I was 13 in 1973 and these albums literally changed my life. Many decades later I've stood where those photos were taken and been inside Studio Two at Abbey Road.
The ‘Blue Album’ was my introduction to The Beatles - and it’s still a fantastic double album. For anyone who doesn’t want to buy every Beatles album but would like a couple of comprehensive compilation albums, these 2 albums are hard to beat (other than the sometimes strange stereo mixes……..!)
My older brother had bought the red album on cassette when it was rereleased in 1993 so I decided to get the blue album which was my first album i owned in cassette.
I remember my uncle give me this record when I was 14. The 67-70 one. I only heard a few Beatles songs and I was in love!! Played I am the Walrus over and over
I remember reading that George was involved (maybe the reason why "Old Brown Shoe" is on there??). Not sure about the others, but John said he asked George Martin to check out the sound. There were other compilations where the members had no input whatsoever.
It was this collection (namely the first one)that got started on my Beatle journey when I was 10...in 1980.....tragically turned out to be a very bad time to be turned on to the Beatles. 😥 Looking back on it though, they could’ve done more with the first one. At least put “Taxman” on there so George would have at least one song on there and also to give Revolver more exposure as compared to Rubber Soul which has almost half the album on there.
The red album was the first album I ever saw from the Beatles, back in 1979 when I was maybe 4 or five years old. I kept flipping it front and back looking at the pictures. I vaguely remember singing yellow submarine, without ever realizing I was going to fall in love with their music in 1989 when I was 14 years old, listening to Beatles weekend on 93.1 KODJ. While all the girls were crazy for the new kids on the block, I was crazy for the Beatles. ❤
The song selection is quite strange, for the two albums. It's difficult to hear it with fresh ears nowadays, but there are crucial songs missing and other songs that could have possibly been omitted...In the end, these collections are what they are :)
Would have been neat to have a new commercial with the newly remastered albums. Here is my reimagined commercial: "Fifty years ago, the Beatles 1962-66 and 1967-70 albums were released (using the original commercial footage, digitally remastered) Now digitally remastered with bonus tracks, and includes the surprise worldwide hit, Now and Then (Now and Then plays), the previously unreleased new track from the Beatles. Available on Apple CD and vinyl"
