Customer Reviews

A Hard Day's Night / A Hard Day's Night (US) + 7 Bonus Tracks

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you are looking at this copy of AHDN, you may be wondering, as I was, weather or not these discs are the best investment. Despite the handful of disparaging comments about these Russian releases, I found them to be superb, Both in packaging and sound quality. Ignore anyone who tells you these are bootlegs. In order to improve the post-communist Russian economy, certain copyright laws were "overlooked" in order for these discs to be officially sold. Never intended for sale outside the Russian market, these compilations of the Beatles USA and UK releases fortunately found their way into the global market. Well, enough backstory, how do they sound? Crisp. Clean. Terrific. Both the UK and US albums appear to be mono mixes, and of course the US album is unavailable anywhere else on CD. The US release includes great film instrumentals previously unavailable, and the bonus tracks include a rollicking version of 'leave my kitten alone' and a Christmas song! But are they really worth 40+ dollars? I, personally, don't think that it makes sense to pay that much for any compact disc, so shop around. If you can find this for $30 or less grab it fast! All in all-A terrific release, but only indispensable for the Beatles completist.

What's wrong with these Beatles are they on drugs? 45 years after the release of united artist's A Hard days night this historical release is still not available on CD! What a mess, in the 60's till the 90's you had to pay extra to get the imported version most of us just put up with the US version even though it had several George Martin classical versions of Beatles songs on it. Now in the new century you can get the imported version easy but if you want the US version too bad? It seems that even though the Beatles one of the greatest bands ever, still don't understand business. If you don't release it, you can't sell it! With well over a million Beatles fans who only want everything. There is only one choice, this Russian bootleg. With this set you get the U.S. version and the U.K. version. Kind of a strange CD because you get 4 copies of a hard days night, 3 copies of and I love her Ect. But best of all you get a bonus.
A rundown on the extras included here!
1. Leave me kitten alone - Great audio quality and a great Beatles original probably kept off by the sensors (keep your hands off my pussy way too strong for a 60's record). A total GEM in my opinion.
2. If you got troubles - a good Beatles original
3. That means a lot - An ok Beatles original
4. Christmas time (is here again) - An ok Beatles original released as a B side of OB LA DAY OB LA DA
5. A hard days night - a goofed up studio track
6. Can't buy me love - a goofed up studio track
7. I saw her standing there - a goofed up studio track
I feel bad buying bootlegs but what can I do? The sound quality of these CD's are extremely good for a 60's recording but the manufacturing of the product is very poor, the plastic tends to crack. allot of skipping, about 1 out of 10 CD's that I got from this company skips!

I'm happy with this cd because I've always wanted the George Martin instrumentals on cd.

However, I did compare one track (I'll Cry Instead) that I know had different run times on the original UK and US versions of the soundtrack album. On the UK version of the Hard Day's Night album, I'll Cry Instead had a run time of 1:44. On the US version of the album, the run time was 2:06. (This is per the book The Beatles: The Ultimate Recording Guide published by Facts On File).

Now, on this particular CD, the track I'll Cry Instead has the same run time (1:44) on both the UK and US versions of the album.

I haven't checked other tracks but the fact that the run times of I'll Cry Instead is the same for both the UK and US versions on this cd seems to indicate that the US version of the album on this cd was cobbled together by taking tracks from the UK cd version and splicing in the George Martin instrumentals (probably from some vinyl source. I notice that the sound quality of the instrumentals is different--i.e., not as good--as the vocal tracks), rather than taking an actual US vinyl LP and remastering that to cd.

I will note however that the instrumentals appear to be in stereo. (Note that the Facts on File book states that on the US version of the album, the vocals were in mono on both the mono and stereo versions of the LP).

Yes the songs sound crisp and the orchestral selections are in stereo and also sound crisp but this release is supposed to be the U.K. and U.S. releases. The original U.K. release has a shorter "I'll Cry Instead", the U.S. release has an extra verse which makes it longer. Both of these songs on this CD is the shorter U.K. version. For someone who is astickler on having everything perfect, this bothered me. As of 15 November 2008, there still is no official CD release of the U.S. "A Hard Day's Night" album. I thought this was it but because of that slight problem, it's not (maybe in Russia, when the U.S. album was released, it contained the shorter version too).

You get two versions of AHDN, one released in the U.K. on the Parlophone label........ and in the U.S.A.... on the United Artists label. Most of the issues of AHDN in your local store... are a remastered version of the Parlophoneone, not the United Artist version.

We can squabble all day about the two versions, but this CDMAXIMUM version is "outta-site." Whichever version you have liked in the past, nothing beats these extremely gifted cd's. I always wanted the United version... to hear what I heard when I was just a kid.... "Ringo's Theme." It takes me back to the days of Cousin Brucie and the transistor radio on my pillow at night, when WABC, WMCA in New York City and every other station was playing these albums night and day. Now you can have it...no static...no crackle...no skips...

But wait...that's not all you get...did I mention if you act right now you'll get...7 bonus tracks? That's right....act now...once it's gone...bub-bye!! Don't say I didn't warn ya!

I have both of these soundtracks on vinyl & have listened to them many times. For hardcore Beatles collectors, this release is a good way to do a back to back comparison. Like the other reviewers have noted the George Martin instrumentals were in stereo on both the mono & stereo UA pressings & the Beatles performances in mono ( as they are on this CD). I am also an audiophile of sorts; this CD does not have the best sound you can get. There is some distortion & the recordings don't have anywhere near the dynamics of, for example, the Capitol albums. I confess the only reason I bought this was for the Martin instrumentals which are superb interpretations of their respective Beatles counterparts. A nice surprise on this release is the stereo mix of "Christmas Time Is Here Again". The other bonus tracks are also in stereo but have been available on various bootlegs. A little high priced, but for a collector a nice addition to their Beatles collection.

Why don't you stop beating around the bush, Paul, Ringo and you also got to include Yoko as well. Put this album back into print in America. Also while you're at it, 'The Capitol Recordings' is incomplete, what about 'Yesterday and Today' as well as the others that had mono version albums as well. Pretty irritating. Also, I would not buy this album from this manufacturer, don't trust it and too expensive.

I basically bought this for one song; the instrumental version of 'and I love her'. Why the record companies couldn't add this to the parlophone CD, instead of all the who owns the rights to what crap, I'll never understand. It's just another reason to hate the recording companies. All they're interested in is sucking every last dollar from the consumer, product quality be damned. As the internet takes off, and the artists can market their own music, I will be very happy when the record companies all go out of business.

As other reviewers have stated, this is the way to go. This officially released Russian CD features the British mono version of "A Hard Day's Night and the STEREO version of the American "A Hard Day's Night. The sound of this disc is great. Those who have been waiting for the American version of AHDN, the version on this disc is the best available currently.

Those who own or who have owned the vinyl version of the American "stereo" AHDN on United Artists (and the later '70s Capitol reissue) will remember the vocal tracks on the album were in mono and the instrumentals (which sound great on this disc) were in stereo. That version is presented here, however - as another reviewer pointed out - and those who are into detail like I am - the version here is not exactly the same as the original album.

This is in reference to the vocal tracks on AHDN, it appears the British version of the vocal tracks were used throughout the CD, which means that two of the tracks which were unique to the American AHDN are not presented here. In particular:

AND I LOVE HER - On the American AHDN, Paul's vocal is single track for 99% of the tune and only double tracked in certain sections. The version here is the British version which is double tracked throughout.

I'LL CRY INSTEAD - As pointed out by another reviewer, this tune on the American AHDN features an additional verse, the British version does not. The British version is featured here.

It's a disappointment that those versions are not presented here, but they are available on CD - as part of "The Capitol Albums, Vol. 1" on the mono version of the "Something New" disc.

The bonus tracks featured here, four of them, "Leave My Kitten Alone", "If You've Got Trouble", "That Means A Lot", and alternate version of "Can't Buy Me Love", are also available on the Anthology discs, Christmas Time (Is Here Again) is also available on the "Free As A Bird" CD single. The "A Hard Day's Night" alternative take is cool with its studio banter prior to the tune beginning.

For the artwork, it's cool that the original back covers to the British and American AHDN albums are reproduced here. Also (after removing the black CD tray that covered it and replacing it with a clear CD tray) a picture of the second British extended play single with AHDN tunes is reproduced here. Also, featured on the CD label, (mentioning my love for detail again) is a replica of the top part of the original United Artists record label that was used on the first issues of the American AHDN.

All in all, even with the American AHDN not being 100% the same as the original, this is a great disc. I highly recommend it.

Of course "A Hard Day's Night" was and is an INSTANT CLASSIC, but you need to dig (this goes for the soundtrack to their other movie "HELP" as well) the cheesy instrumental cuts! Why do they leave these of the re-releases of BOTH films? Can I get an A-men somebody? So, only get the one with the red cover . This rare CD has both versions.