Whatever the case, this just goes to show that Paul has a more hands-on attitude on these Beatles releases than some people think. I remember last year, how the Giles haters replied to the argument that Paul had approved the mix, saying "oh, he will say yes to anything... He only wants his cheque..." I think that's very disrespectful towards Paul. He is obviously very proud and protective of his Beatle past. He knows it's his legacy, and I'm sure he wouldn't approve anything he would have objections with. This remix is just the ultimate example.
In fact, a coffee stain was part of the original design of the cover by artist Richard Hamilton: Hamilton landed the job via mutual friend and gallery owner Robert Fraser. In the early stages of his design, he proposed that the white sleeve be augmented with a coffee cup stain, but that was deemed “too flippant”. He then suggested that the cover be impregnated with apple pulp, in homage to The Beatles’ company Apple Corp. This too was considered “impractical” and was also rejected. In the end, the revolutionary nature of Hamilton’s design was in it’s simplicity.
I get that 3/4 songs were made in 1967, but MMT's US version (canonized in the CD era as the official version of the LP) already collects stray 67 singles and B-sides. But those were songs already released at the time. YS's songs were recorded and saved for that project. The public didn't have them in 67 like they did Side 2 of MMT. To make Magical Mystery Tour (itself a soundtrack of sorts) a catch-all for the other stray tracks from the era seems odd, especially when that very thing is the intent and purpose of the compilation Past Masters. Just my 2 cents.
Of course the thought process in the posting you responded to is speculative with little facts. Full of "maybe....I think it must have been....I don't see....I can totally see....". This is how junk gets generated and later gets looked at as fact. Based on nothing factual.
And what happened to MMT 50th Anniversary? Too much fog upon a hill,couldn't see clearly to celebrate it....I'm crying.
John did say he liked his songs best on the White Album. I remember Ringo saying Abbey Road was the best although he did say he preferred working on the White Album to working on Pepper.
You know stored somewhere here in the old threads. None other than producer-engineer Ken Scott, commented personally on the Prudence-USSR drumming. He said, it was mostly Paul, but that both John & George helped & also played some of the drums as overdubbed parts, in a drum pastiche of Paul & John & George. Mr Scott did engineer the sessions & spoke unequivocally about it, here 6-8 years ago ?
Only a Northern Song was Sgt. Pepper reject, All Too Much (and perhaps All Together Now?) was written for Our World broadcast in mind, Hey Bulldog was also not related to YS, the only song (if I'm not mistaken) that was written specifically for the animated film was Baby, You're a Rich Man. But yes, most of those weren't available. Why not? Technically, AHDN and Help! have "proper" movie songs only on Side A. While the other side "collects" other tracks from the same period. So in this way, oddly enough US MMT configuration adopted as a "canon" album works.
Would anything have been shot on film in the nineties? I would have thought most of it would have been shot on video tape but I'm not sure. Someone will know I'm sure. Anything from the sixties on film stands a chance if they have good generation stock but 405 line video tape will probably reveal more limitations of the source on blu-ray. Hopefully they will extend things if they are upgrading or perhaps add extended bonus footage (such as the complete Shea and Japan concerts).
What about Madonna, Universe & Inner Light ? Why not add those 3 to the other 4-Bulldog,All Together,Northern Song & All Too Much.. ? Then you have 7, throw in some kind of alternate Yellow Submarine, that's 8, add a couple more maybe You Know My Name or Hey Jude --Revolution, boom-presto complete new Yellow Submarine album ? They expanded & revised Mystery Tour, since they've got enough why not Yellow Submarine ? Also as an aside, apparently, Baby You're A Rich Man was to be included contractually as a 5th song, but that was changed midstream.
Because the Beatles already have a compilation for such stray tracks called Past Masters. And the YS songs were not released until early 1969 so putting them as bonus tracks on an album from 1967 (and another film at that) seems weird to me. Plus the YS songs in question are on Mono Masters reissue already. It's my understanding that at the time of their completion or shortly thereafter (not the time of their writing or when first attempted in the studio) but by the time of their completion, the songs "Only A Northern Song," "It's All Too Much" and "All Together Now" were all earmarked for YS, because the band knew they were under contract to provide some new songs. "Hey Bulldog" is a little bit different. I could be wrong, and would love a link to detailed info on how and when the YS songs were chosen etc I've never heard the idea that "It's All Too Much" was attempted with the Our World broadcast in mind. Hard to imagine Paul and John choosing a George song to do with just one shot at this global event, much less the inevitable difficulty in performing such a song even partially live. But that's interesting.
According to Joe Brennan, Revolution 1 was also a fold. The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations
Speed up the USSR by 11.443% to match the final version. 11.442709 may be more accurate but Audacity only allows 3 decimals, so it loses sync a bit. I actually prefer the backing track speed, so I slowed the final track by -10.268% (-10.267795), and it syncs fairly well, but of course the vocals sound sluggish. It will be interesting to see if this can be done with Revolution Take 18 and Take 20 to get the overdubs.
There are a few tracks like that on the album that sound like maybe they were mixed to stereo and then that same mix set-up was folded for mono, perhaps with minor adjustments. Not sure - it was a period of transition and maybe as time got shorter some of the mono mixes were made the quick way?
yeah, that ruins consistency approach. I've always regarded Lady and Inner Light as part of the Past Masters II set. By this logic they should have really include Only a Northern Song as part of a pepper set, and Hey Bulldog as part of the WA set. I don't think it's viable to have a release based on 5 tracks of a YS EP where two songs are on different releases, by definition. Anyway, it's ok. I love how Hey Bulldog and other YS songs sound on the Songtrack, so I am not sweating much in this regard.
One thing I noticed immediately on "Back in the USSR"(2018 mix) vs Mono/Stereo mixes from before was Paul's 'woah' in the intro is louder. In fact it seems the whole mix is louder.
Yeah I am not disputing Mr Scott, I wasn't there and I am certain that's definitely the case with 'USSR'. 'USSR is quite workmanlike as a drum track to these ears. Also there is the question of them recording at Trident when Ringo wasnt around. Dear Prudence on the aural evidence I have been presented with (specifically the drum take of Paul playing throughout) as I mentioned in my earlier post and some of the fills being 'ringo-esque' has made me question whether it's actually Ringo on an overdub or not. When they did this overdub, I don't know, but Abbey Road did have 8 track facilities despite it being locked up and hidden away. Hearing McCartney drumming tracks around that era like "the dog presides" or 'My Dark Hour' or 'thumbing a ride', certainly don't have those kind of fills or that swing (however good they are). This is only a theory and if it is McCartney then fair play, my opinion is that it's McCartney up until the last verse with an undocumented Ringo overdub later.
I can't wait to see everyone's faces when they read in the Deluxe Edition book that John, Paul, and George secretly brought in Pete Best to drum on "Back In The USSR" and "Dear Prudence" but had to keep quiet about it so as to avoid hurting Ringo's fragile feelings when he did return.
