Big Bruce Spizer book sale

To celebrate his 20th year as a Beatles author, Bruce Spizer is having a sale on all of his Beatles books bought through directly through his website atwww.beatle.net. 

All of his regular edition books, including the hardcover and revised and expanded digital editions, are currently on sale for only $20.   

The sale includes the $70 book “Beatles For Sale on Parlophone Records,” as well as the $50 books, such as “The Beatles Solo on Apple Records,” “The Beatles Swan Song” and “The Beatles Are Coming!” and his recent book on “Sgt. Pepper.” The sale will end on Sept. 9. 

Bruce's books are indispensable for collectors and fans alike.  We strongly suggest you take advantage of these great prices while you can. 

  

'Yellow Submarine' now streaming

"Yellow Submarine" is now streaming on Amazon Prime starting today in the U.S., the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Canada. And the "Yellow Submarine Songtrack" is also streaming on Amazon Music.

Beatles to release limited edition 'Yellow Submarine' picture disc single

Three views of the new "Yellow Submarine"/"Eleanor Rigby" picture disc. (Courtesy Subafilms)

 The Beatles announced on social media May 30 they'll release a limited edition vinyl picture disc single of "Yellow Submarine"/"Eleanor Rigby." The mixes are taken from "1" and "1+," according to a source we asked at UMG. The release date is July 6. You can order this directly  from Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.ca (Canada). Using these links helps us and we appreciate you doing so.  The movie will be back on the big screen starting in July. Tickets are now available at www.yellowsubmarine.film.

We are celebrating the 50th anniversary of the classic animation film #yellowsubmarine with a brand new limited edition 7" picture disc! 

— The Beatles (@thebeatles) May 30, 2018

Free Kindle Beatles book worth at least a look

Happened to catch this book "Life on Two Legs" in the Amazon Kindle store yesterday. It's written by the founder of Trident Studios. The foreward is by Paul McCartney. The opening chapter talks about the recording of "Hey Jude." It's free, at least for now. (Prices are known to change without warning in the Kindle store, from my experience.) Worth at least checking out since it's free. 

New Cilla Black compilations feature Lennon-McCartney and Lennon remixes, album produced by George Martin

"All Mixed Up"/"Beginnings
Revisited"  (Cherry Red Records)

Cherry Red Records has announced two new 2-CD Cilla Black compilations coming on July 20 -- "Surround Yourself With Cilla"/"It Makes Me Feel Good" and "All Mixed Up"/"Beginnings Revisited."  (Order from Amazon.co.uk here.) The second, however, will be of special interest since it includes dance remixes of a Lennon-McCartney song she recorded "Step Inside Love" and  reworked versions of John Lennon's "Imagine" and Ringo's "Photograph."

The two titles each combine lineups of two previously released CDs. "All Mixed Up"/"Beginnings Revisited" were her last two CDs.  "Beginnings Revisited" featured new versions of early songs.  George Martin produced "Surround Yourself With Cilla," which featured cover versions of songs by the Bee Gees, Paul Simon and Harry Nilsson.  Each set also includes a Cilla interview.

(Order from Amazon.co.uk here.)

"Surround Yourself With Cilla"/"It
Makes Me Feel Good" (Cherry
Red Records)

+ Tracks appearing on CD for first time

Track listing for "All Mixed Up"/"Beginnings Revisited":

 Disc One: Cilla All Mixed Up:  1.Step Inside Love(Almighty Radio Edit)+ 2.Something Tells Me(Almighty Mix) 3.Anyone Who Had A Heart (Almighty Mix) 4.Baby We Can’t Go Wrong (Almighty Radio Edit)+ 5. I Don't Know How To Love Him(David Lee Marks Radio Edit)+ 6.Beautiful Goodbye (Klubkidz Extended Mix)+ 7.Faded Images (Tommy Sandhu's Ram Mix)+ 8.Kiss You All Over (Tommy Sandhu's Big Bill Mix)+ 9. A Fool Am I (Marley M Remix)+ 10. Your Song (Pookadelic Remix)+ 11.Step Inside Love (DJ Ronstar -Step In Daclub Mix)+ 12. Something Tells Me (Dan Thomas Club Mix)+ Bonus Tracks: 13.Black Paper Roses(2009 Chicken Feed Remix) 14. Imagine (Matt Pop Club Mix)

Disc Two: Beginnings: Revisited  1. Kiss You All Over (2009 Mix)+ 2. Imagine (2009 Mix)-With Cliff Richard + 3.BEAUTIFUL Goodbye(2009 Mix -Full Version)+ 4.Let There Be Love (2009 Mix)+ 5.Beginnings (2009 Mix)+ 6.This Kiss (2009 Mix -Extended Version)+ 7.My Man (YOU’VE Changed My Tune) (2009 Mix)+ 8. If You Could Read My Mind(2009 Mix)+ 9. I've Been Wrong Before (2009 Mix)+ 10. Photograph (2009 Mix)+ 11. Anyone Who Had A Heart (LATE Night Version)(2009 Remix)+ 12. Step Inside Love (All Burnt Out Remix) 13. Kiss You All Over(2009 Acoustic Mix) 14.Imagine (2009 Acoustic Mix)+ 15. Beautiful Goodbye (Klubkidz Remix -Radio Edit) 16.Imagine(2009 Orchestral Mix)+ 17. My Man (YOU’VE Changed My Tune) (2009 Alternate Mix)+ 18.Beautiful Goodbye(2009 Stripped Down Mix)

Track listing for "Surround Yourself With Cilla"/"It Makes Me Feel So Good": 

Disc One: Surround Yourself With Cilla:   1.Aquarius 2.Without Him 3.Only Forever Will Do 4.You'll Never Get To Heaven (IF You Break My Heart) 5. Forget Him 6.It'll Never Happen Again 7. Think Of Me 8. I am A Woman 9.Words 10.Red Rubber Ball 11.Liverpool Lullaby 12.Surround Yourself With Sorrow bonus Tracks 13. London Bridge 14.Your Heart Is Free (JUST Like The Wind) 15.Quando Si Spezza Un Grande Amore (Mono) 16.SURROUND Yourself With Sorrow (False Start) 17. Surround Yourself With Sorrow(Take 9 -2009 Mix –Without Fade) 18.Aquarius(Mono)+ 19.Without Him (Mono)+ 20.ONLY Forever Will Do (Mono)+ 21.YOU'LL Never Get To Heaven (IF You Break My Heart) (Mono)+ 22. FORGET Him (Mono)+ 23.THINK Of Me (Mono)+ 24.WORDS (Mono)+ 25.RED Rubber Ball (Mono)+ 26. LIVERPOOL Lullaby (Mono) 27. SURROUND Yourself With Sorrow (Mono)+

Disc Two: It Makes Me Feel Good: 1.Something About You 2.I'll Take A Tango 3.September Love Affair 4.Lay The Music Down 5.San Diego Serenade + 6.HEARTBEAT 7.RUNNING Out Of World+ 8.To Know Him Is To Love Him 9.It Makes Me Feel Good 10.Lay It All Down 11.One Step From Your Arms 12.Lovin' Land + BONUS Tracks 13.Fantasy 14.It’s Now 15.I Believe (When I Fall In Love, It Will Be Forever) 16. Easy In Your Company + 17.Little Things Mean A Lot 18.A Bad Case Of Rock 'N' Roll 19.Slow Dance+ 

RIP - Kenneth Haigh, cast member in 'A Hard Day's Night'

The New York Times reported Feb. 15 that British actor Kenneth Haigh died Feb. 4 in the UK at age 86. For those who don't know the name, Haigh played the very memorable role of Simon Marshall in one of the best scenes in "A Hard Day's Night." He was the man who didn't recognize George Harrison as he lectured him on how he was supposed to be hip to "Susan." "Oh, that posh bird who gets everything wrong," George snapped at him.  But his other roles included playing Brutus in "Cleopatra" with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton,

Here's the dialogue from the scene with George Harrison and Kenneth Haigh.  You can see the scene at the bottom. 

     SECRETARY  

  (proudly) 

  Will this do, Simon?  

    SIMON 
   (looking at George) 
  Not bad, dolly, not really bad. 
   (he motions to George) 
  Turn around, chicky baby. 

 GEORGE does so.

    SIMON 
  Oh yes, a definite poss. He'll look good 
  alongside Susan. 
   (he indicates the girl on the poster) 
  All right, Sunny Jim, this is all going to be 
  quite painless. Don't breathe on me, Adrian.

 ADRIAN has recognised GEORGE and is trying to stop SIMON.

    GEORGE 
  Look, I'm terribly sorry but I'm afraid there's 
  been some sort of a misunderstanding.

    SIMON 
   (sharply) 
  Oh, you can come off it with us. You don't have 
  to do the old adenoidal glottal stop and carry 
  on for our benefit.

    GEORGE 
  I'm afraid I don't understand.

    SIMON 
  Oh, my God, he's a natural.

    SECRETARY (anxiously) 
  Well, I did tell them not to send us any more 
  real ones.

    SIMON 
  They ought to know by now the phonies are much 
  easier to handle. Still he's a good type.

 He now speaks to GEORGE in the loud voice that the English reserve for 
 foreigners and village idiots.

    SIMON 
  We want you to give us your opinion on some 
  clothes for teenagers.

    GEORGE 
  Oh, by all means, I'd be quite prepared for 
  that eventuality.

    SIMON
  Well, not your real opinion, naturally. It'll 
  be written out and you'll learn it. 
   (to secretary) 
  Can he read?

    GEORGE 
  Of course I can.

    SIMON 
  I mean lines, ducky, can you handle lines?

    GEORGE 
  I'll have a bash.

    SIMON 
  Good. Hart, get him whatever it is they drink, 
  a cokearama?

    GEORGE 
  Ta.

    SIMON 
  Well, at least he's polite. Tony Show him the 
  shirts, Adrian.

 A collection of shirts are produced and GEORGE looks at them. While he 
 is doing this SIMON briefs him.

    SIMON 
  Now, you'll like these. You really "dig" them. 
  They're "fab" and all the other pimply 
  hyperboles.

    GEORGE 
  I wouldn't be seen dead in them. They're dead 
  grotty.

    SIMON 
  Grotty?

    GEORGE 
  Yeah, grotesque.

    SIMON 
   (to secretary) 
  Make a note of that word and give it to Susan. 
  I think it's rather touching really. Here's 
  this kid trying to give me his utterly 
  valueless opinion when I know for a fact within 
  four weeks he'll be suffering from a violent 
  inferiority complex and loss of status if he 
  isn't wearing one of these nasty things. Of 
  course they're grotty, you wretched nit, that's 
  why they were designed, but that's what you'll 
  want.

    GEORGE 
  But I won't.

    SIMON 
  You can be replaced you know, chicky baby.

    GEORGE 
  I don't care.

    SIMON 
  And that pose is out too, Sunny Jim. The new 
  thing is to care passionately, and be right 
  wing. Anyway, you won't meet Susan if you don't 
  cooperate.

    GEORGE 
  And who's this Susan when she's at home?

    SIMON 
   (playing his ace) 
  Only Susan Campey, our resident teenager. 
  You'll have to love her. She's your symbol.

    GEORGE 
  Oh, you mean that posh bird who gets 
  everything wrong?

    SIMON 
  I beg your pardon?

    GEORGE 
  Oh, yes, the lads frequently gather round the 
  T.V. set to watch her for a giggle. Once we 
  even all sat down and wrote these letters 
  saying how gear she was and all that rubbish.

    SIMON 
  She's a trend setter. It's her profession!

    GEORGE 
  She's a drag. A well-known drag. We turn the 
  sound down on her and say rude things.

    SIMON 
  Get him out of here!!

    GEORGE 
   (genuinely surprised) 
  Have I said something amiss?

    SIMON 
  Get him out of here. He's knocking the 
  programme's image!!

 The underlings hustle GEORGE to the door.

    GEORGE 
   (smiling) 
  Sorry about the shirts.

 He is ejected through the door.

    SIMON 
  Get him out. 
   (he stops in mid-shout) 
  You don't think he's a new phenomenon, do you?

    SECRETARY 
  You mean an early clue to the new direction?

    SIMON 
   (rummaging in his desk) 
  Where's the calendar? 
   (he finds it) 
  No, he's just a trouble maker. The change isn't 
  due for three weeks. All the same, make a note 
  not to extend Susan's contract. Let's not take 
  any unnecessary chances! 

Ringo vinyl reissues pushed back into February

Capitol/UMe announced Jan. 11 that the release dates for the vinyl LPs for "Ringo" and "Goodnight Vienna" have been pushed back to Feb. 9.

The LPs have been remastered by Ron McMaster at Capitol Mastering for worldwide reissue on heavyweight, 180-gram vinyl LPs. You can preorder both of the albums now at the links above.                                                                                        Track listings:

RINGO STARR: Ringo

I'm the Greatest (John Lennon)
Have You Seen My Baby (Randy Newman)
Photograph (Richard Starkey, George Harrison)
Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond) (George Harrison)
You're Sixteen (You're Beautiful And You're Mine)" (Bob Sherman, Dick Sherman)
Oh My My (Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia)
Step Lightly (Richard Starkey)
Six O'Clock (Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney)
Devil Woman (Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia)
You and Me (Babe) (George Harrison, Mal Evans)

RINGO STARR: Goodnight Vienna

(It's All Down to) Goodnight Vienna (John Lennon)
Occapella (Allen Toussaint)
Oo-Wee (Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia)
Husbands and Wives (Roger Miller)
Snookeroo (Elton John, Bernie Taupin)
All by Myself (Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia)
Call Me (Richard Starkey)
No No Song (Hoyt Axton, David Jackson)
Only You (Buck Ram, Ande Rand)
Easy for Me (Harry Nilsson)
Goodnight Vienna (Reprise) (John Lennon)                                                                                                                    

"Sgt. Pepper" deluxe pre-order comes with outtakes preview

iTunes now has a pre-order for the digital deluxe 2-disc version of the new remixed "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" that comes with two outtakes (of "Sgt. Pepper" and "With a Little Help From My Friends") and two of the main album remixed tracks (four all together) when you pre-order. You can order at this link or at the button below. You can hear the opening take 9 of "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and a little speech at the bottom.

More pics from Paul McCartney's first 2017 One on One Tour show in Japan

Photos copyright Jash Tanigucci of Jash's Paul McCartney Page.

You can find the set list and the first group of pictures from the show here. Thanks to Jash Tanigucci of Jash's Paul McCartney page for the pictures. We have one more post of pictures to come. Be sure to explore our That's What I Want Beatles store, That's What I Want UK Beatles store and our That's What I Want Monkees store for almost everything you could ever want at the very best prices.

A taste of Grapefruit -- a group that both Paul McCartney and John Lennon wanted to succeed

Cherry Red Records

The song “Dear Delilah” by Grapefruit was one of our favorites back when it was released in 1968. We loved the phasing sound that this song featured. “Goodnight Sweet Josephine” by the Yardbirds used a similar effect.

Though “Dear Delilah” was their best-known song, not too many people knew that the Beatles had some connection with Grapefruit. John Lennon had suggested their name and they were the first group signed to Apple Publishing. The original group was made up of John Perry, Peter Swettenham and his brother Geoff. Their manager brought in George Alexander (real name George Young, brother of Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/DC), who himself was former rhythm guitarist with the Easybeats.

The group's music, though signed to Apple Publishing, didn't get released on the Beatles' Apple Records label. John Lennon attended a press reception held for them and Paul McCartney directed one of their promo films. But Grapefruit's songs didn't make much of an impact on the charts. “Dear Delilah” only hit no. 98 on the Billboard charts in the U.S. and no. 21 in the UK, while the follow-up, “C'mon Marianne” (the song also recorded by the Four Seasons) only hit no. 31 in the UK.

They were, however, quite good. Their two original albums, “Around Grapefruit” and “Deep Water” (both with bonus tracks) have been on CD from Repertoire for a while. “Yesterday's Sunshine: The Complete 1967-1968 London Sessions” (Cherry Red Records) was released earlier this year. It includes the first release of the speeded-up stereo version of the song "Lullaby," which was produced by Lennon and McCartney. And if you look around, you'll find there's a Japanese only “Around the BBC” CD that has 12 music tracks comprising their BBC appearances, some previously unreleased stuff and two interviews.

If you've heard “Dear Delilah” (listen to a rare live TV version below), you'll got a taste of the group's psychedelic rock sound. This is great stuff, all of it.

Yoko Ono says it best about Donald Trump

Dear Friends,
I would like to share this message with you as my response to @realDonaldTrump
love, yoko pic.twitter.com/s1BqfUgfLr

— Yoko Ono (@yokoono) November 11, 2016

And be sure to visit our That's What I Want Beatles Page (U.S) or That's What I Want Beatles Store (UK) for more holiday ideas.

George Harrison Twitter account congratulates Dylan on Nobel Prize

The George Harrison Twitter account today sent out this message: 

George Harrison ‏@GeorgeHarrison  34m

34 minutes ago

Many congratulations to @bobdylan on the Nobel Prize for Literature!

Many congratulations to @bobdylan on the Nobel Prize for Literature!

— George Harrison (@GeorgeHarrison) October 13, 2016

McCartney's 'Let's Love' for Peggy Lee CD being reissued

A new CD from Wounded Bird Records and coming in October has three versions of the Paul McCartney song "Let's Love" and five bonus tracks. It's the same as a previous limited version released by Rhino Handmade. Pre-order here for the U.S.

1. Let's Love (Single Version)

2. He Is The One

3. Easy Evil

4. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight

5. Always

6. You Make Me Feel Brand New

7. Sweet Lov'liness

8. The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter

9. Sweet Talk

10. Sometimes

11. Let's Love (Reprise Version)

12. I Am His Lady

13. I Wanna Be Seduced

14. The Nickel Ride

15. Let's Keep Dancing

16. Let's Love

Free screening of Beatles film "Yellow Submarine" at Comic Con

For those of you at Comic Con in San Diego, we've gotten word that  there will be a free screening of The Beatles' film "Yellow Submarine" Thursday night, July 21. Those attending ComicCon can pick up tickets at the Alex Ross or Mattel booths. Tickets are free and limited to first come basis. Anyone attending will get a free gift courtesy of Mattel.

Lost Beatles demo for Cilla Black song to be auctioned in August

Liverpool Beatles Auction

A two-minute demo disc for the John Lennon-Paul McCartney song “It's For You” with a vocal by Paul McCartney that was never recorded by the Beatles will be auctioned Aug. 27 at the 25th Liverpool Beatles Memorabilia Auction in Liverpool, it was announced by the Beatles Shop July 20.

According to the auction, the demo, which was recorded by Paul McCartney on a seven inch disc with the label "Dick James Music Limited," was delivered to Cilla Black in 1964 at the Palladium where she was performing, but then disappeared and had not been seen for 52 years. It was believed the record had been lost or destroyed. The recording was found by a member of Cilla Black's family in a brown envelope that had the words “It’s For You” on it with her name underneath. It was originally believed to be a copy of her hit record. The disc was among a group of records taken to The Beatles Shop on Liverpool's Mathew Street to shop manager Stephen Bailey.

“We played each of the various demo discs that we had been asked to value,” Bailey said. “The ‘It’s For You’ Cilla copy was not there but was a recording by Paul McCartney. I was shaking with excitement and speechless. I realized that this was the long lost Beatles demo disc from 1964 and I was probably one of the few people to have seen and heard it in over 50 years. What I had in my hand was probably the only copy in existence and this is going into The Beatles Auction in Liverpool.” 

A 20 second excerpt of the demo is at the Liverpool Beatles Auction website. The shop's assistant manager Anne-Marie Trace said the seller had no idea what they had. “The sleeve it was housed in listed it as a Cilla demo and the label just lists the song title without an artist,” she wrote on her blog.

In Cilla Black's book “What’s It All About,” she wrote, “John and Paul wrote my next single ‘It’s For You’ and Paul introduced me to the song by sending a demo disc that he had made of it round to The Palladium. Although Paul had sung it as a waltz, George Martin took a big hand in my recording of it and asked Johnny Spence to arrange it.” 

Black recorded the song on June 29, 1964 at a session produced by Sir George Martin. The song was released by Parlophone on July 31. It rose to No. 7 on the UK singles charts but only No. 79 on the U.S. Billboard charts. Black died after a fall at her Spanish home on Aug. 1, 2015 at age 72. 

More pictures of Paul McCartney in Cincinnati, part 2

 Here the second of two posts with more pictures taken by Olivia Anne Morris Fuchs from Paul McCartney's show in Cincinnati on July 10. Read our story here. (And subscribe to our blog!)