REACTING TO THE BEATLES' ANTHOLOGY I | First Listen to Disk I *reminiscing a past life*

On one hand, it feels like it's been ages since I've gone down the Beatles trail and on the other hand, it feels like I never ever stopped. Currently, I am listening to this playlist:
Rocky Raccoon
Maxwell's Silver Hammer
Octopus's Garden
Savoy Truffle
Lovely Rita
P.S. I Love You
Baby It's You
Do You Want To Know A Secret
And I Love Her
If I Fell
I'll Follow the Sun
It's Only Love
I Need You
Here Comes the Sun
Girl
I'm Only Sleeping
For No One
Here There and Everywhere
Fixing A Hole
A Day in the Life
Dear Prudence
Martha My Dear
Mother Nature's Son
Honey Pie
Julia
Goodnight
Sun King
Golden Slumbers
Dig a Pony
I Me Mine
What is your current playlist?
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[@mibeatleman6767]

The strange but true story that The Beatles were turned down by Decca Records. The president of Decca said The Beatles would never be big and electric guitars were on their way out. After The Beatles made it big, the Decca president talked to George and said to him that he really screwed up not signing them. He then asked George if he knew any really good groups that weren't signed yet George replied "I know a group called The Rolling Stones." The Decca man went out and signed The Stones.

[@sterioapple]

The Decca stuff aint so great. I can see why they had no interest. George Martin made ALL the difference. Without him the Beatles first records would have sounded a lot like the Decca tapes. They would have "made it" anyway though. They were the hottest live act in the country.

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Decca rejecting The Beatles was the best thing that ever happened to them.

[@johnnhoj6749]

To be fair to DECCA The Beatles had been rejected by every other record company in London before them. It took an Ex-Fleet Air Arm officer trained in classical music running a novelty offshoot label of EMI who was really looking for another Cliff Richard to see their potential.

[@tobydeveson]

The first 'fuzzy' recordings were home recordings done on a small tape recorder with one mic and probably kept in a damp basement for years until rediscovered. Hence the bad mix - they were all playing and singing round one mic, and they were teenagers and had never recorded anything. For 'My Bonnie' they were playing in Hamburg and the more famous singer, Tony Sheridan had a session booked in a studio. He had his own backing band but asked the Beatles to back his singing for My Bonnie. While they were there they recorded Ain't She Sweet with John singing. As the voice recording said, My Bonnie did quite well in Germany but did nothing in Liverpool, but when they returned to Liverpool after playing a residency in Hamburg they played in the Cavern Club in Liverpool and the fans there started going into a local record shop asking for a copy of My Bonnie. The owner of the record shop was Brian Epstein who became curious about the band and went to see them play at the Cavern. He then became their manager and the rest is history. The predictability you mention in the chords and the placement of the guitar solos was because they were playing basic 12 bar blues. But because they were playing 8 hour sets in Hamburg (playing off their heads) entertaining drunk sailors and prostitutes their set list became incredibly varied, which you can hear in the different music styles. Out of this variety of covers you can hear the seeds being planted for their own compositions.

[@tobydeveson]

Also the story behind 'How Do You Do It?' is interesting. When they arrived to record their first single and Album in the studios, they were the small kids surrounded by important producers and technicians in ties and suits. They were given this song and told they had to record it because it was going to be a number one. It was a Tin Pan Alley song - ie written in the offices of a music hit 'factory' by professional songwriters specifically for young (manufactured) bands to record. Being professionals they did and it sounded great. But it was too 'pop-y' for them and hollow so they plucked up the courage and said to George Martin they didn't want to release it. He replied saying, you bring me one of your own songs that good and you can record that instead. So they offered Love Me Do. Also for the rest of the anthology there will be more live versions of songs and alternate (usually earlier) versions, plus out takes and breakdowns and just fun, historically interesting versions. The physical CD came with very good and interesting notes for each song - if you haven't it may be worth finding them online and reading them as you go. And as many have said, these CDs are made to accompany the documentary films, which are worth watching.

[@JedHead77]

In the film “Nowhere Boy”, there’s a scene recreating the recording of In Spite Of All The Danger” and “My Bonnie”, despite of just backing Tony Sheridan on the latter.

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Good movie, even if some of it is inaccurate. The actor who plays John Lennon did a great job.

[@CharlesBridgTec]

Early recordings of the 3 and 4 are from 1957 recorded in a family friends home.

[@filipe-]

In Spite Of All The Danger it's the only McCartney/Harrison composition, Cry For a Shadow it's the only Lennon/Harrison one.

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Paul and George reportedly wrote a new song together in 1994/95 called “All For Love”. This did not feature John. They vetoed it because they wanted to include John on the song.

[@nahte-]

@@Sweetish_Jeff_this is the first time I’ve ever heard this

[@JedHead77]

What I love about Anthology 1 is that there are so many tracks with original drummer Pete Best, with songs they played in the clubs. 🥁

[@davidcarter5038]

I gather Paul was keen to make sure Pete got some royalties out of the Anthology project.

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Yes, but I think if you listen to these tracks, it’s pretty evident why they chose Ringo. Pete isn’t bad, but he tends to play the same fills over and over again. And, personally wise, he was the antithesis of Ringo who was usually smiling and happy.

[@bobwoolerOriGinal]

@@davidcarter5038 It was Neill Aspinall, head of Apple at the time of the Anthology release, and the father of Pete's baby brother, who pushed for Pete getting a very desent pay ($9M).

[@davidcarter5038]

@@bobwoolerOriGinal Aha! Thanks for that - good to hear.

[@johnhenryclark911]

Pete Best Did. And , ( I Think 🤔) Became A Millionaire From The Royalties!​@@davidcarter5038

[@Arjeebee]

FYI: Those "Old Timey" sounding songs were recorded on very cheap equipment demos done way before they made it when they would have been only between 17-20 years old or so. And by the time they broke up, none of them had reached 30 yet, with George only being 27.

[@KariKauree]

The Anthology series is really the kind of album where you should be reading the booklet along with it (for the historical significance and context of the recordings). It sucks that none of the streaming services include anything beyond the front cover

[@JordiPujadesGirona]

Absolutely agreed with you.

[@knockedoutloaded279]

Anthology highlights may be on streaming with better sound....

[@analogblues]

YES!! The Beatles' journey never ends 😀I'm so happy to hear you do the Anthology series! Oh, and no need to go rapid-fire if you don't want to. I could listen to you react to The Beatles - or any other great band - for hours on end. You are that engaging!

[@AnthonyMinsky]

Beatles Anthology?!!! What?!!! Beatle solo albums, Pink Floyd, and now this, when am I gonna do my chores? 😁

[@davidcarter5038]

25:30 George Martin wanted this song, "How Do You Do It?" to be the Beatles first single, but they wanted one of their own songs. So the song was recorded by another of Brian Epstein's Liverpool bands, Gerry and the Pacemakers, who took it to number one in the UK charts.

[@bjornerikroth]

In the traditional story George Martin "gave in" and released "Love Me Do" because the Beatles wanted it. But "How Do You Do It" was nixed because of pushback from Ardmore & Beechwood who wanted a Lennon & McCartney original released (so they could get the publishing), and the songwriter Mitch Murray who didn't like what the Beatles had done to it. George Martin was forced to release "Love Me Do" against his own wishes and beliefs.

[@iche50]

The crowd screaming was the main reason why they stopped life performances. They even can hear themselfs singing.....

[@jeremyb5640]

Hey Crystal, the Anthology CDs were collections of rare, unreleased tracks released in the mid 1990s to tie-in with the TV series of the same name. That'll Be The Day and In Spite of All The Danger (a rare McCartney/Harrison co-write) were the teenage band's first recordings in 1958 on a fragile shellac disc before they were called the Beatles and long before Ringo joined. The band funded the recording themselves. A single copy was cut and shared around the group. Tracks 6, 7 and 8 were recorded at Paul McCartney's Liverpool home in 1960. Tracks 10, 11 and 12 were recorded in Hamburg in 1961 where they had a residency. Tony Sheridan sings lead on My Bonnie. Tracks 15-19 were from their unsuccessful audition for Decca on 1 January 1962. Can you imagine turning down the Beatles?! They were after this audition though. Tracks 21 and 22 were their original recording session for EMI at Abbey Road with Pete Best still on drums - pre Ringo. Track 23 (with Ringo) was the single George Martin wanted to put out until they convinced him to go with a Lennon-McCartney original instead. Gerry and the Pacemakers later took How Do You Do It to number 1. The version of Please Please Me here is the earliest available recording in September 1962. The version you heard previously was recorded a few months later. This attempt at One After 909 was never quite finished in early 1963 and the band didn't return to it for another six years during the Let It Be / Get Back sessions. Lend Me Your Comb was a cover for a session for BBC radio, while I'll Get You comes from their historic Palladium appearance. Finally, tracks 30-34 come from their first overseas tour to Sweden in October 1963.

[@jeremyb5640]

@James Buckingham It was, they were big fans of Buddy and someone who inspired them to start writing their own songs. They covered another Buddy song, 'Words of Love' on the Beatles For Sale album. I love Harrison's double-tracked lead guitar on that.

[@steelers6titles]

@@jeremyb5640 Buddy toured the U.K. Don't know if any of the future Beatles saw him perform, however.

[@paulbruno8327]

Very Fab Indeed!!! It’s always fun with you Crystal 🌺

[@CrystalShannon4]

Well you just made my entire day, thank you Paul 🪐💥

[@tupojohn1509]

Please react to the beatles album love, and if possible with headphones. Btw I love your reactions :)

[@TheDarkCow11]

"Mother Natures Son" and "Martha my Dear" are my favorite Paul songs from the beatles era

[@Amadeusthegreat100]

I know exactly what you mean: when I listen to this material I feel an intense sense of nostalgia for something I wasn't even there for. Intense.

[@michaelt6218]

Oh my heavens, Crystal, that was SO much fun! I had no idea that watching you react to the Anthology would be almost as great as the full-scale albums. But it's your *personality*, your musical knowledge, and your enthusiasm that just makes it such a blast. Thank you!!!!!

[@johncampbell756]

That'll Be the Day is a Buddly Holly cover,_ Hallelujah is Ray Charles, My Bonnie is a traditional, Ain't She Sweet was recorded by many starting in the 1920s, Searchin' and Three Cool Cats were both written by Lieber/Stoller. The Sheik of Araby was a Tin Pan Alley jazz standard. (Ran out of Time. Became Mucho, How Do You Do It, Lend Me Your Comb, Money, You Really Got a Hold on Me,and Roll Over Beethoven, were all also covers. Various Beatles wrote the rest.

[@UhHuhOhYeh]

That was fun and it’s great to see you enjoying the music thank you for making me smile :)

[@ervbefelnareik7604]

Can't wait for you to get to the later anthologies when they recorded different versions of the same song.

[@bobbybrettel5422]

Super you did this, it will show you how many songs evolved. Made my day. What a band, God do I miss them!!!!

[@suhey34]

I so look forward to when that notification bell rings and I get to see what you have for all of us in your next video. Keep up the great work!!!!

[@stevea6307]

Thanks for reviewing The Anthology recordings Crystal! Keep up the good work.

[@MarloMaravillas]

I love listening to those outtakes--like a fly on the wall

[@erikdolnack2737]

The Beatles cover of "Leave My Kitten Alone" was recorded in late 1964, during the "Beatles For Sale" sessions. Why this stellar track didn't make it onto the Beatles for Sale album, I'll never fathom??? John Lennon's vocals on this track are ASTOUNDING! Some of the best singing he ever did, bar-none.

[@knockedoutloaded279]

It was going to be a single in 1981................

[@Flickvids100]

A thousand times yeeeees...So nice. Hope you do all Anthology albums.

[@walterpanovs]

Splendid!!! Thank you, Crystal.

[@richardanderson3322]

It makes me so incredibly happy that a young person like yourself is looking so deeply into the unbelievable history that happened as I was growing up and that changed not only the legacy of music but also changed the entire world. Please keep up the passion and love that you clearly exhibit for the greatest musical act the world has ever known and encourage other young people to take an interest in The Beatles!!! You have such a good understanding of what it was all about. Spread your knowledge, Crystal. Love ya!!

[@jwb932]

I'm so glad you did this, Crystal! I hope you get a chance to watch the 8 part film someday.

[@jdscottphd]

Crystal, really enjoying you revisiting the Beatles and opening up your journey w/ Pink Floyd and the Beach Boys. I'm hoping others will agree that we would LOVE to see you react to the great work of Simon and Garfunkel. Your love of vocal harmonies and beautiful songwriting would be so welcome in those reactions, and I think you might find some of the songs will change your life. You can go through their albums one at a time and really hear some of the most unique and enduring classics.

[@CrystalShannon4]

Thank you so much Jason! I am absolutely enjoying myself on this wild journey!! I would love to go through Simon & Garfunkel’s catalogue as well! Thank you for the recommendation! We have a lot to look forward to! Lots of stuff coming your way back to back!!

[@finianlacy8827]

@@CrystalShannon4 ...GREAT ADVICE.!@

[@jdscottphd]

@@CrystalShannon4 thank you for replying! Sharing your journey has been very inspiring, you feel like a "little sister" of music and it's such a treat.

[@pablomets]

Thank You for this reaction. I think your the first to react to the whole history of The Beatles 😊

[@BobLbrmn]

"Ain't She Sweet" and "The Sheik of Araby" were hits in the 1920s.

[@masterdanthrax]

Yes -Free as a bird sounded different to what you previously heard - I hope you will hear the difference on Real Love too - bear in mind both these tracks you listened to have been remastered using much more superior technology. When these were first released they did the best they could

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Yes! This totally made my day. I’ll post more later, but this is my favorite of the “Anthology” albums. I can’t wait to watch the whole thing later tonight. ♥️🙏

[@Andyvan92110]

"Cry For a Shadow": I believe this was a reference to "The Shadows", a group that was around at the time.

[@danmoll7069]

Yes! I am hyped for you to be listening to the anthology series. There are some really great versions of songs throughout the series and some are arguably better than the commercial releases.

[@CrystalShannon4]

Wow!! I actuallly had no idea at all what I was in for!! I’m super hyped as well!! Thank you Dan 💛

[@johnyarusso4953]

I love your reaction videos Crystal. You have the innate ability to emotionally get involved with music while at the same time, realizing 6ths and 7ths in the music. I guess you could tell I'm a musician and beatles fan.

[@RubenRodriguez-rw3ho]

Oh Crystal.. We've fallen down the rabbit hole! You heard all the Beatles albums but now.. Your going to see, what I feel is one of the most important pieces of history in music. This to me, in essence is , Music 101 and we are in class with to me, second to none, yes I said it, sorry Elvis, is with the genius which is the Beatles, I bought all the Anthologies when they came out and saw the Anthology series and I'm just so super excited and stoked, thank you so much Crystal for coming back to the beginning of what to me is greatness that will never be repeated!

[@fernandoesparza3347]

Yahooey! Variety is the spice of life! Love it! Rickoshay across the musical spectrum, keep it going! 🎶🎶🎶👌👌👌👏👏👏🙆🙆🙆

[@c.c.kottkamp1150]

Johns demo for free as a bird is haunting and beautiful

[@dannagin]

So love what you're doing! It really brings us all back to the wonder of it all. And, I'm guessing you've heard this a hundred times, but Peter Jackson's "Get Back" doc on Disney+ is one of the most amazing things. 8 hours (phew!) of living with these guys, understanding their relationships, their creative process. Such a treasure trove. Would love someday to hear your reaction. Thank you!

[@richardfehlmann4593]

Wow! Great choice 👍😊 I'm looking so much forward to watching this review ...

[@teri7398]

You are on a roll Crystal.🙂👍

[@polytheneprentiss1534]

In Spite of All the Danger - the first of numerous great Beatle originals. Love that song so much! Even Paul performed it live at the Cavern Club in 2018. 😍

[@barryelliott9463]

Hi thank you for the fresh input on the Beatles really clever and well presented Barry in Nottingham England .

[@Zholobov1]

Oh my God. I can't go on like that anymore. I'm signing to this channel this time!

[@finianlacy8827]

You are such a beautiful and talented free spirit...❣️❣️💥xx

[@lukemeyer5778]

The Beatles live at BBC volume one is maybe my favorite early Beatles album, I hope to see you react to it one of these days

[@RS-ni3lj]

Amazed how much effort you put into these videos. From the editing right down to the transcript.

[@CrystalShannon4]

Thank you so much R S ! I appreciate your effort in coming back and watching! I really can’t complain about the listening part because that is just a treat but I will admit that editing kinda takes it out of me- so the way i’ve been seeing it is I just get to hear everything a second time and get twice the enjoyment! Thank you for taking this journey with me!

[@juliopalomino7654]

Good idea to continue with the Beatles. greetings from Peru

[@nnneptune3418]

I was going to mention this! Beatles journey is not over!

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

“Anthology 1” is truly the birth of The Beatles. We are flies on the wall witnessing their first steps, gradually learning how to walk as musicians, and engaging in mischievous, playful banter on the musical playground. We get to listen to them experience growing pains musically as their voices start to change and they grow. Eventually they go to the musical equivalent of high school when they go to Hamburg and come back with their diplomas as the valedictorians. By the end of Disc 1, they have become the best band in the world. Thank you for this lovely surprise today, Crystal. I’m so excited to see you react to Disc 2. All I’m going to say is, to quote Danny Zuko from “Grease”, it’s only the beginning. 😊

[@PeterBuwen]

Great! I'm very exited that you go into Beatles history with the anthology albums! Thank you! I think you are the first ever who reacts to the anthology on youtube. The Beatles are really incomparable. And it's fascinating how they were all in from the very beginning. There should be a word about Liverpool and the so called 'Mersey Beat': in the 1950S Liverpool was a poor post war city with 30.000 unemployed people. But they had also - from this reason - 300 bands in and around Liverpool. Youngs people who all wanted to play american Rock'n'Roll. But they could not afford instruments. That created the 'Skiffle' which was played with one accistic guitar, a broomstick bass and a washboard. To compensate for the lack of good instruments the bands developped vocal harmonies. In the end the Liverpool sound - called 'Mersey Beat' after the river Mersey that flows through Liverpool - was a completely new style of music which was created by playinf Rock'nRoll more simple and with vocal harmonies. These are the roots of the Beatles. Today Liverpool is not poor any more and a big income now is the Beatles tourism. The the Beatles gave back to their hometown what they got.

[@davieswatts1]

Anthology albums are all about Beatles pieces, demos, drafts, home recordings, studio outtakes, covers of different tracks, fun covers. From its beginnings (1950s) to the end. You have to understand that it's never about studio songs. It's an album to fans. There are many great things. I recommend, if you haven't done so, in private, that you watch the different videos of the famous Beatles singles. The image is an important leg to better appreciate them. I recommend it with all the bands and music you are listening to. 😉

[@MajorParts]

In Spite of All The Danger was credited as a McCartney/Harrison song. This, along with That'll Be The Day (A Buddy Holly song), were the 1st recordings they ever did together (with some of The Quarrymen). A couple of years before Hamburg

[@elizadennison7433]

"Cry for a Shadow" was something of a play on words -- Cliff Richard and the Shadows were probably *the* biggest pop act in the UK when the Beatles were younger and getting in to the business; and their guitarist, Hank Marvin, was a huge inspiration to pretty much every aspiring guitarist in the country.

[@KariKauree]

But the Beatles always hated the Shadows with their clean-cut image, matched suits and synchronised dance steps (although they later got convinced to clean up their image and wear suits themselves) 😆

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Final thoughts on this album: when I first listened to it, what struck me was how it made The Beatles human. We get to hear them flub lyrics, breakdowns, and alternate versions of songs that sometimes sound better than the album versions. I love the studio chatter between them. It’s like being there in the same room with them. The “One After 909” discussion here involves Paul playing the bass without his plectrum or pick. There’s another outtake on “The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963” on Apple Music where George plays the solo and it sounds uncannily like he’s plucking a rubber band and at the end John says, “what kind of solo was that?” LOL It humanizes them and Crystal you’ll get more of this on the subsequent albums. It only goes uphill from here. 😊

[@jamesduggan7200]

that's a great point, as there is a tendency to mythologize the FAb Four, tho they are very good

[@jakobsnvarolafsson8382]

In Spite of all the Danger was of course the first time they recorded an original song though they were called the Quarrymen back then.

[@Archipelington]

I’m so glad you’re doing the Anthology albums. A different perspective. The anthology documentary is worth a watch if you get the chance.

[@beatmet2355]

Definitely, this TV special got me started listening to the Beatles. I heard them in passing growing up as my dad listened to them, regularly. But, I didn’t pay attention until I saw the anthology. I actually bought the Anthology CDs before I bought any of their albums.

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

Some fun facts about this album: Andy White, not Ringo Starr, plays drums on “Please Please Me”. “Hello Little Girl” is the first song written by John Lennon. The Beatles thought their live performances In Sweden were the best ones they ever did live. If you get a chance, check out their live performance of “Long Tall Sally” from the TV show “Drop-in” in 1963. It’s FANTASTIC. John Lennon thought his best singing was before 1963 and felt that after he shredded his voice on “Twist And Shout” that he never sounded the same vocally. This is the only “Anthology” album with tracks in chronological order and which features brief speech excerpts, which incidentally I love. One track that was omitted, but considered was a live performance of The Quarrymen performing “Baby Let’s Play House” on the very day John met Paul for the first time. The tape still exists and you can find a snippet of it on KZbin.

[@thedeushobbs472]

I was around in 1995 when the anthology playing on ABC the first few songs you are hearing or not professionally recorded this was the Beatles before they were the BEATLES. You have to absolutely positively react to the Free as a bird video it will be much more emotionally connecting visually and listening to the song. You also have to look at the reunions all the three surviving Beatles before George died in 2000 this is history in the making they're not playing the hits everybody know they're just getting together just playing music for themselves you are truly have to watch the anthology one by one it's a recorded history of the band unlike no other even if you have to watch it on your own time it's worth it and you would not be disappointed keep up with the individual Beatle albums.

[@robriceridge]

My Bonnie was Tony Sheridan on lead vocal w/ Beatles background.They did a whole album w/ him.Sheridan was a popular British act that the Beatles managed to get a session with pre-Vee Jay and Capitol record deals.Loved In Spite of All The Danger first time I heard it. Cry For A Shadow was the only Lennon-Harrison song credit I believe.Maybe you could do their Hamburg sessions someday too that are in a similar primitive vein.Loved Harrison's vocal on Sheik Of Araby.

[@cjmacq-vg8um]

i currently have over 350 beatles' songs and videos in my music collection. (they accompany over 2500 songs, albums and videos by others.) when i listen to the beatles i usually do so in chronological order; album by album. so that's my beatles playlist. those first songs sounded so scratchy because they were home recordings recorded on a home tape recorder. i think it was like '57, '58. they must've been 16, 17 years old when those were recorded. thanks for the video.

[@CowmanUK]

Ooooh, didn't expect this video tonight (UK time, it's 11pm here right now) so I've poured myself a glass of Jim Beam on the rocks and settling in for this one. I love your videos. Cheers!

[@CrystalShannon4]

Wow !! What an honor Ian! Thank you ! I appreciate this very much! I truly hope you enjoy yourself and your drink!! I might have to join in on the party next vid!

[@danielceo4694]

This is fun! I enjoy your speed round here. But, hey, even if you were to take your time and do an hour long or two hour long video, I would still watch. The Beatles Anthology! I still remember when this album came out, it was so exciting because all sorts of previously unreleased/archival Beatles material had started to come out and was being scheduled for future release: The Beatles Live At The BBC had just come out the year before and I remember Anthology 1 arriving at my local record store shelf the same week that The Beatles Anthology documentary premiered on ABC TV (Thanksgiving week, 1995). I loved it because not only had the Beatles own company opened up their archives but these three Anthology volumes gave us a more personal look at their history--now, we didn't just have their historical albums that have been rightly cherished throughout time, but we also got a behind the scenes sneak peek at how they became The Beatles and some of the work that they put in the studio to make these beloved records. You hit the nail on the head, this series of Anthology albums are like a time machine in that whenever I listen to these, it transports me back to 1958-1969...and I hadn't even been born till 1976! Highlights: the first ever local recording the band made when they were teenagers in Liverpool, England, playing Buddy Holly's "That'll Be The Day"; hearing their first ever home demo recordings (the only known recordings with original bass player Stu Sutcliffe, just prior to when they hired Pete Best as their drummer); their first official single with Tony Sheridan; excerpts of their audition for Decca Records, prompting the age-old question, "How could these guys have declined to sign The Beatles?"; their audition for their soon-to-be producer Sir George Martin (which, coincidentally, turned out to be their last session with Pete Best as their drummer); their first official recording session (which, coincidentally, ended up being their first session with their new drummer, Ringo); their first-ever take of "Please Please Me"; getting a fly on the wall sneak peek of their recording process as they attempted to record "One After 909"--arguments and all (no that wasn't scripted!)...BTW, the finished take of "909", which goes completely through without stopping was a composite edit that George Martin did of that song in 1995 to demonstrate what it might have sounded like had they all decided to finish it, instead they decided to select "From Me To You" as their next single; excerpts from radio and TV appearances; finally, the excitement of getting to hear The Beatles performing a concert in Sweden as they kicked off their first European tour at the end of 1963. There's still more treasures and nuggets and surprises in store on disc 2 when we get to hear perform for the Royal Family, we get an excerpt of their legendary premiere performance on the Ed Sullivan show and Outtakes galore from the recording sessions for A Hard Day's Night and Beatles For Sale!

[@hatmanndo]

The audience cheers are when some songs were recorded live in concert.

[@BigToeify]

That was fantasgreat Crystal! Yes I made up that word especially for your video ;).

[@CrystalShannon4]

You are so creative and inventive!! I love that, might have to start using fantasgreat from now on! Thank you for being amazome!!!!!

[@BigToeify]

@@CrystalShannon4 Amazome! Now look who’s being creative. I likey!

[@thoroakenshield7283]

Crystal, I hope you do some reactions to some of the Beatles live performances that are on video.

[@jnagarya519]

"That'll Be the Day" -- a cover of Buddy Holly -- "In Spite of All the Danger" were home recordings made while they were teenagers circa 1958.

[@RenaissanceEarCandy]

I believe In Spite of All the Danger was the very first thing they ever actually recorded together. It was recorded in about 1958. They were called The Quarrymen at this stage. I always enjoy your extremely insightful reactions to these albums. I would love to see your analysis/first reactions to some classical pieces.

[@LeChaunce]

Crystal, it makes me so very happy that you're taking this dive into historical Beatle deep cuts. I hope you also consider doing the two volumes of BBC recordings (that cover of Carl Perkins' "Lend Me Your Comb" is from those recordings, and some of my favorite Beatle covers come from them).

[@scottiethegreat74]

Agreed, that is a fantastic album!! I always loved there take on "I Got A Woman".

[@LeChaunce]

@@scottiethegreat74 Right? And how ‘bout that rare instance of George and Paul harmonizing on the Crickets’ “Don’t Ever Change”?

[@tupac1971ever]

Liked the video,looking forward to seeing you go through anthology 3.

[@CrystalShannon4]

Definitely will get to it!! Very excited!! We will be making a few detours along the way that i’m equally as excited about! :) ✨💥🎢

[@tupac1971ever]

@@CrystalShannon4 please do some reactions to Chris Cornell, one of the best singers ever in my opinion & plenty to listen to from him, he was the lead singer of Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog with Eddie Veddar, & his solo stuff & there's a video over an hour of him doing covers from The Beatles, to Prince, to Bob Marley, lots of great stuff to hear from him R.I.P.

[@JuanM7]

The versions of "Free As a Bird" and "Real Love" you heard for the first time were remixes that were released in 2015 and the versions on the album are the original mixes

[@debjorgo]

My playlist: I Saw Her Standing There I Should Had Known Better I'm a Loser Day Tripper If I Needed Someone In My Life Rain Tomorrow Never Knows Strawberry Fields Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise) from LOVE Revolution 1 I'm So Tired Hey Bulldog Revolution Cry Baby Cry I Am the Walrus Your Mother Should Know Happiness is a Warm Gun Hey Jude Yer Blues Helter Skelter Two of Us For You Blue Don't Let Me Down I've Got a Feeling Let it Be I Want You (She's So Heavy) Come Together Get Back (Anthology) Ha ha. Not one single overlap with your playlist. I think that just shows how good the Beatles are.

[@garyodom6574]

Crystal, I think you would have loved the 60's. Another couple of young ladies who have a great affinity for the Beatles and 60's music is the Mona Lisa Twins. Check them out.

[@LeChaunce]

YES! The MonaLisa Twins are absolutely fab! I love their song "That's Life".

[@masonresnick5105]

Agreed--check out the Mona Lisa Twins! They've got the Beatles vibe :-)

[@michaelgiebey7007]

Big MonaLisa Twins fan here. "Nothing is in Vain" sounds like a Revolver track. I like their covers of San Francisco and Hotel California more than the original versions. Love all their Beatle covers and their own Beatles esque compositions

[@carlosguerreiro6029]

I say it right you are the best disc music reviewer in the internet! In you tube! So much joy you bring, its a shame that many Beatles fans Paul, George ...fans dont know this! Lets keep passing the word!

[@CrystalShannon4]

Wow thank you!!! You are much much much too kind!! ♥️♥️ I’m so happy to be a part of this family with you guys!

[@carlosguerreiro6029]

I mean it, i just dont know how to reach any single Beatle fan, or Paul fan or George fan...to rise your view numbers, i know if many of them saw your reactions for sure they gonna love it, sorry for my english my original language is spanish,regards from Portugal! And by the way your reaction to Pet Sounds is super great too and for All things must pass, speechless! I just dont saw Pink Floyd because i dont like Pink Floyd, keep the good vibe and take care

[@mlong1958]

You really should react to the Videos of Free as a Bird and Real Love. They are a treat. Also, some of the songs on the Anthology albums have Pete Best as the drummer, which was good for him. He gets royalties off of it.

[@donlawson3330]

The good stuff!

[@pablovandyck]

The anthology proves Malcom Gladwell's 10,000 hour rule. The Beatles did their homework, were a real good cover band, and spent an awful lot of time performing in the bars in Hamburg & Liverpool.

[@CowmanUK]

8 hour shifts in Hamburg (their Saturday gigs at the Star Club were from 7pm to 3am)... insane amount of work, really. No wonder they perfected their craft.

[@Goodall10]

My playlist of original Beatles recordings is actually pretty thin. The bulk of my playlist is every song Paul has done live with his current touring band (like 150 songs), and I also have the entire soundtrack from the movie Across the Universe (which you need to hit at some point).

[@michaeldezego340]

The second song That'll Be The Day was a song written and recorded by Buddy Holly, a big influence on the Beatles. They also eventually would cover another Buddy song Words Of Love and with these songs as well as all the songs they covered, they did a fantastic job.

[@Richard_Ashton]

I had several ‘Crickets' 78s as a lad - loved them.

[@gettingkilt]

In fact "Beatles" was consciously a John-style riff on Buddy Holly's "crickets".

[@michaeldezego340]

@@Richard_Ashton Wow! 78's. My parents had a bunch of 78's but they broke easily and I was 4 yo and broke some. I bought some Buddy Holly album reissues in the 70's. He influenced so many musicians.

[@Richard_Ashton]

@@michaeldezego340 My uncle gave them to me when he went HiFi with big speakers and a transcription deck. I ended up with a few dozen records from a wide range of US artists. Uncle Charlie was a huge Jack Jones fan.

[@anthonyhaun1990]

Awesome reactions! Great playlist! My playlist... "All I've Got To Do", "If I Needed Someone", "Do You Want To Know A Secret", "I'll Follow The Sun", "Anytime At All", "Fixing A Hole", "It's Only Love", "Good Day Sunshine", The Fool On The Hill", "Hey Bulldog", "You Really Got A Hold On Me", "Sexy Sadie", "Yellow Submarine", "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Lovely Rita", "And I Love Her", "Flying", "I'm So Tired", "Yer Blues", "Help!", "Getting Better", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "Across The Universe", "Let It Be", "Something", "If I Fell", "I Want You", "Here Comes The Sun", "A Day In The Life", "I'm Only Sleeping", "Tomorrow Never Knows", "Dig A Pony", "I Need You", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Dear Prudence", "Two Of Us", "In My Life", "Rocky Racoon", "All You Need Is Love" ......

[@fewwiggle]

"You won't be disappointed in the next one" -- PERFECT, you're finally getting to Led Zeppelin... ;-)

[@CrystalShannon4]

Ohhhhhh!!! Yes yes!! in due time, we will absolutely be making that very special visit!

[@bjornerikroth]

"Like Dreamers Do" and "Love of the Loved" were the McCartney songs that got Ardmore & Beechwood to push their parent company EMI to take on the Beatles - to get the publishing.

[@sourisvoleur4854]

As always your reactions are awesome. Love your fresh perspective on the band I knew since I was 4 years old (my grandmother made fun of me for singing "I'm not half the man I used to be" at that tender age). If you enjoy the little snippets of conversation you might want to check out "The Beatles at the BBC" which has a number of these, which are in general longer than the ones on Anthology. They're a hoot.

[@CrystalShannon4]

Thank you for always being such an amazing friend to me Souris Voleur! You always make me so happy!

[@CrystalShannon4]

I can only imagine how adorable it must’ve been to see a sweet 4 year old feel the lyrics of Yesterday deep in his heart!

[@sourisvoleur4854]

@@CrystalShannon4 They must have gone right to the center because I've been a Beatles fan ever since! ❤ Thank you for the kind words.

[@lloydster9000]

Yay! More Crystal! ☺️❤️

[@CrystalShannon4]

I celebrate when I see more you !!! ✨✨👋

[@lloydster9000]

@@CrystalShannon4 😇 Any chance you’ll react to the Beatles’ “Live At The BBC” albums? They’re a goldmine of great songs and witty banter.

[@markamos1911]

Hope you'll be doing Live at the BBC, which includes around thirty tracks they never recorded for record release.

[@JedHead77]

Track 3: The teenage Beatles cover one of the groups they admired: the Crickets!

[@TheEWFX29]

This song and Real Love were put together especially for this album and documentary.

[@steveleblanc7983]

The producer of My Bonnie, Bert Kaempfert was so unimpressed by Pete Best's drumming he reduced to him to just playing the snare.

[@CrystalShannon4]

Woah!!!! That must’ve been a kick in the ego!!!!

[@steveleblanc7983]

@@CrystalShannon4 To this day, Pete says he doesn't know why the rest of the band fired him but after this, plus getting the thumbs down from Decca and then having George Martin tell John, Paul and George they could use Pete in their live shows but he wouldn't use him in the studio they finally decided to let him go and get Ringo. The cowardly part of it though, was they told Brian Epstein he had to to the dirty deed.

[@Dontblamethemonkey]

I can’t wait for disk 2 then anthology 2

[@jnagarya519]

The club owner kept exhorting them to "mach show" -- make show. And you hear that on the Hamburg recordings.

[@amymills2413]

Maybe you could do a review of the Beatles live TV studio recording in Blackpool from 1965

[@brandonflorida1092]

"Cry for a Shadow" is the only Lennon-Harrison composition to my knowledge and is a reference to the British group, "The Shadows." They used to play this in performances before they were famous calling it "Beatle Bop" and gave it the name "Cry for a Shadow" only when they recorded it.

[@penfold7455]

The great thing about "My Bonnie" , "Ain't She Sweet", "Cry For a Shadow" , "Searchin', "Three Cool Cats" , "Sheik of Araby", "Like Dreamers Do", "Hello Little Girl" , and "Besame Mucho" is that they are the only recordings on here with Pete Best in drums. Not long after they signed, Pete was kicked out of the band and replaced with Ringo Starr.

[@allandyke7392]

you got to try beatles live at the bbc great stuff you will like on that

[@iqbalhussain9526]

Will you be doing Anthology 2 and 3? Love your work.

[@CrystalShannon4]

Hey there!!! I absolutely intend to getting around to it all !!! We’ve got new stuff coming up soon!! 💙💙💙 But for now, we’ve been doing a new short everyday! I would love to hear your thoughts on today’s clip: kzbin.info9D5P4Z_n0xM?feature=share

[@borarem]

I hope you react to their movies also.

[@knockedoutloaded279]

That'll be the day is from 1958 i think......there first recording, but you can still see they sound great...