Beatles ... US vs Euro versions

[ericpeters]

I've just got a second hand US Rubber Soul and was quite amazed. No Drive my Car and no Nowhere Man on it, but 2 other records I never heard (even not on Red, Blue or PM1 and 2, I have to check the Anthologies).

Is this common with other Beatles LP's. (I didn't study them, only listened)
Were the missing tracks never issued?

Ho about the MFSL versions, would they be euro or us?

[Grant]

Not only was it common practice for different countries to issue what they see fit for their market/culture, but the Capitol label in the US canibalized the Beatle albums up to Sgt Pepper to strech out the releases. They had the right to do so but without George Martin's or the Beatles' blessing.

I still prefer the EMI/Parlaphone British mono versions. I didn't grow up with Beatle albums so I have no affection for them as many Americans do.

[mcow1]

Yup, American releases were different up until Sgt. Peppers

[mcow1]

BTW MFSL issues were British versions.

[Richard Feirstein]

Back then different royalty laws in GB and the USA would have forced Capital in the States to pay more then EMI in GB for those extra songs; so they pulled them out and released them on 45's.:rolleyes:

[mcow1]

Originally posted by Richard Feirstein
Back then different royalty laws in GB and the USA would have forced Capital in the States to pay more then EMI in GB for those extra songs; so they pulled them out and released them on 45's.:rolleyes:

Not to mention an extra LP or so that would sell millions.

[lukpac]

Originally posted by ericpeters
I've just got a second hand US Rubber Soul and was quite amazed. No Drive my Car and no Nowhere Man on it, but 2 other records I never heard (even not on Red, Blue or PM1 and 2, I have to check the Anthologies).

Were the missing tracks never issued?

I've Just Seen A Face and It's Only Love were issued on the UK version of Help! That was in fact issued several months *before* Rubber Soul.

When Capitol issued Rubber Soul, they didn't want to use the UK lineup, but still had leftover tracks from Help! They added those 2.

[Pinknik]

I like the little false start on "I'm Looking Through You". That's why I still have my U.S. pressing.

[ericpeters]

So did they put Drive my car and Nowhere man on Revolver or an EP or something.

[Andrew]

Originally posted by ericpeters
So did they put Drive my car and Nowhere man on Revolver or an EP or something.

They ended up on "Yesterday.. and Today!" issued in late 1966. That leads into a discussion on the infamous "Butcher Cover"...

[Joe Koz]

I still feel that the U.S. versions of Rubber Soul & Revolver are better as a whole. The songs seem to complement each other better. After all these years, I still can't get use to Drive My Car opening Rubber Soul. However, I do listen to the British versions more. Go figure.......

[Dave B]

It's funny, when the Parlophone CD's came out I was happy to finally have the Beatles on CD but at the same time really disappointed. I was so used to the U.S. Capitol LPs sequencing that they just seemed wrong. Now of course I'm used to them but I have also searched out and repurchased most of the black label Capitol LPs (with the exception of Meet The Beatles (too expensive and too many pressings to figure out which is best). I did find most US versions on some Russian two-fers including Meet The Beatles / Introducing The Beatles, Beatles Second Album / Something New and Beatles '65 / Beatles IV. In addition the Hard Day's Night and Help! discs have both the UK and US versions on one disc. They may not be the ultimate versions in terms of sound quality but they sound like the LPs and the sequencing is just as I remember it. Unfortunetly for some reason the Rubber Soul and Revolver discs in this series use the UK sequencing so I guess I'll have to search for the Beat versions of those albums

[Pinknik]

Weird. When I finally got the CD's I mostly felt like, "Thank GOD! I finally have what The Beatles meant for me to have (sound and stereo/mono aside), screw Capitol!" Maybe it was weird hearing it for a while, but I haven't looked back.

[czeskleba]

Originally posted by Joe Koz
I still feel that the U.S. versions of Rubber Soul & Revolver are better as a whole. The songs seem to complement each other better. After all these years, I still can't get use to Drive My Car opening Rubber Soul. However, I do listen to the British versions more. Go figure.......

I have to admit I do miss hearing "I've Just Seen a Face" on Rubber Soul. It sounds really out of place stuck on the middle of side two of Help. In spite of that I prefer the British Rubber Soul, though. As for the US Revolver, it's awful... it feels really off-balance because of the John deficiency. I mean, it's just not right to have an album where George has more songs than John.

[FabFourFan]

Originally posted by czeskleba
I have to admit I do miss hearing "I've Just Seen a Face" on Rubber Soul.It's been said many times before, but looking back from 35 years later:

I still think the US Rubber Soul stands at least as tall as the UK Rubber Soul, and

I still can't believe how totally Capitol F***ed the US Revolver.

As always, your kilometerage may vary! ;)

[Matt]

To me, "Help!" seems like it was sequenced with less care than the other albums before and after it. I really get this feeling on the second half, the way "I've Just Seen A Face" and "Yesterday" are just buried with a handful of so-so recordings.

[dbryant]

I always got a kick from the play on words that "I've Just Seen a Face" followed "Tell Me What You See". And I guess they felt they needed "Face" as a transition tune into "Yesterday". I always wondered how many Beatles are playing on "Face", and how much is overdubbed McCartney -- anybody know? Lewisohn is a little vague on that one.