Customer Reviews

Hey Jude/ The Beatles Again

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

 

 

As cobbled-together albums go, THE BEATLES AGAIN (also known as "Hey Jude") is about as good as it gets. The 10 songs presented on it are from singles and B-sides, and cover the majority of the band's stellar career. Not one of these could be considered throwaway or filler.

John Lennon's lead vocals on all four of his songs are some of his most powerful ever. The track of "Revolution" presented is the one Lennon tried (but failed) to place on the White Album. Commonly labeled "the fast-version," some spine-tingling guitar work make this unforgettable. The several Paul McCartney tunes were some of the group's biggest hits. George Harrison's lone contribution, "Old Brown Shoe" is high-energy and has an infectious hook.

If you don't already own this one, here is a "fab" opportunity to enjoy... THE BEATLES AGAIN!

PROGRAM--
SIDE ONE:
[2:19] Can't Buy Me Love
[2:39] I Should Have Known Better
[2:14] Paperback Writer
[2:58] Rain
[2:14] Lady Madonna
[3:21] Revolution

SIDE TWO:
[7:06] Hey Jude
[3:16] Old Brown Shoe
[3:30] Don't Let Me Down
[2:55] Ballad of John and Yoko

I always looked at this as an lp, though some called it an EP. It would be the only EP that I know of that had 10 songs on it! Anyway, it's all good as the other reviewer said and there is no need in repeating what he said. I will say that just about all these songs are on "Past Masters" which has now become a double album with Past Masters I & II. This the 2 cd remastered set I'm talking about. I had to get it just for the songs on "Hey Jude" (though there are others I like). As for the lp, I'll have to get a copy of it as I loved the cover.

'Hey Jude' is a bits-and-pieces album that collects The Beatles' non-album singles and B-sides: 'Paperback Writer' and its B-side 'Rain', 'Hey Jude' and 'Revolution', 'John And Yoko' and 'Old Brown Shoe', 'Lady Madonna' (but not its B-side), and 'Don't Let Me Down' (B-side of 'Get Back'). And somehow 'Can't Buy Me Love' and 'I Should Have Known Better' found their way on here as well, despite being present on 'A Hard Day's Night'.

While these songs are outstanding and represent some of the best music of their time, as a collection the album itself is full of shortcomings.

Firstly, these represent singles that were absent from the American, not British releases. Songs like 'I Feel Fine', 'We Can Work It Out', 'Day Tripper', 'Strawberry Fields Forever', 'Penny Lane' and 'All You Need is Love' have appeared on various US-only releases, and are not present here. So really, unless you have the American versions of the studio albums, 'Hey Jude' will seem incomplete. There are simply too many songs missing for those who have the original British versions (which would be most people).

Secondly, this album has basically been superceded by better collections such as 'Red'/'Blue' and 'Past Masters', which between them contain virtually all of the non-album singles plus B-sides. 'Past Masters' in particular is an important album for dedicated fans seeking key B-sides like 'This Boy', 'Yes It Is', 'She's A Woman', 'I'm Down', 'Rain', plus rarities such as 'The Inner Light' and 'You Know My Name'.

So 'Hey Jude' doesn't contain enough singles to be a complete package, and what songs it does contain can be found on better collections. Unfortunately, despite this containing some outstanding individual songs, there's just not much point in buying this anymore.