This is one of a handful of LPs that I bought new in a record store. Most or my music library at the time consisted of hand-me-downs and thrift store finds. I bought most of my Beatles LPs second hand and had a pretty nice collection at one time.
I really loved the bootlegs albums and the off the wall stuff that would pop up once in a while. Nothing really exciting most of the time, just an album you already owned with a never before seen cover. Or maybe a song or two that shouldn’t be there. These still show up eBay once in a while, but really, the thrill has gone.
Rarities was another beast altogether, here was a bootleg LP put out by Capitol! Capitol and all the other labels that ever had a Beatles contract, have been milking the seven years of glory for all they were worth ever since the group broke up in 1970. We all knew that there were gems hidden in the vaults, and we all wanted to hear them. Rarities was the first step on the road to the Anthology CDs.
There was nothing all that far out here, a few notes added or left out, a stereo mix instead a mono mix, but all in all, these were the same songs were were familiar with. But it was a taste of the possible. Truth be told, I don’t listen to my Anthology CDs. Most of the stuff is a bit too far out, you can hear why it was not released. But I’m still glad that it was. Outtakes from the Beatles are better than new releases from today’s pop stars.
I still listen to Rarities. My favorite track is Penny Lane, which is just the standard release with an extra trumpet flourish added to the end. I really miss that little fanfare whenever I hear the regular version of the song.
They were still too scared to use the Butcher Cover, even ten years after the breakup, but it was used on the inside. This image is a wonderfully weird bit of business, isn’t it? Decapitated dolls, bloody meat, Paul looking as if he has no teeth, but wait, there is a set of dentures in there, too! It’s pure Paul is dead fodder, or at least Paul has lost his teeth fodder. Still, it was fun to see the picture LP size.
Tracks
1. Love Me Do (Version One)
2. Misery
3. There’s a Place
4. Sie Liebt Dich
5. And I Love Her
6. Help!
7. I’m Only Sleeping
8. I Am the Walrus
9. Penny Lane
10. Helter Skelter
11. Don’t Pass Me By
12. The Inner Light
13. Across The Universe (Version One)
14. You Know My Name(Look Up My Number)
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