OPUS 2: MEET THE BEATLES (USA version w/2 changes)

Putting hit singles on albums is the American way

Released January 1964

The Beatles first US album on Capitol came out just as Beatlemania was finally sweeping the country. It was highly anticipated, since it was the American version of "With the Beatles", their second UK album which was released in the UK two months before.

But the British version did not include the runaway hit single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand", which leads off the American version and was a major theme song for Beatlemania and the British Invasion. Really... How could such a momentous album be released with such a gaping omission? 

For that reason, the American version wins. But the second track on the album, "I Saw Her Standing There", which was the flip side of the same hit single in the US, was already released on the first UK album, so it should be replaced on your streaming playlist, mixtape, MP3 file list or other format version with "This Boy", the UK flip side of the hit single. 

Of course, as per tradition, USA albums are stingier than UK albums so more songs should be found. That bill is filled by "From Me to You", another fairly recent single, and "I'll Be On My Way", a great Everly Brothers inspired track from the BBC Sessions collection, which sounds polished enough to meet the Beatles already high studio standards. So that gets it up to 13 tracks.

Another advantage of the American version is that it is all Lennon-McCartney originals, except for just one cover song, "Til There Was You", which Paul croons from "The Music Man". The UK version has six covers. We could go higher than 13 tracks by including a couple of those cover songs from the UK version on the USA version, but Lennon-McCartney originals should take priority. There will be plenty of room for the Beatles cover song repertoire soon enough.

ReBOOT TRACK LISTING >>>

1 - I Want to Hold Your Hand

2 - I'll Be On My Way - added from BBC Sessions album

3 - From Me to You - replaces "I Saw Her Standing There"

4 - This Boy

5 - It Won't Be Long

6 - All I've Got to Do

7 - All My Loving

8 - Don't Bother Me (George Harrison)

9 - Little Child

10 - Til There Was You (Meredith Willson)

11 - Hold Me Tight

12 - I Wanna Be Your Man

13 - Not a Second Time

(all songs Lennon / McCartney except as indicated)