The Beatles Something New REVIEW |

[@rocktober1327]

Anytime At All is one of my favorite songs, I also think Slow Down is one of their best cover songs, good video.

[@billbez7465]

"Slow Down" is an excellent cover, similar to "Rock and Roll Music" cover. High energy and great vocal by John.

[@aceopinions]

I agree! It's actually one of my favorite tracks on the album for the reason you stated. This Larry Williams composition would have never been known had not been for this cover. My favorite covers were the ones John took the lead on..."Rock and Roll Music", Twist and Shout" to name two.

[@DavidCKendall]

Slow Down is exciting. Lennon's scream/shout is exhilarating. I think When I Get Home is an extremely strong, winning track for John and the Fabs. I'm gonna love it 'till the cows come home!

[@willzimjohn]

Not a great solo from George.

[@jeffclement2468]

They should've found room for "Leave My Kitten Alone" I never heard that until the Anthology records came out, and it blew me out the door.

[@Theoutcasts65]

I havee the very first Meet The Beatles album sold in New York at King Karol records, (42nd st. & 6th ave.) On January 10th, 1964... 6 days before the official release. The owner, Ben Karol, signed the back.

[@tjdomerny4847]

Some weeks ago, on "Quora", I was challenged when I said that ALL THINGS MUST PASS was a Beatles song held back by George, and that they did 73 takes of it. I replied to the challenge that the person should look to you on KZbin because you had the tapes. You remain the most reliable source for Beatles takes.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you, TJ. I am very proud of that video and I am very pleased people are now not accepting the old tired z - and wrong - narrative of John and Paul rejecting All Things Must Pass. Thanks for commenting.

[@scottyr9617]

Capitol also repeated that "lazy" 45 sleeve artwork for the "Can't By Me Love" single. However, I totally agree that "Something New" was a great cover. I used to stare at it for hours.

[@barbatkinson7347]

Awful, garish, and cheap cover. Looks like a bootleg from the ‘70s.

[@DavidinMiami]

I'm American, but I only know (and own) the British release of the Hard Day's Night album. I LOVE "Things We Said Today": the music Paul came up with here is spellbinding; the melody is wonderful, and the modulations are memorable. I can understand why it was featured as the first track on side A; it's easily one of the most underrated Beatles songs, and it deserved to be released as a single.

[@picker0335]

Agree

[@ronmartin4212]

It was on the HDN 45 and Extracts album EP in the UK and most of Europe and South Africa,Australia and Japan.

[@aceopinions]

Hi, I love Things we said today also..probably my favorite on the album. Where did you find the British albums ? Not sure when you bought them, but back in the 60's, the British albums were not widely available, although I wish they had been.

[@oojudg3oo]

I think I'll Cry Instead on Something New, and A Hard Day's Night (US version) are actually 2 different Takes. Takes. I'm basing that from memory from knowing and singing along with these songs as a young teen. I'm 60 now. But I can still remember that there was a pause in the vocal or just pronunciation of a few words were different. I don't think it was just a Mix issue. Actually a few of the same songs on both those albums are actually different Takes. I don't have either album now. And of course I don't know or remember every nook and cranny of their songs as I did as a young teenager. Great Channel Matt!

[@ronmartin4212]

@@oojudg3oo The monos on the HDN(UA) and the Something New mono lps are the same,as well as the Capitol 5234 45,in other words.

[@syater]

This period, summer 1964, the record releases you cover here, the crowds of kids outside and inside the theaters to see Hard Day's Night film, frequent appearances on nightly news, it all rendered most of the kids I knew breathless and buzzed. I had older sisters, I saw what it did to them. At this specific period it seemed there was "something new" from the Beatles every week. And of course those songs reinforced the dizziness no matter in what configurations.

[@nigeltant]

I always find your reviews of US releases fascinating because of the different perspective you have to us in the UK. For instance, the Long Tall Sally EP is considered to be a terrific and definitive release, but putting the three covers on that EP on to albums totally changes the impact. The EP is a full on unadulterated Rock and Roll adrenaline rush - I wish they had done more EPs of material not included on albums.

[@smautomat]

As a kid, this was my first “favorite Beatles Album”. I loved “Tell Me Why”, “Slow Down”, and “I’m Happy Just to Dance with You”.

[@KneeAches]

Fun episode. I missed those singles at the time and can only think that by Hard Days Night I was focused more on the LPs AND despite my being a fanboy, it was overwhelming…but then I Feel Fine, Eight Days a Week, Ticket to Ride I did not miss….love those singles.

[@mustlovepretzels]

This album was in my Dad's collection as a kid and it's where my Beatles musical journey began. Cheers! 🥨

[@robertfontaine356]

Matt, when you say that Beatlemania was slowing down around July 1964, I will suggest that, yes, Capitol got greedy and released too much product, but as I recall what was really slowing was the disposable income needed to constanly keep up with the avalanche of product. If you were a teenaged Beatles fan in 1964, it had turned into an expensive summer. If you just consider AHDN the movie, I don`t know anyone who didn`t see it at least five times. The cost of popcorn alone would pûsh your budget over the cliff!

[@amandagerrish5892]

I purchased "Something New" back 1964, and yes, it was a "diabolical" track listing. ("Komm Gib Mer Deine Hand"... really?) However, it contained some great Beatles tracks that I couldn't find anywhere else. This included one of my all-time favorite Beatles tracks, "Things We Said Today". Also, I loved the color cover photo of the Beatles playing on that stage.

[@romelovesdan]

Nice honest, and insightful conversation about "Something 'New'...." The minutia regarding mixes is important to share with your audience when discussing the US and UK album and single releases.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks, Rome!

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

I was 9 years old when I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan and have been a rabid fan ever since. When I was a kid there was a chain store called Pay N. Save that carried records and that's where I bought my Beatles album. There were always choices though which was a little bit odd. The Parlophone albums were mixed in with the capital albums and being a young American boy I always bought the capital albums. Fast forward to when I'm in my twenties and I meet a guy that's looking at my collection and he's like why didn't you buy the parlophone records? He told me that they were mixed far better there was more bass to the tracks. So I started buying the Parlophone albums and low and behold they sound so much better! thanks for the review!❤

[@389383]

I assume the imports were more expensive.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks for sharing your Beatle buying history, Jakal!

[@harmonium8198]

Pay 'n Save! That's where I bought my first records when I was growing up in Seattle.

[@aceopinions]

Hi - great comment. I was 9 as well in 1964 my fellow fan!! I am curious where you were able to find the British releases in the 60's? I never knew they existed until years later. I grew up in Northern NJ, so I am sure record shops in New York had them, but I never saw them in any of the department or record stores of the day....I am jealous..haha. Take Care. Tom

[@ConglomerationCat]

I have a very soft spot for Something New. My father had a reel to reel tape of all Beatles music starting with Meet The Beatles, followed by Something New, Beatles '65 and then Beatles VI all on one side of the tape. I loved Something New and the running order. Slow Down to my ears has an amazing energy about it and Lennon's vocal is so raw and energetic. You can hear the group and George Martin are having a ball with it.

[@Joejobass]

Thanks for the memories! It was my favorite album for a while, my first Beatles album. I bought it at the PX on a base in Europe in 1965 when I was 13.

[@charlesbronson4282]

The English Hard Days Night is a masterpiece. And Anytime at All is an underrated gem

[@jrh11254]

This was the 1st Beatles LP I ever owned; got it for Christmas ‘64. Just about wore it out. The next Christmas I got Help! and loved it just as much.

[@4-dman464]

3:00 "Kinda like today, actually!" Nice ironic improv.

[@larryshaver3568]

Beatles'65 had some good stereo cuts in it

[@farrellmcnulty909]

'65 was great. It's where I first heard "She's a Woman" and "I Feel Fine" which sound fantastic in mono with the reverb.

[@matthewstreet1961]

Excellent episode Matt! My Dad left this on my nightstand when I was a young boy. I woke up the next day and was so thrilled to find it! The cover is so striking and eye catching. I fell in love with it! You brought up all of the excellent insights about it; IE extremely short length, repeat songs from AHDN, etc. But it remains a sentimental favorite of mine. Cheers 🍻 😊

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Yeah that cover really works! Thanks Matt.

[@world964]

My first album was the Rock and Roll Music compilation which I bought shortly after it’s release had many of the songs on Something New.

[@Rollietom890]

Being a 14 year old with limited funds in the Summer of '64, I agree with you that the cover for Something New (x2) was key. It was much more eye-catching than the HDN soundtrack cover by far. Since the Ed Sullivan show was in B&W, seeing the Fab 4 in action and in technicolor was definitely a major factor. Also remember that the Rolling Stones, Dave Clark Five and many other "Mersey Beat" bands were starting to flood the record bins and airwaves after the Beatles hit the shore and kiddos like myself had to choose which LP to hand over our hard-earned moola for. This collection of tunes still contains the excitement and enthusiasm that the "2nd Album" had in spades so I've never considered it a step down, despite the obvious filler. By the way, "Slow Down" became a staple of every garage band so it's hard to downplay its influence. Nice review, Matt.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you, Rollie!

[@ScaryStoriesNYC]

We used to call this one, "Something New Something New"

[@ScaryStoriesNYC]

Well actually I think it's name is actually "Something New, Something New." It's a play on, "Something Old, Something New."

[@onlysleeping8934]

Another superb American Beatles album review! Thanks so much for doing these. I'm 60 and I grew up listening to all the American albums. I love em! Great job Matt!!!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you! Plenty more to come.

[@EricSchultz-zs8hz]

I like your review, and agree with you on all points. Yes, Capitol was trying to squeeze as much money out of the Beatles as they could. Part of their reasoning was probably the mindset at the time that soon the bubble would burst, and no one would be interested in the Beatles any more. The guys at Capitol never dreamed that the Beatles would still be selling records more than 60 years in the future! Side note: the 2 cover songs were from the "Long Tall Sally" EP in England, which was their only EP (apart from the double EP of "Magical Mystery Tour") which did not come from any previous albums or singles. The other 2 songs, "I Call Your Name" and the EP's title track were on "The Beatles' Second Album."

[@jasontheoldmillennial7197]

This is actually the only US album that I own at the moment. It has my two favorite songs from A Hard Days Night, If I Fell and And I Love Her.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

It certainly has its charms. Thanks for the comment, Jason!

[@scottjones3038]

I agree that Matchbox and Slow Down are not good covers, the former being especially weak. I wish so badly they recorded Some Other Guy in the canon, along with Memphis. The Beatles made some odd choices for the covers included in the official canon, esp. on Beatles for Sale.

[@jimpage601]

One thing your fine episode reminded me of was that, in that Beatles era, not every family had a record player that handled albums. The kids in the family might have 45 players. The first Beatles album I was able to play at home was Sgt. Pepper. To hear the prior ones, I had to visit a friend's house or listen at a community teen event.

[@sprague49]

"Komm Gib Mer Deine Hand" featured the identical instrument backing track from the master tape as "I Want to Hold Your Hand". George Martin just had them sing new vocals in German in a Paris studio. However, "Sie Liebt Dich" was an entirely new recording, since Parlophone had erased the original master tracks with the separate instrumental backing on "She Loves You" in order to recycle the tape for other uses. This had been normal studio practice up to that time but Parlophone never did such a thing again!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks for that info. I didn't realize the She Loves You version was a complete re-record.

[@ChrisMezzolesta]

@@popgoesthe60s52 The way to tell is that the drum/tomtom fills after each "Sie liebt dich, ja ja ja" are a more strict syncopation (eighth notes on the up-beats) than the original take (where they are part of quarter-note triplets, a more smooth but counterpoint rhythm). Sort of like on Ticket To Ride, where Ringo starts the tune out using quarter-note triplets to be in line with Paul's guitar riff (yes it is Paul playing the intro) but along the way he abandons this and by the middle of the tune he's playing straight eighths on the snare then toms. "It's a 'feel' thing, man..." 😀 Another winner, boss!!!

[@4-dman464]

@@ChrisMezzolesta Interesting & good to know. I'd like to steal that info if that's okay. Full disclosure: "From a false start rhumba to kick-start ‘Rain,’ like hand-cranking a motor in the morning, like quarter-note triplets to punch a ticket to ride a riff or two fills to rouse a Walrus: Ringo’s best rumbles are clamorously trippy. Peripatetic: scampering to snare a chorus, dial a number, call a girl, say Hello and hop a bus and Go - catch a taxi - Go - flee a taxman - Go! - pat a flat-top flatfoot tomtom groove."

[@arthurblackhistoric]

I'm 70, and this is the first time I've heard of "Something New . . ." and I consider myself a true Beatles fan, if not a completist collector. But then I'm in Australia where censorship was rife, and even the record companies themselves rationed out to us what they deemed we should receive, and may The Lord make us truly thankful, LOL. We didn't even get the UK pressings either. All we got were the cheaply done Australian pressings that were much quieter and less strident than the UK pressings. In 1980 EMI released "The Beatles Box Set" which contained pretty much all the Beatles albums we could immediately call to mind. But after mulling through the offerings we realised that it didn't contain the Magical Mystery Tour album, and of course the posthumously released Hey Jude album that had all the Beatles singles on it that originally didn't appear on any Beatles albums at the times they were released. Quite a good album, actually, as you may imagine. The Box Set did contain The Beatles Rarities album which I really loved, in spite of the two songs sung in German! Rain was on that album in glorious mono too. At a flea market one Sunday about a year after the box set's release, there was a lady selling her complete set of Beatles albums which were all UK pressings. I just didn't have enough cash on me to buy them all, and so I reluctantly settled for just the two I didn't already possess. When I got home I played the Magical Mystery Tour album on my stereo, then just for comparison I played one of the ones from the box set, and I had to turn the volume up to literally twice the level to achieve the same sound level in my living room. That's how shitty the Australian pressings really were, and gave me a new, greater level of contempt for the suits who rule the music industry. I've downloaded hundreds of albums, and scores of complete discographies, and slept all the sounder, knowing I was screwing some dudes in suits who had screwed the artists who recorded the albums out of all but 50c of the cost of the albums when they were released!

[@ianmcpherson3615]

Thanks for another thoughtful and insightful review.

[@johnyarusso4953]

Matt I have a vivid memory of going to a school friends house late summer 64 because he had 3 Beatles albums including Something New and AHDN. We were only 6 years old but I remember thinking These albums are a ripped off. One had a bunch of movie violin music and Something New had repeat songs, although I was a huge Beatles fan, I felt like they were cheating, so I stuck with their singles until Mystery Tour. Little did I know The Beatles had nothing to do with compiling any of those albums!

[@tonihernandez6862]

the cover really grabs the attention - and i think george's leads for "slow down" and "matchbox" are fantastic, and "anytime at all" is worth the full price of the album if you didnt own it all ready. you have to admit, capitol was much kinder to the beatles than the beach boys during this period when releasing their product. anyways, thank you for this review - great as always, and looking forward to "The Beatles Story"!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thank you, Toni!

[@rickdrais9737]

Back in the day, I picked up the German release of this album, mostly because the U.S. version of A Hard Day's Night was unavailable at the time, and although I had the Parlophone version of A Hard Day's Night, it meant I didn't have the long version of I'll Cry Instead from the U.A. soundtrack, but it WAS featured on the German Something New. One of the great joys of collecting imports was the little bonuses like that. Or the version of All My Loving with the hi hat intro, or the extended coda version of And I Love Her. It added to the mystique of buying foreign pressings.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Yes, those little variations are great nuggets!

[@harryhocus7367]

The best band in the history of music!! I had this record and it was one of my all time favorites!!

[@Sweetish_Jeff_]

This is the Beatles album I discovered in the summer of 1980 when I became a Beatles fan. I remember looking at the album cover, seeing the name “Beatles” and laughing because it reminded me of bugs. Then I put on the record and after hearing “I’ll Cry Instead” I was hooked. This record still brings back a lot of great memories. I had no idea it was so short. Why didn’t they include “Sie Liebt Dich” and have twelve songs instead of eleven? I guess they figured “Why twelve, when it can take eleven?”

[@farrellmcnulty909]

Royalties, Jeff, royalties - the less they issued, the less they had to pay.

[@aceopinions]

Great review Matt. I was 9 when this came out and I loved it, save for Matchbox and the German version of I want to Hold Your hand. My favorites were Things we said today and I'll Cry Instead. Love the cover too, though I never understood why the tracks listed on the front did not match the actual playing order of the album. Capital put out the singles because until the late 60's , singles were still a very popular format...and more accessible if you could not afford the album.

[@ricjan58]

Christmas 1964 and my Aunt asked my Mother what I would like for Christmas and Mom said "Beatle albums". Guess which 2 my Aunt bought me? It didn't take that 6 year old very long to notice the repeats of songs after looking at the back covers.Thank you for again bringing back memories of a wonderful childhood.

[@martinsplichal1581]

Great show Matt. I actually listened to Something New yesterday. I had some of these songs on an Odeon comp as a child. Cheers.

[@wc1233]

This was the record that introduced me to the Beatles at an early age. It was my mother's record and she would play for me as little kid. I have a very early memory of enjoying the intro to Slow Down. The beat and bass riff kind of matched the record spinning in the player. I am glad you mentioned the alternative mixes for this record. And I Love Her alternative mix is a fav of mine.

[@Theoutcasts65]

I havee the very first Meet The Beatles album sold in New York at King Karol records, (42nd st. & 6th ave.) On January 10th, 1964... 6 days before the official release. The owner, Ben Karol, signed the back.

[@beatleboy0195]

Hi Matt is the reason it started slowing down was that capitol had effectively caught up with the uk in terms of new material by the band and also like with the song i'm happy just to dance with you was released 3 times in a month it's on both albums plus a single that's just ridiculous

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Yes, they were exhausting all their material!

[@erniericardo8140]

I also if Im correct they used I'll Cry Instead on both A Hard Days Night soundtrack and Something "New" - but the version of I'll Cry Instead on this album has the extra verse.

[@msfl54]

As a kid in the 60s I bought this album at a garage sale. I had no idea that some if these songs were on hard days night. So if you listen to this album in a vacuum, as I did, well I loved it and still do.

[@PartTimeBuddhist]

Well, I guess "Something Cobbled Together from a Pre-Existing Soundtrack LP, a UK EP, and a Random Foreign Language Novelty Single" didn't have quite the same ring to it? The only reason I, an American born in 1980, know this album is because I've always preferred the Beatles stereo mixes (not getting into that discussion now), but when the UK albums were issued as "canon" in the US in the late '80s, the first four UK albums weren't released in stereo. So in the mid-'90s, I spotted a cassette of "Something New" in the record store one day (I presume the US albums had been phased out after 1987, but some still lingered around?), and man, did I soak up those sweet, sweet stereo mixes. After 2009, though, having this album is kind of pointless. I actually dig both "Matchbox" and "Slow Down," although George's solo on the latter gets a bit hairy.

[@ericfow]

Just wanted to tell you how much I enjoy all your videos.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

I appreciate that, Eric. Thank you.

[@drewgeraci8434]

The Smithereens did an acoustic song called Something New from their second album in 1988. It had a mellow Beatles vibe. Also, in the early 2000s, they did a Beatles cover album called Meet the Smithereens. Another album was. All covers or other acts like T-Rex and The Kinks. And it sounds great

[@12stringblues]

I love the early Beatles so this album is a lot of fun with some great rockin tunes. The next US album they released Beatles '65 I had as a kid and loved that album. My family also had the Beatles: Love Songs (1977) album. Thanks for the video.

[@musicmann1967]

I played Something New when it was out and afterwards, but probably because the cover was cool! haha! Even as a kid of 9, I realized that this album was cannibalizing other Beatles releases. I think that's important too. If a little kid like me noticed it, I would have to assume that everyone noticed it too. I don't think Beatlemania was slowing down by this album, I just think people realized that the market was being flooded with repackaged songs, and sub par singles and they just didn't go out and buy every single thing. I 100% blame Capitol for devaluing their own releases. Rock music was not taken seriously yet as an "industry", and Capital was just trying to capitalize on what they thought of as a fad at the time. The Beatles were an anomaly, but they (Capital) didn't realize that yet. It was still only 1964!! The Beatles had only just been on Ed Sullivan a few months earlier.

[@colingillis5989]

Had a scratchy copy and loved it of course! I liked your comment about how Beatles fans would buy anything put in front of them and even today. Guilty as charged! I respectfully disagree with one thing. Slow Down is a banger! The Young Rascals did it justice as well. Great review as always thanks! The American releases were always trying to get blood out of a stone so to speak! Wish that focus would have also been on The Who and the Kinks! Cheers!

[@johnshahbazz8945]

LP cover shot is from 1st ED SULLIVAN show. The over market dump reminds me of the MOBY GRAP fiasco. Love your channel .

[@389383]

Moby Grape, but it also was Moby Grab as the label wanted to dominate with all the singles released.

[@johnshahbazz8945]

@@389383 Yes MOBY GRAPE ! Funny, accurate and perhaps a Freud slippage ?

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks John! More to come.

[@sherrybirchall8677]

Silly guy. I won't EVER want to miss an episode of Pop Goes the 60s. 😊

[@michaelrochester48]

“I’ll cry instead”, was interesting on that album because it was actually extended by repeating one of the verses

[@ronmartin4212]

Neat part was the all the tracks were true mono.on the mono version.Some of them were folddowns on the Parlophone.Ill Cry Instead was the complete mix,unlike the folddown on the Parlophone.Any Time At All and When I Get Home were also stereo folddowns on the Parlophone mono.

[@oojudg3oo]

I think I'll Cry Instead on Something New, and A Hard Day's Night (US version) are actually 2 different Takes. Takes. I'm basing that from memory from knowing and singing along with these songs as a young teen. I'm 60 now. But I can still remember that there was a pause in the vocal or just pronunciation of a few words were different. I don't think it was just a Mix issue. Actually a few of the same songs on both those albums are actually different Takes. I don't have either album now. And of course I don't know or remember every nook and cranny of their songs as I did as a young teenager. Great Channel Matt!

[@1208bug]

I used to love playing "I Feel Fine" through an old CRT Osiliscope,The intro was awsome!

[@tmrezzek5728]

Nice take! I don't care for the studio Slow Down, either, but I *love* their live version of Slow Down on the Live at the BBC recordings--it swings and it's bouncy and Ringo has some great fills.

[@catdeli]

Good to know all those release dates! I was an 8-year old in upstate NY and Hard Days and Slow Down were the first two 45's I ever bought (in '64). I still have them w/pic sleeves.

[@1rwjwith]

I think this was in that period in 1964 when they started having some competition from bands like DAVE CLARK 5 , The KINKS, The ANIMALS ETC…then the Beatles started to take control again pretty quickly. I never owned that album or BEATLES VI . From Rubber Soul on I bought them all ..or my family did! I was only 12 in 1965.

[@BillGaliette]

I was at a record convention back in the 90’s and bought a bankers box of albums, which included all the original rainbow labels and Apple label reissues. The rainbow Something New looked like someone cut across it with a Bowie knife, but to this day it plays and never skipped. I think I ha e the guy 25 bucks for the box. Also ended up with some Beach Boys and one from “Lothar and the Hand People”

[@paavoviuhko7250]

I was in high school from 64 to 69 (in Ontario we had a grade 13). I had a couple of Beatles 45s but I can't say I ever saw a picture sleeve. The only albums I had were Beatles 65 and Beatles VI. I had strong intentions in the 60's of buying Something New but it never happened. Bob Dylan attracted most of my purchasing attention. Best wishes to you.

[@joelgoldenberg1100]

It's quite amazing that the song Hard Day's Night was not on a Capitol album until 1973 (the Red album) and Can't Buy Me Love was not on a Capitol album until 1970 (the Hey Jude LP). Some good things about the Something New album are that North America got the stereo mixes of Slow Down and Matchbox (from the Long Tall Sally UK EP) in stereo 12 years before the UK, and of course the other two songs from the EP were in stereo on the Beatles' Second Album, months before the EP was released in the latter case. The stereo mix of the German I Want To Hold Your Hand was also released, IIRC, on this album first. Also, the songs that were also on the stereo Hard Day's Night soundtrack were fake stereo, but true stereo on Something New.

[@kevincorcoran6493]

I think the American mono version is fascinating. Those songs you pointed out including any time at all really do sound different than the stereo versions so you're basically getting two-for-one if you have both versions. Glad that you covered that part of it plus the extra verse to I'll cry instead

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks for the comments, Kevin - much appreciated.

[@willzimjohn]

"Matchbox" and "Slow Down" were recorded for the "Long Tall Sally" EP (which was a great cover) so maybe not top effort. John's vocal on "Slow Down", though spirited, has him singing different lyrics on the double-track which they didn't bother to fix. George's solo on "Slow Down" didn't seem to have had much thought put into it, and they let that stand, too. Remember that they nailed the title track in one take. The single-tracking on the intro of "If I Fell" was what was intended by The Beatles and Martin as it was thought to be more intimate. It was that way on the mono mix but when the stereo mix was done later without as much participation and attention to detail, the double-track was left in. Similarly, in the mono mix, Paul's voice break on the second "was in vain" was fixed by double-tracking the harmony, which was omitted in the stereo and you can hear the error. On the stereo version of "Tell Me Why", you can hear someone's fingers running up the strings at the end of the song which you don't in mono.

[@philkaiser6025]

You must not be a guitar player. If you are, YOU try to play the lead from Slow Down; it ain't easy, my friend, and is actually a really cool solo. You might want to stick with what you know....

[@jamescpotter]

Interesting retrospective summation. As young kids starting a band at ages 12 & 15 in 1964, we didn't care about the packaging or duplication of material because we had no idea that EMI/Parlophone existed. Side two was special because of the covers (we tried to learn but was too advanced for us!) and original material was great rock and roll. Looking back today I understand your perspective and it is spot on. Bottom line: living Beatlemania and their entire seven year recording era was incredible. Especially when they were progressing so fast many of us had to hold on tight just to catch up to their latest musical vision.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks James!

[@orbyfan]

Don't forget the small print credit, "Produced in England by George Martin and in the U.S.A. with the assistance of Dave Dexter, Jr." The latter part is the recording industry's equivalent of "By William Shakespeare, with additional dialogue by Sam Taylor." I had the same opinion of most of the songs you mentioned when I fist heard the album almost 50 years ago; my opinion of those songs has improved. I still have my mid-'70s copy of the stereo release, but I recently added the mono version to my collection along with a few other original mono Beatles albums, thanks to an idiot in my neighbourhood who's been throwing out old vinyl.

[@erniericardo8140]

Fun review Matt, although this Capitol album Something New IMO is very cut and paste, but there are some favorites of mine like I'll Cry Instead ( very Dylanesque) Things We Said Today ( a McCartney classic) When I Get Home (a good overlooked Power Pop R&B type song) Im Happy Just To Dance With You ( a highlight in the Hard Days Night film) If I Fell ( a great Lennon Love song) And I Love Her ( one of the best McCartney songs IMO) -Santo & Johnny do a great instrumental version of this song👌 and I also like the Sandpipers version👍

[@bobm5242]

I loved this LP as a kid back in 1964. Side one all new songs & side two the Hard Days Night songs without have to pick up the tonearm & skipping the George Martin instrumental songs. We wanted all Beatles!! ;-)

[@allanbluzdude]

Something New was the very first album I owned. I was 9 when it came out.

[@georgerussell9525]

I remember all the singles you mentioned getting plenty of airplay spring and summer of '64. Perhaps they did the two covers to give high school bands something "Beatle" to do. I like how acerbic "I'll Cry Instead" is -- a hint of Lennon songs to come.

[@magneto7930]

I had both albums back then. Something New is a great album. I enjoyed it when I was a kid. Capital was not allowed to use the title A Hard Day's Night, nor the song itself. Capitol Records tried to bury every other non-capital Beatle album in the sand. Calling it The Beatles Second Album and Something New, that was their whole attitude. Capital released The Early Beatles, boasting "For the first time on Capitol!" As if that made some kind of significant difference.

[@mikesin3577]

Nice overview! I'm a second-generation US fan, and my first exposure to the Beatles music was through the US LPs... I was always fascinated by the UK LPs from an early age (introduced to them by the Carr/Tyler "Illustrated Record" book) and latched onto them in the 1980s. I must say, as I get older, I find the US LPs more and more annoying as hell... I have no nostalgia for them whatsoever... Capitol obviously thought the Beatles would be done and forgotten by the end of 1964, so I understand the business decision to just flood the market with as much product as possible, but... man... "Something New"? Hardly... Just push five tracks that were released by UA less than a month previous... and then round out this "bargain" with an LP that clocks in at 24 minutes. I really enjoy your overviews because they include the facts about the LPs and the 60-year perspective... Not just the standard, "My grandma bought this LP for me on my 12th birthday, so that memory makes this LP great!"

[@kgobrien1]

Shocking....a major label making a cash-grab and cutting corners regarding quality/creativity. This MO continues to this day.

[@farrellmcnulty909]

YUP!

[@lilmsgs]

That was my first Beatles album

[@spyderlogan4992]

Ditto. Bought it at a long gone variety store in Rose Hill Shopping Center, Franconia, Virginia back in the day.

[@lilmsgs]

@@spyderlogan4992 I think I was around 14 when I bought it. I played the groves off that album. It's a pretty good list of songs. Hold Your Hand in German was a weird thing.

[@LtdNulty]

If you like the music, the lyrics are secondary i find. It's a well known phenomenon here, that little kids sing along english lyrics using words they just make up that sound alike. pretty funny actually :) We call it "Lautmalerei" which literally would be "soundpainting". I looked it up and you seem to use the greek word "Onomatopoeia". I myself like like a lot of music from all over the place. And when i hear for instance turkish music, i don't understand a word before i make the effort to look for a translation. But if i imagine she or he are singing a couple of pages from the telephonebook of Istanbul, it doesn't make the music less appealing to me... But of course - it adds to the enjoyment if you do understand the lyrics (given they are not rubbish). Thanks for another entertaining episode of your series!

[@patrickmoreau7592]

Something New was a good album Remember it was all the Americans had at the time. Capital probably released it because they did not have much money coming in from the soundtrack. Really good video Matt

[@micolsen9824]

Would have been great if "From me to you" found its way on to the album.

[@TigerRogers0660]

Matt, interesting to hear your thoughts on this. Being Australian, this album means nothing to us. And if it had been issued here, i would have skipped it - as for me - it has 4 originals from Lennon that i consider very sub par. But "Things We Said Today" is a great song!!

[@amb2745]

As part of the agreement between United Artists and EMI, Capitol Records could issue songs from the soundtrack of A Hard Day's Night, so long as they didn't create their own Hard Day's Night album. Through three singles and the album Something New, Capitol was able to release the same material United Artists was releasing. Everybody had the Hard Day's Night soundtrack album, which, except for two singles, kept Capitol out of the top slots on Billboard. For the most part, United Artists won the battle over Capitol.

[@terryprill2510]

I think the movie A Hard Day's Night was overwhelming when it was released in the theaters and the UA album had the songs that hit are in the movie. I only bought Something New as an afterthought when I went out to make it a purchase for it many months after the release.

[@antoniodalfonso]

Ah love this lp!! Glad you analyzed this work!!!! Again fine study! Matt, I do not agree about Slow Down! That song was pretty amazing when it came out!!! And though McDonald might be correct about The promo of English, that German led us straight to Continental Europe!! yo which they return to with Michele!! one of my daughters is named about Michele!!! so it spoke to that otherness of the Beatles

[@TZ1000-zu7ki]

Nice video. I understand that UA locked up the rights to the soundtrack, but I've always wondered then why Capitol was able to release them as well. Between Something New and the various 45s, Capitol was able to release all 7 songs from the film. I'm also surprised that Capitol didn't include Sie Liebt Dich on Something New. They could have had one German-language song on each side and given fans a little bit more value for their money. Capitol made a great album of odds and ends with The Beatles Second Album, but only a so-so album with Something New. But I really like Things We Said Today and Any Time at All has a terrific Lennon vocal and I love those rim-shots from Ringo. Finally, I don't blame Capitol for calling this the third Beatles album. They were never going to acknowledge Introducing the Beatles or A Hard Day's Night as canonical. I especially liked your timeline on the release dates of these various LPs and 45s. The And I Love Her/If I Fell, I'll Cry Instead/I'm Happy Just to Dance with You, and Matchbox/Slow Down 45s always seemed a bit odd to me. These were obvious cash grabs by Capitol and showed their cynical attitude toward the Beatles and their fans. That they did so relatively poorly on the charts explains the value of their picture sleeves on the collectors' market, especially the West Coast variations of I'll Cry Instead and Matchbox. One last thing. Capitol used the photograph on And I Love Her/If I Fell picture sleeve on the earlier Four by the Beatles EP. Lazy art department indeed.

[@terrynak]

Good point. Capitol was able to release the other 3 "A Hard Day's Night" soundtrack songs, but on singles - the title track, "I Should Have Known Better", and "Can't Buy Me Love" - and this was before the "SN" album came out. Later, the latter two aforementioned songs were put on the "Hey Jude" album, but the movie title song never ended up on any U.S. Capitol/Apple release before the Red/Blue greatest hits compilations.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

You're right. Adding Sie Liebt Dich would have been and easy addition. Thanks for the comments, TZ!

[@matthewstreet1961]

Matt love this series! And this episode is a sentimental favorite! I’m going to make a follow up video ok? Cheers 🍻 ❤

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Sounds good, Matt!

[@aminahmed2220]

What a awesome video Matt have a wonderful day also happy first day of June ❤😊

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks, same to you!

[@markstevens1729]

My first piece of vinyl. I was too young to realize what a Frankenalbum it was.

[@kenclements3001]

Thanks for the great review.

[@michaelholycross2633]

"Sung in Swahili"....I'm dead. 😂

[@almanuel6140]

re: picture sleeve...when i was an active collector [30 years] i noticed that the picture/artwork was usually of high quality, was largely under the control by EMI/CAPITOL for the US and UK products however i saw many foreign sleeves that showed a lack of quality as if EMI has no input or simple did not care...i feel this could be a topic for you to make a video on the future...i am not even talking about bootlegs but legitimate releases with bad photos such as their eyes are closed or they making a weird face, typically george, or sub par drawings...one that stands out is a release tied to the tour of Australia and it showed the beatles on the bed of a ugly truck on the tarmac arriving there - just a dreadful sleeve...i wish i could show you what i collected but everything was sold years ago...

[@John_Fugazzi]

Neither me nor any of my friends even knew about any Hard Day's Night singles except the title song. Everybody had the album. Capitol was trying to duplicate the January-April chart success. Matchbox and Slow Down was a shock. They didn't do well and did that mean they were slipping? I think the songs sounded too retro and actually were retro. We expected new songs from the Beatles by this point. But I Feel Fine saved everything.

[@progrocktommyscorner]

Enjoyed your review. I've always liked this album but it seemed like Capitol was putting out the same record between Hard Days and Something New with slight changes to track selections..

[@funkywagnalls]

I was in grade school when these came out and I must say that I remember the songs And I Love Her and If I Fell as being much better songs than their chart position would indicate. Really must have been over-saturation at the time.

[@georgeprice4212]

The reason why those songs appear on both albums are because while Capitol didn’t have the Soundtrack rights, they were able to release the tracks on Capitol, so long as it WASN’T under the “A Hard Day’s Night” title.

[@philipgibbard304]

Thanks Matt, It's interesting to see the US versions of the Beatle's releases. I have many Beatles' singles and none have picture sleaves on 45s except on EPs. Why this difference? Is it because the EMI/Parlophone policy was different from Capitol's perhaps?

[@austake]

Capital tried to capitalise!!.....No pun intended!

[@robertzastrow4648]

Personally think the best thing about the Something New Something New album is the cover color photo of the group. Think the light set up behind and around Ringo is very '60s cool looking. Wonder if the reason Capitol decided to use the color black on much of the front cover, was to match the color of the suits/pants the Beatles were wearing in the photo. I'm sure you've talked about these other Beatles albums, but don't remember any of your episodes talking specifically about a Beatles Greatest Hits album, issued by EMI in Europe I think in late 1966, which has never been released in the U.S., which has a cool color drawing of the group for its front cover, and also the Beatles Rarities album, which Capitol put out here in 1981, but hasn't been issued on CD. Most if not all of Rarities tracks later were released on the Anthology CDs.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Yes, those black suits do look great with the black border!

[@vitocasola4309]

I have an original 1st pressing in Mono of this album, however the track record on the jacket is not the same as the album’s running order. Anyone know why? Is this normal, or am I holding a rare bird? Please no yelling I’m new to this 😅

[@Derrymcg]

In the early daze of beatlemania, everyone cashed in , the lads not so much. Iove your show!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks, Derry!

[@chrisr1733]

Diabolical! Ha! I'm 9, we had the UA album as it was an actual Soundtrack album so was "acceptable" in the house. Later, I'm in a department store with my mom that summer of '64 and Something New was on display on a multi-tiered rack, and the cover was extraordinary. Totally begged my mom to buy it, and she said, "you already have most of the songs on the other album!" How she knew, I'll never know, maybe it was in a newspaper article or something. Finally got it when I was 13. Was nice to have the songs in stereo (they were not in stereo on the UA album, it was a weird pan-and-scan thing), and also to get these (then) rare songs which, I agree, were not that great. In a sense, it was my first "bootleg" Beatle album! Hey, EVERYTHING was Beatles in '64! Magazines, newspapers, radio. Glorious time. I only saw a similar huge cultural reaction when Star Wars came out. Keep 'em coming, Matt!

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Thanks Chris!

[@garryrindfuss5349]

Hi Matt, great episode about one of the VERY few Beatle albums that I don't own, and have never owned. BTW are you aware of the fact that, some time in the '80s in a bizarre act of revisionism, Paul's cigarette was airbrushed out of the image that graced the I Want To Hold Your Hand and I'll Cry Instead picture sleeves, leaving his right hand hanging pointlessly in mid-air.

[@popgoesthe60s52]

Yes, I had forgotten about the airbrushing!

[@389383]

It is weird that albums at the time couldn't be considered as a "complete" picture as they were presented differently in different countries. Not til Sargent Peppers that the Beatles had something where everyone had the same experience. Same with the Stones and other 60's bands.