THE BEST OF THE BEATLES ANTHOLOGY SONGS — 20th Anniversary of The Anthologies
My friend Analise is currently putting together a tribute show for the 50th anniversary of Rubber Soul (which I will be performing in). While thinking about this, it occurred to me that today would be the 20 anniversary of The Beatles Anthology.
For those not familiar, these albums were meant to compile various takes, rare recordings, unused material, and a handful of live performances in three different releases, with a collage painting that stretched across the three covers pictured at the top of this article.
Wile ambitiously completist and certainly appreciated, the Anthology albums, for my money, have always been a bit of a dense listening experience. Many of the demos are interesting and helpful if you want insight into the songwriting process, but the quality is all over the place. Given that this series was a collection of demos, outtakes, and unused songs spanning the entire career of The Beatles at over 150 tracks across 6 discs, it may not be of interest to more than a die-hard fan or musician curious in hearing the various steps required to get to the finished versions of their songs. However, some of these tracks are personal favorites of mine, so I thought that it would be nice to narrow down these three albums to a selection of my top 10 favorite tracks. I know that there was a Highlights album released in 2011, but it never really did it for me, and left out some of my favorites while keeping a lot of untrimmed fat. Here you’ll find some hidden gems among the jams and noodlings, some of which never saw the light of day until this collection and a few of which are arguably better than the finished releases. Also, I would link to these tracks, but I looked everywhere online for embeddable versions and couldn’t find anything. You’ll simply have to track down the CDs or buy them off of iTunes. The whole box set is here, however, that release eliminates the disc numbers. So for the sake of my reference system pertaining to the disc numbers, here are the individual releases on iTunes: Anthology 1 Anthology 2 Anthology 3. Please play the tracks as you read if you already have them in your music library or can preview them online.
“A Beginning” (Anthology 3 Disc 1 Track 1): This short orchestral piece was written by George Martin as a potential intro for “Good Night,” but eventually nixed. It’s very brief, but a lovely arrangement that well encapsulates the style of his contributions to The Beatles’ music. It could easily have been used in the score for Yellow Submarine or the like. I like the effortlessness with which it relaxes and leaves the listener in a state of intrigue. Given the title, it seemed more than appropriate to start off with this one.
“Free As A Bird” (Anthology 1 Disc 1 Track 1): One of the John Lennon demos that was to be used for a new album, before he was murdered. Finished for this collection, it features overdubs from each of the remaining Beatles at the time, technically making it one of the final new Beatles songs ever made. It really is enough to make one close to tears, when considering how haunting the concept is of John’s fellow band mates playing alongside his ghost in this recording. Everyone is in full form here: strong backup vocals from all three, Paul’s new lyrics and melody are interesting, Ringo’s percussion is strong, and George/Paul’s guitars add plenty of life and body to the sound. I’ve always thought it was a lovely song. It’s hard not to sit and nod one’s head with the realization that John is now, indeed, free as a bird.
“Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” (Anthology 3 Disc 1 Track 11): My friend Analise, whom I mentioned earlier, never really liked this song. That said, I played the Anthology version for her to change her mind. According to the liner notes, it was the first time that a take with overdubs from studio musicians was passed over for a redo. This has to be the most finished outtake ever. It’s almost baffling that they got this far before changing their minds. While The White Album take is polished and full of bouncy bass fun, this one is pure energy and creative force. Just listen to the brass section with that descending scale that subtly changes each time. This take is so fucking good, it makes me angry… But, this is why The Beatles were so successful. Sometimes, amazing wasn’t good enough. If an album required a different tone for a song, they would change it. Still, the Anthology “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” is better in my opinion and an affirmation of the endlessly whimsical pursuit of life. Repetitious, but beautiful and full of meaning in even the most domestic scenarios. Plus the comments at the beginning and end are priceless. Hearing one of them scream “Ob-la-di-bla-da Brother!” after a flawless take encapsulates The Beatles charm of being smirky, but having the skill to back it up. If you’ve never heard this version, I plead with you to do so.
“I’m Looking Through You” (Anthology 2 Disc 1 Track 15): The rhythm is what really gets me about this take. There is a wonderfully playful energy that, while missing the punch of the guitar riff in the finished version, is still very honest. The vocals are so smooth to my ears. I love this take, the charm really makes it stand out, even though there are obvious mistakes. I thought it was interesting that my dad also sent me this track once in an email saying I should listen to it. Apparently, we both thought that there was really something special about it. I hope you do too.
“Real Love” (Anthology 2 Disc 1 Track 1): The second of the John Lennon demos that was finished by the rest of the remaining gang. It’s notably happier, and perhaps a better song. Whereas “Free As A Bird” inarguably reminds the listener of John Lennon’s missing presence, “Real Love” escapes the confines of what it is and simply becomes a lovely tune. It’s also worth noting that this was it. The final new Beatles song we would ever receive. How strange that it came a quarter of a century after the end of their main catalog. Considering that the word “love” has been a running theme throughout all The Beatles music, even in that it became the very name of their Cirque du Soleil show, it’s appropriate that this was the final collaborative effort of it all. “It’s real love, it’s real to me,” and really, what more is it to any of us?
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (Anthology 3 Disc 1 Track 16): While tonally opposite from the Eric Clapton-enhanced White Album counterpart, this take was so beautiful that George and Giles Martin decided to re-appropriate it for the LOVE Cirque du Soleil soundtrack. Though the LOVE version features newly composed strings from George Martin, the string-less original acoustic guitar version is probably the closest in matching form to content of what the song is really about. Someone who is alone and has nothing but their musical instrument as company. This is art as a conduit and coping mechanism for pain. There is even an extra verse not featured in the album performance: “I look from the wings of the play you are staging, while my guitar gently weeps. As I’m sitting here doing nothing but aging, still my guitar gently weeps.” Words that really encapsulate the feeling of helplessness at witnessing the life of someone you love that you can never truly be a part of, since you are forever stuck in the audience and not on stage. In this music, George and his guitar are alone.
“Step Inside Love, Los Paranoias” (Anthology 3 Disc 1 Track 23): This one has a very demo quality and almost didn’t make my list, but there is just such a beautiful cadence to Paul’s vocals here. Originally written by Paul for Cilla Black to sing for her TV series Cilla, this is Paul’s only released version where he is the one singing. The follow up jam “Los Paranoias” is also an inspired bit of fun, and it’s great to hear the Beatles improvise music. Just listen to that loose salsa-ish percussion, oh yeah…
“What’s The New Mary Jane” (Anthology 3 Disc 1 Track 22): Though I am not sure if it is actually a good song or not, any fan of Lennon’s more avant-garde side owes it to their self to hear this previously unreleased bizarrity. Dropped from The White Album at the last minute, one can only imagine what possessed them to let it get even that far. I can just hear John saying, “Well, if you all drop this, we have to keep Revolution 9,” and forcing their hands to let him have some surreality on the album. I’m a little sad it didn’t make it though, as it’s genuinely weird and striking, even today. I love how the melody gradually descends into madness as it goes along from its more quaint beginnings. My favorite part is hearing John get cut off at the end while saying “That’s it, before we get taken awa-” What a shame Mary Jane never made it to the White Album.
“Because”(Anthology 3 Disc 2 Track 20): A version presented without all the Abbey Road bells and whistles. Similar to the acoustic “While My Guitar Gently Weeps”, this track was used for the opening of LOVE, albeit with some slowed down vocals and greater pauses in between phrases. It’s amazing really how much this release cemented “Because” as a standard a capella piece. The first half of Elliott Smith’s cover featured in American Beauty is very close in form to this one, initially just vocals, then adding instrumentation latter for a more haunting effect. The version used in 2007’s film Across the Universe takes the same approach of opening with strong a capella vocals and very slowly introducing other musical elements. Here, the bands Tally Hall and Speak do a similar performance with the full 9 part vocal harmony of the original (the guitar is so quiet and minimal, it’s basically without instrumentation). I can’t unhear “Because” in this form and the Abbey Road mix doesn’t sound right to my ears any more. Correct for the album? Yes. For the song? No, I adore this version.
“You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) [Long Version]” (Anthology 2 Disc 2 Track 13): One of my favorite under appreciated Beatles songs. Released as their final single, I prefer this iteration because it has the extended intro. The longer opening really adds a lot to the ridiculousness of the fact that this is a song built mostly around the repetition of only 8 words. The same phrase surreally transitions from several styles and genres, including what sounds like a jazzy nightclub scene (Featuring Denis O’Bell, apparently). It’s the kind of song premise that only The Beatles would accomplish so effortlessly, and the silliness is right in the ballpark of Monty Python or The Goon Show. It’s clearly four talented guys just having fun, which is what makes the song so wonderful.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article, and that I’ve narrowed these tracks down to a rather nice hidden Beatles album. Thank you for taking the time. If you have any opinions of your favorite tracks or demos from this release, please feel free to mention them in the comments, thanks again and have a great day.
Honorable mentions:
“Besame Mucho” (Anthology 1 Disc 1 Track 21)
“I’m Only Sleeping” (Anthology 2 Disc 1 Tracks 22–23)
“Hello, Goodbye” (Anthology 2 Disc 2 Track 18) [Additional guitar part]
“12-Bar Original” (Anthology 2 Disc 1 Track 16)
“Not Guilty” (Anthology 3 Disc 1 Track 18)
