago. A year later Capitol would heavily market a ten-years-in America/1964-74 campaign with a phonied-up 1974 reunion image, and the whole catalogue was pushed with sales to promote this- (and free campaign posters with every purchase). I still have a cool poster from it that was on my bedroom wall.
The Red album was probably the first album that was my own, which I got when I was ten or eleven, and I really think it's the best introduction to the Beatles early music. Every track is so obviously and instantly recognizable as terrific, and it defined the "sound" I associate with as early Beatlesque. The Blue album didn't mean a lot to me, though I remember checking it out from the library from time to time, because I had at an early age all their albums from Sgt. Pepper onward. And I had tape recordings of Rubber Soul and the UK version of Revolver, plus Introducing the Beatles. The Red album meant a lot to me and still does.
I grew up on the Red and Blue albums. It was all I really knew except for the White album. I then bought Pepper and it was my favorite until Love Songs came out and there was a whole of Beatlles songs I never heard. That really changed my life. BUT The Red and Blue Started it all.
Loved the Red and Blue Eight Track cartridges when my uncle tooled around with his 1969 Dodge Charger. The songs were magical. I'd love to see a treatment of the "Hey Jude" compilation album -- which I brought to school and the music teacher played it from start to finish for the class.
8 tracks in a Dodge Charger! Heaven.
Remixing within the digital domain eliminates analogue generation loss, which lifts "veils," increases inner detailing and is essential to the Beatles legacy. I don't care about the wax cylinder versions, only the CDs matter. I've every confidence in the superiority of the new mixes. So all that matters is this: how compressed are the CDs? How stupidly LOUD are they? Is the compression merciful? Or has the sound been "brickwalled"? If there's anyone here who knows what I'm talking about and who has managed to score an advanced copy, please let me know.
The cover of 1962-1966 isn’t actually the same shot as the Please Please Me LP, although it is obviously from the same session. Another was used on the UK No.1 EP. I never realised this for years until I had the albums side by side one day.
Matt I think it's unique that the reason for the colors that graced the two compilations you're discussing, red and blue, was because they reflected the strips of the two football teams in Liverpool. Liverpool and Everton. Matt great video as usual my friend. Say Matt I was wondering do you think that Paul and Ringo still have their copies of The Chipmunks sing The Beatles Hits. They were given a copy just like George and John courtesy of Ross Bagdasarian,
I had no idea of the team colors but that is an interesting thought! I also didn’t know Ross Badasarian gave copies to the Beatles! Thanks for that.
The first two albums I ever owned. Loved and played them to death!
Great history lesson Matt
Glad you liked it Patrick!
FM radio in NYC in the early 70’s played a lot of early Beatles songs with the top 40. When I started listing to music, I thought Uncle Albert was so cool and when I learned the guy Paul from the Beatles sang it (That guy used to be a Beatle!), I took more notice of those early Beatles songs. The Red Album was a no brainer for me to buy when it first came out. I played the first 3 side over and over and drove my sister crazy. She’s sinced confessed to me many times thru the years that she loves all those songs. It was a great introduction to several songs not played on the radio. I didn’t care for side 4, so I didn’t think I’d like the Blue Album.
Other than Hey Jude and Let It Be, I didn’t know any others. There was a sticker on the clear wrapper that said it included Back in the USSR and another song which I can’t remember. Older kids said Back in the USSR was a great song, so I think that’s what pushed me over the edge to buy it. It was the first song I played and fell in love with it. Of course I fell in love with many others. I couldn’t believe the group that sang She Loves You when I was 5 or 6 years old also sang “Something”!
A Day in the Life blew me away! Pepper was the first studio album I bought.
The picture on the Blue Album drove me crazy as a kid. After I learned about Get Back, I wanted that cover in the worst way. Finally got one in the Get Back/Let It Be CD box last year.
At 13:09, you said you thought they sold for over $13.00. I remember the round sticker as $5.77. Maybe it was a little more, but it was clearly less than a double album at the time. Single albums in the 70’s were about $5.00. I’m sure it was much less than $10.00, it was a great deal at the time.
This is by far the best video on these albums. Great info on the Alpha Omega albums and Klein!!! I never knew of any of that, but I remember seeing them at flea markets on the 90’s. I didn’t know they were 20 years old at the time. I don't like the added songs mixed in with the original on the CD's. It's not a greatest hits, it's an introduction.
Thank you for the kind words Joe and for prices back when you bought the Red and Blue.
I am really looking forward to the remixes of the earlier tunes.
that 1st bootleg was knocked off from a publisher's demo, one made to sell Dylan songs to UK acts who would cover them.
Manfred Mann's "Mighty Quinn" and Julie Driscoll's "Wheel's On Fire" came from that acetate, later bootlegged as Dylan's Great White Wonder.
Yes! I forgot the name of that one. Thanks Thomos!
Mainly Harrison selected the songs on these sets… and later he didn’t want Now and Then to be a Beatle song, nevermind being amongst their great songs!
Growing up I had The Red/Blue on tape and I played them all the time. These tapes and hearing Breakfast with the Beatles on the Radio (Sundays) made me a forever Beatles Fan. Thanks for the Video.
I think the first disk of the Blue Album is a better representation of Pepper Era Beatles than Pepper itself. If you'd replace the last 3 tracks with George's songs from the period, you'd get the ultimate Beatles '67 album.
That is a cool observation!
@@popgoesthe60s52 Thanks! Would love to see your artwork for it :)
Our first Beatles albums. We got the red one on cassette tape in 1974. The only machine we could play it on was one of those old Admiral portable cassette players. We played the hell out of that poor tape. A little later we got the blue one on LP. That opened the floodgates...
Good commentary Matt as always.....i guess you're not to keen to embrace the new expanded releases and I don't blame you!
Hey John! I won't be buying them and I will probably address the remix situation at some point. The more they 'remix' the less I think it's necessary.
When these first came out I used to imagine that this is what a live show might have been
Nice overview of those lps. I don’t consider the “Beatles Again” lp a hits package, some do. I pad $10.88 when they came out for each of those records. Yeah I saved receipts even back then as a teenager. Quite a sum for a part time job after school, but as a fan we all HAD to have them. Some stores also gave out a black and white poster that was collage of photos from their career. I have a couple of them. It was odd that they were on a tear off type pad and not loose like normal.
I enjoy your rational and thoughtful reviews. I generally agree with most of what you say.
Red and Blue are greatest hits compilations really that are a good buy if you don’t wish to buy the original albums.
Like so many others commenting, the Blue Album was my 2nd Beatles album (A Collection of Golden Oldies was first) as a young teenager in the early 1970s. From those 2 albums I then (as pocketmoney would permit) went on to gradually get all the original albums - as the Blue Album really presented the cream of the studio years recordings, I tended to focus on the earlier Beatles albums as I built my collection (I think the Blue album had about a third of the Pepper album on it), so that Blue Album was a treasured and much played part of my teen years! Still got the album sitting out in the garage after all these years (with all those other purchases from my youth!). Again Matt, thanks for another superb video - the history I was unaware of. Take care!, Terry, Australia.
My pleasure Terry! The history of this album I thought was really interesting.
I was a kid when these albums came out, and I remember what happened clearly. The Alpha Omega collection did indeed come out first, and I remember seeing the TV commercials for it. I don’t remember the price, but I do remember that it was mail order only. You couldn’t just go to a record store and buy one. Considering it was a bootleg, you can see why.
At the time, it was believed that the Red and Blue albums were Apple’s (Capitol’s) response to A & O. A & O was definitely selling well, and you know that Apple/Capitol noticed. There was no way they couldn’t. No one knew the behind the scenes goings on with the Red and Blue albums, so the delay in releasing them was commonly interpreted as their response to A & O. And, as I said, they couldn’t ignore what was going on, adding fuel to the fire of belief that they were no more than a response to A & O.
The only qualm I had with the 62-66 set was the under-representation of the 'Revolver' album.
The recent re-release corrects this, thankfully.
Why not just buy Revolver?
They painted a mustache on Mona Lisa.😊
12:51 Thank you, Matt, for giving me another 8 track holy grail to go after!! (After "The Best of Sam & Dave," as seen in The Blues Brothers, which is shockingly scarce...)
You can find The Very Best of Sam & Dave on Rhino fairly easy if that helps. 😊
I have a nice collection of 70s 8-tracks that I pop in every now and then. I don’t have the Alpha Omega one though.
@@craigharrell7144 Sure, it's available on all the usual suspects: vinyl, CD, ...streaming. But 8-Track? It might as well be made of unicorn liver.
@@popgoesthe60s52 I'm only just getting into the format. It was nominally before my time, but I find the technology fascinating. And, of course, the challenge of cooking up my own high fidelity mix tapes here in the distant 21st Century... 😂
Being a poor high school sophomore and rabid to get into The Beatles in early ‘87, a cassette tape of the Red album, followed a month later with a cassette of the Blue album, were my first entre of the band. One mystery your video solved was, “Why in the world is ‘Old Brown Shoe’ on here?” George picked the tracks. Okay, now we know 😂
The Red and Blue albums are important. When you consider the value of collections like Hot Rocks by the Stones, Meaty Beaty by The Who, Endless Summer by the Beach Boys, This is the Moody Blues, The Kink Kronicles, etc. All these collections have high regard among fans, but none are more important than the Red and Blue collections. They fit right in with the legacy of the Beatles just as those albums of the other groups I mentioned. Thanks Matt for pointing out the details of Alpha Omega. It is best left, as you suggest, a curiosity.
My pleasure- thanks for the comments!
I always thought of the Red and Blue albums not so much as a greatest hits or attempt at a retrospective, but something more in line with what we would later create as a "mix tape" to introduce a friend to our favorite group.
It seems The Beatles, even in post break up early 70s maintained their largely egalitarian way of working together. They developed a consensus about Klein and were likely in agreement / went along with the track listings on Red and Blue.
And that's the problem I have with the 2023 versions. The expanded list just doesn't feel like a list that was made by that old "democracy" they were so proud of having about content. It just doesn't seem to be the mix tape that they or any of us would have made if trying to present the band to a new generation. And having all the new tracks lumped on disc 3 makes it seem like those are an addendum and not making a new, expanded version.
Almost everything The Beatles created was top quality and having the four of them provide equal input into the finished product was critical. With two of those four people gone, the quality of those final decisions hasn't been the same. It'd be nice if Paul, Ringo, Sean, and Dhani could apply the process, but that's not realistic. I fear Beatles products that get released after Paul and Ringo are gone will feel even less connected to their creative sense. But i guess that's to be expected.
I appreciate the backstory on how the Red and Blue albums came to be. To date, they are the only Beatles albums I own, as I was always more a of a singles guy. These two albums have most of their hit singles (though not "Twist And Shout," which I was lucky to buy separately). They also contain some really interesting tracks that weren't hits such as "Girl." I would have gotten these two albums around 1979-80, a decade after The Beatles broke up and with Paul being the only consistently active ex-Beatle. These albums were my initiation into the world of The Beatles and rock music history in general.
You get the cream of the crop with these two for sure!
I didn't know that these were chart toppers in '73. I wonder if the success of the Red album inspired the Beach Boys' "Endless Summer" in '74?
It did inspire Endless Summer indeed. I’ll be covering that detail in my Beach Boys part 6 video.
I thought American Graffiti inspired Endless Summer. Looks like we'll both have to wait for part 6!
Very nice research. My understanding was that Brian Epstein had very early nixed any idea of a "greatest hits" album/s because he thought they were beneath the group, or a death knell of sorts. Whatever the reason he was against them. Doggett's book is a must read as you say. Also, I had read that Harrison was fine with the documentary but the title "Long and Winding Road" had to go because of obvious reasons. For us old enough to buy the original albums, the compilation albums like Red/Blue were nice but the track listing got in the way a bit for me from the originals. But it's great they came out for the new fans. The Complete Beatles was the first documentary to pull back the curtain on the group and expose, somewhat, their troubles. Love "The Rutles." "Cheese and Onions" one of my favorite cuts!
Thank for commenting Mark!
Thank you, Matt, for doing all the work. @@popgoesthe60s52
Nice video. Though I am a few years older than you, I was 5 when I watched The Beatles on Ed Sullivan and my dad brought home for me ‘She Loves You’ on Swan and ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ on Capitol, I did not have any other Beatles stuff and kind of forgot about them until Walter Cronkite announced they were splitting up. My first Beatles record I was given given were the Red and Blue records.
We're the same age, and I saw them on Sullivan too. But thanks to my older siblings, I was a die-hard first-gen fan from the word go. I grew up with all of their singles and albums in real time, and watched the (awful yet wonderful) Saturday morning cartoon show every week. 🤓
I'm about the same age. I remember them on Sullivan, my aunt having us watch The Monkey's 1st TV show because the were like The Beatles and the "big kid" down the street saying, "hey jew, hey jew, I can't get this really cool song out of my head", all day long. Let It Be was the only one I knew when it was top 40.
In the red album revolver is strangely under represented compared to Rubber Soul . Only 2 songs that were also singles made the cut , and there’s about 5 from Rubber Soul 💁♂️
Thanks Matt. Just a thought, but I'm pretty sure that the photograph on the cover of the 1962-66 was taken at EMI's headquarters in Manchester Square, central London. It was also used on the Beatles first LP Please please me.
It's a slightly different photo than the one used on Please Please Me.
10:45 my older cousin had the Alpha Omega compilation - I'd always play a side or two whenever we visited their house - I've tried to google it over the years but I always thought it was called "Beatles AN", not realizing it was the Greek letter omega - thanks for edumacating me 8-)
My pleasure- thanks cazgerald!
Thanks for your work Matt. You're appreciated brother.
Votes of confidence are always welcomed! Thank you.
What is the rest of your top 5 books?
Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn
Mark Lewisohn
Erin Weber’s Beatles Narratives, Schaffner’s Beatles Forever, Lewisohn’s Tune In, MacDonalds Revolution in the Head. There are plenty of honorable mentions though. 🙂
Wow! Learned some Beatles history today. I never heard that story before about the compilation albums being planned BEFORE Alpha Omega. Wow. I have to get that book. Thanks for another excellent informative video! 👍👍
I was struck when I did the research - I was really surprised. Ive been kind of saving it for a rainy day.
Hey Matt,
I love your videos. Here is something you may or may not know about.
There is a strange sound in Yesterday at 19 seconds in right around the word “believe” in one channel.
It sounds electronic and is definitely not an instrument. Let me know if you hear it.
It is on the Help UK cd , The original Red album CD and even on the vinyl “Yesterday and Today”.
If you know what it is.
Danny
I will have to check that out!
15:38 I hope you can dedicate an episode to bootleggin' (from the old school days when it was pressing pirate records... being a mere child of the 90s, I'm only familiar with downloading mp3s from sketchy websites and things, so old bootleggin' is an alien concept to me, such a space child)
Because despite the official stance, Lennon (at least legend has it) is the source of a lot of his demos and alternate takes for a variety of Beatle and post Beatle songs and Macca for sure is the source of the Live At The Candlestick Park boot (there were two tapes, the one that Tony Barrow made with his very-early cassette recorder and the copy he gave to Paul. Barrow's original stayed locked in a drawer for decades, so....).
Interesting about George Harrison choosing the playlist. I hadn't heard that before. I played the Red and Blue albums constantly. Great video, Matt. Looking forward to your return! Safe travels!
I am an original fan ..turned 10 in 1964 and my family bought all the original US albums as they came out. When the 70’s hit , in the early 70’s I do remember the “RED &Blue “ collections but I did not buy them..I know a lot of folks who did. I seem to remember that it was all stereo and some of the mixes were terrible but maybe I am wrong. I had heard absolutely nothing of this ALPHA and OMEGA bootleg ! Glad I did not get it. I remember sometime in the late 70’s hearing about that film project being called “ The Long and Winding Road. I guess that eventually evolved into the ANTHOLOGY. I did like the COMPLETE BEATLES VIDEO that came out….I hope these new RED&Blue releases are good remixes!
The red & blue albums I bought in the 70s are turning in their graves with these re-issues.
Why, because they died and were replaced with expanded editions with more music?
@@Withcare11 - Let's see:
1) Groove compression.
2) Disruption of the original sequencing of tracks.
3) The inclusion of a non-Beatles track.
4) Remixes.