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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Strawberry Fields Forever | |||
| 2. Penny Lane | |||
| 3. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band | |||
| 4. With a Little Help from My Friends | |||
| 5. 1. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds | |||
| 6. A Day in the Life | |||
| 7. All You Need Is Love | |||
| 8. I Am the Walrus | |||
| 9. Hello, Goodbye | |||
| 10. The Fool on the Hill | |||
See all 14 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Back in the U.S.S.R. | |||
| 2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps | |||
| 3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da | |||
| 4. Get Back | |||
| 5. Don't Let Me Down | |||
| 6. Ballad of John and Yoko | |||
| 7. Old Brown Shoe | |||
| 8. Here Comes the Sun | |||
| 9. Come Together | |||
| 10. Something | |||
|
See all 14 tracks on this disc
| |||
Editorial Reviews
Digitally remastered two CD digipak reissue of this classic Beatles compilation spanning the years 1967-1970. Originally released in 1973, the 'Blue' collection was released in conjunction with the 'Red' compilation, which focused on the band's earlier years, 1962-1966. Both releases were hugely successful and remain two of the best selling compilations of all time. 28 tracks.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
127 of 132 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Commonly known as the "Blue Album", the 2LP vinyl set "1967 - 1970" became an instant classic when it was first released in April 1973 (as did its "Red" counterpart "1962-1966"). When they were finally reissued onto the new CD format in 1993 however, they caused consternation because of their extortionate full price.
So is this newly remastered 2010 mid-priced 2CD reissue on EMI/Apple 5099990674723 any better - the answer is an emphatic 'yes'.
PACKAGING:
The first thing you notice is that the clunky double jewel-case of the 1993 reissue has been dumped for a three-way foldout card sleeve. The centre and right flaps picture the photograph on the inner gatefold of the original vinyl double album (St. Pancras Old Church in London, 27 July 1969, The Beatles with the public looking through the railings - it's the same photo on the "Red" album). It also houses the two CDs - CD1 has the full Apple label (14 tracks, 51:15 minutes) and the 2nd CD has the half Apple logo (14 tracks, 48:43 minutes). The vinyl set is yet to come, the Digital Download versions are available from 25 Oct 2010 and there's also an issue that lumps both the Blue & Red reissues together as one package in late November.
The left flap houses a new 32-page booklet. The lyrics are intact from the inner sleeves of the original album issue, there's new liner notes by BILL FLANAGAN the MTV Executive and author of "Evening's Empire" (a book on Rock in the Sixties) and there's plenty of superb colour photos from the period - it's impressively done. Downsides - some complained that the 09/09/09 card digipak sleeves for The Beatles reissues were easy to smudge once out of the shrinkwrap and worse - the inner flaps easy to tear as you removed the disc. I'm afraid these are the same. I suppose I would have been naďve of us to think that EMI would actually listen to the complaints of 2009 about packaging, but they haven't - the need for these issues to look the same as the preceding ones has overridden all considerations... Having said that, I still think they look great - substantial even...
PLAYING TIMES:
Unlike the "Red" issue which could easily have fitted onto 1CD (and even included bonus tracks), as you can see from the playing times provided above, it would not have been possible with this set. Anyway - EMI would of course argue that a single CD issue of this most `iconic' of double albums would fundamentally alter the aesthetic of the original release. At least this time, this 2CD reissue is at mid price, so we're not being charged for the privilege of separation.
TRACK CHOICES:
The compilation itself is basically the A-sides of all their UK 7" singles releases between 1967 and 1970 in chronological release date order with a few key album tracks thrown in for good measure. Eagle-eye fans would therefore note that up to and including "Get Back" - ALL Beatles UK 7" singles for that period were issued only in MONO ("The Ballad Of John & Yoko" was their 1st STEREO single in the UK). So the tracks on the album should reflect that - the MONO single mixes. But EMI did nothing of the sort. They're all in STEREO (there's 4 MONO on the "Red" set) and i would argue that accuracy's loss is the listener's gain, because the STEREO versions used here are awesome.
SOUND:
Although the compilation is copyrighted to 2010 (released Monday 18 Oct 2010 in the UK and 19 Oct 2010 in the USA), the liner notes don't try to hide that these are the 2009 remasters by the same team who did the much-praised Beatles catalogue of 09/09/09. The sound quality is fantastic - breathtaking clarity on instruments - the piano and guitars on "Lady Madonna", the jet screeching in at the opening of "Back In The U.S.S.R", the brass on "All You Need Is Love", Billy Preston's superb keyboard work on "Let It Be", the wonderfully loose live feel of "Don't Let Me Down" (best B-side ever?) - and so on.
CONTENT:
But what impresses most is the actual listen itself. Even now, it's truly shocking to hear just how accomplished The Beatles became during this ludicrously productive period. And diversity of writers crept in too. There's the 4 Harrison gems "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Old Brown Shoe" and the magical double of "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun", while Ringo gets the witty "Octopus's Garden". Leaving the rest as Lennon-McCartney originals. And what an embarrassment of riches they are...
7" perfection comes twice - "Strawberry Fields Forever" b/w "Penny Lane" and arguably the greatest single ever released - "Hey Jude" b/w "Revolution" (melodious Paul on the A with rockin' blistering John on the B). Most bands would kill a close relative to get anywhere near this level of genius. And by the time you get to the ballads at the end of Disc 2 - "The Long And Winding Road" and "Across The Universe" - adjectives begin to fail you... Were The Beatles really 'this' good - the answer is yes - and always will be.
To sum up - the sound on these new reissues is fabulous; the packaging better than the 1993 versions and each is being sold at mid-price - available in most places for less than the price of a single new album. You can't help but think that millions of people globally will take one look at these beauties on a shelf somewhere and slap them straight into their shopping baskets. And rightly so...
I've loved re-hearing these classic Beatles songs in this beautiful sound quality - I really have - and despite some minor packaging quibbles - the 2010 version of the "Blue" album is wholeheartedly recommended.
So is this newly remastered 2010 mid-priced 2CD reissue on EMI/Apple 5099990674723 any better - the answer is an emphatic 'yes'.
PACKAGING:
The first thing you notice is that the clunky double jewel-case of the 1993 reissue has been dumped for a three-way foldout card sleeve. The centre and right flaps picture the photograph on the inner gatefold of the original vinyl double album (St. Pancras Old Church in London, 27 July 1969, The Beatles with the public looking through the railings - it's the same photo on the "Red" album). It also houses the two CDs - CD1 has the full Apple label (14 tracks, 51:15 minutes) and the 2nd CD has the half Apple logo (14 tracks, 48:43 minutes). The vinyl set is yet to come, the Digital Download versions are available from 25 Oct 2010 and there's also an issue that lumps both the Blue & Red reissues together as one package in late November.
The left flap houses a new 32-page booklet. The lyrics are intact from the inner sleeves of the original album issue, there's new liner notes by BILL FLANAGAN the MTV Executive and author of "Evening's Empire" (a book on Rock in the Sixties) and there's plenty of superb colour photos from the period - it's impressively done. Downsides - some complained that the 09/09/09 card digipak sleeves for The Beatles reissues were easy to smudge once out of the shrinkwrap and worse - the inner flaps easy to tear as you removed the disc. I'm afraid these are the same. I suppose I would have been naďve of us to think that EMI would actually listen to the complaints of 2009 about packaging, but they haven't - the need for these issues to look the same as the preceding ones has overridden all considerations... Having said that, I still think they look great - substantial even...
PLAYING TIMES:
Unlike the "Red" issue which could easily have fitted onto 1CD (and even included bonus tracks), as you can see from the playing times provided above, it would not have been possible with this set. Anyway - EMI would of course argue that a single CD issue of this most `iconic' of double albums would fundamentally alter the aesthetic of the original release. At least this time, this 2CD reissue is at mid price, so we're not being charged for the privilege of separation.
TRACK CHOICES:
The compilation itself is basically the A-sides of all their UK 7" singles releases between 1967 and 1970 in chronological release date order with a few key album tracks thrown in for good measure. Eagle-eye fans would therefore note that up to and including "Get Back" - ALL Beatles UK 7" singles for that period were issued only in MONO ("The Ballad Of John & Yoko" was their 1st STEREO single in the UK). So the tracks on the album should reflect that - the MONO single mixes. But EMI did nothing of the sort. They're all in STEREO (there's 4 MONO on the "Red" set) and i would argue that accuracy's loss is the listener's gain, because the STEREO versions used here are awesome.
SOUND:
Although the compilation is copyrighted to 2010 (released Monday 18 Oct 2010 in the UK and 19 Oct 2010 in the USA), the liner notes don't try to hide that these are the 2009 remasters by the same team who did the much-praised Beatles catalogue of 09/09/09. The sound quality is fantastic - breathtaking clarity on instruments - the piano and guitars on "Lady Madonna", the jet screeching in at the opening of "Back In The U.S.S.R", the brass on "All You Need Is Love", Billy Preston's superb keyboard work on "Let It Be", the wonderfully loose live feel of "Don't Let Me Down" (best B-side ever?) - and so on.
CONTENT:
But what impresses most is the actual listen itself. Even now, it's truly shocking to hear just how accomplished The Beatles became during this ludicrously productive period. And diversity of writers crept in too. There's the 4 Harrison gems "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Old Brown Shoe" and the magical double of "Something" and "Here Comes The Sun", while Ringo gets the witty "Octopus's Garden". Leaving the rest as Lennon-McCartney originals. And what an embarrassment of riches they are...
7" perfection comes twice - "Strawberry Fields Forever" b/w "Penny Lane" and arguably the greatest single ever released - "Hey Jude" b/w "Revolution" (melodious Paul on the A with rockin' blistering John on the B). Most bands would kill a close relative to get anywhere near this level of genius. And by the time you get to the ballads at the end of Disc 2 - "The Long And Winding Road" and "Across The Universe" - adjectives begin to fail you... Were The Beatles really 'this' good - the answer is yes - and always will be.
To sum up - the sound on these new reissues is fabulous; the packaging better than the 1993 versions and each is being sold at mid-price - available in most places for less than the price of a single new album. You can't help but think that millions of people globally will take one look at these beauties on a shelf somewhere and slap them straight into their shopping baskets. And rightly so...
I've loved re-hearing these classic Beatles songs in this beautiful sound quality - I really have - and despite some minor packaging quibbles - the 2010 version of the "Blue" album is wholeheartedly recommended.
86 of 94 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
The "Red" and "Blue" Beatles CDs are testament to the genius of the band's music and are an excellent overview and a great place to start for those uninitiated (if there are such people) with the greatest band in history.
1962-1966 ("Red") covers the Beatles' Merseybeat era, a time when the Beatles were considered a singles "teenybopper" band. Among the best cuts on the first CD are "Please Please Me", "She Loves You", "Eight Days a Week", and "Ticket to Ride".
Their progression from teenyboppers to "serious band" begins to show in the songs from 1965's Rubber Soul, including "Norwegian Wood", featuring George Harrison on the sitar, and John Lennon's introspective "In My Life", which hints at the band's glorious and more complex studio work that was to follow.
The Red CD collection ends with two songs from 1966's Revolver, a record that placed the band on even higher creative ground: Paul McCartney's masterpiece "Eleanor Rigby" is the first time a string quartet accompanied a rock and roll record, and "Yellow Submarine" was one in a line of catchy, childlike songs written for resident jester and drummer extrodinaire Ringo Starr.
The first disc of 1967-1970 ("Blue") has the far more unenviable task of selecting four representative tracks from 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, still considered to be the most ground-breaking and influential album in the history of rock. "A Day in the Life" is the standout -- Sgt. Pepper's closer and emotional peak.
The CD closes with the two songs that best demonstrate the eventual clash in Lennon and McCartney's songwriting styles: McCartney's "Hey Jude" and Lennon's "Revolution" were sides A and B respectively of the Beatles' greatest-selling (and perhaps just "greatest") single. Where Lennon's song is a snarling, self-righteous rocker, McCartney's is a sing-song orchestral ballad. The one you like best probably depends on whether you're a "John" or "Paul" person -- truth is they're both great.
The final CD spans from 1968's The Beatles ("The White Album") to the end of the band's career. McCartney's best moments "Let it Be", "Get Back", and "The Long and Winding Road" (Despite that over-the-top Phil Spector production) are here, as are Lennon's "Don't Let Me Down" and "Come Together". The closer is "Long and Winding Road", though it's perhaps a weaker conclusion than "Two of Us" might have been.
The Red and Blue collections are awesome reminders of the Beatles' past accomplishments and their continued vitality even today.
38 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By T. Goyer
Format:Audio CD
Like many before me,this "blue" Beatles best-of served as my first,in-depth sampling of The Beatles' output from their post-'Revolver' era from early-1967 onward... You couldn't find a better 100+ minutes of music to listen to straight through than the superb 28 tracks that make up 'The Beatles 1967-1970'. I bought this initially back in the winter of 1988 (I was 18 at the time) on cassette,and it changed my life. True; the 2-cd version often retails at $34.00,which is a bit much,but the material contained is beyond priceless.. About the songs. The songs!! There's not a lame one among the batch of 28. What's even cooler is that -even as the songs unfurl chronologically- they pack a flow to rival any of anyone's favorite best-of albums... The flow of all 28 is remarkable... A fantastic mix of all their late '60's #1 hits as well as choice album cuts ("A Day In The Life","I Am The Walrus")... Seriously folks; anyone who is feeling the itch to discover The Beatles' later output should get this "blue" best-of first,then graduate onto the studio albums themselves.. That's what happened to me and I wound up (so far) buying all of the albums from 'Rubber Soul' (1965) onwards... This blue '1967-1970' never disappoints. Because the liner notes/inlay booklet doesn't tell you which album each track is culled from,I'll happily fill you in:
Disc One:
1.)Strawberry Fields Forever(John in vocals)
2.)Penny Lane(Paul on vocals)
(Both originally released as a stand-alone single in early 1967 and both served as the first tracks recorded for what would be 1967's "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". However,the two songs weren't released on any Beatles' album until late-1967's 'Sgt. Pepper' follow-up 'Magical Mystery Tour'.)
3.)Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band(Paul on vocals)
4.)With A Little Help From My Friends (Ringo on vocals)
5.)Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds(John on vocals)
6.)A Day In The Life(John and Paul on vocals)
3-6 from the legendary 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'; 1967.
7.)All You Need Is Love (John on vocals)
8.)I Am The Walrus(John on vocals)
9.)Hello,Goodbye(Paul on vocals)
10.)The Fool On The Hill (Paul on vocals)
11.)Magical Mystery Tour(John on vocals)
7-11 from 'Magical Mystery Tour'; 1967
12.)Lady Madonna(Paul on vocals)
13.)Hey Jude(Paul on vocals)
14.)Revolution(John on vocals)
12-14 all stand-alone singles released in 1968. All were/are
huge hits. Sweet!
Disc Two:
1.)Back In The U.S.S.R.(Paul on vocals)
2.)While My Guitar Gently Weeps(George on vocals)
3.)Ob-La-Di,Ob-La-Da(Paul on vocals)
1-3 taken from 1968's double-album 'The Beatles' (aka "The White Album").
4.)Get Back(Paul on vocals) (Originally recorded 1969 as a single and not released on album until 1970's 'Let It Be'. Twistedly,'Let It Be' was recorded prior to 1969's final Beatles' studio album 'Abbey Road',but not released until later...)
5.)Don't Let Me Down(non-album b-side to the "Get Back" single; John on vocals)
6.)The Ballad Of John And Yoko (non-LP stand-alone single; John on vocals. One of the very few Beatles tracks recorded with only John and Paul playing all the instruments..)
7.)Old Brown Shoe(b-side to "The Ballad Of John And Yoko"; George on vocals)
All of the hits plus some choice b-sides as well.. Yeah!!
8.)Here Comes The Sun(George on vocals)
9.)Come Together(John on vocals)
10.)Something(George on vocals)
11.)Octopus's Garden (Ringo on vocals)
(All culled from 1969's *true* final Beatle masterpiece,'Abbey Road')
12.)Let It Be (Paul on vocals)
13.)Across The Universe(John on vocals)
14.)The Long And Winding Road (Paul on vocals)
12-14 from 1970's (actually recorded early 1969) 'Let It Be'.
So there you go... 28 of THE very best music ever to grace the world... (Seriously.) Please do yourself a favor and check out *any* Beatles' music. But a choice place to start certainly is here. Have Fun/Enjoy/Peace!
Thanks for your time.
Tim Goyer
Albany,NY
USA
6/28/06
Disc One:
1.)Strawberry Fields Forever(John in vocals)
2.)Penny Lane(Paul on vocals)
(Both originally released as a stand-alone single in early 1967 and both served as the first tracks recorded for what would be 1967's "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band". However,the two songs weren't released on any Beatles' album until late-1967's 'Sgt. Pepper' follow-up 'Magical Mystery Tour'.)
3.)Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band(Paul on vocals)
4.)With A Little Help From My Friends (Ringo on vocals)
5.)Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds(John on vocals)
6.)A Day In The Life(John and Paul on vocals)
3-6 from the legendary 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'; 1967.
7.)All You Need Is Love (John on vocals)
8.)I Am The Walrus(John on vocals)
9.)Hello,Goodbye(Paul on vocals)
10.)The Fool On The Hill (Paul on vocals)
11.)Magical Mystery Tour(John on vocals)
7-11 from 'Magical Mystery Tour'; 1967
12.)Lady Madonna(Paul on vocals)
13.)Hey Jude(Paul on vocals)
14.)Revolution(John on vocals)
12-14 all stand-alone singles released in 1968. All were/are
huge hits. Sweet!
Disc Two:
1.)Back In The U.S.S.R.(Paul on vocals)
2.)While My Guitar Gently Weeps(George on vocals)
3.)Ob-La-Di,Ob-La-Da(Paul on vocals)
1-3 taken from 1968's double-album 'The Beatles' (aka "The White Album").
4.)Get Back(Paul on vocals) (Originally recorded 1969 as a single and not released on album until 1970's 'Let It Be'. Twistedly,'Let It Be' was recorded prior to 1969's final Beatles' studio album 'Abbey Road',but not released until later...)
5.)Don't Let Me Down(non-album b-side to the "Get Back" single; John on vocals)
6.)The Ballad Of John And Yoko (non-LP stand-alone single; John on vocals. One of the very few Beatles tracks recorded with only John and Paul playing all the instruments..)
7.)Old Brown Shoe(b-side to "The Ballad Of John And Yoko"; George on vocals)
All of the hits plus some choice b-sides as well.. Yeah!!
8.)Here Comes The Sun(George on vocals)
9.)Come Together(John on vocals)
10.)Something(George on vocals)
11.)Octopus's Garden (Ringo on vocals)
(All culled from 1969's *true* final Beatle masterpiece,'Abbey Road')
12.)Let It Be (Paul on vocals)
13.)Across The Universe(John on vocals)
14.)The Long And Winding Road (Paul on vocals)
12-14 from 1970's (actually recorded early 1969) 'Let It Be'.
So there you go... 28 of THE very best music ever to grace the world... (Seriously.) Please do yourself a favor and check out *any* Beatles' music. But a choice place to start certainly is here. Have Fun/Enjoy/Peace!
Thanks for your time.
Tim Goyer
Albany,NY
USA
6/28/06
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great!
This was an excellent gift for my friend. He is a true Beatles fan and this made it even better.
Published 7 days ago by Ana Lisa Rodriguez
5.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect for a music collector.
I have a large inventory of music and it just wouldn't be complete without the Beatles. I have the complete collection now.
Published 8 days ago by Emy
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beatles Blue album must have for Collection
Great Cd. Having lived through this era during my early teen years, I had to have this Cd for my music collection. Best collection of the Beatles hits for the time . Read more
Published 1 month ago by Linda M. Payette
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Songs
Yes, I bought 1962-1966 (Red) and 1967-1970 (Blue) and the tracks are great. Absolutely love both these albums, I would recommend them..
Published 1 month ago by Sylvia Tripp
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best of The Beatles
My husband loves this album. It has all the great Beatles songs. Lots of listening time for the whole family.
Published 1 month ago by april
5.0 out of 5 stars
the beatles blue album
My son's been asking for this album for a while, so we finally got it for him. It came quickly and was in perfect condition.
Published 1 month ago by J. Herrera
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Beattles Album
Oh, the Beattles were great songsters. I'm very glad I purchased this album and intend to enjoy it on my long rides to wherever my car takes me.
Published 1 month ago by wayzlady
4.0 out of 5 stars
a good collection
Has some of the Beatles best songs without buying all the albums. Nicely showcases that period of the Beatles work.
Published 2 months ago by Andrew G. Bourassa
3.0 out of 5 stars
Ned the set
Have the Red one and soon will have the Blue one. Makes a nice birthday present and you can't go wrong with the Beatles.
Published 2 months ago by Aileen
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Collection
Oldies but goodies! One of the ways to get Hey Jude and a few other hit singles. There is also a detailed booklet. I just wish the CDs were in a more protected jewel case.
Published 2 months ago by Brian A. Foster
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