Past Masters

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Past Masters
The 2009 Past Masters album cover
Compilation album by The Beatles
Released	7 March 1988
Recorded	4 September 1962 – 4 January 1970, EMI, Trident, Olympic and Apple studios, London; Pathé Marconi Studio, Paris; EMI Studios, Bombay
Genre	Rock
Length	93:29
Language	English, German ("Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" and "Sie Liebt Dich")
Label	Parlophone, Capitol, Apple
Producer	George Martin
The Beatles chronology
20 Greatest Hits (1982) Past Masters (1988) The Beatles Box Set (1988)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1] Volume One
Allmusic	[2] Volume Two
Allmusic	[3] Volumes One & Two
BBC	(Positive) [4]
Consequence of Sound	[5]
The Daily Telegraph	[6]
One Thirty BPM	(100%) [7]
Pitchfork Media	(9.2/10.0) [8]

Past Masters is a two-volume compilation album set by The Beatles which was released in 1988 as part of the issue of the band’s entire back catalogue on CD.^[9] Compiled by the noted Beatles authority Mark Lewisohn, this collection of many of the band's biggest hits as well as rarities includes every song released commercially by the band that was not available on The Beatles’ twelve original UK albums or the Magical Mystery Tour LP.^[9][10]

The majority of the Past Masters set consists of A and B-sides from the band's singles, including single versions of songs that appeared in a different form on the band's albums. Also included are the full contents of the UK-only Long Tall Sally EP, two German language tracks, a song recorded for the American market and a track released on a charity compilation album.^[9]

The "Past Masters" name had previously been used by EMI for a series of three unrelated reissue singles.^[11]

Release history

Past Masters was first released as the separate CDs Past Masters, Volume One and Past Masters, Volume Two on 7 March 1988, which were included in the The Beatles Box Set.

The double LP set Past Masters, Volumes One & Two was subsequently released in the United States on 24 October 1988 and in the United Kingdom on 10 November 1988 and was the final Beatles album released as a vinyl record before the recording industry stopped manufacturing them in large quantities in favour of the compact disc format of prerecorded music by 1989.^[12] Subsequent new Beatles albums were released in the vinyl record format as limited editions.^[13]

A two CD set, Past Masters, which contained both volumes was released on 9 September 2009, as part of the remastering of the original Beatles' catalogue, and was included in The Beatles Stereo Box Set.^[14] This release includes stereo mixes of both "From Me to You" and "Thank You Girl". In The Beatles in Mono box set, the album Mono Masters took the place of Past Masters, containing a similar track list of dedicated mono mixes.

Past Masters track listings

Tracks are in stereo unless indicated as mono. Dates provided are the dates when the tracks were originally released, not recorded.

All songs written and composed by Lennon–McCartney except where noted.

Past Masters, Volume One

Past Masters, Volume One album cover

Contains recordings originally released between 1962 and 1965:

• Eleven tracks from British singles (including B-sides)
• Both tracks from the German single "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" / "Sie Liebt Dich"
• All four tracks from the Long Tall Sally EP
• The US only track "Bad Boy" from the album Beatles VI

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Love Me Do" (from 5 October 1962 A-side, the original single version on Parlophone, catalogue number 45-R4949; recorded on 4 September 1962, featuring Ringo Starr on drums; mono)	Paul McCartney with John Lennon	2:24
2.	"From Me to You" (from 11 April 1963 A-side; mono, stereo on 2009 remasters)	Lennon and McCartney	1:58
3.	"Thank You Girl" (from 11 April 1963 B-side; mono, stereo on 2009 remasters)	Lennon and McCartney	2:04
4.	"She Loves You" (from 23 August 1963 A-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	2:21
5.	"I'll Get You" (from 23 August 1963 B-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	2:06
6.	"I Want to Hold Your Hand" (from 29 November 1963 A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:27
7.	"This Boy" (from 29 November 1963 B-side)	Lennon with McCartney and Harrison	2:16
8.	"Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Hellmer) (from 5 March 1964 German single; very narrow stereo, wider stereo on 2009 remasters)	Lennon and McCartney	2:27
9.	"Sie Liebt Dich" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Montague) (from 5 March 1964 German single; very narrow stereo, wider stereo on 2009 remasters)	Lennon and McCartney	2:20
10.	"Long Tall Sally" (Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell, Richard Penniman) (from 19 June 1964 Long Tall Sally EP)	McCartney	2:03
11.	"I Call Your Name" (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:09
12.	"Slow Down" (Larry Williams) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:56
13.	"Matchbox" (Carl Perkins) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Ringo Starr	1:59
14.	"I Feel Fine" (from 27 November 1964 A-side)	Lennon	2:20
15.	"She's a Woman" (from 27 November 1964 B-side)	McCartney	3:03
16.	"Bad Boy" (Williams) (from 14 June 1965 US album Beatles VI, 10 December 1966 UK album A Collection of Beatles Oldies)	Lennon	2:21
17.	"Yes It Is" (from 9 April 1965 B-side of "Ticket to Ride")	Lennon, McCartney and Harrison	2:43
18.	"I'm Down" (from 23 July 1965 B-side of "Help!")	McCartney	2:32
Total length:			42:28

Past Masters, Volume Two

Past Masters, Volume Two album cover

Contains recordings originally released between 1965 and 1970:

• Fourteen tracks from British singles (including B-sides)
• The "Wildlife" version of "Across the Universe" from the charity album No One's Gonna Change Our World

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Day Tripper" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:50
2.	"We Can Work It Out" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	McCartney with Lennon	2:16
3.	"Paperback Writer" (from 10 June 1966 A-side)	McCartney	2:19
4.	"Rain" (from 10 June 1966 B-side)	Lennon	3:02
5.	"Lady Madonna" (from 15 March 1968 A-side)	McCartney	2:18
6.	"The Inner Light" (George Harrison) (15 March 1968 B-side)	Harrison	2:37
7.	"Hey Jude" (from 30 August 1968 A-side)	McCartney	7:08
8.	"Revolution" (from 30 August 1968 single version B-side)	Lennon	3:25
9.	"Get Back" (from 11 April 1969 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:15
10.	"Don't Let Me Down" (from 11 April 1969 B-side)	Lennon with McCartney	3:35
11.	"The Ballad of John and Yoko" (from 30 May 1969 A-side)	Lennon	3:00
12.	"Old Brown Shoe" (Harrison) (30 May 1969 B-side)	Harrison	3:18
13.	"Across the Universe" (12 December 1969 "Wildlife" version from the charity album No One's Gonna Change Our World)	Lennon	3:49
14.	"Let It Be" (from 6 March 1970 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:51
15.	"You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" (from 6 March 1970 B-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	4:19
Total length:			51:01

Past Masters, Volumes One & Two

Past Masters, Volumes One & Two album cover

Disc one

Side one
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Love Me Do" (from 5 October 1962 A-side, the original single version on Parlophone, catalogue number 45-R4949; recorded on 4 September 1962, featuring Ringo Starr on drums; mono)	Paul McCartney with John Lennon	2:24
2.	"From Me to You" (from 11 April 1963 A-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	1:57
3.	"Thank You Girl" (from 11 April 1963 B-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	2:04
4.	"She Loves You" (from 23 August 1963 A-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	2:21
5.	"I'll Get You" (from 23 August 1963 B-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	2:06
6.	"I Want to Hold Your Hand" (from 29 November 1963 A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:25
7.	"This Boy" (from 29 November 1963 B-side)	Lennon with George Harrison and McCartney	2:16
8.	"Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Hellmer) (from 5 March 1964 German single; very narrow stereo)	Lennon and McCartney	2:27
9.	"Sie Liebt Dich" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Montague) (from 5 March 1964 German single; very narrow stereo)	Lennon and McCartney	2:20

Side two
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Long Tall Sally" (Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell, Richard Penniman) (from 19 June 1964 Long Tall Sally EP)	McCartney	2:03
2.	"I Call Your Name" (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:09
3.	"Slow Down" (Larry Williams) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:56
4.	"Matchbox" (Carl Perkins) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Ringo Starr	1:59
5.	"I Feel Fine" (from 27 November 1964 A-side)	Lennon	2:18
6.	"She's a Woman" (from 27 November 1964 B-side)	McCartney	3:03
7.	"Bad Boy" (Williams) (from 14 June 1965 US album Beatles VI, 10 December 1966 UK album A Collection of Beatles Oldies)	Lennon	2:20
8.	"Yes It Is" (from 9 April 1965 B-side of "Ticket to Ride")	Lennon, McCartney and Harrison	2:43
9.	"I'm Down" (from 23 July 1965 B-side of "Help!")	McCartney	2:30

Disc two

Side three[15]
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Day Tripper" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:48
2.	"We Can Work It Out" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	McCartney with Lennon	2:15
3.	"Paperback Writer" (10 June 1966 A-side)	McCartney	2:18
4.	"Rain" (from 10 June 1966 B-side)	Lennon	3:02
5.	"Lady Madonna" (from 15 March 1968 A-side)	McCartney	2:17
6.	"The Inner Light" (George Harrison) (15 March 1968 B-side)	Harrison	2:37
7.	"Hey Jude" (from 30 August 1968 A-side)	McCartney	7:08
8.	"Revolution" (from 30 August 1968 single version B-side)	Lennon	3:21

Side four
No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Get Back" (from 11 April 1969 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:15
2.	"Don't Let Me Down" (from 11 April 1969 B-side)	Lennon with McCartney	3:35
3.	"The Ballad of John and Yoko" (from 30 May 1969 A-side)	Lennon	2:59
4.	"Old Brown Shoe" (George Harrison) (30 May 1969 B-side)	Harrison	3:20
5.	"Across the Universe" (12 December 1969 "Wildlife" version from the charity album No One's Gonna Change Our World)	Lennon	3:49
6.	"Let It Be" (from 6 March 1970 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:50
7.	"You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" (from 6 March 1970 B-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	4:19

Mono Masters
Compilation album by The Beatles
Released	9 September 2009 (as part of The Beatles in Mono box set)
Genre	Rock
Length	99:02
Language	English, German ("Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" and "Sie Liebt Dich")
Label	Parlophone, Capitol, Apple
Producer	George Martin

An all-mono compilation titled Mono Masters was included as part of The Beatles in Mono box set.^[16] The premise of this box set was to compile only Beatles material which was released or prepared for release with a dedicated mono mix (the set excludes later material mixed and released only in stereo, and material whose mono version was simply created as an equal mix of the two channels of the stereo version). As a result, the tracklisting for Mono Masters differs from Past Masters on the second half of disc two, omitting some later songs that never had a mono mix ("Old Brown Shoe", "The Ballad of John and Yoko" and "Let It Be"), and adding several songs released on stereo-only albums that had unreleased mono mixes. Tracks 9–12 and 15 were prepared in March 1969 for release as a 7" mono Yellow Submarine EP, but due to poor reception of the full album, the project was abandoned. Subsequently, the tracks were only released in stereo (and in an electronically-produced mono mixdown, or "fold-down", of the stereo mix), while the true mono mixes remained unreleased. "Get Back" (with B-side "Don't Let Me Down") was the final Beatles single mixed for mono format. It was released in the UK in mono, though the US release was in stereo. Thus, the stereo singles included on Past Masters are omitted on this release.

Mono Masters track listing

All songs written and composed by Lennon/McCartney except where noted.

Disc one

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Love Me Do" (from 5 October 1962 A-side, the original single version on Parlophone, catalogue number 45-R4949; recorded on 4 September 1962, featuring Ringo Starr on drums)	McCartney with Lennon	2:25
2.	"From Me to You" (from 11 April 1963 A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	1:57
3.	"Thank You Girl" (from 11 April 1963 B-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:04
4.	"She Loves You" (from 23 August 1963 A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:21
5.	"I'll Get You" (from 23 August 1963 B-side)	Lennon with McCartney	2:06
6.	"I Want to Hold Your Hand" (from 29 November 1963 A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:26
7.	"This Boy" (from 29 November 1963 B-side)	Lennon with Harrison and McCartney	2:16
8.	"Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Hellmer) (from 5 March 1964 German single)	Lennon and McCartney	2:26
9.	"Sie Liebt Dich" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Montague) (from 5 March 1964 German single)	Lennon and McCartney	2:19
10.	"Long Tall Sally" (Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell, Richard Penniman) (from 19 June 1964 Long Tall Sally EP)	McCartney	2:03
11.	"I Call Your Name" (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:11
12.	"Slow Down" (Larry Williams) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:57
13.	"Matchbox" (Carl Perkins) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Starr	1:59
14.	"I Feel Fine" (from 27 November 1964 A-side)	Lennon	2:23
15.	"She's a Woman" (from 27 November 1964 B-side)	McCartney	3:04
16.	"Bad Boy" (Williams) (from 14 June 1965 US album Beatles VI, 10 December 1966 UK album A Collection of Beatles Oldies)	Lennon	2:20
17.	"Yes It Is" (from 9 April 1965 B-side of "Ticket to Ride")	Lennon, McCartney and Harrison	2:42
18.	"I'm Down" (from 23 July 1965 B-side of "Help!")	McCartney	2:38
Total length:			42:37

Disc two

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Day Tripper" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:52
2.	"We Can Work It Out" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	McCartney with Lennon	2:15
3.	"Paperback Writer" (from 10 June 1966 A-side)	McCartney	2:26
4.	"Rain" (from 10 June 1966 B-side)	Lennon	3:01
5.	"Lady Madonna" (from 15 March 1968 A-side)	McCartney	2:17
6.	"The Inner Light" (Harrison) (from 15 March 1968 B-side)	Harrison	2:36
7.	"Hey Jude" (from 30 August 1968 A-side)	McCartney	7:20
8.	"Revolution" (from 30 August 1968 single version B-side)	Lennon	3:25
9.	"Only a Northern Song" (Harrison) (previously unreleased April 1967[17] mono mix)	Harrison	3:26
10.	"All Together Now" (previously unreleased May 1967[17] mono mix)	McCartney	2:11
11.	"Hey Bulldog" (previously unreleased February 1968[17] mono mix)	Lennon with McCartney	3:14
12.	"It's All Too Much" (Harrison) (previously unreleased October 1968[17] mono mix)	Harrison	6:22
13.	"Get Back" (from 11 April 1969 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:11
14.	"Don't Let Me Down" (from 11 April 1969 B-side)	Lennon with McCartney	3:33
15.	"Across the Universe" (previously unreleased 1969 mono mix of the "Wildlife" version)	Lennon	3:50
16.	"You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" (from 6 March 1970 B-side)	Lennon and McCartney	4:24
Total length:			56:25

References

1. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: Past Masters, Vol. 1". Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1539/review. Retrieved 16 April 2011. 
2. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: Past Masters, Vol. 2". Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1540/review. Retrieved 16 April 2011. 
3. ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Review: Past Masters, Vol. 1 & 2". Rovi Corporation. http://www.allmusic.com/album/r1497/review. Retrieved 16 April 2011. 
4. ^ Diver, Mike (8 September 2009). "The Beatles Past Masters Review". BBC. http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/z3mq. Retrieved 20 April 2011. 
5. ^ Blackard, Cap (27 September 2009). "Album Review: The Beatles – Past Masters (Remastered)". Consequence of Sound. http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/09/album-review-the-beatles-past-masters-remastered/. Retrieved 22 April 2011. 
6. ^ McCormick, Neil (8 September 2009). "The Beatles - Past Masters, review". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/the-beatles/6138871/The-Beatles-Past-Masters-review.html. Retrieved 22 April 2011. 
7. ^ Highkin, Sean. "Reviews: The Beatles - Past Masters (Remaster)". One Thirty BPM. http://onethirtybpm.com/reviews/the-beatles-past-masters/. Retrieved 22 April 2011. 
8. ^ Wolk, Douglas (10 September 2009). "Album review: The Beatles - Past Masters". Pitchfork Media. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13408-past-masters/. Retrieved 20 April 2011. 
9. ^ ^{a b c} Ingham, Chris (October 2003). The Rough Guide to The Beatles. Rough Guides Ltd.. ISBN 1-84353-140-2. http://books.google.com/books?id=htl2U1fPq8QC&pg=PA88&dq=past+masters+beatles&hl=en&ei=fvGyTbqfHMax8gO-3fGVDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDwQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=past%20masters%20beatles&f=false. Retrieved 29 April 2011. 
10. ^ Lewisohn, Mark (March 1988). The Beatles - Past Masters, Volume 1 - Booklet. Parlophone. 
11. ^ "PAST MASTERS: UK Labels and Company Sleeve 1980s". 45-sleeves. http://45-sleeves.com/UK/pastmasters/past-uk.htm. Retrieved 22 April 2011. 
12. ^ Wax trash and vinyl treasures ... - Google Books. Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=0KOR8shcjVUC&pg=PA60&dq=%22by+1989,+CDs+have+all+but+eliminated+LPs%22&hl=en&ei=_1WwTfLeFIjpgQf60tT7Cw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 2011-04-28. 
13. ^ "Love by The Beatles". musicdirect.com. http://www.musicdirect.com/product/78837. Retrieved 2011-04-29. 
14. ^ "The Beatles: Remastered". Apple Corps. http://www.beatles.com/#/news/The_Beatles_Remastered2/. Retrieved 22 April 2011. 
15. ^ http://img.search.com/thumb/1/1c/Pastmasters2label.jpg/180px-Pastmasters2label.jpg
16. ^ Kozinn, Allan (7 April 2009). "Original Beatles Albums to Be Reissued". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/08/arts/music/08beat.html?_r=1. 
17. ^ ^{a b c d} "The Beatles Remastered Mono Masters Vs. Past Masters (Stereo) | Features". Musicbyday.com. 2009-09-17. http://www.musicbyday.com/the-beatles-mono-masters-vs-remastered-past-masters-stereo/622/. Retrieved 2011-09-08.