The Beatles didn't quite change the World,single handledly but they were a major part of what catapulted the differential Britain of the early 1960's of doffing ones cap to our "betters" to the more open, more prepared to stand up for being yourself environment of the late 60's and into the 1970's when I came on the scene.
For a whole stack of reasons starting with Capitol U.S.A. deciding up to late 1963 it wanted nothing to do with The Beatles it was late issuing their records and other companies had limited agreements, the albums that American's got from 1964 to 1967 were rather different than fans in Britain (and much of Europe) had.
They were however what in effect made The Beatles international superstars, expanding their fan base and record sales so while from 1987 and the deliberate standardization of their album catalogue on cd then tape and record to that they approved of, in recent years these American albums have from time to time emerged on cd in cd sets.
Today sees a bunch of seven albums reissued on vinyl in mono in a set and six available to be bought individually each unavailable in mono since 1968.
In 1963 The U.K. had had seen two albums and four singles before on January 20th 1964 America saw its first album (Although Vee Jay had an album in pipeline it came out later) and this album was compiled as the title Meet The Beatles suggested, an introduction featuring their latest single and mainly a selection of own compositions from their second U.K. album that had come out two months before.
Following a triumphant initial tour in the Winter of 1964 it was obvious there was a demand for another album with five, yes five, beatles singles holding down the top five singles chart and so Capitol issued The Beatles' Second Album in April on the back of the world-wide Can't Buy Me Love smash hit single.
This was compiled around restrictions on their earlier recordings already licensed to other labels so featured the cover versions first issued on their second U.K. album, single b sides and two tracks recorded for an forthcoming British extended play four song record.
Compared to the stereo version which was very echo laden, the mono version was not and so the reissue of this is most welcome.
This was six New Songs plus four from the film soundtrack and a German Language song wrapped around a picture from that Ed Sullivan show they appeared on earlier in the year.
Each record has a four page lp sized set of notes and comes with replica inner sleeves matching that the record on original issues came with advertising other Capitol albums.
As a couple of other lps are with Mr Claus late of the North Pole they will be added later.
At least they never sang in Welsh, whose requirenent for jarring post-vowel R sounds oddly does not fit its accent. When Colin sings in Welsh, he still does not know catarrh there could tragically give certain winter choices the appearance of catching cold.
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