Past Masters: Introduction

In the 1980’s, there was a rush to get albums in CD format on the market from all artists. Of course, this applied to albums by The Beatles too. Therefore, the “Past Masters” Series is a double album collection that came about through the release of The Beatles’ back catalogue.

Indeed, this was no ordinary album. This is because it contains the songs that were not available on the original 12 Beatles’ studio albums in the UK. During the 1960’s, it was customary to release individual singles that were not available on albums. After all, the buying public didn’t really need duplicates. For example, “Yes It Is” was a B-side that, up until now, was not on a UK album.

So, “Past Masters” has some classic Beatles’ hits together with some B-sides and other rarities. Obviously, the inclusion of 2 German-language tracks shows that their roots mean a lot. There is also a song that they recorded specifically for the American market, “Bad Boy.”

In short, The Beatles’ Box Set, released on March 7, 1988, was the only way to get hold of these albums. Then they had the titles “Past Masters,” Volumes One and Two. However, they became available on September 9, 2009, with the simple title “Past Masters.”

In Detail

Release Date: March 7, 1988 (part of a box set) and September 9, 2009
Recorded: September 4, 1962-January 4, 1970
Album Duration: 93:29
Studios: EMI Studios, Trident, Olympic and Apple studios in London; also Pathé Marconi Studio, Paris
Genre: Rock
Label: Parlophone, Capitol, Apple
Producer: George Martin
Compiler: Mark Lewisohn

Performers

Past Masters: Album Tracks

Volume One

Tracks

Lead Vocal

01) Love Me Do
02) From Me To You
03) Thank You Girl
04) She Loves You
05) I’ll Get You
06) I Want To Hold Your Hand
07) This Boy
08) Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand
09) Sie Liebt Dich
10) Long Tall Sally
11) I Call Your Name
12) Slow Down
13) Matchbox
14) I Feel Fine
15) She’s A Woman
16) Bad Boy
17) Yes It Is
18) I’m Down

01) McCartney with Lennon
02) Lennon with McCartney
03) Lennon with McCartney
04) Lennon with McCartney
05) Lennon with McCartney
06) Lennon with McCartney
07) Lennon, McCartney and Harrison
08) Lennon and McCartney
09) Lennon and McCartney
10) McCartney
11) Lennon
12) Lennon
13) Starr
14) Lennon
15) McCartney
16) Lennon
17) Lennon, McCartney and Harrison
18) McCartney

Volume Two

Tracks

Lead Vocal

01) Day Tripper
02) We Can Work It Out
03) Paperback Writer
04) Rain
05) Lady Madonna
06) The Inner Light
07) Hey Jude
08) Revolution
09) Get Back
10) Don’t Let Me Down
11) The Ballad Of John And Yoko
12) Old Brown Shoe
13) Across The Universe
14) Let It Be
15) You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)

01) McCartney with Lennon
02) McCartney
03) McCartney
04) Lennon
05) McCartney
06) Harrison
07) McCartney
08) Lennon
09) McCartney
10) Lennon
11) Lennon
12) Harrison
13) Lennon
14) McCartney
15) McCartney with Lennon

Album Covers

Past Masters, Vol. 1 & 2
Past Masters, Vol. 1
Past Masters, Vol 2

The “Past Masters” albums obviously reflect the black-and-white era of the 1960’s perfectly. They are simplistic in their design, of course, and they get the message across. But they are a bit bland and perhaps could have had a picture or two of the Fab Four. Be that as it may, they are what they are. However, there are many images in the booklet that comes with the album.

Furthermore, on November 12, 2012, they released a remastered-for-vinyl version of the “Past Masters” double LP set.

Listen to the album, then you can read about the other releases below.

Mono Masters

Date of Release: September 9, 2009 (The Beatles in Mono box set)**
Label: Apple, EMI
Genre: Rock
Producer: George Martin
Remaster Engineers: Simon Gibson, Paul Hicks, Sean Magee, Guy Massey, Sam Okell, Steve Rooke, and Allan Rouse

** Still only available as part of this box set.

The “Past Masters” also have a version called the “Mono Masters.” Obviously, as the title suggests, they are all mono recordings. Indeed, to qualify for this album, tracks had to be recorded and prepared for a true dedicated mono mix. Of course, those tracks, which were only available in stereo, are not on this album.

Also, this album excludes those tracks where the mono versions of their stereo counterparts were simply an equal mix down to form a monophonic track. In other words, only those recorded in true mono sound are on this album.

Therefore, the following three tracks are not on the album Mono Masters: “Old Brown Shoe,” “The Ballad of John and Yoko,” and “Let It Be.”

However, there are five additional songs on the “Mono Masters” album that are not on the “Past Masters” album.

So, those mono tracks are “Only a Northern Song,” “All Together Now,” “Hey Bulldog,” “It’s All Too Much,” and “Across the Universe.” Although “Get Back” was a stereo release in America, it was only a mono release in the UK. Therefore, its inclusion in the “Mono Masters” is justified.

All in all, Mono Masters stands true to its intentions. So, those who need this album for their collections of mono recordings can obtain it in good faith.

Recording

All the tracks on “Past Masters” come from the period between September 4, 1962, and January 4, 1970, while The Beatles were together as a band. So, they include songs from their Beatlemania days right through to the psychedelic era.

As previously stated, they are a collection of songs that were never on the original 12 Beatles albums in the UK. Therefore, these “Past Masters” albums would compliment those who only have the albums.

Past Masters: Chart Success

In the UK, Australia, and various European countries, “Past Masters” reached the top 40 in the album charts. However, their sales in the box sets don’t count. Also, neither do the Mono Masters. The American market for these recordings is slightly different, of course. Be that as it may, “Past Masters” Volumes One & Two still reached the Billboard 200.