First released: 1980, October 20

Sheet music, guitar tabs, song books at Sheetmusicplus.com

1. Yesterday (2:08)
   Recorded: June 14, 1965 at Abbey Road, London, England
   Paul McCartney - lead vocal, Epiphone acoustic guitar
   Session musicians - string quartet
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (2:06)
   Recorded: October 12, 1965 at Abbey Road, London, England but remade October 21, 1965
   John Lennon - lead vocal, capoed acoustic guitar
   Paul McCartney - bass guitar, harmony vocal
   George Harrison - sitar
   Ringo Starr - tambourine
3. Do You Want to Know a Secret? (2:00)
   Recorded: February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road, London, England
   John Lennon - rhythm guitar, background vocal
   Paul McCartney - bass guitar, background vocal
   George Harrison - lead vocal, lead guitar
   Ringo Starr - drums
4. For No One (2:02)
   Recorded: May 9, 1966 at Abbey Road, London, England with the vocal overdubbed May 16, 1966 and the French horn solo overdubbed May 19, 1966
   Paul McCartney - lead vocal, bass guitar, piano
   Ringo Starr - drums, tambourine
   Alan Civil - French horn
5. Michelle (2:42)
   Recorded: November 3, 1965 at Abbey Road, London, England
   John Lennon - acoustic guitar, background vocal
   Paul McCartney - lead vocal, bass guitar
   George Harrison - acoustic guitar, background vocal
   Ringo Starr - drums
6. Nowhere Man (2:45)
   Recorded: October 21-22, 1965 at Abbey Road, London, England
   John Lennon - lead vocal, acoustic guitar
   Paul McCartney - bass guitar, harmony vocal
   George Harrison - lead guitar, harmony vocal
   Ringo Starr - drums
7. You've Got to Hide Your Love Away (2:11)
   Recorded: February 18, 1965 at Abbey Road, London, England
   John Lennon - lead vocal, acoustic guitar
   Paul McCartney - acoustic guitar
   George Harrison - acoustic guitar
   Ringo Starr - tambourine
   John Scott - flute
8. Across the Universe (3:49)
   Recorded: February 4, 1968 at Abbey Road, London, England with overdubbing on February 8, 1968
   Re-produced and remixed by Phil Spector in March, 1970
   John Lennon - lead vocal, acoustic guitar, lead guitar, organ
   Paul McCartney - piano
   George Harrison - sitar
   Ringo Starr - maracas
   George Martin - organ (with Lennon)
   Session musicians - strings, choir (overdubbed by Phil Spector)
9. All My Loving (2:10)
   Recorded: July 30, 1963 at Abbey Road, London, England
   John Lennon - rhythm guitar, harmony vocal
   Paul McCartney - lead vocal, bass guitar
   George Harrison - lead guitar, harmony vocal
   Ringo Starr - drums
10. Hey Jude (7:08)
    Recorded: July 31, 1968 at Trident Studios, London, England with the forty-piece orchestra overdubbed August 1, 1968
    John Lennon - acoustic guitar, background vocal
    Paul McCartney - lead vocal, bass guitar, piano
    George Harrison - lead guitar, background vocal
    Ringo Starr - drums, tambourine
    Forty-piece orchestra - sustained notes, clapping, "na-na-na" chorus
11. Something (3:03)
    Recorded: April 16, 1969 at Abbey Road, London, England and remade May 2, 1969 with overdubs added May 5, 1969, July 11, 1969, July 16, 1969 and August 15, 1969
    John Lennon - lead guitar
    Paul McCartney - bass guitar, handclaps, background vocal
    George Harrison - double-tracked lead vocal, lead guitar, organ
    Ringo Starr - drums, handclaps, background vocal
    Session musicians - strings
12. The Fool on the Hill (3:00)
    Recorded: September 25, 1967 at Abbey Road, London, England with overdubs added September 26, 1967 and October 20, 1967 (flutes)
    John Lennon - harmonica, maracas
    Paul McCartney - lead vocal, piano, double-tracked recorder, flute
    George Harrison - lead guitar, harmonica
    Ringo Starr - finger cymbals
13. Till There Was You (2:17)
    Recorded: July 18 and July 30, 1963 at Abbey Road, London, England
    John Lennon - acoustic guitar
    Paul McCartney - lead vocal, bass guitar
    George Harrison - acoustic guitar
    Ringo Starr - bongos
14. The Long and Winding Road (3:38)
    Recorded: January 31, 1969 at Apple Studios, London, England.
    Re-produced and remixed by Phil Spector on April 1, 1970
    John Lennon - bass guitar
    Paul McCartney - lead vocal, piano
    Session musicians - choir, strings, harp, drums (overdubbed by Phil Spector)
15. Here Comes the Sun (3:05)
    Recorded: July 7, 1969 at Abbey Road, London, England with overdubs added July 8 and 16, 1969 and August 6, 11, 15 and 19, 1969
    John Lennon - acoustic guitar, harmony vocal, handclaps
    Paul McCartney - bass guitar, harmony vocal, handclaps
    George Harrison - lead vocal, acoustic guitar, Moog synthesizer, handclaps
    Ringo Starr - drums, handclaps
    Session musicians - strings
16. Blackbird (2:18)
    Recorded: June 11, 1968 at Abbey Road, London, England
    Paul McCartney - double-tracked lead vocal, acoustic guitar, percussion
    Blackbird - bird sounds
17. And I Love Her (2:31)
    Recorded: February 25-27, 1964 at Abbey Road, London, England
    John Lennon - acoustic guitar
    Paul McCartney - double-tracked lead vocal, acoustic guitar
    George Harrison - acoustic guitar solo, claves
    Ringo Starr - bongos
18. She's Leaving Home (3:35)
    Recorded: March 17, 1967 at Abbey Road, London, England with vocals overdubbed March 20, 1967
    John Lennon - lead vocal, background vocal
    Paul McCartney - lead vocal, background vocal
    Session musicians - strings, harp
19. Here, There and Everywhere (2:26)
    Recorded: June 14, 1966 at Abbey Road, London, England with overdubs added June 16-17, 1966
    John Lennon - background vocal
    Paul McCartney - double-tracked lead vocal, acoustic guitar
    George Harrison - lead guitar, background vocal
    Ringo Starr - drums
20. Let It Be (4:03)
    Recorded: January 31, 1969 at Apple Studios, London, England with overdubs added April 30, 1969 and January 4, 1970
    Re-produced and remixed by Phil Spector in March, 1970
    John Lennon - bass guitar, harmony vocal
    Paul McCartney - lead vocal, piano
    George Harrison - lead guitar, harmony vocal
    Ringo Starr - drums
    Billy Preston - organ
    Session musicians - orchestra (overdubbed by Phil Spector)
    Linda McCartney - backing vocals (on single release only)

It was always going to happen, but then again why not? After all, just about every other kind of Beatle compilation had been released. However, it has to be remembered that EMI and Capitol are not stupid and every move they make is a highly calculated and targeted one. And So it was with this album of Love Songs by the 'fabs'. Targeted at anyone who might listen to, say, Yesterday, and immediately go 'ohhhh' with big cow-eyes. Calculated to make as much money as possible with the minimum amount of effort, as is the way of the annual post-Beatle release. It gets an 'eight'purely for content: as an album it's brilliant, but I can see many fans waiting for a decent second-hand copy coming onto the market.

Review