THE BEATLES STEREO VINYL SET
I grew up in a household filled with music and this happy environment instilled in me my love and appreciation for music. At least twice a year, on their respective birthdays, my grandparents would host memorable birthday parties at home to celebrate their natal day. Their birthday parties were not the usual, boring sit-down dinners. They were happy parties with so much merry-making because after dinner, there was drinking and dancing.
My grandfather loved to drink which is why he always had good wine, whisky and beer for his guests on his birthday. He always hired a bartender to take charge of the bar and ensure that guests were served properly. My grandparents loved to dance the tango so they made it a point to always have dancing on their birthdays. They would hire dance instructors for our lady guests who wanted to tango, boogie, swing or cha-cha.
Aside from my grandparents, my next music influence was my mother who used to play so much music when I was growing up. She would always play her vinyl records non-stop. I grew up hearing The Ventures, The Supremes, Richard Harris, Ferrante and Teicher, The Sandpipers, Teri de Sario, Voyage, The Brass Ring, Baja Marimba, Herb Alpert, Pilita Corrales, Arthur Fiedler & the Boston Pops and that disco group, Ultimate, which sang “Love is Ultimate.”
My last music influence in the family was my Uncle Pinko who had tons of vinyl records. He was a huge Beatles fan and I would hear all these wonderful Beatles music being played when I was growing up. So when I was old enough, I became a fan myself and collected all their vinyl records and then cds. With the resurrection of vinyl records a few years back and the issuance of The Beatles Vinyl Set in 2012, I made it a life goal to own the set.
My favorite Beatles songs include: “If I Fell,” “I Should’ve Known Better,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Yesterday,” “Michelle,” “In My Life,” “Norwegian Wood,” “We Can Work It Out,” “Hey Jude,” “Penny Lane,” “Strawberry Fields Forever,” “Obladi-Oblada,” “Your Mother Should Know,” “I’ll Follow the Sun,” “Here, There and Everywhere,” “ Something,” “Here Comes The Sun” and Eleanor Rigby.”
Finally, last Christmas, as a gift to myself and since I had some money, I purchased the Beatles Vinyl Set online for $347.31 (P17,712.81) plus shipping of P7,700.00 for a total of P25,412.81. It’s a dream come true. I have always wanted to own this set since it came out in 2012. It is worth owning since this is iconic music from the greatest band of all time composed of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.
The titles include The Beatles’ 12 original UK albums, first released between 1963 and 1970, the US-originated Magical Mystery Tour, now part of the group’s core catalogue, and Past Masters, Volumes One & Two, first released individually in 1988, featuring non-album A-sides and B-sides, EP tracks and rarities. With this release, The Beatles’ first four albums make their North American stereo vinyl debuts (from Amazon).
The vinyl set also includes an exclusive 252-page 12″ x 12″ book authored by award-winning radio producer Kevin Howlett and features a dedicated chapter for each of the albums, as well as insight into the creation of the remasters and how the vinyl albums were prepared and showcases a wealth of photographs spanning The Beatles’ recording career.
Here are the 14 vinyl records included in The Beatles Vinyl Collection:
- Please Please Me (1963)
- With The Beatles (1963)
- A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
- Beatles For Sale (1964)
- Help! (1965)
- Rubber Soul (1965)
- Revolver (1966)
- Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
- Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
- The Beatles (White Album) (1968)
- Yellow Submarine (1969)
- Let It Be (1969)
- Abbey Road (1970)
- Past Masters 1 & 2 (1988)
PLEASE PLEASE ME (1963) includes: I Saw Her Standing There, Please Please Me. Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You, Do You Want To Know A Secret and Twist and Shout.
A HARD DAY’S NIGHT (1964) includes A Hard Day’s Night, I Should Have Known Better, If I Fell, And I Love Her, Can’t Buy Me Love and I’ll Be Back.
BEATLES FOR SALE (1964) includes No Reply, I’m A Loser, Baby’s In Black, I’ll Follow The Sun and Eight Days A Week.
HELP! (1965) includes Help!, You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, You’re Going To Lose That Girl, Ticket To Ride, and Yesterday.
RUBBER SOUL (1965) includes Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, Nowhere Man, Michelle, Girl and In My Life.
REVOLVER (1966) includes Eleanor Rigby, Here, There and Everywhere, Yellow Submarine, Good Day Sunshine and Got To Get You Into My Life.
SGT. PEPPER’S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND (1967) includes the title track, With A Little Help From My Friends, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, She’s Leaving Home, When I’m Sixty-Four and A Day In The Life.
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR (1967) includes the title track, The Fool On The Hill, I Am The Walrus, Hello, Goodbye, Strawberry Fields Forever, Penny Lane and All You Need Is Love.
THE BEATLES (1968) (The White Album) includes Back In The U.S.S.R., Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Blackbird, Julia, I Will, Mother Nature’s Son and Revolution.
YELLOW SUBMARINE (1969) includes the title track, All You Need Is Love and the original film score composed & orchestrated by George Martin.
LET IT BE (1969) includes the title track, Two Of Us, Across The Universe, Get Back and The Long And Winding Road.
ABBEY ROAD (1970) includes Come Together, Something, Here Comes The Sun, Golden Slumbers and Carry That Weight.
Of my generation, it would be hypocrisy not to like the music of the Beatles. I was still elementary at the height of their fame and their music pervades the radio and reigns it over the neighbor’s jukebox. I hardly could memorize songs but some of those Beatles’ songs are among the very few songs whose lyrics would automatically come to mind. Your Beatles’ collection is priceless. It is a bargain at the price you purchased it.
Thanks Rodel! The Beatles were the greatest band of all time and I am not surprised because they left behind a legacy of iconic, timeless songs. Cheers to my vinyl collection!