Originally released in 1973, the so-called Red Album brought together 26 highlights from The Beatles’ back catalogue, from their earliest EMI recordings to Revolver.
The albums were produced in response to a bootleg compilation titled Alpha Omega, which had been produced without authorisation in 1972. The Beatles 1962-1966 and its sister album 1967-1970 were the first Beatles compilations following the group’s split in 1970.The tracklisting for both collections was compiled by Allen Klein, and were approved by the former members of The Beatles. No cover versions were included, and all the songs on the Red Album were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
I didn’t want lousy versions going out, I wanted them to be as was. And I asked Capitol/EMI, or EMI/Capitol whichever, please ask George Martin would he take care of this, so at least he knows what to do. I didn’t want some strange guy, you know, making dubbed versions of it and putting it out, because of the versions that were going out [on other compilations] the reissues were pretty poor. I hadn’t even listened to them, because I just presumed they’d take the tape as we made it and make a master and put it out again, but they didn’t, they’d been screwing around with a few of the early ones. I didn’t know that until it was too late. So on that last package where they had Beatles 60… different periods – that one. I made sure. The Red and The Blue, that one. I made sure George Martin was there and I made sure they put that picture which I got Linda [sic] to take of the same pose as their very first album over the Abbey Road… No what is it that… EMI office in some other place, some square? Manchester Square. So I was involved in that respect, in that package making sure that the cover was what I wanted and that the sound was done by George Martin. So I don’t mind that one. Checked the remix after he’d done it, it was as good as you could get out of whatever mono recording we did then.
The Lennon Tapes, Andy Peebles
Cover artwork
The front cover of 1962-1966 featured a photograph by Angus McBean taken during the session for The Beatles’ debut UK album Please Please Me. McBean photographed the group as they looked down from the stairwell at EMI House in Manchester Square, London.
In 1969 McBean was asked to recreate the shoot, with The Beatles in the same position. The resulting photograph was intended for the unreleased Get Back album, which was later reworked by Phil Spector and released as Let It Be.
The 1969 photograph was used on the back cover of 1962-1966, and on the front of 1967-1970. The gatefold covers of both albums were adorned with a photograph of The Beatles and fans taken during the ‘Mad Day’ in London on 28 July 1968.
The Red and Blue albums were reissued in 1993 on coloured vinyl, with an extra insert of photographs.
International variations
Different pressings in the United States and United Kingdom led to variations in the mixes and performances used. The Capitol Records version tended to use mixes and performances originally heard on The Beatles’ US albums, such as the version of ‘Help!’ featuring a James Bond-style introduction.
In the UK, all songs on the Red Album were in stereo, with the exception of ‘Love Me Do’. In the US five songs were in mono: ‘Love Me Do’, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘A Hard Day’s Night’, ‘I Feel Fine’, and ‘Ticket To Ride’.
Chart success
The Beatles 1962-1966 was released in the United States on 2 April 1973. It topped the Cashbox chart, but peaked at number three on the Billboard chart. The Blue Album (1967-1970) did reach number one on Billboard, however.
In the United Kingdom the Red Album was issued on 19 April 1973, and reached number three.
Remastered versions of the Red and Blue albums were reissued on 18 October 2010 (19 October in North America) as two-CD sets. The reissues include expanded booklets with new essays by Bill Flanagan, and extra photographs of The Beatles.
2023 reissues
The 1962-1966 compilation and its 1967-1970 counterpart were reissued on 10 November 2023.
The albums were expanded and remixed in stereo and Dolby Atmos. The Red album contained an additional 12 songs across two CDs or three vinyl discs: ‘I Saw Her Standing There’, ‘Twist And Shout’, ‘This Boy’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘You Really Got A Hold On Me’, ‘You Can’t Do That’, ‘If I Needed Someone’, ‘Taxman’, ‘Got To Get You Into My Life’, ‘I’m Only Sleeping’, ‘Here, There And Everywhere’, and ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’.
The Blue album contained nine more songs across two CDs and three vinyl discs: ‘Within You Without You’, ‘Dear Prudence’, ‘Glass Onion’, ‘Blackbird’, ‘Hey Bulldog’, ‘Oh! Darling’, ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’, ‘I Me Mine’, and ‘Now And Then’.
The albums were also issued in 4xCD and 6xLP slipcase sets. The Beatles’ official store had exclusive red and blue vinyl editions.
I wonder why this is a 2 CD Set when it has 63 minutes of music which could fit on one disc
According to Apple, it’s because the 1967-1970 set is two discs, and they want to keep the two sets “consistent”, or some equally ridiculous non-reason – I forget how they worded it. (I already ranted about this on the messageboard!)
Big business again….
I decided to burn my 2 CD set onto 1 CD and had enough room to add a few additional songs. So my original 2 disc set is still like new AND I have an awesome single disc with extra Beatles music!
Because they can get more money that way. More money is always the answer to these types of questions.
Also double CD sets count twice on the charts, so it may be a bit easier to have bragging rights about a 50 year old record hitting top of the charts
Hi i need some info on the alpha omega box set i have it but mine is different from any other one I’ve seen instead of alpha and omega symbols it says Vol. 1 and has 60 songs on it
please any help would be appreciated
A Hard Day’s Night, I Feel Fine and Ticket To Ride. are awesome on the US release because they are mono.
I extracted the audio of the US vinyl from YouTube. Worked fine.
The mono Ticket To Ride is the best track on the Red Album. The stereo version of song seems weakened. Even on remasters.
I remember as an 8 year old being fascinated by the TV adverts on British television for the Red Album in 1973.
The ad was made up of a number of short clips from b&w silent movies. The only one I remember distinctly was a clip of “Ticket To Ride” which was played over the scene of a woman in some peril on a runaway coach with horses.
I have had both sets in all formats. currently I have both LPs and CDs, my dad also had both sets
These two compilations (62-66 & 67-70) were my Beatles primers. My Dad was in the military, so we moved a lot. It was hard to maintain any long term friendships as a result. After one move in my mid teens I met a guy at the new base we were living on. He was the first guy to be friendly toward “the new kid”, and invited me to his place to listen to records. He was a Beatles fanatic. (more specifically a JL fanatic…) I liked what I heard. Actually I realized I’d heard a lot of it before on the radio. I just never occurred to me that all these great songs were done by one band. I started with these two compilations, and went from there. Now I have the entire Beatles collection many times over, in pretty much any format you can name. The rec room is a virtual Beatles shrine. And I married a girl who was a Beatles fan. And I’m still best friends with that guy who was nice enough to invite “the new kid” to his house. Thanks, Phil!
I’m curious about the insert that came with both of these albums that has the song titles for both sets on one side, and a Beatles discography on the other. Was this originally placed on the back cover under the shrink wrap to show the titles, or simply inserted inside? Please help. THX.
Hi hotrodotis!
It’s been 9 years since your question, but I just saw it.
The insert was inside the album. There was a sticker (red for 62–66, blue for 67–70) listing the song titles on the shrink wrap on the back of the album.
Does anybody have the precise date the cover pictures were taken used for the 1962 – 1966/ 1967 – 1970 albums?
I may be able to find you the date for the red album cover as it is an outtake from the please please me cover shoot.However ,I have spent weeks going through my files and online and can find no details of the blue shot.i guess it must be sometime spring 1969judging by the beards ,sometimes that’s the only way to date photos.A famous shot of John and Paul going through the running order of the abbey road medley (anthology booklet etc). Cannot be as John is clean shaven,more like the white album.So it’s a bit of a guessing game with some of the photos especially the later ones.
Joe, out of curiosity, why aren’t the songs that appear on the “Red” and “Blue” albums not listed as being “available on” those respective compilation albums?
Because I chose not to include compilations, as there have been so many of them. However, the Red/Blue albums do seem to have a special place in the canon, so perhaps I should include them.
Bear in mind I wrote all the song features in 2008/9 before the remasters came out. At that point there were quite a few old compilations in the Beatles’ back catalogue (Rock ‘N’ Roll Music, Love Songs etc), but the only one Apple seemed interested in was the 1 album. Since they’ve since reissued the Red and Blue it shows that there’s a long-term commitment to keeping them available.
Gaff already on the bible
On the UK and USA 1st edition reds Love Me Do (Andy White version) and She Loves You are both mono because 1. no multies exist and SLY is cut and joined so many times no stereo mix could be done and the stage tapes were wiped after EMI Electrola Germany had the backing track to do SLY in German language
SLY has always been a vile hi and low’s cock-up gaff for fake stereo since A Collection Of Oldies and George Martin found out the gaff!
Does anyone else find it odd that 48 years later (and counting!) the Red & Blue collections have minimal (2 songs, 3 if you count Paperback) representation of the “Revolver” Album? I ask this due to “Revolver” now being generally regarded as their greatest achievement.
btw 1973 was a GREAT year for this 10 years old at the time Beatle fan! I had no bills too pay LOL and my weekly allowance was saved up to buy anything Beatle related. It was also one of their busiest years of the 1970’s with the solo releases coming fast and furious along with the Red & Blue collections.
It is a bit light on Revolver although I do think Revolver is a bit overhyped in general and not as good as Help or Rubber soul.
Between both albums most sides contain 7 tracks, except 2 on the Red album, which have 6 tracks. Aside from popular album tracks the albums contain all the UK A-sides and US A-sides, except I’ll Cry Instead, which would have fit nicely on side 2 of the Red Album, to make 7 tracks. Also side 3 could have used another track to make 7, maybe I’ve Just Seen A Face.
Does anyone have any idea of the sales numbers for countries like Finland and Sweden. I know it did very well in Germany.
Who chose the tracks for the latest Red & Blue albums (2023), As it was Allen Klein on the originals
Can’t say that I care too much for the “expanded” track line-ups. Some of those selections are head scratchers. Having cover versions on it ruins the integrity of the original release. That being said, I’ve long thought that this album should’ve originally had “Rain” on it.
Agree. The red and blue albums were the first Beatle albums I bought in 1974 on cassette. In retrospect having gotten everything since, I feel that the there are three Beatle songs that weren’t single A sides that I needed to hear. They are Tomorrow Never Knows, Rain and Dear Prudence.
True, but Twist & Shout at least is an absolute banger and I’m glad to have a remastered version in the latest Red release.
Also, all of the older Beatles tracks that haven’t gotten the sexy 50 anniversary remix REALLY sound great on this newly remastered record that utilized Peter Jackson’s technology to isolate separate tracks. Ringo’s drums, for example, have never sounded better/more alive than they do here! I typically prefer the mono mixes of the older tracks, but I think on some of the older tracks on the Red album remastered for the first time here, I may prefer these mixes.
I’m more a fan of the Rubber Soul – Abbey Road albums rather than the ‘Fab Four’ earlier albums, and haven’t deep-dived into the earlier albums as much as the later ones that have been re-released/remastered relatively recently, but the earlier tracks sound outstanding here to me!