Best Beatles songs in mono

The entire mono US 'Help!' album is a fold of the stereo. And not even a fold down tape - it was just the stereo tape cut to vinyl in mono. So there shouldn't be any 'tape flutter' on one that's not on the other.

Bassoon.

Really? Was that the unreleased rough mix with fuzz guitar? (I don't think that part still exists on the 4-track, unless it's on a pre-bounced 4-track. Anyway, cool if that was played at the show).

 

Yep I prefer stereo on everything because i can hear more, things that are hidden in the mono mixes, it is a personal view

 

I am amazed all the votes for Revolver. The compression is so bad that Ringo's cymbal work is totally obliterated!

 

"Revolution #1" is a fold down of the stereo as well.

 

Baby You're a Rich Man

 

The stereo mix was done by Geoff Emerick, 29 October 1968. Nearly 10 months after the recording session. George Martin was not involved in this session. Other mixes done this day include the "mock" stereo mix of Only A Northern Song, the stereo mix of All Together Now and the stereo mix of All You Need Is Love... all destined for the upcoming Yellow Submarine album. It's All Too Much was mixed into stereo and mono on 16/17 October 1968, during the infamous 24 hour mixing session for the White Album. This was supervised by Ken Scott. Ron

 

Everything included on the 2009 'The Beatles in Mono' CD box set.

But some standout-standout's:

"Nowhere Man"
"Day Tripper"
"Paperback Writer"
"Tomorrow Never Knows"
"Strawberry Fields Forever"
"I Am The Walrus"
"Hey Bulldog"
"Revolution"
"Yer Blues"
"Helter Skelter"

 

I do have to dis-agree with you about the mono SLH, it is speedied up almost to the point of pinky and perky compared to the stereo which appears to be at a more correct speed, the speedied up mono's higher range also likely contributes to distortion on nearly all save for the best surviving original discs....

 

yes i agree we do tend to favour the versions we are familiar or grew up with, sometimes other versions just seem " wrong " I started in the early mid 70's so it is the stereo's i always relate to....when I started collecting at the same time it was the stereo originals that i also sought after as they were much much harder to find than the mono's so they had that exclusivity about them as well.....

 

A few from Beatles for Sale that I prefer in MONO:

What You're Doing
Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby
Eight Days a Week

 

Must be due to the having the botched Vol. 2 box, I'm guessing - the one with the mistaken fold-downs. If it weren't for the US box, I'd go looking for the proper one.

On The Chase on the Vol. 2 box, it sure sounds like tape flutter. Probably some digital crap that did it. Should give my US box Help a spin and see if it's there also.

Crap, didn't know the US Help! was a foldie. That goes for the rainbow Capitol original too, I'm figuring - yes?

 

Not that I think it is one of the "best songs in mono", but rather one where the mono is so much better than stereo: Julia. The panning with the double vocal and guitar just really bugs me, and they blend together so perfectly in mono.

 

"Baby, You're a Rich Man" is more psychedelic in mono. Read an article that George Martin and Geoff Emerick couldnt duplicate the swirrling sound on piano before chorus when mixing for Germany who requested a STEREO mix on Side 2.

 

I generally enjoy the stereo and mono mixes of all the songs where both exist, but two songs jump to mind as being vastly preferable in mono: "Ticket to Ride" and "Paperback Writer."

 

Yes, the stereo tape was simply combined during cutting for LP. For the 2006 CD it was done digitally (the stereo and mono 'mixes' stay perfectly in sync with each other when lined up). Same for the 'Early Beatles' album too.

So the 'wrong' fold down 2006 CDs were actually correct for these two albums.

 

Really? Was that the unreleased rough mix with fuzz guitar? (I don't think that part still exists on the 4-track, unless it's on a pre-bounced 4-track. Anyway, cool if that was played at the show).[/QUOTE]

No, it sounded very similar to the guitar on the released version but it was a significantly longer piece. Everything they played leading up to the show had a subtle difference from any official version and to my knowledge there are no ways to obtain them. 'Taxman' for example was completely instrumental except for the 'anyone have a bit of money' chorus and had the real ending. BYARM was stripped down and the clavioline part went on for a good while after the song came to an end. Somebody out there must have this stuff. Nothing on youtube, etc

 

Blue Jay Way

 

revolution & lady madonna from the mono masters

 

Editing this to add "It's All Too Much" (the original mono mix)

 

the German Stereo MMT...BYARM? thunderous bass...the Mono IMO pales...

 

Besides the usual suspects ("Paperback Writer," "Revolution," etc.), I'll go with "Within You Without You."

 

Magical Mystery Tour 2014 Version is a huge stand out.

 

Paperback Writer positively kills in mono. Rain, strangely I prefer the stereo.