In their own way, the U.S. Albums are as essential as the U.K. versions, far as I'm concerned. I wouldn't say I grew up with them because I was a few years too young for the initial go-round...but when I did start buying albums as an 11 year old in 1968, they were the ones I was familiar with and playing on my little phonograph first. Nostalgically they are important to me, yes....but from a more objective viewpoint there are at least three albums from the earlier period which are beautifully assembled albums by Capitol:Meet The Beatles, Second Album and Rubber Soul which have all been discussed by other posters. But in the overall, the American albums, love them or detest them, matter.
I still have all my original Apple pressings that I owned in the early 70's. My go-to's for hearing the albums of my youth are the 2 Capitol CD boxsets, but for nostalgia I'll plop a LP on the TT and bask in the sound of oil embargo vinyl and Duophonic. Here's the headscratcher, Why did Capitol add the German version of IWTHYH and pass on "I Should Have Known Better" on Something New.
....remains a head scratcher. But it worked out well in the end (pretty much literally "the end"). ISHKB is a treat on the Hey Jude album which was assembled to consist of tracks that had never appeared on a Capitol album.
I like Beatles '65 quite a lot because it really feels like a cohesive group of songs. A lot of acoustic songs, so it feels like a warmup for Rubber Soul in a way.
It was those two songs specifically when I heard them on Collector's Items (79 or 80)....that I sought out the British LP's.
For me, the powerful reverberized version of She Loves You on The Second Album does that. It's downright dramatic!
Speaking of tracks that had never appeared on a Capitol album, they could have added "Misery" and "There's A Place" to that album while they're at it
What is the false start you are referring to? (I just ordered both these boxes on Amazon myself, so of course I'll be checking). What's the story behind using fold downs, anyway? If you know...thanks.
I grew up on the Capitol US releases from the day of their release. It wasn't until 1987 and the release on CD as the UK versions that they became my standard. I love both but still prefer the US version of Rubber Soul. I have given some thought recently about adding all the US versions to my library.
From Wikipedia Incorrect mono versions Box sets and sampler discs made available prior to the 11 April release date have incorrect mono versions on Beatles VI and Rubber Soul. The incorrect mono versions were only released in this set. These "fold-down" mono versions are actually the stereo mix consolidated into both speakers. Although the versions are technically in mono (in the sense that the sound in both the right and left channels is the same), they are not the actual mono mixes released by Capitol in 1965. Beatles author Bruce Spizer, who also wrote the set's in-depth liner notes, told The Beatles fan website What Goes On that a "third party mastering facility incorrectly sent stereo-to-mono mixdowns" to be pressed rather than the vintage mono mixes. The mistake was understandable, as the US mono mixes of the vinyl release of The Early Beatles and Help! were fold-down versions of the stereo mixes. But, the US vinyl release of both Beatles VI and Rubber Soul actually had different mono mixes. It was initially unknown whether this error was restricted to one pressing plant, or all pressings, but now seems to involve all sets prior to the issue of the "corrected" version. An explanation for the mistake given at the time was that Capitol anticipated that the stereo versions would sometimes be played back in mono, and wanted to test how they would sound if played that way, (for Beatles VI and Rubber Soul; this concern not being an issue for the other two) and so made fold-down copies of the stereo versions of these just to test how they would sound in mono, and by mistake someone caused these recordings to be issued in lieu of the true mono mixes. The easiest way to tell if a particular copy has the correct mono mixes is to check the total playing time of the discs on a CD player. Discs with the correct mono mixes have a slightly longer playing time. Disc 1 = 52:25 Disc 2 = 56:16 (disc with incorrect mono version is 56:01) Disc 3 = 59:07 Disc 4 = 59:08 (disc with incorrect mono version is 59:01)
There's also a specific giveaway on Beatles VI to know if you have the album with the true mono mix. On the stereo mix, there's a faint "wooh" right before the solo commences on I Don't Want To Spoil The Party. On the true mono mix, there's no "whoo" audible.
Having grown up on the US mix of "I Feel Fine," I've always found the UK mix ... kind of wimpy. To me, it has nowhwere near the power. I understand that some are allergic to reverb and morally opposed to corrupting an artist's vision. But given the choice, I'll take Dexter's. (I do think the extra reverb on "She's a Woman" is actually excessive, but for that reason I find the US mix a little more interesting.)
Second Album mono was a fold too, right? Also, for the Capitol box sets, I'm guessing they just folded the stereos and didn't bother using an original mono tape (despite it being a fold in the first place). Anyone know for sure?
By the time the Capitol albums were reissued on the Apple label in the early 70's, I had them all on the Capitol rainbow label. But once I discovered they were now out on Apple", I naturally realized I simply had to buy them again. This, for me, was when I became infected with the dreaded, " I have to have it on every label configuration" disease. And I've yet to find the cure.
Not sure that it comes down to being a hip thing to do. This is an international forum, and a lot of us got tired of seeing our favourite band's albums getting butchered to release in the US. (Not specifically speaking to the Beatles Capitol albums there). I have long said that it makes complete sense that folks in the US will generally prefer their US versions of The Beatles, Acdc, Rolling Stones, and hundreds of lesser known bands. By the same token though it makes sense that people outside the US will prefer their original versions of those albums. I grabbed the Capitol Albums box, and it is interesting, and certainly worth checking out for the hardcore Beatles fan outside the US. I believe it is missing some Dexterisation, which is disappointing, but it gives the general idea.
U.S. albums Very good! Especially Second album mono, something new mono, rubber soul stereo and yesterday and today mono, good stuff.
The box sets had true mono mixes (as did the original LP releases)for Beatles VI, Rubber Soul, Something New and most of Beatles '65.
I hear you on I Feel Fine. I'm not sure why that "wet" mix works so well, it just does. Maybe it's all the chaos. Those five drums shots from Ringo sound absolutely fantastic. For whatever reason, I feel the same way about the Kinks' All Day and All of the Night - just pure power.
My sister had most of the early Beatles albums. One of my earliest memories was her getting Rubber Soul for Christmas 1965. So I do have a soft spot for the Capitol as well as the Vee Jay & United Artists Beatles, even though I have the 2009 stereo & mono versions, as well as the Capitol Years Vol 1&2 and the individual CDs of the US versions of Revolver, Yesterday & Today and Hard Day's Night, which should have comprised the Capitol Years Vol 3
listen at the end of the solo in be your man. you have to turn it up but someone says real low i messed up. if i remember it is in the right channel
I'm Down could have fit perfectly on Y&T, they could have added ISHKB and either "Misery" or "There's A Place", that way they wouldn't strip three key Lennon tracks from Revolver. When Capitol called George Martin and asked him "we need three new songs for our new LP" he should have gave them "If You Got Troubles", That Means Allot" and "Leave My Kitten Alone" instead of the three Revolver tracks for their new hodge podge LP.
