Product Description

The companion piece to the 1962-1966 singles compilation, this set (often called "the blue album", as opposed to its chronological predecessor "the red album"), brings together the Beatles best known songs from 1967 through 1970. The Beatles were fiercely, relentlessly experimental during these years, and the swirling, visionary soundscapes of "Strawberry Fields Forever", which opens the collection, sets the tone with its effects-heavy production and backward tape loops. John Lennon's psychedelic songwriting, which emphasised crystalline melodies and surreal wordplay, can be heard on tracks like "Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds" and "Across the Universe".
Paul McCartney's fascination with English music hall and novelty numbers is clear on "Penny Lane" and "Ob-la-Di, Ob-la-Da", and the set also has some of his finest ballads, including the mega-hits "Let It Be" and "Hey Jude". George Harrison emerged as a fine songwriting talent during these years with "Something" and "Here Comes the Sun". Yet despite evidence of their diverging individual directions, the Beatlesstill rock as a band on cuts like "Revolution". (The set includes the single versions of "Revolution", "Lady Madonna", and "Hey Jude"). The Beatles set the tenor of the late-'60s with this spectacular soundtrack, and it remains--even afteryears of overplaying--original, beautiful music.

Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Strawberry Fields Forever
2. Penny Lane
3. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
4. With A Little Help From My Friends
5. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds
6. Day In The Life
7. All You Need Is Love
8. I Am The Walrus
9. Hello Goodbye
10. Fool On The Hill
11. Magical Mystery Tour
12. Lady Madonna
13. Hey Jude
14. Revolution
15. Back In The USSR
16. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
17. Ob La Di Ob La Da
18. Get Back
19. Don't Let Me Down
20. Ballad Of John And Yoko
21. Old Brown Shoe
22. Here Comes The Sun
23. Come Together
24. Something
25. Octopus's Garden
26. Let It Be
27. Across The Universe
28. Long And Winding Road

Disc 2:

1. Back In The USSR
2. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
3. Ob La Di Ob La Da
4. Get Back
5. Don't Let Me Down
6. Ballad Of John And Yoko
7. Old Brown Shoe
8. Here Comes The Sun
9. Come Together
10. Something
11. Octopus's Garden
12. Let It Be
13. Across The Universe
14. Long And Winding Road

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #699 in Music
• Released on: 1993-10-05
• Number of discs: 2

Amazon.co.uk Review
Even as the Beatles began heading toward an inevitable break-up, their prolific ways continued; this two-disc look back only skims the surface of their later achievements. Excerpts from Sgt. Pepper, Magical Mystery Tour, the white album, Abbey Road, and Let It Be compete for space with classic singles that do as much or more to prove their eclecticism: the epic ballad "Hey Jude", the plaintive "Strawberry Fields Forever", straight rock & roll of all stripes from the plainspoken "Revolution" and "Get Back" to the surreal "Come Together". Decades after the split, this (and its companion set of 1962-1966 cuts) remains a favoured introduction for young listeners and a key sampler for veteran fans. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

wow this is my fave out of the two blue album fab!!
2nd box along with the red this one is the best amazeing exsperimental too the beatles were very creative thats why i think there better then the rolling stones more creative beatles rule john lennon R.I.P Goerge harrison R.I.P BUY IT WHAT YOU WAITING FOR!!

The music is great, but...
This was the 2d album I ever bought (see my 1962-66 review), and I loved playing both sets. However, as I collected the original albums, these became somewhat superfluous: the Beatles albums are so good they outrank virtually any other band's 'best of', and you can get the singles on Magical Mystery Tour and Past Masters 2.
The band were producing their most ambitious music and the selection represents a lot of this, although why Don't Let Me Down and Old Brown Shoe are here I don't know; they were released as B sides, so it gave them to 1973 collectors on album, but (on the same principle) you can get them on Past Masters 2 (and plenty of 1963-6 single / EP tracks weren't on the companion 'Red' album..).
So it's a good introduction, but once you've moved on to the original albums and the fuller compilations you may want to pass this one to others to spread the Beatle gospel!

Fantastic - Beatles Best Shown On This Album
This collection of Beatles' greats is probably the best record in my vast sea of old vinyl. I own the re-issue with blue vinyl which i think is fantastic. If you are planning to buy this album on vinyl, get it with blue vinyl.