Re-Sequence The Beatles Albums - Capitol USA Versions As The Starting Point

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by schnitzerphilip, Apr 3, 2019.

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  1. schnitzerphilip

    schnitzerphilip "Modern Dad" Unlocked Award Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ USA
    [​IMG]

    The premise here is quite simple:

    Take a Beatles LP or a side of an LP, re-sequence the tracks, and improve them over the UK originals. Use the USA Capitol versions as the starting point as clearly they nailed it from 1964 onwards. Go back to the sessions for each LP and consider the A and B sides if applicable. Don't be afraid to hurt George or Ringo's feelings by omitting weaklings.

    Starting things off, it's the weakest side of the White Album improved markedly by getting the sleepy Revolution 1 and dreary Good Night out of there and replaced by the rocking Revolution and epic Hey Jude, the greatest concert closer of all time closing out the greatest LP of all time.
     
  2. Shaddam IV

    Shaddam IV Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ca
    I'm into this as I've already got playlists for "Help!" and "For Sale" and "Get Back" that I listen to on Spotify. The best songs, sequencing, and mixes, while dumping the weaklings.

    But I use the UK versions as the starting point. So I don't know if that counts.
     
  3. lavalamp3

    lavalamp3 Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    Magical Mystery Tour - Original Soundtrack (1967)

    The U.S compilation album is considered the standard these days, but having grown up in the UK with the original 6-track ep, I've always found the album rather unsatisfactory... like side one sets out as part of a 'proper' album and side 2 winds up a sort of semi 'Greatest Hits', with a bunch of dissociated singles, most of which have nothing to do with the tv film.

    I imagined that back in 1967, Parlophone/Capital had decided to remain faithful to the tv show and release a 'soundtrack album' featuring solely music from the film (much like Capital had done with Hard Days Night and Help!)

    I created this CD-R, which takes the 6 ep tracks from side one of the album and also Hello Goodbye from side 2, as the song does indeed feature in the film.

    This leaves space for the release of three (still unreleased) Lennon/McCartney pieces - Shirley's Wild Accordian, The Bus and Jessie's Dream. The latter two pieces are edited somewhat as I felt they otherwise overstay their welcome in context of the album.

    Controversially perhaps, I've included both the Bonzos Death Cab For Cutie and (perhaps even more controversially) Ivor Cutler's wonderful 'I'm Going In A Field'. The Beatles obviously envisaged both The Bonzos' track (which of course, features in the nightclub scene) and Ivor's track (which unfortunately was finally edited out for time restraints) to be part of the film. I personally decided to draw the line at Traffic's Mulberry Bush (another intended musical addition which hit the cutting room floor) but Ivor Cutler's character (Buster Bloodvessel) was of course, intrinsic to the film.

    Hello Goodbye is followed by a brief reprise of Magical Mystery Tour, featuring John's "That was the Magical Mystery Tour... I told yer!"

    This would leave Strawberry Fields, Penny Lane and Baby, You're A Rich Man as stand-alone singles, later to be included on volume two of Past Masters (All You Need is Love would later find a home on the Yellow Submarine album).

    Ok, I'm not suggesting it replaces the U.S album we've all come to know, but I think it makes a great alternative while being far more true to the original film itself.

    1) Magical Mystery Tour (Lennon/McCartney) including John's spoken word "When a man buys a ticket...etc
    2) Fool On the Hill (Lennon/McCartney)
    3) Flying (Lennon/McCartney/Harrison/Starkey)
    4) I Am the Walrus (Lennon/McCartney)
    5) Blue Jay Way (Harrison)
    6) The Bus (edited version) (Lennon/McCartney)
    7) Your Mother Should Know (Lennon/McCartney)
    8) I'm Going in A Field (Ivor Cutler)
    9) Shirley's Wild Accordian (Lennon/McCartney)
    10) Death Cab For Cutie (Stanshall/Innes) Bonzo Dog Do-Dah Band
    11) Jessie's Dream (edit) (Lennon/McCartney)
    12) Hello Goodbye (Lennon/McCartney)
    13) Magical Mystery Tour - reprise (Lennon/McCartney)
    including John's "That was the Magical Mystery Tour - I told yer!"
     
  4. Shaddam IV

    Shaddam IV Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ca
    Beatles For Sale

    No Reply
    I'm A Loser
    Baby's In Black
    I'll Follow The Sun
    Mr Moonlight (I like it so sue me)
    Kansas City
    Eight Days A Week (from 1+)
    Words Of Love
    She's A Woman
    Every Little Thing
    I Don't Want To Spoil The Party
    I Feel Fine (from 1+)

    Now it's virtually perfect.
     
    Last edited: Apr 4, 2019
  5. John Harchar

    John Harchar Forum Resident

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I use the UK versions as well. Took a look at the US track listings, then saw the problems with the first album replacing two tracks :wtf:...and gave up.
     
    MPLRecords, YpsiGypsy and Shaddam IV like this.
  6. andrewskyDE

    andrewskyDE Island Owner

    Location:
    Europe
    The only thing I would change is the US album version of Revolver.
    Should add 'Rain' and 'Paperback Writer' in there.
     
  7. LouieG

    LouieG Forum Resident

    Rubber Soul - Replace "What Goes On" with "Day Tripper" - great opener for Side Two. If I had to add "We Can Work It Out" somewhere, maybe replace "The Word" or "Wait" even though I like those better than "WCWIO".
     
  8. YpsiGypsy

    YpsiGypsy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    I too feel that side 4 of The BEATLES or as the youngsters say The White Album is the weakest side but not for the same reasons as you. I used to think that Honey Pie, Savoy Truffle & Good Night were weak and Revolution 1 was a filler since it was already out as a single.
    Now they are okay, I have a new appreciation for Savoy Truffle since the WA50th remix. But now I think of Cry Baby Cry, Can You Take Me Back, Revolution 9 & Good Night as a suite and I wouldn't change it.
    I don't think Hey Jude & Revolution fit anywhere on the album because the overall sound, the mix, production, SQ and the "energy/vibe" are to different to the other songs on the album, I don't see it as a good fit.
    Now then, side 2? I could change some things there, cut a few from side 2 and maybe Revolution & Hey Jude would fit there like this.
    Side 2
    Revolution
    I Will
    Julia
    Martha My Dear
    I'm So Tired
    Blackbird
    Hey Jude

     
    Diamond Star Halo likes this.
  9. schnitzerphilip

    schnitzerphilip "Modern Dad" Unlocked Award Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ USA
    Yes, I do that too, but two songs must go as well:

    Revolver:

    Taxman
    Eleanor Rigby
    I'm Only Sleeping
    Love You Too
    Here There Everywhere
    Yellow Submarine Paperback Writer
    She Said She Said
    Good Day Sunshine
    And Your Bird Can Sing
    For No One
    Doctor Robert
    I Want To Tell You
    Got To Get You Into My Life
    Tomorrow Never Knows Rain

    Yellow Submarine ruins Revolver the same way What Goes On ruins Rubber Soul.

    Tomorrow Never Knows might be groundbreaking, but I don't enjoy it, I think it's way overrated, Rain makes for a much better closer.
     
    Rich C likes this.
  10. schnitzerphilip

    schnitzerphilip "Modern Dad" Unlocked Award Thread Starter

    Location:
    NJ USA
    [​IMG]

    For Rubber Soul, I start with the vastly superior US Capitol folk-rock version and tweak a bit from there.

    Rubber Soul:

    I've Just Seen A Face
    Norwegian Wood
    You Won't See me
    Think For Yourself
    The Word
    Day Tripper+
    We Can Work It Out+
    Michelle
    It's Only Love
    Girl
    I'm Looking Through You
    In My Life
    Nowhere Man+
    Wait
    If I Needed Someone+
    Run For Your Life

    Drive My Car is out, just doesn't belong on Rubber Soul. We Can Work It Out, Day Tripper, and Nowhere Man go on as does If I Needed Someone. Yeah, it's a long LP but it's the King Of '65 and deserves the extra time.
     
    Keith V, jricc, JoeRockhead and 2 others like this.
  11. NumberEight

    NumberEight Came too late and stayed too long

    Nice idea, but I’m having trouble agreeing with two of your basic premises:

    1. the USA Capitol versions [...] as clearly they nailed it from 1964 onwards; and
    2. the White Album [...] the greatest LP of all time.

    Apart from those two small points, I’m with you. :)
     
    Matze S. and MPLRecords like this.
  12. Lewisboogie

    Lewisboogie “Bob Robert”

    :wtf: I’m out.
     
  13. YpsiGypsy

    YpsiGypsy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    I like your idea but I have always loved the US Magical Mystery Tour album because it gave John's B-sides an album format.
    And the fact that my singles were trashed out and I got better sounding replacements.
     
    lavalamp3 and Lewisboogie like this.
  14. YpsiGypsy

    YpsiGypsy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    So the 'Thread Starter' has special privileges like committing blasphemy? [​IMG]
     
  15. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    Using "Help: An Orchestral Fantasy" from The Film Music of Ken Thorne, I created the following Help! lineup:

    Side 1:

    1. Spy Intro/Help!
    2. The Night Before
    3. From Me to You Fantasy (Thorne)
    4. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away
    5. I Need You
    6. You Still Can't Do That! (Thorne)
    7. Another Hard Day's Night (Thorne)

    Side 2:

    1. Another Girl
    2. A Hard Day's Night/She's a Woman Fantasy (Thorne)
    3. Ticket to Ride
    4. The Bitter End (Thorne)
    5. You're Gonna Lose That Girl
    6. Can't Buy Me Love Fantasy (Thorne)
    7. The Chase (Thorne)

    This lineup gets rid of the unnecessary Wagner track and adds more of Thorne's inventive spy versions of Beatles tunes.

    I still await the day when Thorne's entire score shows up on CD. Or LP or download, for that matter.
     
  16. andrewskyDE

    andrewskyDE Island Owner

    Location:
    Europe
    SACRILEGE!!
     
  17. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    ..couldn't agree more, LOL!! Actually, I think Rain would make a great side 2 opener.
     
  18. DK Pete

    DK Pete Forum Resident

    Location:
    Levittown. NY
    Weakest side..??? Surely a matter of arguable opinion.
     
    john lennonist and 2141 like this.
  19. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    I'm amused, but I can't imagine a different track listing on any of the American albums...
     
  20. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    INDEED!!!!
     
  21. mercuryvenus

    mercuryvenus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    I reject this thread for 2 reasons:

    1. You implicitly say George and Ringo contributed weaklings, when it's empirically a fact that George was the best Beatle and Ringo is a badass.

    2. I don't consider the Capitol versions legitimate Beatles albums.
     
  22. YpsiGypsy

    YpsiGypsy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    I agree so all the more reason to play this game:)
     
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  23. mercuryvenus

    mercuryvenus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    orrr we can all just move on with the warm and comforting feeling of knowing the albums the Beatles actually supervised are superior and pay little to no attention to the Capitol albums :)
     
    hodgo, FJFP, FKA002 and 1 other person like this.
  24. Rich C

    Rich C Forum Resident

    Location:
    Northbrook, IL
    I agree with your take on dropping YS and TNK as well as your additions.

    The only things I would change are the following. Make Rain open side 2 to be followed by Good Day Sunshine. Nice synergy there. End the album with Got To Get You Into My Life.
     
  25. mercuryvenus

    mercuryvenus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Maryland, USA
    Ok, I just read through your post and dude -- you want to get the slow Revolution out?! That version is awesome. Now I'm really curious to know what other songs you think are "weaklings," if you include that one, which has to have one of the coolest vibes of any Beatles song.
     
    DK Pete, john lennonist and SRC like this.
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