US version of the Beatles Help

Then it's not the original STEREO Help! LP Soundtrack version...If you like to keep things in order, the Beat's do just fine
I have ton's of rehabbed Beatles Cee Dee's...I'm happy having straight transfers worts and all of my beloved American Versions...Although, they are not popular in these woods...That's OK

 

If YOU dig 'em Michael, then that's what counts....

I have a mint Apple US pressing of Help! It does just fine, although I never listen to it.

Evan

 

For all of our grumblings about the engineering work at Capitol, the Help! soundtrack (and UA's Hard Day's Night) is more like a real soundtrack with the incidental music included.

Someday I'll take the UK stereo mixes and the US instrumentals and make a CD-R of A Hard Day's Night and Help!. Both should fit on one disc easily.

 

Righto...With the American Versions...It's a state of mind...

 

Ahhhhh! I just checked that site and realized that I may have never actually heard the true released stereo version. According to Joe, it was released on:
UK: Parlophone PCS 3071 Help! 1965,
Parlophone PCS 7016 Collection of Oldies 1966,
Apple PCSP 717 The Beatles 1962-1966 1973.
US: Capitol SV-12199 Reel Music 1982,
Capitol SV-12245 20 Greatest Hits 1982.

I only have the Capitol stereo soundtrack on LP, the 1987 CD, and the mono single version on the Singles (or EP) CD box. I have a red vinyl copy of 1962-1966, but have never played it. Red vinyl may not be the best sounding anyway.

 

Here's a cute site on Help! around the world;

http://beatleshelp.topcities.com/help.htm

 

I know what you mean!

All the other tracks are the real thing. I have the Beat version (and the actual LP) as well for warts and all.

 

Yup, Those worts are very dear indeed
Like old childhood friends...and, no need for Compound W...

 

Intresting story on how Ken Thorne did the incidental music for Help!:

Apparently George Martin did not get on well with Walter Shenson, hence GM's not being asked to do the music for the Beatles' second film. Actually, this worked out okay, since I think Ken's music is actually better, and is more "movie" like than the first film's score, IMO.

Evan

 

Rather than post this in the "Bad Boy mono mix" thread, I thought it might be better to reply in here. There is still some debate over whether or not Capitol used the correct mono mix of "Ticket To Ride" on the US Help! album or just a fold-down of their own fake stereo mix.

I put together three sample clips of "TTR". Each sample is the same section from different sources. The first is the UK mono mix taken from the CD Singles Collection box. The second clip is Capitol's fake stereo mix taken from the Beat bootleg CD. The final clip is from the US mono Help! album.

I still contend that the US mono on the album is a fold-down of the fake stereo. I do not have a suitable copy of the Capitol 45 for further comparison. My copy is very beat up but did sound more like the UK mono. Perhaps someone else can provide a clip of the same section for our comparison.

UK mono mix

US fake stereo mix

US mono album mix

 

I posted this clip last year. Thought I'd offer it again, since I still have it up on my 10mg of Web space.

This clip compares some of the correct stereo pressings and ends with the Capitol U.S. fake stereo. Just checked through my old Capitol Beatles 45s. I don't have "Ticket To Ride". Think my older brother has the single in his collection.

Beatles - stereo - Ticket To Ride - Horzu version - U.K. two box EMI - Apple W Germany 1970- Capitol U.S. fake stereo

 

My favorite true stereo version of TTR is on the German Apple pressing of Help! (UK version)

Although the sources listed above don't sound too shabby either.

 

Boy, did we get screwed! I don't have the Apple pressing but thankfully I do have the other two.

 

Laziness?

I checked the Red Album as you suggested in the "Bad Boy" thread and it's definitely the UK mono mix. So Capitol did have the correct version and chose not to use it on their Help! soundtrack.

 

Dextorisation.

Evan

 

Steve, could you please clarify? Does this mean the U.S. 7 inch single, as well as the U.S. mono LP?

 

I was listening to the Capitol Masters CD as I was driving earlier. The U.S. "stereo" "Ticket To Ride" is a tough listen.

 

The U.S. 7-inch single is true mono. It was issued several months before the soundtrack came out.

 

Oh my. What a mess!

Thanks for the clarification Steve?

 

I know some forum members get the warm and fuzzies from listening to original U.S. Beatles LPs, and it's fun once in a while, however as I was driving home last night I pondered Ascot's idea of a proper Help! O.S.T. CD-R. This will remove all the fold-downs and Dextorizing.

I'll start with a good needle drop of a stereo U.K. Parlophone LP or W German Apple pressing. Next, I'll crack open my Japanese Help! soundtrack LP, EAS series and record the incidental soundtack music to my computer. Then I'll burn the tracks in the original order of the U.S. LP, and put the Side 2 songs from the U.K. LP on, as bonus tracks.

Yeah, that'll do it. Another home Beatles CD-R project thanks er no thanks to Apple.

Then, I suppose a similar project can be tackled for A Hard Day's Night although I only have a mono UA soundtrack LP.

 

Two more bonus tracks to add to this:
-- The mono 45 rpm version of "Help!" with the different John Lennon vocal
-- "I'm Down," from the same session that gave us "Yesterday"

 

Thank you Tim. I'll add those to the list. I think I have a pretty decent yellow/orange swirl Capitol 45 of "Help!" / "I'm Down". Although since this is a stereo compiliation, I should use the stereo "I'm Down".

I could also add "Yes It Is" b side of "Ticket To Ride". It was recorded the day after "Ticket To Ride", same day as "Another Girl" and "I Need You".

What is the best vinyl source for the stereo "I'm Down", and "Yes It Is"? According to the Mark Lewisohn Beatles Recording Sessions book, the stereo mix of "Yes It Is" "...remains unissued on disc in this form at the time of writing (1987). It's possible the stereo "Yes It Is" never appeared on LP until the DMM Past Masters.

Is the mono 45 version of "Help!" the one used on the U.S. Rarities LP?

The Beatles also recorded "If You've Got Trouble" and "That Means A Lot" during the Help! sessions. Could also include these 2 songs, if I can dig them up.

 

The UK single mix of "Help!" was included on the US Rarities album. I would think finding a clean UK single would be the best sounding option.

A stereo mix of "I'm Down" first appeared on the 1976 Rock and Roll album.

I would spare myself the agony of including "If You've Got Troubles". "Rock on... anybody!"