The Beatles Albums – The Beatles Live at the BBC Vol 2

Released on November 11, 2013, The Beatles, On Air–Live at the BBC Volume 2 is a live-in-the-studio compilation album featuring 63 tracks from the Beatles’ 1963–1964 BBC Radio broadcasts—including 37 previously unreleased performances, and 23 newly-available dialog tracks.

Like The Beatles, Live at the BBC (generally considered its prequel) this collection is a mixture of live recordings of Beatles covers and originals (the hits that rocketed them to international stardom), as well as in-studio banter—all remastered and presented on two CDs or in a three-LP package (which also includes a 48-page fan-book and/or five photo cards).

Selected from a total of 275 unique musical performances of 88 songs the Beatles delivered at BBC Radio studios between March of 1962 and June of 1965 for broadcast on various Light Programme radio shows (a station broadcasting mainstream “light” entertainment and music from 1945 to 1967), 10 of these songs have the unique distinction of never being recorded by the group for EMI (their British recording and publishing company), two of which are released here for the very first time: Chuck Berry’s “I’m Talking About You” (performed direct-to-air) and the Stephen Foster traditional, “Beautiful Dreamer.”

Capitol Records (of Los Angeles*) and the Beatles

While for most American Beatlemaniacs Capitol Records was virtually synonymous with Beatles music, as of mid-1963 this EMI Records (of London) subsidiary actually wanted nothing to do with the band, convinced that American ears were “not attuned to this essentially British sound.” (Offered the single “Please Please Me,” they flatly turned down, utilizing their contractual “first rights of refusal.”) And even though the Beatles had by this point been invited to perform at the most prestigious venue in the US, Carnegie Hall in New York City–indeed, the most prestigious concert hall in the world–Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein at first balked at the offer, citing that it would be professional suicide to present the boys without first having a hit record in America. And without a major record company like Capitol behind them—that seemed highly improbable.   

Desperate for American distribution, EMI and Epstein offered “Please Please Me” to New York City-based Atlantic Records–who flatly turned it down. It was then offered to the Chicago, Illinois-based label Vee Jay—who agreed to release it for a guaranteed $20,000—but the song ultimately died at the bottom of the charts. EMI then offered “She Loves You” to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based Swan Records–which agreed to release it–but it too went virtually unnoticed. Realizing then that the Beatles (and their music) is a visceral experience—both he and producer George Martin had not become true fans until actually seeing them—Epstein decided that what was needed to connect with the American audience was an appearance on a major American TV show. But why would a TV producer want to book a band that had no hit record and wasn’t getting airplay? Unbeknownst to Epstein, “She Loves You” had by now caught Capitol’s (Canada) attention and was now interested in knocking Swan out of the competition. (By some accounts, EMI eventually forced Capitol to promote the band in America.) 

Apple Corps and the Beatles

By early 1967, PaulMcCartney was actively campaigning for the establishment of a Beatles-owned company, tentatively named Apple, to run in coordination with Brian Epstein’s management company, NEMS Enterprises. As John would later clarify, “Our accountant came up and said ‘We got this amount of money. Do you want to give it to the government or do something with it?’” Thus while ostensibly founded to promote new artistic talent (the Beatles were constantly being approached to promote new artists or invest in new projects), such a business entity was largely needed to protect the Beatles’ finances. (Even by 1963 the Beatles were bringing in such unheard-of income that manager Brian Epstein had began utilizing various tax shelters.) And even though Epstein did his best to warn the boys of the potential pitfalls of their plan—stressing that business decisions are best left to business experts—Paul insisted the plan move forward. Only John, apparently, had serious misgivings.   

With legal and business guidance from Brian Epstein’s attorney and accountant, Alan Davis and Harry Pinsker, the first step towards creating this new business were put into motion, a partnership called Beatles and Co. (established in April of 1967). Under this new business structure, each Beatle would own 5% of Beatles and Co., with a new collectively-owned corporation (soon known as Apple) controlling the remaining 80% . All profits above individual songwriting royalties would go directly into Beatles and Co. coffers–and taxed at a far lower corporate tax rate.   

The Beatles Album Covers – Yesterday and Today

This album has two names really, since it contained the single Yesterday, it is also named “Yesterday”…and Today with a distinction to the song it features.   

The most controversial cover of all the Beatles’ works, this Yesterday and Today album cover has led to some of the most valuable collector pieces of all time. Recently a cover still in its cellophane seal, sold at auction for $39,000!   

In 1966, photographer Robert Whitaker invited the group into his studio for a series of photographs, mostly to be used for promotional materials. Known for their enjoyment of black humour, and tired of the ordinary photos used up until this point, the boys agreed to being dressed in white lab coats. Sitting amid a display of bloodied headless naked dolls, the heads, and an assortment of fresh meat, they are smiling.   

The cover was nicknamed the “Butcher cover” and The Beatles were later quoted as saying the photo was used as their statement about war, the war in Vietnam particular, and immediately drew immense criticism; the first the band had received that was critical and in many cases, negative.   

Cover Versions (Beatles Songs by Other Artists)

It has often been said that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. And while the Beatles were instrumental in spawning a number of cool cultural trends–from hairstyle (long–including the famed “Beatles’ haircut”) to eye wear (though “granny glasses” are often attributed to Roger McGuinn of the Byrds, John single-handedly took it from fad to fashion) to leg wear (bell-bottoms ala Go-Go dancer Toni Basil)–perhaps the greatest flattery the Beatles have received is other performers recording cover versions of their extraordinary music. While their “Pied-piper-like” influence did effectively result in a generational rift via the “counterculture” youth movement of the 60s–70s, their music ultimately served to bridge the generations as nothing had before or since. (Even 40s—50s crooner Frank Sinatra recognized the Beatles’ genius, recording “Something” and deeming it a masterpiece.)   

The Beatles Album Covers – Rubber Soul

The famous “stretched” photo effect that graces the cover of the Beatles’ sixth studio album, Rubber Soul, came about purely as the result of a happy accident. After photographer Robert Freeman took a series of photos of the band at John Lennon‘s house, he projected them onto a piece of cardboard to simulate how they would look on the actual album cover. At one point, the album-sized slide card accidentally tilted backwards, resulting in an extended, stretched-looking image. The Beatles liked the effect so much that they asked if Freeman could recreate it for the final cover.   

Of the picture itself, Freeman says, “It was becoming difficult to get the four together for a photo session. The photograph for Rubber Soul, the last album cover in which I was involved, was taken in the garden of John’s house in Weybridge, the central point for three of them. The distorted effect in the photo was a reflection of the changing shape of their lives.” The original album artwork was later auctioned off at Bonhams, along with a letter of authentication signed by Robert Freeman.   

The Beatles Album Covers – Yellow Submarine

In 1966, seven months prior to the release of this album, Yellow Submarine, the film debuted. The album was based more or less on the film. The title track Yellow Submarine had been a single on the Revolver album, and the submarine appears in the story of Sgt.Pepper’s LonelyHearts Club Band.  

The cover artwork is very typical of the psychedelic era, a collage-like display of abstract images and colours with plenty of soft edges and swirls. The four band members are decked out in their finery poised atop a surreal surface above the submarine. The submarine is their mode of transportation while adventuring under the sea to save Pepperland and defeat the “Blue Meanies” (symbolic of the police, or bad politicians). Surrounding them are other images from the Sgt. Pepper’s story.   

There has been a great deal of interpretation of the artwork used for this cover. Some believe the submarine is like a capsule, a pill to oblivion and invites listeners to partake, others say is more a symbol of an arc, where we can gather our friends and come aboard.