u/SheeranisKing

I have never been a fan of Phil Spector's production. Luckily, the ATMP Super Deluxe has given me the ability to fix this and letting the original, raw beauty of George's songs shine through. Here's the compilation I came up with, mostly adhering to the structure of the OG ATMP including some tweaks and additions.

Side A:

1. Wedding Bells (Are Breaking Up That Old Gang Of Mine) (Take 1)*

2. My Sweet Lord (Day 1 Demo)

3. Going Down To Golders Green (Day 1 Demo)

4. What Is Life (Session Outtakes and Jams) (Take 1)

5. Isn't It A Pity (Session Outtakes and Jams) (Take 27)

Side B:

1. If Not For You (Day 1 Demo)**

2. Mama You've Been On My Mind (Demo)**

3. Behind That Locked Door (Day 1 Demo)

4. Let It Down (Session Outtakes and Jams) (Take 1)

5. I'd Have You Anytime (Day 1 Demo)***

6. Run Of The Mill (Day 2 Demo)

Side C:

1. Beware of Darkness (Day 2 Demo)

2. Ballad Of Sir Frankie Crisp (Let It Roll) (Day 1 Demo)

3. I Dig Love (Day 1 Demo)

4. Awaiting On You All (Day 1 Demo)

5. Art Of Dying (Day 2 Demo)

6. Woman Don't You Cry For Me (Take 5)

Side D:

1. Apple Scruffs (Day 1 Demo)

2. Dehra Dun (Day 1 Demo)

3. I Live For You (Day 1 Demo)

4. All Things Must Pass (Day 1 Demo)

5. Beautiful Girl (Day 2 Demo)

6. Cosmic Empire (Day 2 Demo)

All tracks written by George Harrison except

* by Fain-Kahal-Raskin

** by Dylan

*** by Harrison-Dylan

After the success of Like Dreamers Do, there was a brief "bidding war" over the group; would they stay at Polydor, or move to a new label, like Parlophone or Decca?

This is when Brian Epstein finally enters the picture. Epstein strongly encourages the group to work for Parlophone after seeing a Cavern live performance of their material, and also offers to manage the group. This became the deciding factor for the boys, so they left Polydor for Parlophone.

George Martin would not produce them on their first Parlophone album, so Pete Best continues on as a Beatle. Ringo is still off adrift somewhere in Germany, probably playing for the Hurricanes.

Please Please Me would produce the first true number one for the group, backed with the non-album track P.S I Love You, so the ensuing album used its title.

Please Please Me

Side A:

Money

How Do You Do It? (Anthology 1)

Memphis Tennessee

Searchin’

The Sheik of Araby

Till There Was You

To Know Her (Is To Love Her)

Side B:

Please Please Me (Anthology 1)

Love Me Do (Anthology 1)

Three Cool Cats

Please Mister Postman (Live At The BBC Vol 2)

Bésame Mucho

(All unmarked tracks derive from the Decca Audition tape)

This album, being the true onset of Beatlemania, would be accompanied by a UK tour in the summer, with Best still on as drummer. A live album was released to accompany it, but the sound quality was quite weak.

(This is an unrelated timeline from my other fan albums)

In 1962, the Beatles, while in Hamburg, recorded as the backing band for their friend, Tony Sheridan, on his debut studio album for Polydor. As is in real life, they changed their names temporarily to "The Beat Brothers" as the word "Beatles" sounded like a German slang term for penis.

The following album comprises of mostly confirmed Beatles and Sheridan recordings, the others being songs Sheridan recorded around the time. Swanee River, You Are My Sunshine, and Skinny Minny may have been recorded by the Beatles, but those recordings were lost, so the Sheridan solo versions have been substituted.

The Rockin’ Tony Sheridan with the Beat Brothers (1962)

Side A:

My Bonnie (Lies Over The Ocean)

Let’s Dance*

The Saints (When the Saints Go Marching In)

Skinny Minny*

Why

Take Out Some Insurance (On Me Baby)

What’d I Say*

Side B:

Nobody’s Child

Ya Ya*

Sweet Georgia Brown

Swanee River*

You Are My Sunshine*

(All starred tracks do not feature the Beatles, and are Tony Sheridan only)

Following the great success of this album in Germany, Polydor released the single My Bonnie/Sweet Georgia Brown tentatively in the UK, where it achieved a fair amount of success. This led to Polydor signing the Beatles and their recording of their first studio album as a band, Like Dreamers Do.

Like Dreamers Do (1962)

Side A:

Ain't She Sweet

Cry Me A Shadow

Kansas City (Anthology 1 Version)

Rock And Roll Music (Live At The BBC)

Crying, Waiting, Hoping (Decca Audition)

Some Other Guy (Like At The BBC)

Take Good Care of My Baby (Decca Audition)

Side B:

Like Dreamers Do (Anthology 1)

Loved of The Loved (Decca Audition)

September In The Rain (Decca Audition)

Hello Little Girl (Decca Audition)

Sure To Fall (In Love With You) (Decca Audition)

This album, while not yet reaching the coveted number one status, also fared well, better than Sheridan's album or the My Bonnie single, and there was suddenly demand for the Beatles in the UK. Labels like Decca and EMI began clamoring to sign them, and they would leave Polydor for their as of yet untitled next album.

I haven't put together playlists yet, but hopefully this is enough info to make them for yourselves! Always found the proto-Beatles stuff super interesting, so hope you enjoy.