The Beatles Rarities


Capitol

SPRO 8969 (included with boxed set in 12/1978)

SHAL 12060
March 24, 1980

The release of The Beatles Collection (boxed set)
in 1978 was a thoughtful one. On the European side, the 12 original albums were included, as well as one extra album, called simply Rarities. This was a compilation of cuts and tracks not found on UK albums, and was indeed a rarity for the UK Beatle fan. However, most UK fans were already in possession of the other 12 albums, and frustrated shop owners were culling the coveted Rarities album from the rest of the set in order to satisfy the wants of their demanding customers. This was almost surely in response to EMI's statement to the intent that the Rarities album would not be available in the future as a stand-alone record.

Capitol concurred with EMI in this intention, and released their own 13-volume boxed set in America. This set was identical to the UK set, with the exception of 2 tracks: the German versions of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" were supplied on the UK release, while in America, the English versions were substituted. However rare the tracks were for the European fan (6 "B" sides previously available on singles only, plus the previously unreleased German versions made for 8 rarities indeed), in America this was not the case. There were only 2 songs on the album not found on earlier American releases, and "Across The Universe" was the only completely new track.

In 1979, Capitol reversed itself (apparently due to the rather unrareness of The Beatles Rarities offerings), and announced its intention to release a package of true American rarities on its budget line in November of that year. SN 12009 hit the presses in October ... but a conundrum arose. Someone at Capitol had already begun work on a rare package, given it a catalog number (SPRO 9462), a title (Collectors Items), pressed it and released it with the following offerings: "Love Me Do" (the original version, with Ringo on drums), "All My Loving" (with hi hat intro), "This Boy" (in true stereo this time), "Sie Liebt Dich", "She's A Woman" (another stereo first), and "I'm Down" (which was thought previously unavailable in stereo). Side 2 included the promotional version of "Penny Lane" and a stereo version of "Baby, You're A Rich Man", and "Across The Universe" (only released once in America on the previous Rarities album). When it came out that "I'm Down" had indeed been released in stereo (on the Rock'N'Roll Music double album), a different stereo mix of "Paperback Writer" was substituted, and the catalog number was changed to SPRO 9463. Still later, plans changed once again, and The Collectors Items LP was scrapped altogether, all copies ordered destroyed.

Rarities was scheduled for release in November ... but Capitol revised its plans once again, releasing a revamped Rarities album on March 24, 1980, which included many of the track offerings on the Collectors Items LP. Yet again, another bootlegged version of Capitol's rare album hit the market. Casualties (SPRO 9469 - Capitol's promotional series), like the bootlegged versions of Collectors Items, carried an authentic Capitol sleeve, logo, credits and all, with an interesting "for promotional use only - not for sale" legend across the cover. Most of the recordings on this album were simply different mono or stereo mixes of tracks already available in the USA. Who knows for sure where all these "rare" albums came from? For the avid Beatle nut, it surely didn't matter ... rare is rare, and therefore desirable. What follows is the "official" Capitol offerings of the Rarities album.

The Beatles Rarities (US version)
SPRO 8969
A Side

Across The Universe
Yes It Is
This Boy
The Inner Light
I'll Get You
Thank You Girl
I Want To Hold Your Hand
You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
She Loves You

SHAL 12060
A Side

Love Me Do
Misery
There's A Place
Sie Liebt Dich
And I Love Her
Help!
I'm Only Sleeping
I Am The Walrus

B Side

Rain
She's A Woman
Matchbox
I Call Your Name
Bad Boy
Slow Down
I'm Down
Long Tall Sally

B Side

Penny Lane
Helter Skelter
Don't Pass Me By
The Inner Light
Across The Universe
You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)
Sgt. Pepper Inner Groove