US version of the Beatles Help

Yes, but the US version has the 1976 George Martin remix of it. The original stereo mix first appeared on a Japanese EP in around 1974, and also appears on the UK version of Rock And Roll Music and on Past Masters Vol. 1.

 

Good question. Ascot?

In my collection the only mono "Help!" I have is the Capitol 45 and the version on the U.S. Rarities LP that I will use for this Help! compilations disc. Wish I had the singles box set. It's a tad expensive.

 

I would use the CD version.

 

Just finished the true stereo needle drop. Here's the track listing.

1. James Bond Theme - Help!
2. The Night Before
3. From Me To You Fantasy
4. You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
5. I Need You
6. In The Tyrol
7. Another Girl
8. Another Hard Day's Night
9. Ticket To Ride
10. The Bitter End
11. You're Gonna Lose That Girl
12. The Chase
13. Act Naturally
14. It's Only Love
15. You Like Me Too Much
16. Tell Me What You See
17. I've Just Seen A Face
18. Yesterday
19. Dizzy Miss Lizzy
20. Help! - mono U.K. single mix
21. I'm Down
22. Yes It Is
23. Bad Boy
24. If You've Got Troubles
25. That Means A Lot

The disc clocks in around 61.30. At the last minute I decided to add "Bad Boy" as it was also recorded during the Help! sessions, same day as the band recorded "Dizzy Miss Lizzy". I lifted the song from a 2 box EMI pressing of A Collection of Beatles Oldies. Ended up using the W German Apple LP for the needle drop of the Beatles songs. The incidental stereo soundtrack music was lifted from a Japanese EAS LP.

 

Nice, Chris!!! My needle drop of the Capitol "Help!" is with the United Artists' "A Hard Day's Night" soundtrack, I used the stereo pressings. Good call on using the German Apple "Help!' great pressing, it's has become my favorites.

Happy listening!

 

Thanks Joe. I just need to think of a title for the disc. Maybe, The Complete Help! Sessions or Help! (As Nature Intended) or Help! Almost Naked.

 

How about "For The Second Time: HELP!"

Evan

 

Larry, I don't think the version of "I'm Down" on the US R&R Music Lp was one of George Martins remixes...IIRC he only remixed the early tracks with the 2 channel stereo to center things a bit.
You're right about the first stereo mix appearing on the Japanese
EP,but I think if you listen to them they are all the same,the US LP,Japanese EP,and Past Masters CD version.

JF

 

Good one Evan!

I'm not Larry, but I play... I think you're right Joe. I'll do an A/B comparison when I get home later this eve. The version I used for the needle drop was from the U.K. reissue vinyl of Rock & Roll Music. This the Volume 1, Voume 2 reissues on Music For Pleasure where EMI U.K. used the U.S. master tapes. It sounded fairly similar to how I remember the stereo mix on Past Masters Vol. 1.

 

Now do a mono version for a 2CD set - More Help! (Deluxe Edition)

 

I would Martin, except I do not own a y/b mono Help! album. I'm missing several of the original U.K. monos. Wish I could afford to buy a few on eBay. And based on earlier posted information in another thread, IIRC, I'm suspecting that the incidental soundtrack music on the mono U.S./Canadian Help! O.S.T. LP is a fold-down.
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Just ran an A/B test on the vinyl stereo mix of "I'm Down" vs the stereo mix on the Past Masters Volume One CD. They are indeed different. Here is a sample. First excerpt is from the U.K. vinyl. Second is the CD.

Beatles - I'm Down (stereo)

So which version should I be using on the CD-R comp?

 

Chris,


Be careful here....


The original UK Parlophone Rock and Roll Music uses the correct mixes.

What you have is the UK MFP version which uses the US mixes - narrow stereo and channels reversed! Check the matrix numbers - US version is SKBO ******, UK is YEX ***.

So... use the Past Masters version!



Best wishes,


Nobby.

 

The channels are reversed, like every other cut on the LP.

 

Chris, you scared me for a second into thinking there was an alternate stereo mix of "I'm Down". I had not listened to the sample yet.

 

Thanks. I will re-burn the disc with the PM version.
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I don't have audio here on my computer at work. IIRC, the two mixes did not sound reversed to me. On the Past Masters version part of the backing vocals are in the right channel. On the U.S. mix they're on the left channel with the other backing vocals....something like that.

 

Chris, I'd use the original mix of "I'm Down."

Now to make this more confusing, I recently won a German "Rock & Roll" double LP with the original cover. I was thinking it would be like the U.K. or the U.S. versions where the original mixes were used. Well the German pressings are the re-mixes.

 

Maybe we should start another thread about the Rock & Roll 2 LP set and the variations, U.S., U.K., W Germany, and other territories.

I'm totally confused.

I thought the original double LP U.K. version was the only one that contained the original mixes of the songs.

SO...the original mix of "I'm Down" that I want to add to my CD-R is on Past Masters Volume 1 ?? The MFP reissue U.K. vinyl that I have contains the remixed version, also found on the U.S. album.???

 

This is exactly correct.

 

Larry, I screwed up, I always thought,because it's been a while,that just the early tracks were remixed on the US edition of R&R Music,I went back last night and listened to some of the other tracks(with headphones)including "I'm Down",and yes they are remixed,everything is slightly centered. I made copies of both the US version and the UK pressing and besides the channels being reversed he also remixed them. Find out new things about these guys everyday, thanks to another Beatles thread!!!!!!!!!

JF

 

I don't think George Martin "remixed" the album as we think of it today. He didn't go back to the multi-tracks anyway. Not as far as I know. He did some EQ work and lessened some of the stereo separation, for sure. How or why the channels were reversed I don't know.

 

You are correct ascot! I think we all use the term remix loosely sometimes. It's just a way to tell the difference between two versions of a song when one of them has been tweaked, so to speak.

 

I thought that all George Martin did was remove the echo, etc from the Capitol masters of the Beatles' songs that were used on the Rock & Roll album. I kinda like the sound he got from them.

Evan

 

Try the Japanese LP of Rock And Roll Music.

Both the Japan original double LP and the later separate Vol.'s 1 & 2 contain the original mixes.

 

I have both the UK & the Japanese original mix versions, & the UK sounds better, the Japanese has better surfaces & amazing inserts (beautiful large poster & booklet)