I just saw the Blue album on blue vinyl (not a boot) at a local shop for $25, I probably should have grabbed it.
It's enevitable. But, something tells me it's not a general public release, super~ audio means jack .. to them.
It all started for me with the Red and the Blue albums. So altering them would feel sacrilegious. Over the years, I wondered why some obvious songs weren't included--Rain, She's A Woman, I Should Have Known Better, Good Day Sunshine, among others--but then again you can't perfect the perfect.
I remember when they were originally released in 1973. They were perfect for their time. I don't think it makes much sense to reissue them on CD without any additional tracks, though. The only song I would add is "Twist and Shout", which would then be the only cover version to be included.
I've tended to play the UK (Aust.) LPs rather than Red+Blue. The comp's are OK, I've always thought the Red was stingy because of the very short sides. In Australia we had the budget-priced single-LP compilation The Essential Beatles, which had a good selection. As it's my first Beatles LP it got played a lot of times. SideA: Love Me Do Boys Long Tall Sally Honey Don't P.S. I Love You Baby You're A Rich Man All My Loving Yesterday Penny Lane Side B: Magical Mystery Tour Norwegian Wood With A Little Help From My Friends All You Need Is Love Something Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da Let It Be And I loved the back cover, showing a timeline of the the visual changes in the band, and where each song fits in the timeline:
To make room for it? How much room do you need? Even on vinyl the Red could've had about 25 minutes added...
1962–1966 and 1967–1970 are great compilations, and easily the best starter albums for any Beatles newcomer, however, they are not perfect. Most of the songs on the sets deserve their slot, but there are a few head-scratchers: "Girl" brings Rubber Soul's total to 6, which is way too much. There are better Harrison songs and better B-sides to include over "Old Brown Shoe." While I understand why they included "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" and "Octopus's Garden," there are more worthy songs from their respective albums. The biggest problem is what isn't there: Only 2 songs from Revolver, what is considered by many to be their best album. Any of the following would have been welcome: "Taxman," "Here, There and Everywhere," "Got to Get You Into My Life," "Tomorrow Never Knows." Very surprising that "I Saw Her Standing There" and "Twist and Shout" were omitted, even if the latter was a cover. "Do You Want to Know a Secret" was also a #2 hit for the Beatles, but it isn't as iconic as the other two. While the Blue Album gives a generous sampling of non-album B-sides, the Red Album misses out on an opportunity to showcase some great flip-sides from the early years ("This Boy," "She's a Woman," "I'm Down," "Rain") A lot of great White Album songs feel missed: "Blackbird," "Dear Prudence," "Happiness Is a Warm Gun," "Helter Skelter." From the first time I heard Abbey Road, I wondered why "Golden Slumbers"/"Carry That Weight"/"The End" wasn't included on the Blue Album. "Hey Bulldog" should have been included to represent Yellow Submarine. While the Blue Album contains 28 tracks (2 discs with 14 each), the Red Album only contains 26 for some reason. I'm also a little disappointed with how the re-issues over the years have been handled: The combined length of the Red Album's discs is 63 minutes, which would have easily fit onto a single CD. Instead, they chose to release it onto 2 discs. CD releases would have also been a great opportunity to include bonus tracks that should have been on the original releases. Kind of like how the Rolling Stones' 28-track Rolled Gold was re-released with 40 tracks in 2007. Here are the bonus tracks I would have added to the CD re-releases: 1962–1966 CD 1 I Saw Her Standing There Twist and Shout Do You Want to Know a Secret I Should Have Known Better If I Fell CD 2 I'm Down Rain Taxman Got to Get You Into My Life Tomorrow Never Knows 1967–1970 CD 1 Dear Prudence Happiness Is a Warm Gun Blackbird Helter Skelter CD 2 Hey Bulldog Golden Slumbers Carry That Weight The End
Oh I know it just seems kind of thrown together and given how much they changed over time, it's kind of odd.
As I recall three of the four Beatles insisted that the albums have only band compositions not covers which is probably why something like "Twist and Shout", "Money", etc.
That Red Album was my first non-Kiss album. I absolutely cherished it. The Red Album is from where I learned song structure and studied how to be a naïve 13 year-old's version of "hip" and romantic. "And I Love Her" introduced me to the sound of the Classical guitar, which I still study. My brother destroyed mine with a baseball bat out of spite a few days after my 16th birthday, and it broke my heart. Other than magically restructuring my personal copy, I wouldn't change a thing. It is my hope to eventually replace mine with an original pressing in clean condition.
No compact-ish compilation can ever be perfect, but these are definitely among the better ones. I may not agree with all the song choices, but I doubt I could come up with better overall results if I were to put together similar sets from scratch.
I grew up with them. My parents had records like Red and Blue and Endless Summer on 8-Track and we would listen on trips. I have a sentimental attachment that taints my judgement but I still think they're great for what they are. If I wanted to turn someone on to the Beatles who had never heard them, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Red album.
As mentioned by the original poster, I would put The Red album on a single disc but other than that they are fine.
Fine as is. They're largely irrelevant for me, anyway, having the entirety of the core catalog (as do most here, I'm sure). I keep Blue only for the variation of the clean intro to "A Day in the Life."
A one disc Red album with a two disc Blue album would be horrible aesthetically. Keep 'em original as doubles.
I owned the Blue at one point, and I really dug (this was before I owned any studio albums). I am just fine with it as it is. Truth be told, any diehard would choose a different tracklist than what we got, cause we apways think "oh it should have had this song or that one." Really this was made for casuals, as all compilations are.
In The Beatles: An Illustrated Record the authors described the four 1962-1970 discs as "assembled by accountants" (or similar language). The whole thing feels like it was playing it safe. I like the idea of a fresh 3-CD compilation utilising the full 80 minute capacity, including all UK and US singles (and their B-sides); plus, fill in some underrepresented album tracks (Revolver and the "white album", for example.) I'm very sorry Ian MacDonald (Revolution In The Head) is gone, he would have been close to ideal to compile it; not to mention providing the essay in the booklet.
