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Some Other Guy - single camera

August 22, 2013, 11:45 pm
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This in from Alejandro Barranco, an unedited single camera version of Some Other Guy from the Cavern Club, and as a bonus, the rest of the known footage edited to the recent find of Kansas City.


The crude, grainy footage features John Lennon and Paul McCartney singing the song's melody in unison on Wednesday 22nd August 1962. This is also the first film of Ringo Starr as the Beatles drummer, Pete Best having been discharged the week before.
McCartney stated: "Some Other Guy" is a great song...It really got us started because that's one of the earliest bits of film of The Beatles. It was the song we sang when Granada Television came to The Cavern. It was also a bit of a muso song..."

For more on this, you should go and visit Beatlesource.com
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Beatles with an A

August 26, 2013, 1:12 am
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© Otava

"Beatles with an A", subtitled "Birth of a band" is not a comic book, but it's more adult equivalent, a graphic novel. Using the comic book format and language, the Beatles' early history is told with a humorous twist. The book takes us from the birth of Ringo Starr to the recording of the song "Please Please Me" in 77 fun-filled pages, full of authentic references and a few speculations.
Amazingly historically correct, the story explores phenomenoms like the "thingy", The Beatles' Hamburg days pet, created with George Harrison's vomit as it's core ingredient. People like Dot Rhone is brought to life, and the characters throughout the story do bear striking resemplances to their real life counterparts.

© Otava

The story has been lovingly told and illustrated by Finnish author of children's book, Mauri Kunnas, and was first published as "Piitles" in Finland last year. Now it's available in English from the book's own website, BeatlesWithAnA.com. You can also sample a few pages from the book at the website.
Being both an avid comic book reader as well as a Beatles fan, I heartily recommend this book. The draing style seems to have both underground (Crumb) and overground (Aragones) influences, but is genuinely Mauri Kunnas. His wife and daughter have colourised the drawings. To my delight, the Beatles suits at the Indra club are close to the colours I used back when I first colourised a black and white photo from that time.

George's parents were very tolerant. © Otava

The only thing I would have left out are the "cherubs" Mick and Keith who show up here and there, citing some Rolling Stones lyric. To me, the Beatles were the Beatles, and everyone else was below them. The Rolling Stones was just another British band, a little bit better than the Who but not as good as the Kinks. And of all the other bands who emerged from Great Britain in the sixties, the Pink Floyd tops the list.

Hardcover Comic: 80 pages
Publisher: Otava Publishing Company Ltd
Language: English
Translation: Will Moore
ISBN-10: 9511273957
ISBN-13: 978-9511273950
Product Dimensions: 290mm x 247mm x 10 mm
Weight: 610 grams
Price: 19.70 EUR | £16.90 | $26.20 plus delivery

The book is also due out in Danish, Dutch and Estonian, so far...
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On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2 cover photo

August 26, 2013, 5:01 am
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The cover photo - click for bigger version

Upon researching the internet for possible leaks about the upcoming new album release of The Beatles' BBC recordings, I discovered three things:
- The full album title will be "On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2"
- This is very likely the album cover
- The release will be in November

What I discovered, was that MCA Music (which is the Universal Music company in the Philippines) announced these three facts on their facebook site on August 8th. The cover photo is a familiar old black and white photo by Dezo Hoffman, which has been colourised.

More about the history of Beatles BBC recordings on this page.
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The BBC Volume 2 photo

August 27, 2013, 3:06 am
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Guildford Street, walking towards Russell Square

Whether the photo we revealed yesterday really is the cover chosen for the new November Beatles album, "On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2" or not, let's examine the colourised photo and see if they got it right. The colourised version already showed up on YouTube, along with footage of four people recreating the scene. Above is the original black and white version of the cover, as shot by the late Dezo Hoffmann. Hoffmann took quite a few early Beatles photos, and he was also part of the Beatles entourage when they first came to the USA in February 1964. The photographer also filmed the Beatles on 8mm colour films, and in the early eighties he appeared on TV to show some of the footage from those films.
In 1963 and 1964, Hoffmann's Beatles photos were printed in magazines all over the world. As far as I know, Hoffman only published one retrospective photo book of his Beatles photos, and that was "With The Beatles - The historic photopraphs of Dezo Hoffmann" in 1982. As he mainly shot his photos in black and white, even if some of his photos were colourised back in the sixties, the book is also in black and white. Out of print, the book is well worth seeking out, and long overdue for a reprint.

The possible debut of the photo was in this magazine, from 1963

In 1967, a film school student made a small documentary about Hoffmann, you can find it on YouTube.
The photo we are examining was part of a series of photos in the first "Meet The Beatles" magazine in 1963 and the series was headlined "A Day In The Life Of The Beatles". The photo is captioned "A somewhat delayed Beatles day can begin. The boys takes a brisk walk down towards the centre of London. In ten minutes, they're due for a call at their tailor." (Translated by me from Norwegian, as I only have a Norwegian copy of this magazine.)
 
The photo session was shot on July 2, 1963 and the photos were taken at these locations: 1) Room 114, Hotel President; 2) Reception area, Hotel President; 3) Guildford Street, walking towards Russell Square; 4) Russell Square Gardens; 5) Rupert Street (buying bananas at a stall on the corner at 5-7 Brewer Street); 6) Dougie A. Millings and Son, tailors; 7) Delicatessen Shop; 8) Shirtmaker Mr A Maknyick's shop; 9) Rupert Court; 10) Buying ice cream at Kontact cafe; 11) 27 Wardour Street, in front of the Garner's restaurant; 12) Dezo Hoffmann's studio (to take portraits of John and George).Some of the photos were shot in colour, and we'll take a look at this one, from Russell Square Gardens. You may recognize it from old chewing gum collector's cards or as the front cover of the Italian LP "I Favolosi Beatles" (the equivalent of "With The Beatles"):


Here it is presented in it's real colours, the Italian LP featured a recolourised black and white representation of the photo. The "BBC Volume 2" photo was taken in Guildford Street, where their hotel, The President was. As the list of locations showed, the next destination was Russell Square Gardens. Comparing it with the Guildford Street photo shows that the colour research has been spot on - and that George removed his coat in Russell Square.

Incidentally, the original black and white photo is available as a poster from Amazon.

 
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Vollmer exhibition - last few days!

August 27, 2013, 7:11 am
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© Copyright: Jürgen Vollmer
If you're in Hamburg or planning to go there, you may want to go and see the current exhibition of Jürgen Vollmer's photos.

The address is East Hotel, Simon-Von-Utrecht-Strasse 31, 20359 Hamburg and the exhibition is open from 10 in the morning 'till 11 at night. But you have to hurry, September 5th is the last day.
This will be Vollmer's first and last exhibition, he says.
Paul McCartney has recorded a special video message for the exhibition. Vollmer is also the subject of a short film, "Romy, Ich bin Krank" (Romy, I'm sick).
Film website
Exhibition Website
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Post no. 1000!

August 28, 2013, 3:48 am
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It's been a busy August here at the WogBlog headquarters, mainly due to the fact that I'm currently out of a job. My final day at work was at the end of June, I spent most of July on holiday in California and Nevada, and since then I've been filling in job applications.

I've been busy in the Beatles department, though. Currently I'm getting everything ready for the annual Beatles Festival in the Norwegian mountains, and I was also brought on board as a "Beatles consultant" for a series of concerts which will be running annually from 2013 to 2019!

That may be something of a world record, since the series will be presenting all the Beatles songs from a particular year. This year's concerts will concentrate on the 1963 releases, with "Please Please Me", "With The Beatles" and the singles.
The basis will be an instrumental "Beatles group" with the standard configuration, with well known Norwegian singers up front.

The concerts will all be held at Oslo's Concert House, and may also be touring somewhat. The 2013 concerts will be held on the 23d and 24th of November, and a pre-premiere will occur at our Beatles Festival, October 19th.
So there's going to be a bit of a media blitz about these concerts in the upcoming weeks, I've already been on the air at a couple of radio stations, promoting the gigs.

© Photo: 2013 Fredrikstad Blad, Magnus Nygren Syversen

Here's a photo of me (with the peace sign) and some of the other participants in the concert series, taken outside Oslo's Concert House.

Then of course, there's the autumn issue of the Norwegian Wood magazine, with a deadline fast approaching, and I need to write a bit for that.

So, sorry to be rambling on about myself and my life at the moment, but it's my blog so I do what I want with it, as they say. And being blog post no. 1000 I felt like doing just that.

Anyway, back to our normal programming...
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NEW from McCartney

August 29, 2013, 1:31 am
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From today, Paul McCartney's new album "New" may be pre-ordered from iTunes. Track 6 is the title track and may be listened to today.

Album cover?
Genres: Rock, Music
Expected Release: 14 October 2013
℗ 2013 Copyright owned by MPL Communications Inc/Ltd under exclusive license to Concord Music Group, Inc.
Pre-order contents may change without notice. You'll be charged and receive items from this pre-order as they become available.

Soundcloud link for sneak preview.


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Second BBC Volume news go main street

August 29, 2013, 2:48 am
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First, The Guardian picked up ny news item about a second set of BBC recordings, quoting me, and then Rolling Stone repeated the story, quoting The Guardian.
What bugs me about new, quick journalism is that what is hinted at, and presented as speculation in one story, is presented as set in stone and a fact in the next. Here's an example: "As WogBlog points out, the forthcoming Live compilation may be the result of the 2012 Listeners' Archive campaign, in which BBC officials asked the public to donate home-recorded radio and television shows" in the Guardian becomes "The new anthology comes as a result of the 2012 Listener's Archive campaign" in Rolling Stone.
Anyway, if you came here from The Guardian, NME or somewhere else who linked to my blog, welcome! And do feel free to explore my other blog posts, there are a thousand to choose from...
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Mark Lewisohn - hot off the press!

August 30, 2013, 12:45 am
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Mark Lewisohn holds a freshly printed copy of his book, "Tune in". Photo: © 2013 Anita Epstein

Pictured at the printer's, Mark Lewisohn holds a freshly printed copy of his Beatles biography, Tune In, due out in shops October 10th in the UK.
It's a triology, and the next volume is likely to be published around 2020, with the final one probably coming around 2027.

The book will be made in three different editions, two for the UK and one for USA. In the UK, there's going to be an abridged version of Lewisohn's original manuscript, meant for public consumption and due out 10 Oct 2013, and then a deluxe edition containing the manuscript in full will follow on 14 Nov 2013.

In the USA, the book is due out October 29, 2013, and will contain 1248 pages, whereas the UK editions will be 960 pages and a whopping 1856 pages.

The main difference between the regular UK edition and the USA edition is said to be that the USA edition will have the references pages added, in the UK, these will only be printed in the deluxe edition.

There may be translations to other languages, German and Spanish is plausable, but these have yet to be negotiated.

The books are published in the UK by Little, Brown and in the USA by Crown Archetype. Given the sheer weight of the book, you may opt for a Kindle edition, so far offered by Crown Archetype only.

Review copies are already out there, and we hear good things so far.

If you want to catch Lewisohn live, he will be appearing at the Essar Chester Literature Festival on October 13th, discussing his book.

   
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Sir David Frost

September 1, 2013, 8:33 am
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David Frost with George and John, 1967.
The legendary British broadcaster Sir David Frost succumbed to an apparent heart attack at 74 this week-end.
He hosted That Was the Week That Was (known as TW3), a show that ran from 1962 to 1963 in Britain and 1964 through 1965 in the US.
It was followed by The Frost Report, which ran from 1966 to 1967. It was notable for launching the television comedy careers of Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett (later, The Two Ronnies) as well as a pre-Python John Cleese.

Frost hosted members of the Beatles numerous times, beginning with Paul on his own in 1964; John and George together in 1967; John with Yoko in 1968, 1969 and 1972; Ringo in 1970.

Frost continued to interview his friend Paul McCartney occasionally throughout the decades.

His airing of the "Hey Jude" / "Revolution" clips in 1968 - promos produced with set-ups to appear as though they were actually guesting his show - remain the most iconic.

For the last few years, Frost was producing his interviews for Al Jazeera. Here he is, interviewing Paul McCartney in 2012.

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McCartney's "New" on a disc

September 1, 2013, 11:09 am
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A lot of old school collectors will want to try and get Paul McCartney's new single, "New" on a physical disc. Well, here's your chance - although so far it has only been released as a promotional item for radio play.
Thanks to Mitchell Axelrod for taking photos of his copy for us to see. So, happy hunting, y'all!
Of course, it's just one track and it looks like it's the same version that'll appear on the album, so it'll be cheaper to just wait and buy the album when it's released in October.


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Lewisohn - the bigger edition

September 5, 2013, 6:56 am
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Special Edition - UK version
"More words" and "some more pictures as well" is what's in store for buyers of the special edition of Mark Lewisohn's "Tune In". It will be split into two books, because there are to many pages to fit between two covers, and the pair will be housed in a cassette box.

More on this over at the official website.

Here's Mark Lewisohn, explaining the difference between the regular and special editions:


If you're going for the regular edition, getting an autographed copy from the company Tracks is an option.

USA edition

In the USA, Bloomingdales is hosting several of Mark Lewisohn's public appearances, find out where on this page.
In the UK, Lewisohn is scheduled to appear at the Essar Chester Literature festival on Sunday the 13th of October and the next week-end at the London Beatles Day on Sunday, October 20th.

For those not ready to handle a book of this volume, there are Kindle editions planned, both for the regular and special edition. From British Amazon, the UK Special edition volume 1 for Kindle is here:


and from Amazon USA, here's their Kindle version of the regular edition:


You'll also notice that the price of the special edition has dropped from an estimated £120 to £74.40 in UK. Here are the links to the paper editions:

     
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Guide to the Beatles London’ Book Celebrates 50 Years of ‘Beatlemania

September 5, 2013, 8:46 am
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The acclaimed book "Guide to the Beatles London" is now available on Kindle, on the 50th anniversary of ‘Beatlemania’ and the Beatles move to London. The book is by Richard Porter, a life long Beatles fan, professional Beatles tour guide for more than 20 years and friend of WogBlog.

Even though the Beatles were originally from Liverpool, when ‘Beatlemania’ began in 1963, they had to move to London to be nearer the scene. As Ringo Starr once said “If you are in our business, you go to London - that’s where it happens, the recording, the places to be seen, where it’s happening is there. It’s just a natural move.”


Author Richard Porter has been a Beatles tour guide in London for over 20 years, and in that time he has gathered together stories and photographs while researching the tours. Also, as editor of Off the Beatle Track magazine he interviewed many people who worked with the Beatles, including Alistair Taylor, Brian Epstein's personal assistant, top record producer Alan Parsons and top DJ Kenny Everett. Their stories are featured throughout the book.
The book also contains scores of previously unpublished and rare photos, including the Beatles at their homes and in recording Studios.
Places included in the book include Abbey Road Studios, the former 'Apple' building at 3 Savile Row, the Beatles homes, offices, recording studios and many others. However, the book is more about the people that frequented the buildings, rather than the buildings themselves.

In the book you will:
• find out what John Lennon was doing outside some public toilets in 1966;
• discover which famous Beatles song was recorded in a studio next to a strip club;
• learn how some ladies tights saved an important Beatles event;
• uncover who were the 'Apple Scruffs' featured in the George Harrison song

The book has been extensively expanded since its last print edition to include many new places, scores of new photos and newly discovered stories.
To download the book from Kindle, here are the links:

 
Quotes:

This book is a must for all Beatles fans whether you will be visiting London or not. It contains historical information on the Beatles' lives in London, which every Beatles fan needs to know. - Trina Yannicos - Daytrippin' magazine

'One person who has been something of a flag waver for the Beatles London has been Richard Porter, whose passion and knowledge of the group are apparent from the moment you meet him. Richard opens up each building's Beatles connection and history with vivid detail and anecdotal information. Without doubt, he is the authority concerning the group's movements within the capital during the 1960s.' - Beatles Monthly

Mr Porter has been conducting Beatles walking tours in London for over twenty years (for over 150,000 Beatles fans). He's logged a few thousand miles. He knows the scene. Richard has transcribed his tours in this book. And what a trip it is. Bravo to Richard Porter on a wonderful effort. I like this book. - Brad Howard - World Beatles Forum

'The sixties were a fun time when everything came together, and London was fab - it really was then, ... it was really jumping. And there were The Beatles and the pirate radio stations and all that, and a general loosening up. Of course the war had gone by then and rationing had finished so people started throwing their legs in the air and having a good time. It was a good place to be, around London, in the sixties.' - Kenny Everett, DJ and producer of the Beatles Christmas records

Official site
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"New" from McCartney on Virgin EMI

September 6, 2013, 3:55 am
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Amazon UK has listed the upcoming McCartney album on vinyl and CD (and one DeLuxe CD edition with bonus tracks), and as label they have put down Label: Virgin EMI. Amazon in the USA lists the same three formats, and there the label is Label: HBNT10 for the Deluxe and HBNT9 for the regular ones, both vinyl and CD.
No track lists on Amazon's pages - but since we're WogBlog we're going to give you the rumoured one:


1
Save Us
2:39
Album track
2
Alligator
3:27
Album track
3
On My Way To Work
3:43
Album track
4
Queenie Eye
3:48
Album track
5
Early Days
4:07
Album track
6
New
2:56
Album track and single
7
Appreciate
4:28
Album track
8
Everybody Out There
3:21
Album track
9
Hosanna
3:29
Album track
10
I Can Bet
3:21
Album track
11
Looking At Her
3:05
Album track
12
Road
4:36
Album track
13
Scared
2:59
Bonus track
14
Secret Life of a Party Girl
6:15
Bonus track



         

In Germany, the release date is October 11th.
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Don't ill treat me pet dingo, Ringo

September 9, 2013, 4:55 am
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The Beatles with Billy J Kramer and Rolf Harris at the 1963 Christmas shows


Rolf: Fellas you feel like singing a chorus with me?
Beatles: yehh mmm okay yup etc etc
Rolf: Theres enthusiasm for you Ill give you a rough idea how it goes, it starts off with me going like this a one, two, a one two three four
Wobble board starts up
Rolf: And you come in in E, Paul
All together thats nice ha ha

There's an old Australian stockman, lying, dying. ahh..and he gets himself up onto one elbow and he turns to his four mates who are gathered around and he says.....

Cut your hair once a year boys,
Cut your hair once a year
If it covers your ears you cant hear boys
So cut your hair once a year

All together now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down Wooooooooo
Tie me kangaroo *Rolf do you have to do that* down sport
Tie me kangaroo down Wooooooooooo

Rolf: ha ha, dear oh dearI forget the words now...take care of me, make sure, look out after me...keep goin....
Beatles: haha, woooooooo *Paul take care look after me,.....(indecipherable)
Don't ill treat me pet dingo ringo
Dont ill treat me pet dingo!
They cant understand your lingo, ringo
So don't ill treat me pet dingo

All together now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down Wooooooooo
Tie me kangaroo down sport
Tie me kangaroo down

I think George's guitar is on the blink I think
George's guitar is on the blink
It shouldnt go mmmngaaa. mmmngaaa, mmmngaaa Plink
Okay now thats really on the blink
All together now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down Wooooooooo
Tie me kangaroo down sport
Tie me kangaroo down

Prop me up by the wall, Paul
Prop me up by the wall,
Ill scream and cheer till I fall Paul
If youll prop me up by the wall

All together now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down Wooooooooo *Rolf: thats where it should be, there woooooo
Tie me kangaroo down sport
Tie me kangaroo down Wooooooooooo

Keep the hits coming on John
Keep the hits coming on
At least 'till after Im gone, John
Keep the hits coming on

All together now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down Wooooooooo
Tie me kangaroo *Rolf I got it* down sport
Tie me kangaroo down

Rolf: give us a bit of diddiddydid thats it
And with his very last gasp, he says...
Tan me hide when death comes chums
*Rolf coughs a bit and says oh dear*
Tan me hide when death comes
So we tanned his hide when he died, Clyde,
And Ringo's got it on his drums!

All together now
Tie me kangaroo down, sport
Tie me kangaroo down Wooooooooo
Tie me kangaroo down sport
Tie me kangaroo down

Ha ha ha what a phony bunch of laughter that was what about messing up that ending after all the rehearsal we did at least once?
John: you forgot the words didn't ya Rolf?

Well, that was the famous Beatles version of the Rolf Harris hit song. According to hearsay in the music business, this unreleased radio track was supposed to be included on the upcoming new Beatles album "On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2".
However, following the Australian born British celebrity's arrest in early August over allegations of sexual offences, Apple and Universal Music have had second thoughts regarding the track.
Word is the track has been pulled from the track list and this is what has caused the delay of the announcement of the album. August 8, The very same day that MCA Philippines' announced the new Beatles album via their facebook page, it was made public that Rolf Harris has been dropped by Channel 5 from his Animal Clinic series.
Someone obviously got cold feet.

Rolf Harris and The Beatles

Astoria Cinema, London, December 12, 1963. Scan from Beatles Monthly Book No. 7

Rolf Harris moved to England in 1952 as an art student at City and Guilds Art School, Kennington, South London, at the age of 22, getting into television with the BBC in 1953. After a brief spell back in Australia in the very early sixties, he returned to the United Kingdom early in 1962 and was introduced to George Martin, who re-recorded all Harris's songs the following year, including a remake of "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" which became a huge hit in the US, and "Sun Arise", an Aboriginal-type song Harris had written with Perth naturalist Harry Butler.
The song went to number two in the UK charts, losing the number one spot to Elvis Presley. He met and worked with The Beatles after they started recording with George Martin, and he compèred their 16-night season of Christmas shows at London's Finsbury Park Astoria in 1963/4.
Harris sang "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport" (with The Beatles singing backing vocals) in the first edition of the From Us to You BBC radio shows, in December 1963. Harris customised the original lyrics to a version that was specially written for The Beatles (see above).
Harris was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1968, three years after the Beatles got theirs. Since then, he has been advanced to Officer (OBE) in 1977, then to Commander (CBE) in 2006.

 
Rolf Harris as a young man and now

On 4 June 2012, Harris was one of the comperes at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace in London, where Paul McCartney and his band also performed.
In August 2013 Harris was arrested by Operation Yewtree officers and charged with nine counts of indecent assault dating to the 1980s, involving two girls between 14 and 16 years, and four counts alleging production of indecent child images in 2012.
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Confusion re "New" track lists

September 10, 2013, 6:50 am
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Today, several Beatles news sites have published the same 14 tracks track list that we published here on Friday. However, French Amazon is now out with a track list of their DeLuxe Edition, looking like this, listing 15 tracks:

1. Save us
2. Alligator
3. On my way to work
4. Queenie eye
5. Early days
6. New
7. Appreciate
8. Everybody out there
9. Hosanna
10. I can bet
11. Looking at her
12. Road
13. Turned out
14. Get me out of here
15. Scared

Thus omitting the UK/US bonus track "Life Of A Party Girl" but including two titles never mentioned so far: "Turned Out" and "Get Me Out Of Here". Although no track list yet for the alleged 16-track Japanese edition of the DeLuxe "New", we are speculating that the Japanese one may look like the French one, with "Life Of A Party Girl" added.
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BBC Volume 2 goes official

September 11, 2013, 5:25 am
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Today the news were announced officially: Amazon.com jumped the gun ahead of Apple and Universal, when they announced the release of the brand new double album by The Beatles, "On Air Live at the BBC Volume 2".
The release date will be November 11th in the USA, which is a Monday. So far, the contents of the new release is not known.
Stay tuned to TheBeatles.com, we're sure they'll come around eventually! Meanwhile, here is the official "Baby It's You" video from the 1994 release of "Live at the BBC":

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BBC Beatles trailer

September 12, 2013, 7:57 am
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George's short tie is back!

Tracklisting CD1 

    1. And Here We Are Again
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 23 July 1963
      Rec: 24 May 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      During the summer of 1963, fifteen editions of Pop Go The Beatles were broadcast on Tuesday evenings at five o’ clock. Rodney Burke presented the series from July to September. Having gained experience as an actor in Canada for two years, he auditioned for the BBC in July 1957. Credited as Rodney Bunker, he was seen in the TV series Hawkeye And The Last Of The Mohicans.
    2. Words Of Love (Holly)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 20 August 1963
      Rec: 16 July 1963
      BBC Paris Theatre, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      ‘Words Of Love’ was released in the UK on an album called Buddy Holly in July 1958. This BBC recording was broadcast fifteen months before the song’s inclusion on Beatles For Sale. John and Paul sang the two-part harmony which, through primitive but effective overdubbing, Buddy had sung with himself.
    3. How About It, Gorgeous?
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 30 July 1963
      Rec: 10 July 19633
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London 3
      Producer: Terry Henebery3
      The Pop Go The Beatles format included The Beatles reading some of the many letters sent to the BBC. George reads one referring to The Flowerpot Men. This was a puppet show for children broadcast from 1952 on the BBC’s television service. The lead characters, whose bodies were formed from flowerpots, were Bill and Ben. Many generations of British children have deciphered the ‘flobalobalob’ sounds of the Flowerpot Men. After adventures in the garden, Bill and Ben returned to slumber inside flowerpots on either side of their friend and protector Little Weed.
    4. Do You Want To Know A Secret (Lennon-McCartney)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 30 July 1963
      Rec: 10 July 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery 
      This is the last of six radio performances of a song from The Beatles’ debut album Please Please Me. At the time of the broadcast, ‘Do You Want To Know A Secret’ was at the top of the British EP chart as one of the four tracks on Twist And Shout. A version recorded by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas reached number one in several British music papers’ charts in June. In America, as the A-side of a Beatles single on the Vee-Jay label, ‘Do You Want To Know A Secret’ peaked at number two behind Louis Armstrong’s ‘Hello, Dolly’ in May 1964.
    5. Lucille (Collins-Penniman)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 17 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      Little Richard’s rocker made the UK Top Ten during the summer of 1957. This is the first recording The Beatles made for the BBC. Their other broadcast version of ‘Lucille’, taped four days later for Saturday Club, was included in the first volume of Live At The BBC.
    6. Hey, Paul...
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 25 June 1963
      Rec: 17 June 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      For the initial four-week run of Pop Go The Beatles, the presenter was Lee Peters (or ‘Pee Litres’, as The Beatles liked to call him). His was a familiar voice on the network. He played the character of David Owen in the daily soap opera The Dales, first broadcast in January 1948 as Mrs Dale’s Diary. Here, he encourages Paul to talk about his birthday party in a session recorded the day before it was due to happen. ‘Harry and His Box’ was an enigmatic topic raised during several Beatles radio appearances in 1963.
    7. Anna (Go To Him) (Alexander)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 27 August 1963
      Rec: 1 August 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, Manchester
      Producer: Ian Grant
      Written and recorded by country-soul singer Arthur Alexander, ‘Anna’ was an American Top Ten R&B hit at the end of 1962. Following the single’s UK release in December 1962, The Beatles taped the song a couple of months later at Abbey Road for their debut album Please Please Me.
    8. Hello!
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 25 June 1963
      Rec: 17 June 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      For Pop Go The Beatles, Lee Peters acted the role of a posh BBC straight man apparently struggling to keep order amongst the send-ups and antics of the cheeky Liverpudlians.
    9. Please Please Me (Lennon-McCartney)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 13 August 1963
      Rec: 16 July 1963
      BBC Paris Theatre, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      This is the eleventh of twelve BBC radio performances of their first UK number one (on most charts, including that used by the BBC). None of the broadcast versions has John playing harmonica as heard on the Parlophone single.
    10. Misery (Lennon-McCartney)
      Here We Go
      Trans: 12 March 1963
      Rec: 6 March 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, Manchester
      Producer: Peter Pilbeam
      The Beatles recorded this song from their debut album seven times at the BBC. All of the broadcast performances lack the descending piano runs overdubbed by George Martin onto the version made at EMI for Please Please Me.
    11. I’m Talking About You (Berry)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 16 March 1963 Live
      Studio 3A, Broadcasting House, London
      Producers: Jimmy Grant and Bernie Andrews
      Chess Records released Chuck Berry’s song in February 1961. It arrived on a single in the UK seven months later and was then featured on the LP Juke Box Hits in June 1962. This BBC version was performed live from the Saturday Club on-air studio. Their songs for the show could not be pre-recorded as usual, because a heavy cold had made it impossible for John to sing.
    12. A Real Treat
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 25 June 1963
      Rec: 17 June 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      Although he always mispronounced Ringo’s name as ‘Ring-oh’, The Beatles responded well to the corny links of Lee Peters. Paul is heard pointing out that the request was for pupils at the sister school to the establishment he attended - the Liverpool Institute.
    13. Boys (Dixon-Farrell)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 25 June 1963
      Rec: 17 June 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      The Shirelles’ original was the flip-side of the biggest of their three British hits - ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’. The single topped the American charts - one of 22 pop hits scored by The Shirelles in the States. This Pop Go The Beatles recording was released in 1995 on an EP of four BBC performances called Baby It’s You.
    14. Absolutely Fab
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 25 June 1963
      Rec: 17 June 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      When the fourth show of the Pop Go The Beatles series was broadcast, the BBC’s weekly magazine Radio Times reported that ‘two days after the first broadcast, the producer Terry Henebery received over one hundred cards from listeners all over the country expressing their delight that this remarkable group now have their own programme’. The production team were swamped with many more letters as the weeks went by. Here ‘Gorgeous George’ steps up to the microphone to read one.
    15. Chains (Goffin-King)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 25 June 1963
      Rec: 17 June 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      The original by The Cookies - female backing singers on many other Gerry Goffin and Carole King hits on the Dimension label - was in the US Top 40 when The Beatles first tried ‘Chains’ in a BBC studio in January 1963. George had bought The Cookies’ single at NEMS, the Liverpool record store run by the group’s manager Brian Epstein. This is The Beatles’ third BBC performance of a song included on their LP Please Please Me.
    16. Ask Me Why (Lennon-McCartney)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 24 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      ‘Ask Me Why’ became the first ever Lennon-McCartney song to be broadcast when it was featured during Here We Go in June 1962. The Beatles recorded the B-side of ‘Please Please Me’ four times for BBC radio; this is their final performance.
    17. Till There Was You (Willson)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 30 July 1963
      Rec: 10 July 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      Paul was inspired to sing this highlight from The Music Man by Peggy Lee’s UK Top Thirty hit from April 1961. Meredith Willson’s Broadway show had a long run on stage from 1957 and was then adapted for a movie version released in 1962. Having been part of the group’s stage act for two years, ‘Till There Was You’ was released on With The Beatles in November 1963. A later recording made for the radio show From Us To You was included on the first volume of Live At The BBC.
    18. Lend Me Your Comb (Twomey-Wise-Weisman)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 16 July 1963
      Rec: 2 July 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      ‘Lend Me Your Comb’ was on the fourth Carl Perkins single released in the UK in April 1958. It was a staple of The Beatles’ act for several years before they made their BBC recording. John and Paul replicate the harmony singing of Carl and his brother Jay heard on the original. This track was first released in 1995 on The Beatles’ Anthology 1.
    19. Lower 5E
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 10 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      Paul and George attended the Liverpool Institute grammar school for boys. A request from pupils in the current fifth form triggered their memories of teachers and their nicknames.
    20. The Hippy Hippy Shake (Romero)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 10 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant 
      Although not a hit, ‘The Hippy Hippy Shake’ by Chan Romero became popular in Liverpool when DJ Bob Wooler played it at The Cavern Club. He recalled lending his copy of the UK Columbia single to Paul so the group could learn it. When The Beatles appeared on the BBC TV programme Juke Box Jury in December 1963, they reviewed ‘The Hippy Shake’ by their Mersey mates The Swinging Blue Jeans. Their unanimous judgement that it would be a hit proved to be true, both in the UK and America. Chan Romero had recorded his song in 1959 at Gold Star studio in Los Angeles with the same musicians who played on ‘La Bamba’ by his hero Ritchie Valens.
    21. Roll Over Beethoven (Berry)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 3 September 1963
      Rec: 1 August 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, Manchester
      Producer: Ian Grant 
      Following three BBC broadcasts of Chuck Berry’s song during the summer of 1963, the group made it the side two opener of With The Beatles released in November. The EMI version was made at Abbey Road two days before this performance. The 1994 collection of the group’s radio performances includes their last BBC recording of ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ made in 1964.
    22. There’s A Place (Lennon-McCartney)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 3 September 1963
      Rec: 1 August 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, Manchester
      Producer: Ian Grant 
      The penultimate track on Please Please Me, in the USA it was on the B-side of ‘Twist And Shout’. In his 1980 interview with David Sheff, John described ‘There’s A Place’ as ‘my attempt at a sort of Motown black thing’. The mature lyric explored a theme revisited in one of John’s last songs ‘Watching The Wheels’.
    23. Bumper Bundle
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 25 June 1963
      Rec: 17 June 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      Lee Peters borrowed this name applied to multiple requests for the same song from Two-Way Family Favourites. The extremely popular BBC radio show, broadcast each Sunday lunchtime, linked families to their loved ones serving with British forces overseas. George also dedicated the next song to his sister-in-law Irene.
    24. P. S. I Love You (Lennon-McCartney)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 25 June 1963
      Rec: 17 June 1963
      Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      ‘P.S. I Love You’ was the B-side of The Beatles’ first Parlophone single ‘Love Me Do’ released in October 1962.
    25. Please Mister Postman (Dobbins-Garrett-Holland-Bateman-Gorman)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 30 July 1963
      Rec: 10 July 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      In December 1961, The Marvelettes’ record on the Tamla label was the first American pop number one for Berry Gordy’s Motown company. American hits issued on Tamla and Motown struggled to be heard on the BBC in the early sixties. When The Beatles became successful, they were tireless champions of the labels’ artists, particularly Marvin Gaye, The Miracles and Mary Wells.
    26. Beautiful Dreamer (Foster-New words and music: Keller-Goffin)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 26 January 1963
      Rec: 22 January 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Jimmy Grant
      The song was written in the mid-nineteenth century by American writer Stephen Foster. Recordings by crooners Bing Crosby and Al Jolson ensured ‘Beautiful Dreamer’ remained a popular standard in the next century. In the late fifties, there was a trend for reviving ‘oldies’ by adding a faster rhythm. Tony Orlando’s ‘Beautiful Dreamer’, updated by songwriters Gerry Goffin and Jack Keller, was released in the UK at the end of 1962. A few weeks later The Beatles’ cover of his single, including all the changes to the original lyric and its added ‘hully-gully’ beat, was recorded for Saturday Club.
    27. Devil In Her Heart (Drapkin)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 24 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      This is the second BBC performance of ‘Devil In Her Heart’. The first version, recorded on 20 August 1963, was released on the Baby It's You EP in 1995. ‘Devil In His Heart’ was the B-side of ‘Bad Boy’ - the only record made by four Detroit school girls called The Donays. Their American single on Brent was picked up by the British label Oriole for release in September 1962.
    28. The 49 Weeks (Drapkin)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 24 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      In fact, Pop Go The Beatles ran for fifteen weeks. Rodney Burke was the presenter for eleven of the programmes.
    29. Sure To Fall (In Love With You) (Perkins-Claunch-Cantrell)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 24 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      The song was included on Dance Album Of Carl Perkins recorded in 1956. The Beatles covered four songs from that LP at the BBC. The sleeve note for the album released in the UK in November 1959 described its contents: ‘For the most part, they’re happy songs - light, toe-tapping rhythm numbers that just naturally make you feel a little gayer’.
    30. Never Mind, Eh?
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 24 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      The Beatles dedicate their last number of the Pop Go The Beatles series to each other.
    31. Twist And Shout (Medley-Russell)
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 6 August 1963
      Rec: 16 July 1963
      BBC Paris Theatre, London
      Producer: Terry Henebery
      ‘Twist And Shout’ made its initial impact through a single by The Isley Brothers. The Beatles’ characteristic falsetto whoops had been sparked by Little Richard, but the vocal gymnastics on the Isleys’ ‘Twist And Shout’ and their earlier American hit ‘Shout’ also influenced the group’s sound in 1963. The Beatles used ‘Twist And Shout’ as the rousing closer of their debut album and many live shows. They performed it nine times in BBC radio studios. This version was recorded on a day when, in less than seven hours, they recorded eighteen songs for three Pop Go The Beatles programmes.
    32. Bye, Bye
      Pop Go The Beatles
      Trans: 24 September 1963
      Rec: 3 September 1963
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producer: Ian Grant
      A sung farewell to what is now regarded as an historically significant radio series.
    33. John - Pop Profile (Bonus interview track)
      Pop Profile BBC Transcription Service
      Rec: 30 November 1965
      NEMS office, London
      Producer: Pete Dauncey
    34. George - Pop Profile (Bonus interview track)
      Pop Profile BBC Transcription Service
      Rec: 30 November 1965
      NEMS office, London
      Producer: Pete Dauncey
      Three days before the release of The Beatles’ album Rubber Soul, Brian Matthew recorded separate interviews with John and George for the series Pop Profile. The programmes were pressed on seven-inch discs running at LP speed and distributed to radio stations around the world by the BBC Transcription Service.

  • Tracklisting CD2 

    1. I Saw Her Standing There (Lennon-McCartney)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 5 October 1963
      Rec: 7 September 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The group performed this song eleven times in BBC studios. The recording in front of an audience for Easy Beat was included on the first collection of Live At The BBC. This version was taped for the fifth anniversary of Saturday Club.
    2. Glad All Over (Bennett-Tepper-Schroeder)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 24 August 1963
      Rec: 30 July 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The third British single by Carl Perkins was released in December 1958. Not a hit on either side of the Atlantic, ‘Glad All Over’ entered The Beatles’ live repertoire in 1960. Their first BBC version was included on the first collection of radio songs in 1994. This is the other recording made two weeks later. The Beatles all loved the music of Carl Perkins and each of them sang one of his songs at the BBC. In 1985, George and Ringo joined Carl Perkins on stage for the televised tribute concert Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session.
    3. Lift Lid Again
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 24 August 1963
      Rec: 30 July 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      With the hope of making their request stand out from the hundreds of postcards and letters sent to the BBC, inventive listeners went to great lengths. Paul is heard investigating an elaborately designed item, which prompted another mention of the mysterious Harry and ‘his box’.
    4. I’ll Get You (Lennon-McCartney)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 5 October 1963
      Rec: 7 September 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      Released on the other side of the ‘She Loves You’ single, ‘I’ll Get You’ is a Beatles B-side gem. Anthology 1 presents a live TV performance of the song from Sunday Night At The London Palladium broadcast 13 October 1963. The British press described the screaming enthusiasm of fans outside the theatre that night as ‘Beatlemania’.
    5. She Loves You (Lennon-McCartney)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 5 October 1963
      Rec: 7 September 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The Beatles’ biggest selling single in Britain spent twelve weeks in the Top Three, including two stints at number one. In the States, Capitol declined to release it in 1963 so the Philadelphia-based independent Swan Records distributed the record. After four weeks at number two, behind ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘She Loves You’ became The Beatles’ second American number one in March 1964.
    6. Memphis, Tennessee (Berry)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 5 October 1963
      Rec: 7 September 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      First released on the flip-side of Chuck Berry’s ‘Back In The USA’ in the summer of 1959, ‘Memphis, Tennessee’ reached number six in the British charts four years later. Paul remembers learning ‘Memphis, Tennessee’ in John's bedroom when the two lads decided it had ‘the greatest riff ever!’.
    7. Happy Birthday Dear Saturday Club (Hill-Hill)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 5 October 1963
      Rec: 7 September 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      To celebrate the fifth birthday of the BBC Light Programme’s most successful music show, The Beatles rocked up ‘Happy Birthday’.
    8. Now Hush, Hush
      Easy Beat
      Trans: 20 October 1963
      Rec: 16 October 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Ron Belchier
      The announcement that The Beatles’ had been included in the Royal Variety Performance, playing for The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, gave their success a regal seal of approval. The British media were fascinated by this news.
    9. From Me To You (Lennon-McCartney)
      Easy Beat
      Trans: 20 October 1963
      Rec: 16 October 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Ron Belchier
      Performed in sixteen radio shows, ‘From Me To You’ is The Beatles’ most frequently performed song at the BBC. Number one in the UK throughout May and June 1963, the song was the first by Lennon-McCartney to crack the US charts when Del Shannon’s cover reached number 77 in the Hot 100.
    10. Money (That’s What I Want) (Bradford-Gordy)
      The Beatles Say From Us To You
      Trans: 26 December 1963
      Rec: 18 December 1963
      BBC Paris Theatre, London
      Producer: Bryant Marriott
      Motown founder Berry Gordy gained his first national hit as a label owner with this song. He had co-written it with the company’s receptionist Janie Bradford. Recorded by Barrett Strong, ‘Money’ was an American R&B number two and reached 23 in the US pop chart. The disc made little headway in the UK, but the song was popularized by The Beatles when included as the closing track of their second LP.
    11. I Want To Hold Your Hand (Lennon-McCartney)
      The Beatles Say From Us To You
      Trans: 26 December 1963
      Rec: 18 December 1963
      BBC Paris Theatre, London
      Producer: Bryant Marriott
      With advance orders from shops of a million, The Beatles’ fifth single quickly replaced their previous disc - ‘She Loves You’ - at the top of the UK charts. Two months later, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ became only the fourth record by a British act to reach number one in the US charts. The single’s success launched The Beatles’ musical domination of the world.
    12. Brian Bathtubes
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 21 December 1963
      Rec: 17 December 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      This verbal combat was typical of the way the group and Brian Matthew conducted their interviews. The DJ remembered that, ‘They were quite sparky and always very different from any of the other artists and groups who appeared on the show. I think their main object in life seemed to be how to put me down in as good natured a way as possible. But it was great fun always to talk to The Beatles.’
    13. This Boy (Lennon-McCartney)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 21 December 1963
      Rec: 17 December 1963
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      Released in the UK on the flip-side of ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘This Boy’ is distinguished by a three-part harmony, sung at one microphone, by John, Paul and George. This distinctive blend of their voices can also be heard on the BBC recording of ‘To Know Her Is To Love Her’, included on the first volume of Live At The BBC, and a later B-side ballad ‘Yes It Is’.
    14. If I Wasn’t In America
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 15 February 1964
      Rec: 7 January 1964
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The group knew that when their Saturday Club session was broadcast, they would be in Miami Beach, Florida to rehearse for a second live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show the next day. Ringo used the idiomatic expression ‘act the goat’, meaning to behave in a silly way to get a laugh.
    15. I Got A Woman (Charles-Richard)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 4 April 1964
      Rec: 31 March 1964
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The Beatles heard this Ray Charles song on Elvis Presley’s first British album called Rock ’N’ Roll released in October 1956. Elvis was described in the sleeve note as ‘the jazz phenomenon to end all phenomena’. The group’s first version, recorded for Pop Go The Beatles in August 1963, was on the first volume of Live At The BBC. For this later version, John duets with himself by overdubbing a second lead vocal.
    16. Long Tall Sally (Johnson-Penniman-Blackwell)
      Top Gear
      Trans: 16 July 1964
      Rec: 14 July 1964
      Studio S2, Broadcasting House, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The group had performed the song ever since 1957 when it had erupted in the UK on a record by Little Richard. The UK single coupled his first two American hits from a year before: ‘Long Tall Sally’ and the equally thunderous ‘Tutti Frutti’. The first collection of Live At The BBC featured a recording made at the BBC in August 1963 for Pop Go The Beatles.
    17. If I Fell (Lennon-McCartney)
      Top Gear
      Trans: 16 July 1964
      Rec: 14 July 1964
      Studio S2, Broadcasting House, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      A high point of A Hard Day’s Night, ‘If I Fell’ was coupled with Paul’s ballad ‘And I Love Her’ on an American single and also featured on the British EP Extracts From The Film A Hard Day's Night.
    18. A Hard Job Writing Them
      Top Gear
      Trans: 16 July 1964
      Rec: 14 July 1964
      Studio S2, Broadcasting House, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      Producer Bernie Andrews remembered, ‘I wanted to get the pre-recorded sessions at a higher standard ...somewhere near matching the record quality. When I started Top Gear, I tried very hard to do that. I was very pleased when The Beatles went along with me and helped launch this programme’.
    19. And I Love Her (Lennon-McCartney)
      Top Gear
      Trans: 16 July 1964
      Rec: 14 July 1964
      Studio S2, Broadcasting House, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      For this BBC performance, George played his solo on electric guitar rather than the nylon-strung acoustic used for the record. ‘And I Love Her’ was soon the subject of a variety of cover versions that dispensed with a simple beat group arrangement. Beatles favourites Smokey Robinson & The Miracles made a sensitive recording for their 1970 LP What Love Has ...Joined Together.
    20. Oh, Can’t We? Yes We Can
      From Us To You Say The Beatles
      Trans: 30 March 1964
      Rec: 28 February 1964
      Number One Studio, BBC Piccadilly Theatre, London
      Producer: Bryant Marriott
      The Australian DJ Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman had planned a short visit to the UK in 1957. Having quickly become one of the country’s best-loved DJs, he stayed forever. From 1962, he had been presenting the BBC’s Sunday chart show Pick Of The Pops. In this era, it was the most exciting record show on the air in the UK. In His Own Write, John’s book of poetry, prose and drawings was published the week before this ‘bank holiday’ programme was broadcast.
    21. You Can’t Do That (Lennon-McCartney)
      Top Gear
      Trans: 16 July 1964
      Rec: 14 July 1964
      Studio S2, Broadcasting House, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      Released first as the flip-side of ‘Can't Buy Me Love’, ‘You Can't Do That’ is a swaggering R&B workout that became a highlight of the non-film-songs side of A Hard Day’s Night.
    22. Honey Don’t (Perkins)
      Top Gear
      Trans: 26 November 1964
      Rec: 17 November 1964
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The B-side of Carl Perkins’ Top Ten UK hit ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘Honey Don’t’ was a Beatles stage favourite for several years before it appeared on their fourth album. John sings on an earlier BBC recording that was released on the first Live At The BBC album. At the final session for Beatles For Sale in October 1964, he generously gave ‘Honey Don’t’ to Ringo for his featured vocal on the LP. From then on, it was exclusively Ringo’s number.
    23. I’ll Follow The Sun (Lennon-McCartney)
      Top Gear
      Trans: 26 November 1964
      Rec: 17 November 1964
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      This early song of Paul's was at least four years old by the time it was revisited for Beatles For Sale. It was featured, along with three others from that album, during their second appearance on the late-night show Top Gear presented by Brian Matthew. This BBC recording was first issued in 1995 on the hit EP Baby It’s You.
    24. Green With Black Shutters
      Top Of The Pops BBC Transcription Service
      Rec: May/June 1965
      Producer: Pete Dauncey
      In addition to broadcasting to the UK, Brian Matthew introduced a programme produced by the BBC for distribution to international radio stations. This interview was recorded exclusively for that weekly show called Top Of The Pops.
    25. Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! (Leiber-Stoller/Penniman)
      Saturday Club
      Trans: 26 December 1964
      Rec: 25 November 1964
      Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London
      Producers: Jimmy Grant and Brian Willey
      ‘Kansas City’ was an American number one for Wilbert Harrison in May 1959. Little Richard’s medley of ‘Kansas City’ with his previously released ‘Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey! (Goin' Back To Birmingham)’ was a Top Thirty UK hit during the summer of 1959. That single was the model for The Beatles’ interpretation. Their earliest recording was included on the first album of BBC performances; this is the third and final BBC version.
    26. That’s What We’re Here For
      Top Gear
      Trans: 26 November 1964
      Rec: 17 November 1964
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The group’s second appearance on Top Gear was broadcast the night before ‘I Feel Fine’/‘She’s A Woman’ was released in the UK. Their new single topped the UK and US charts during Christmas 1964, bringing their tally of American number ones in that year to six.
    27. I Feel Fine (studio out-take) (Lennon-McCartney)
      Rec: 17 November 1964
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Bernie Andrews
      The Beatles began using a four-track machine at EMI in October 1963, but multi-tracking did not start at the BBC until the seventies. There was a method to ‘overdub’ by copying a first recording to another tape, while at the same time adding more instruments or vocals. This take of ‘I Feel Fine’ is the one onto which John overdubbed another lead vocal. The completed version is included on the first volume of Live At The BBC.
    28. Paul - Pop Profile (Bonus interview track)
      Pop Profile BBC Transcription Service
      Rec: 2 May 1966
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Pete Dauncey
    29. Ringo - Pop Profile (Bonus interview track)
      Pop Profile BBC Transcription Service
      Rec: 2 May 1966
      BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
      Producer: Pete Dauncey
      Having recorded highly personal interviews with John and George for Pop Profile, Brian Matthew talked to Paul and Ringo for the series five months later. The interviews took place on a day-off from sessions started in April 1966 to produce a new album - Revolver.
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On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2 - notifications

September 13, 2013, 12:47 am
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For posterity, here's the email sent out by The Beatles to advertise the upcoming new album.
New 2 CD and Vinyl LP Collections Feature 40 Performances from The Beatles’ 1963-1964 BBC Radio Broadcasts
In 1994, The Beatles’ Live at the BBC was released to worldwide acclaim - hitting number one in the U.K., number three in the U.S. and selling more than five million copies within six weeks. Now, a new companion to The Beatles’ first BBC collection, On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2, will be released Monday, November 11 in 2 CD and 180-gram vinyl packages with a 48-page booklet.
"You tend to forget that we were a working band. It’s that mono sound. There were usually no overdubs. We were in at the count-in and that was it. I get excited listening to them." (Ringo)
Between March 1962 and June 1965, no fewer than 275 unique musical performances by The Beatles were broadcast by the BBC in the U.K. The group played songs on 39 radio shows in 1963 alone.
"We used to drive 200 miles in an old van down the M1, come into London, try and find the BBC and then set up and do the program. Then we’d probably drive back to Newcastle for a gig in the evening!" (George)
On Air’s 63 tracks, none of which overlaps with The Beatles’ first BBC release, include 37 previously unreleased performances and 23 previously unreleased recordings of in-studio banter and conversation between the band’s members and their BBC radio hosts. When first broadcast, pop fans were amazed to hear such witty irreverence on the rather formal BBC and it is great fun to hear these extracts now. In addition, On Air releases, for the first time, the group’s candid interviews for the Pop Profile series recorded in November 1965 and May 1966.
"An exhilarating portrait of a band in the process of shaping its own voice and vision." (Rolling Stone, on 1994’s Live At The BBC)
Ten of On Air’s songs were never recorded by the group for EMI in the 1960s, including two making their debuts with the new release: The Beatles’ direct-to-air performance of Chuck Berry’s "I’m Talking About You" and a rocking cover of the standard "Beautiful Dreamer." On Air also includes different versions of six rarities heard on the 1994 BBC collection: Little Richard’s "Lucille," Chuck Berry’s "Memphis, Tennessee," Chan Romero’s "The Hippy Hippy Shake," Ray Charles’ "I Got A Woman," and two songs they learned from records by Carl Perkins, "Glad All Over" and "Sure To Fall".
"There’s a lot of energy and spirit. We are going for it, not holding back at all, trying to put in the best performance of our lifetimes." (Paul)

Check out the trailer for the new album at thebeatles.com

Live At The BBC Vol 1

Newly remastered for reissue on November 11, The Beatles’ first Live at the BBC album sounds and looks better than ever. This collection of the group’s BBC sessions mixed versions of their hits with a treasure trove of 30 songs The Beatles performed on air but never released on record in the 1960s. The compelling track list ranged from a rare performance of the little known Lennon-McCartney original "I'll Be On My Way" to covers of classic rock ’n’ roll and contemporary rhythm and blues songs.
In the studios of the British Broadcasting Corporation, The Beatles performed music for a variety of radio shows. On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2 presents the sound of The Beatles seizing their moment to play for the nation.
On Air - Live At The BBC Volume 2 is now available for pre-order via your local official Beatles Stores or your local retailer
Many thanks
thebeatles.com

Here's a less detailed track list than the one we published yesterday, actual songs in CAPITAL LETTERS:

On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2 tracklist:
Disc 1
01. And Here We Are Again (Speech)
02. WORDS OF LOVE
03. How About It, Gorgeous? (Speech)
04. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET
05. LUCILLE
06. Hey, Paul… (Speech)
07. ANNA (GO TO HIM)
08. Hello! (Speech)
09. PLEASE PLEASE ME
10. MISERY
11. I’M TALKING ABOUT YOU
12. A Real Treat (Speech)
13. BOYS
14. Absolutely Fab (Speech)
15. CHAINS
16. ASK ME WHY
17. TILL THERE WAS YOU
18. LEND ME YOUR COMB
19. Lower 5E (Speech)
20. THE HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE
21. ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN
22. THERE’S A PLACE
23. Bumper Bundle (Speech)
24. P.S. I LOVE YOU
25. PLEASE MISTER POSTMAN
26. BEAUTIFUL DREAMER
27. DEVIL IN HER HEART
28. The 49 Weeks (Speech)
29. SURE TO FALL (IN LOVE WITH YOU)
30. Never Mind, Eh? (Speech)
31. TWIST AND SHOUT
32. Bye, Bye (speech)
33. John – Pop Profile (Speech)
34. George – Pop Profile (Speech)

Disc 2

01. I SAW HER STANDING THERE
02. GLAD ALL OVER
03. Lift Lid Again (Speech)
04. I’LL GET YOU
05. SHE LOVES YOU
06. MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
07. HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR SATURDAY CLUB
08. Now Hush, Hush (Speech)
09. FROM ME TO YOU
10. MONEY (THAT’S WHAT I WANT)
11. I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND
12. Brian Bathtubes (Speech)
13. THIS BOY
14. If I Wasn’t In America (Speech)
15. I GOT A WOMAN
16. LONG TALL SALLY
17. IF I FELL
18. A Hard Job Writing Them (Speech)
19. AND I LOVE HER
20. Oh, Can’t We? Yes We Can (Speech)
21. YOU CAN’T DO THAT
22. HONEY DON’T
23. I’LL FOLLOW THE SUN
24. Green With Black Shutters (Speech)
25. KANSAS CITY/HEY-HEY-HEY-HEY!
26. That’s What We’re Here For (Speech)
27. I FEEL FINE (STUDIO OUTTAKE)
28. Paul – Pop Profile (Speech)
29. Ringo – Pop Profile (Speech)

The full Press Release from The Beatles/Apple/Universal is published over at The Beatles bible, and the tracklist there has links to each song's entry in the bible.

The 1994 release "Live at the BBC" is also being released, remastered. By the looks of things, the cover also seems to have lost it's original sepia tone.


Here are the Amazon entries for USA and UK:
     

Double vinyl albums have also been announced for both volumes, both in the UK and USA, but so far no Amazon entries for these yet.


Oh, and the video clip has become embeddable:

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Beatles BBC Sampler

September 13, 2013, 4:27 am
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Ltd. ed. litho from the official Beatles store
Just got word that there's going to be produced a 14-track limited edition sampler from "On Air - Live At The BBC Volume 2", both on vinyl and CD. Of course, this will only be a promotional item, not intended for sale.

Now that the tracklist is out, it's strange that they didn't try to make the 1995 vinyl and CD single/EP "Baby It's You" redundant. All three bonus tracks, "Boys", "Devil In Her Heart" and "I'll Follow The Sun" that weren't included on the original "Live at the BBC" album will be available on the second volume. However, on the new album is the second BBC performance of ‘Devil In Her Heart’. The first version, recorded on 20 August 1963, is still only available on the Baby It's You EP, and the only reason to still keep the EP. Or to search for it if you haven't got it.


One more thing: the track most likely to have been inserted to replace "Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport", is this:
I Feel Fine (studio out-take) (Lennon-McCartney)
Rec: 17 November 1964
BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
Producer: Bernie Andrews
The Beatles began using a four-track machine at EMI in October 1963, but multi-tracking did not start at the BBC until the seventies. There was a method to ‘overdub’ by copying a first recording to another tape, while at the same time adding more instruments or vocals. This take of ‘I Feel Fine’ is the one onto which John overdubbed another lead vocal. The completed version is included on the first volume of Live At The BBC.

It'll be fun to see what else Apple/Universal/Capitol and of course, the BBC itself has in store for us while we're waiting. Not to mention iTunes!
We do expect some sort of podcasts and radio specials, after all, the material is tailored for such use.

"On Air - Live At The BBC Volume 2" back cover photo
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