Anyone who doesn't know The Beatles well should have these albums. In fact, anyone who has an interest in music should have these albums. The Red and Blue Albums not only summarise the career of the Fab Four, but capture brilliantly the Sixties and show us why these four lads from Liverpool influenced almost every band that has been formed since.
'1962-1966 (The Red Album)' encapsulates what John Lennon called 'the fun Beatles'; the early records up until Revolver. From the sparse but romantic beginnings of 'Love Me Do', it still surprises how quickly The Beatles develop into a quality band and how the Lennon/McCartney partnership grows alongside this. 'Please Please Me' through to the brilliant 'Can't Buy Me Love', you see why this band shot to nationwide fame overnight.
The Red Album is worth buying for the songs that weren't released as singles; 'And I Love Her' was one of the highlights from the 'A Hard Day's Night' album, while not enough people have heard 'You've Got To Hide Your Love Away', the hip-shaking 'Drive My Car' or Lennon's first masterpiece 'In My Life'. Of course, you've got all the early classics; the jubilant 'She Loves You', hook-heavy 'Day Tripper', sing-a-long extraordinare 'Yellow Submarine' and the most covered song of all time 'Yesterday' all make an appearance. Also, look out for what many call the greatest Lennon/McCartney piece, 'We Can Work It Out'.
There is a huge difference between the simplistically pretty 'From Me To You' to the sinisterly dark 'Eleanor Rigby', showing the vastly improving skills of The Beatles. By the time you reach '1967-1970 (The Blue Album)', you see a band truly on top of the world.
The sheer brilliance of 'A Day In The Life', the definitive Lennon/McCartney collaboration, the lyrical nonsence of 'I Am The Walrus' and the wonderful weirdness of Lennon's finest moment 'Strawberry Fields Forever' show The Beatles' highlights, save for perhaps their most far-reaching track, the triumphantly euphoric 'Hey Jude'. But again the Blue Album is a must-have for the non-singles from the four-piece's back catalogue.
'Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da' is brilliant which ever way you look at it, 'Come Together' is seductively enticing and 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' is one of the defining moments of modern history. As The Beatles went on, the styles of John Lennon and Paul McCartney began to differ and the Blue Album shows this. Lennon shows his lyrical and logical absurdity in 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds', while also exhibiting his touching talent in 'Don't Let Me Down' and 'Across The Universe'. Paul went in the other direction, writing some of the biggest hits of the sixties with 'Lady Madonna', 'Back In The USSR' and 'Get Back'. Don't forget George Harrison either, who shows his extraordinary skills in 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', 'Here Comes The Sun' and 'Something'. Even Ringo gets in on the act with 'Octopus's Garden'.
The Red and Blue Albums are terrific compilations of The Beatles' skills. Comprehensive, chronological and cleverly chosen, they are a must-have for anyone interested in seeing why most of their favourite bands picked up a guitar.
So you know what I think of them, and here as another treat is The Beatles in their last ever performance, with 'Get Back'.
NWR
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