Beatles sound - U.K. Parlophone vs Capitol U.S. ... discuss

...or as I like to call it (IMHO), The Beatles as nature intended vs The Beatles as Dave Dexter Jr. and the "Capitol Suits" intended.

The title of recent Michael Fremer article says it all, "Capitol Records Set to Reissue First Four Beatles Albums Sounding as Bad as You Remember Them!", although I get the impression that some/many here really love these versions. Gives them the warm and fuzzies and that fun stuff.

The several threads on the upcoming The Beatles - The Capitol Years Vol. 1 box have been exhausting to read. And there seems to be some confusion as to the U.S. versions. Some of you have never heard them before.

Here are some samples for you to listen to and discuss. Each clip has the Parlophone U.K. mix followed by the Capitol U.S. version. You tell us what you think is better.

1. - "It Won't Be Long" - U.K. stereo mix is from a U.K. two box EMI/Parlophone LP c. 1975 - matrix - YEX 110 - 2. The LP is one of those France export pressings made when the EMI plant in Hayes-Middlesex was closed for upgrades. The LP also has the French stampers as well, M6 298111 1. The Capitol U.S. excerpt is from a stereo Apple lable pressing of Meet The Beatles c. 1975.

2. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" U.K. stereo mix is now taken from a mid 1970s two box EMI/Parlophone LP of A Collection Of Oldies But Goldies - YEX 620 B#3. (Never seen a matrix number like that before.) The Capitol U.S. clip is from the same stereo Apple Meet The Beatles LP.

3. - "Roll Over Beethoven" U.K. stereo mix from the same U.K./France With The Beatles LP, Side 2 matrix is YEX 111-3, M6 298112 1 followed by the U.S. Capitol stereo version from Beatles Second Album.

4. - "Thank You Girl" - U.K. dry stereo mix from the John Barrett tapes via the "grey market" CD Turn Me On Dead Man followed by the Capitol U.S. stereo version from Beatles Second Album.

5. "Anytime At All" - U.K. stereo mix from a two box EMI/Parlophone A Hard Day's Night LP, matrix YEX 127 -1, followed by the Capitol U.S. stereo version from Something New!.

This is where it gets a bit interesting. I have thought that the West German EMI-Electrola LP pressing of Beatles '65 was not a copy of the U.S. tape, but one made up by the W German Electrola engineers as you will hear in this 3 way sample. I ran a quick shoot out with the W German stereo LP tracks, against a U.K./France stereo two box EMI/Parlophone Beatles For Sale, matrix YEX 142/143 -1, M6 298113/114 1. Did not notice a huge difference (thru my computer speakers).

6. "She's A Woman" - U.K. stereo mix taken from the EMI Australian only Beatles LP - Greatest Hits Volume 2, (orange/black Parlophone label), the only place where one could find the stereo SAW for many years. It is followed by the EMI-Electrola West German fake stereo version from the West German blue Odeon LP pressing of Beatles '65. The third sample is the infamous Capitol U.S. "Duophonic" version from the stereo Beatles '65 LP.

7. "I Feel Fine" - U.K. stereo mix from a two box EMI/Parlophone A Collection Of Oldies But Goldies LP, matrix YEX 619 A#2 . The second sample is the fake-stereo from the W German Beatles '65. The third sample is the infamous Capitol U.S. "Duophonic" version from the stereo Beatles '65 LP.

8. "She's A Woman" - U.K. mono mix from the Parlophone 1980s re-issued single, matrix 7XCE 18171-2. The Capitol U.S. version is from a mono Beatles '65 LP.

9. "I Feel Fine" - U.K. mono mix from the Parlophone 1980s re-issued single, matrix 7XCE 18172-2. The Capitol U.S. version is from a mono Beatles '65 LP.
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I had a tough time listening to these U.S. mixes, especially "I Feel Fine" and "She's A Woman" from the stereo Beatles '65" LP. It was painful. I own most of the U.S. Capitol LPs, but rarely listen to them. Most have been sitting on the shelf in my various residences for some 20 to 30 years, except for the occasional spin of the mono the U.S. Magical Mystery Tour LP.

Also, by coincidence my older brother was in town and dropped by for a quick visit today. He is a professional musician/guitarist but is not really an audiophile per say and was moderately aware of the U.K. / U.S. differences. When I played him these samples pointing out the Capitol Duophonic, and the compressed re-EQd stereo versions he had this painful look on his face.

He turned to me and said, "Capitol is going to release these songs on CD??"

"Oh...yeah!", I said. (doing my best Kramer impersonation.)

It really, will be interesting to hear and see (through programs such as Cool Edit Pro) what remastering engineer Ted Jensen did with the sound for the upcoming The Beatles - The Capitol Years Vol. 1.
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Have fun. Talk amongst yourselves...and with us.

 

Its all so amusing. On the SH forums, the motto seems to be 'true unadorned, untampered, original mixes that leave the music just as the artist intended..etc, etc.' But now with this Capitol Box, with its duophonic, echoed, compressed remixes, conventional audiophile logic seems to have been tossed right out the window. Ahhh....only the spell of the Beatles could cause that.

 

My choice would be as follows...For that warm, fuzzy, happy, blissful childhood memory, NO DOUBT...the American Versions!!!!
For a reality check with great overall sound...The UK versions remastered!!!
Do you really think, we all don't know this?
I like feeling good, and that's just what the American Versions do for me...like a Time Machine, I'm back with my friend in her room as a 9 year old listening to the Beatles...a precious memory indeed!

 

Wow, that was really enlightening! I'm one of those who never heard the American versions, and now I can hear all the differences everyone talks about. I'm understand where those who grew up with the American versions are coming from, but I probably couldn't care less about having them available. I'll take the UK versions any day (and just continue my hunt for UK vinyl).

 

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Pardon my probable stupidity, but I can't get a single one of the clips to work, either by download or streaming ("server cannot be found".)

A shame, because this is actually a very interesting comparison.

Any ideas? Fault at my end, or a problem with the files themselves? (I should note that I am able to read and download from other sites satisfactorily at the moment.)

Mart.

 

I think these clips fit the definition of "Hyper-Saturated Stereo."

 

PC. As I say, I'm managing that with clips from other sites with no difficulty. It's just these clips.

I'll try changing my security settings - perhaps it's falling foul of the firewall?

Thanks for the advice.

Mart.

 

The server doesn't seem to be responding at the moment. Hopefully later, because that looks like an awesome comparison.

 

But the amount of echo on that Capitol version is ridiculous. I thought "I Feel Fine" and "She's A woman" were meant to be the real nasties from the Capitol vault - this track isn't far behind .

My hunger for this box is subsiding.......

 

For the most part, I prefer the UK versions to the US versions. However, the US Capitol versions of "It Won't Be Long" and "Any Time At All" don't sound too bad, other than their being compressed-sounding (and IWBL has a bit of fake reverb added). And I don't care much for ANY true stereo mix of "I Want To Hold Your Hand;" even the early, late-'63 stereo mix sounds thin compared to any mono or Duophonic version. To me, the US Crapitol Duophonic version of IWTHYH sounds "better" than any true stereo mix of that same tune, but still pales in comparison to my UK Parlophone 1963 first-pressing mono 45 single.

As for the German fake stereo versions of IFFine and SAW, they sound "wrong" compared to the UK mono and true stereo versions. The putrid US CrapItAll Duophonic versions of both of those songs, by comparison, are just plain ear-grinding! The US Crapitol mono versions of both songs are almost as bad as their Duophonic counterparts!

 

I'm still in recovery.........

 

YEP! When I heard it in place of the UK stereo version, my ENTIRE body nearly collapsed onto the floor!

 

'Thank U Grrl'? Are you trying to spiff up the catalog for the younger audiences?

 

I don't really mind the echo on the US stereo versions, mostly because it makes the music sound much more alive and enhances the double-tracked vocal parts really well. The biggest problem with them is the ongoing racket from the cymbals that never lets up. Makes Ringo sound like Alex Van Halen.

 

Mike,

Thanks for the great A/B and sometimes C comparisons

I may have overlooked this in the thread, are these MP3's or wave files?

Are these clips from the actual remastered Captiol set, or from other sources. (if actual set, you must have *connections* ).

btw, ugh ugh and ugh on the extra reverb and crap on the US versions. Same ***** they put on the Anthology 5.1's and YSS 5.1's which infuriates me. I hate those mixes. Ya know, all things in moderation, and if they'd just done *half* the damage it would be palatable. But I do prefer the brighter US mix of IWTHYH to the WG version here... *ducks*

 

Wow, I wonder if I had ever heard the US version of 'It Won't Be Long' before. Yes, it has a rather unnatural throb to it, but side by side, it made the UK version sound like it just 'sits there' in comparison.

I also don't recall when it was the last time that I'd heard those earlier tracks in stereo.. great bass!

Edit: I'm having a blast with these! Thanks Miike! On Roll Over Beethoven (both versions) you can hear the right channel being faded in as the vocals are about to enter.. I don't think I'd ever noticed it on the CD! Also the Dexter version has tape hiss running throughout, even before the vocals are faded up (yes, I know you all knew this, but I didn't and I'm having fun ).

Edit II: Thank U Grrl (the Prince cover) is so pumped up on the US version it's ridiculous! It sounds like the end of the world, I love it! I also don't recall that last harmonica phrase being the same on my Past Masters CD.

 

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The sheer magic of being there back then as they came out for the first time can never be recreated - it doesn't matter what they sound like now. Who cares how they were futzed around with! The happy memories that they bring back are priceless.

 

They are from other vinyl sources - actual, original UK, Australian, West German and US pressings and early-'80s UK 45 repressings. And those are MP3's of those clips.

I agree with you on IWTHYH. Every true stereo mix of IWTHYH ever made sounds thin and midrangey in comparison to any mono or mock stereo pressing out there. But even the US Duophonic version falls well short in comparison to my original 1963 first-pressing UK Parlophone mono 45 of that tune.

 

It's funny, so many people talk about their memories of these albums and how they want to hear the music as they remember it... once I had the UK versions I almost completely wiped the American albums from my mind. When I look at the tracklistings of most of the Capitol albums, I don't even remember ever listening to the songs in those sequences. The only one that has stuck with me is Rubber Soul - I remember putting it on and I've Just Seen a Face being the first song, and whenever I play Help and It's Only Love comes on I think "What's that doing on here?"

However, when I heard the American mix of I Feel Fine I did feel a shudder of recognition at hearing the clanging ride cymbal. Not so much the other tracks, apart from maybe the twin-track stereo. I don't mind the extra reverb that much either but it's not necessary. Still, years of listening to the CDs have reset my idea of what the songs are supposed to sound like, and now it's the American versions that sound off.

 

It's not just the music - it's where you were, who and what were there with you as well...

Beatles '65 brings back memories of being in a friend's house down in Cheshunt... I remember the LP cover, I remember the old Alba stereogram on which the record was being played...

There are 1001 tracks by all manner of artists that have left indelible associations - Goodbye Cruel World brings back the fair at Menston village, Walk Right In brings back that listening booth in a shop in Ealing, I Remember You brings back the commercial hotel in Holyhead, Somewhere In My Heart brings back Cong youth hostel in Ireland where I was staying with a German girl whom I had met earlier, the list goes on...