The Beatles’ last three years as an active band were their most prolific, with a whopping six albums of material and several singles released during that period (not including their solo and outside projects). Each album since 1967 has been met with a lavish boxed set, and next month the singles will get the same treatment when the group’s 22 U.K. singles will be released as a limited-edition box.
“The Beatles: The Singles Collection” presents 46 tracks (29 of which were not included on the group’s British albums at the time) on 23 180-gram seven-inch vinyl singles in faithfully reproduced picture sleeves, accompanied by a 40-page booklet with photos, ephemera, and detailed essays by Beatles historian Kevin Howlett. Since most British Beatles singles were not released with picture sleeves at the time, the company has instead used a selection of international sleeves — see the specifics below.
The set also includes a double A-side single for the mid-1990s-issued tracks “Free As a Bird” and “Real Love,” which were John Lennon demos embellished with new instrumental tracks by Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr with producer Jeff Lynne.
The singles are newly cut for vinyl from their original mono and stereo master tapes by Sean Magee at Abbey Road Studios.
“The Singles Collection” follows the September 27 re-release of The Beatles’ “Abbey Road” album in a suite of Anniversary Edition packages — and although it has not been announced yet, a 50 th anniversary edition of the group’s swan song, “Let It Be,” is coming next year.
The Beatles: The Singles Collection
1962 [sleeve art: U.S.]
A: Love Me Do
B: P. S. I Love You
1963 [sleeve art: Italy]
A: Please Please Me
B: Ask Me Why
1963 [sleeve art: Norway]
A: From Me To You
B: Thank You Girl
1963 [sleeve art: Greece]
A: She Loves You
B: I’ll Get You
1963 [sleeve art: Chile]
A: I Want To Hold Your Hand
B: This Boy
1964 [sleeve art: Austria]
A: Can’t Buy Me Love
B: You Can’t Do That
1964 [sleeve art: Holland]
A: A Hard Day’s Night
B: Things We Said Today
1964 [sleeve art: Sweden]
A: I Feel Fine
B: She’s A Woman
1965 [sleeve art: Spain]
A: Ticket To Ride
B: Yes It Is
1965 [sleeve art: Belgium]
A: Help!
B: I’m Down
1965 [double A-side / sleeve art: France]
A: We Can Work It Out
A: Day Tripper
1966 [sleeve art: Turkey]
A: Paperback Writer
B: Rain
1966 [double A-side / sleeve art: Argentina]
A: Eleanor Rigby
A: Yellow Submarine
1967 [double A-side / sleeve art: Australia]
A: Strawberry Fields Forever
A: Penny Lane
1967 [sleeve art: West Germany]
A: All You Need Is Love
B: Baby, You’re A Rich Man
1967 [sleeve art: Mexico]
A: Hello, Goodbye
B: I Am The Walrus
1968 [sleeve art: Japan]
A: Lady Madonna
B: The Inner Light
1968 [sleeve art: South Africa]
A: Hey Jude
B: Revolution
1969 [sleeve art: Denmark]
A: Get Back
B: Don’t Let Me Down
1969 [sleeve art: Portugal]
A: The Ballad Of John And Yoko
B: Old Brown Shoe
1969 [sleeve art: Israel]
A: Something
B: Come Together
1970 [sleeve art: UK]
A: Let It Be
B: You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
1995 / 1996 [exclusive double A-side single / sleeve art: worldwide]
A: Free As A Bird [1995]
A: Real Love [1996]