Rarities (Beatles compilation)
Encyclopedia
Rarities is a British compilation album
featuring a selection of songs by The Beatles
. The album was originally released as part of The Beatles Collection
, a box set featuring all other Beatles records, but was later released individually. The album has not been released on CD, but all of the tracks are available on the double CD compilation Past Masters. This article covers the British version of the album — as released as part of The Beatles Collection and later separately in the UK.
Rarities was conceived to include lesser known songs that were not included on any other original Beatles album — these included B-sides
of singles, two German language recordings, the tracks from an EP with exclusive material
, a song recorded for the American market and a version of "Across the Universe" that had previously appeared on a World Wildlife Fund charity record.
The choice of selections seems to assume that the customer already has all the regular issue British albums (i.e., the albums included in the 1978 boxed set) plus the The Beatles/1962-1966 (the "Red Album"), the The Beatles/1967-1970 (the "Blue Album"), and Magical Mystery Tour
but not A Collection of Beatles Oldies
or Hey Jude
. Such a collector would own copies of every song in the entire Beatles catalogue except for all the songs provided on Rarities. (Such a collector, however, would still be missing the original single version of "Love Me Do." This track, which went out-of-print in the fall of 1963, was not available anywhere until included on the 1980 American album, The Beatles Rarities
. It was finally made available again in Britain in 1982 on a "Love Me Do" 12-single that also featured the common version of "Love Me Do" as well as "P.S. I Love You.")
The album was released 2 November 1978 in Britain
, as part of the British edition of The Beatles Collection
boxed set. It was also issued in 12 October 1979 in the United Kingdom as a stand-alone album.
and Paul McCartney
except where indicated. Songs are in mono unless indicated as stereo.
Side one
Side two
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
featuring a selection of songs by The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. The album was originally released as part of The Beatles Collection
The Beatles Collection
The Beatles Collection is a box set of vinyl albums released in the United States in November 1978 and the following month in the United Kingdom containing the official catalogue of The Beatles in stereo, and a new compilation called Rarities...
, a box set featuring all other Beatles records, but was later released individually. The album has not been released on CD, but all of the tracks are available on the double CD compilation Past Masters. This article covers the British version of the album — as released as part of The Beatles Collection and later separately in the UK.
Rarities was conceived to include lesser known songs that were not included on any other original Beatles album — these included B-sides
B-Sides
B-Sides is an iTunes-exclusive album from the Coventry Trio The Enemy, consisting of ten songs that were B-sides to the single releases from their debut album We'll Live and Die in These Towns.-Track list:#Fear Killed the Youth of Our Nation...
of singles, two German language recordings, the tracks from an EP with exclusive material
Long Tall Sally (EP)
-Other releases:*In the United States, the EP was split and released on The Beatles' Second Album and Something New ....
, a song recorded for the American market and a version of "Across the Universe" that had previously appeared on a World Wildlife Fund charity record.
The choice of selections seems to assume that the customer already has all the regular issue British albums (i.e., the albums included in the 1978 boxed set) plus the The Beatles/1962-1966 (the "Red Album"), the The Beatles/1967-1970 (the "Blue Album"), and Magical Mystery Tour
Magical Mystery Tour (album)
The soundtrack was far more favourably received than the film. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for best album in 1968 and reached number 1 in the US for eight weeks...
but not A Collection of Beatles Oldies
A Collection of Beatles Oldies
A Collection of Beatles Oldies is a compilation album featuring a selection of songs by The Beatles recorded between 1963 and 1966...
or Hey Jude
Hey Jude (album)
Hey Jude is a 1970 collection of non-album Beatles singles and B-sides, as well as "I Should Have Known Better" and "Can't Buy Me Love", two singles released by Capitol Records whose only previous American album appearance had been on the A Hard Day's Night soundtrack album which had been released...
. Such a collector would own copies of every song in the entire Beatles catalogue except for all the songs provided on Rarities. (Such a collector, however, would still be missing the original single version of "Love Me Do." This track, which went out-of-print in the fall of 1963, was not available anywhere until included on the 1980 American album, The Beatles Rarities
Rarities (American Beatles compilation)
Rarities is a compilation album released by Capitol Records featuring a selection of songs by The Beatles. The album was inspired by an earlier compilation of the same name which was released as part of The Beatles Collection box set. Most of the tracks on The Beatles Collection album called...
. It was finally made available again in Britain in 1982 on a "Love Me Do" 12-single that also featured the common version of "Love Me Do" as well as "P.S. I Love You.")
The album was released 2 November 1978 in Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, as part of the British edition of The Beatles Collection
The Beatles Collection
The Beatles Collection is a box set of vinyl albums released in the United States in November 1978 and the following month in the United Kingdom containing the official catalogue of The Beatles in stereo, and a new compilation called Rarities...
boxed set. It was also issued in 12 October 1979 in the United Kingdom as a stand-alone album.
Track listing
All songs written by John LennonJohn Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
except where indicated. Songs are in mono unless indicated as stereo.
Side one
- "Across the UniverseAcross the Universe"Across the Universe" is a song by the English group The Beatles. It was written by John Lennon, and credited to Lennon–McCartney. The song first appeared on the various artists charity compilation album No One's Gonna Change Our World in December 1969, and later, in different form, on Let It Be,...
" ("Wildlife" version from a British various artists charity album titled No One's Gonna Change Our WorldNo One's Gonna Change Our WorldNo One's Gonna Change Our World is a charity album released in the UK on 12 December 1969 for the benefit of the World Wildlife Fund.The compilation was put together by comedian Spike Milligan. It features liner notes by Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
) stereo - "Yes It IsYes It Is"Yes It Is" is a 1965 Beatles song written by John Lennon which was first released as the B-side to "Ticket to Ride"...
" (B-side) - "This BoyThis Boy"This Boy" is a song by English rock band The Beatles released in November 1963 as the B-side of the British Parlophone single "I Want to Hold Your Hand". The Beatles performed it live on 16 February 1964 for their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show...
" (B-side) - "The Inner LightThe Inner Light (song)"The Inner Light" is a song written by George Harrison that was first released by The Beatles as a B-side to "Lady Madonna". It was the first Harrison composition to be featured on a Beatles single. The lyrics are a rendering of the 47th chapter of the Taoist Tao Te Ching...
" (HarrisonGeorge HarrisonGeorge Harrison, MBE was an English musician, guitarist, singer-songwriter, actor and film producer who achieved international fame as lead guitarist of The Beatles. Often referred to as "the quiet Beatle", Harrison became over time an admirer of Indian mysticism, and introduced it to the other...
) (B-side) - "I'll Get YouI'll Get You"I'll Get You" is a song by The Beatles, written by Lennon/McCartney, and released by The Beatles as the B-side of their 1963 single "She Loves You"...
" (B-side) - "Thank You GirlThank You Girl"Thank You Girl" is a song by The Beatles and released as the B-side of "From Me to You", which was recorded on the same day . While not released on an LP in the United Kingdom until Rarities in 1978, the single was featured as the second track on The Beatles' Second Album in the United States...
" (B-side) - "Komm, Gib Mir Deine HandI Want to Hold Your Hand"I Want to Hold Your Hand" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles. Written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and recorded in October 1963, it was the first Beatles record to be made using four-track equipment....
" (German version of "I Want to Hold Your Hand") stereo - "You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)"You Know My Name " is a song by The Beatles originally released as the B-side of the single "Let It Be" on 6 March 1970. Although first issued with their final single , it was recorded in four separate sessions beginning with three in May and June 1967, and one in 1969.-Composition:The song is a...
" (B-side) - "Sie Liebt DichShe Loves You"She Loves You" is a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney based on an idea by McCartney, originally recorded by The Beatles for release as a single in 1963. The single set and surpassed several records in the United Kingdom charts, and set a record in the United States by being one of the...
" (German version of "She Loves You") stereo
Side two
- "RainRain (The Beatles song)"Rain" is a song by the English rock band The Beatles, credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first released in June 1966 as the B-side of the "Paperback Writer" single...
" (B-side) - "She's a WomanShe's a Woman"She's a Woman" is a song by The Beatles. It was released as the B-side to "I Feel Fine" in 1964, their last single release that year. It reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 from frequent airplay.-Composition:...
" (B-side) - "MatchboxMatchbox (song)"Matchbox" is a rock and roll and rockabilly song written by Carl Perkins and first recorded by him at Sun Records in December 1956 and released on February 11, 1957 as a 45 single on Sun Records. It has become one of Perkins' best-known recordings...
" (PerkinsCarl PerkinsCarl Lee Perkins was an American rockabilly musician who recorded most notably at Sun Records Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, beginning during 1954...
) (From "Long Tall SallyLong Tall Sally (EP)-Other releases:*In the United States, the EP was split and released on The Beatles' Second Album and Something New ....
" EP) - "I Call Your NameI Call Your Name"I Call Your Name" is a song written primarily by John Lennon and credited to Lennon–McCartney.-Overview:Lennon wrote the song prior to the formation of the Beatles. In 1963, he gave the song to Billy J. Kramer of The Dakotas, another Liverpool band who was signed to Parlophone by George Martin...
" (From "Long Tall Sally" EP) - "Bad Boy" (WilliamsLarry WilliamsLarry Williams was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana...
) (recorded for the American LP Beatles VIBeatles VIBeatles VI is The Beatles' seventh Capitol Records release in the United States . It was the ninth album released into that market in less than one and a half years...
, first UK release in A Collection of Beatles OldiesA Collection of Beatles OldiesA Collection of Beatles Oldies is a compilation album featuring a selection of songs by The Beatles recorded between 1963 and 1966...
) stereo - "Slow Down" (WilliamsLarry WilliamsLarry Williams was an American rhythm and blues and rock and roll singer, songwriter, producer, and pianist from New Orleans, Louisiana...
) (From "Long Tall Sally" EP) - "I'm DownI'm Down"I'm Down" is a song by the Beatles written by Paul McCartney and first released as the B-side to the single "Help!" in 1965.-Composition:...
" (B-side) - "Long Tall SallyLong Tall Sally"Long Tall Sally" is a rock and roll 12-bar blues song written by Robert "Bumps" Blackwell, Enotris Johnson and Richard Penniman , recorded by Little Richard and released March 1956 on the Specialty Records label....
" (Johnson/PennimanLittle RichardRichard Wayne Penniman , known by the stage name Little Richard, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, recording artist, and actor, considered key in the transition from rhythm and blues to rock and roll in the 1950s. He was also the first artist to put the funk in the rock and roll beat and...
/BlackwellRobert BlackwellRobert "Bumps" Blackwell was an American songwriter, arranger, and record producer, best known for his work overseeing the early hits of Little Richard, as well as grooming Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Lloyd Price, Sam Cooke, Herb Alpert, Larry Williams, and Sly and the Family Stone at the start of...
) (From "Long Tall Sally" EP)