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50th anniversary of The Beatles ‘White Album’ to include unreleased recordings

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The Beatles 1968

The Beatles at Thomson House, London. 28 July 1968. © Apple Corps Ltd.

On November 9, Apple Corps will release a 50th anniversary version of The Beatles’ 1968 ‘White Album.’ The album’s original 30 tracks are newly mixed by producer Giles Martin and mix engineer Sam Okell in stereo and 5.1 surround audio, joined by 27 early acoustic demos and 50 session takes, most of which are previously unreleased in any form.

During the last week of May 1968, The Beatles gathered at George Harrison’s house in Esher, Surrey, where they recorded acoustic demos for 27 songs. Known as the Esher Demos, all 27 recordings are included in the new edition’s Deluxe and Super Deluxe packages, sourced from the original four-track tapes. Twenty-one of the demoed songs were recorded during the subsequent studio sessions, and 19 were ultimately finished and included on ‘The White Album.’

There will be four special “White Album” packages released:

The Beatles white album super deluxe package

Super Deluxe: The comprehensive, individually numbered 7-disc and digital audio collections feature:

CDs 1 & 2The BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 stereo album mix

CD3: Esher Demos

– Esher Demo tracks 1 through 19 sequenced in order of the finished song’s placement on ‘The White Album.’ Tracks 20-27 were not included on the album.

CDs 4, 5 & 6: Sessions

– 50 additional recordings, most previously unreleased, from ‘White Album’ studio sessions; all newly mixed from the four-track and eight-track session tapes, sequenced in order of their recording start dates.

Blu-ray:

– 2018 album mix in high resolution PCM stereo

– 2018 DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 album mix

– 2018 Dolby True HD 5.1 album mix

– 2018 direct transfer of the album’s original mono mix

order link: https://amzn.to/2ArewKC

 

The Beatles white album 3 CD set
Deluxe
The BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 stereo album mix + Esher Demos
order link: https://amzn.to/2q9kt8Z

The 3CD; 180-gram 4LP vinyl box set (limited edition); and digital audio collections pair the 2018 stereo album mix with the 27 Esher Demos.

The Deluxe 3CD is presented in an embossed digipak with the fold-out poster and portrait photos, plus a 24-page booklet abridged from the Super Deluxe book. Presented in a lift-top box with a four-page booklet, the limited edition Deluxe 4LP vinyl set presents the 2LP album in a faithful, embossed reproduction of its original gatefold sleeve with the fold-out poster and portrait photos, paired with the 2LP Esher Demos in an embossed gatefold sleeve.

 

Deluxe 4LP Vinyl [180-gram]
order link: https://amzn.to/2q9I6i0

A 180-gram 4LP vinyl set housed in a 2 piece lift off lid box and gatefold sleeves with a 16 page 12”x12” stapled book.

 

Standard 2LP VinylThe BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 stereo mix

180-gram 2LP vinyl in gatefold sleeve with faithfully replicated original artwork

 

“In remixing ‘The White Album,’ we’ve tried to bring you as close as possible to The Beatles in the studio,” explains Giles Martin in his written introduction for the new edition. “We’ve peeled back the layers of the ‘Glass Onion’ with the hope of immersing old and new listeners into one of the most diverse and inspiring albums ever made.”

The minimalist artwork for ‘The White Album’ was created by artist Richard Hamilton, one of Britain’s leading figures in the creation and rise of pop art. The top-loading gatefold sleeve’s stark white exterior had ‘The BEATLES’ embossed on the front and printed on the spine with the album’s catalogue number.

Early copies of ‘The White Album’ were also individually numbered on the front, which has also been done for the new edition’s Super Deluxe package. The set’s six CDs and Blu-ray disc are housed in a slipsleeved 164-page hardbound book, with pull-out reproductions of the original album’s four glossy color portrait photographs of John, Paul, George, and Ringo, as well as the album’s large fold-out poster with a photo collage on one side and lyrics on the other.

The Beatles White album color inserts

The beautiful book is illustrated with rare photographs, reproductions of handwritten and notated lyrics, previously unpublished photos of recording sheets and tape boxes, and reproduced original ‘White Album’ print ads. The book’s comprehensive written pieces include new introductions by Paul McCartney and Giles Martin, and in-depth chapters covering track-by-track details and session notes reflecting The Beatles’ year between the release of ‘Sgt. Pepper’ and recording sessions for ‘The White Album,’ the band’s July 28 1968 “Mad Day Out” photo shoot in locations around London, the album artwork, the lead-up and execution of the album’s blockbuster release, and its far-ranging influence, written by Beatles historian, author and radio producer Kevin Howlett; journalist and author John Harris; and Tate Britain’s Senior Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art Andrew Wilson.

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Here are the track listings:

The BEATLES (‘White Album’)

Super Deluxe [6CD+1Blu-ray set / digital audio collection]
order link: https://amzn.to/2ArewKC

CD 1: The BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 Stereo Mix

Back in the U.S.S.R.

Dear Prudence

Glass Onion

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

Wild Honey Pie

The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Happiness is a Warm Gun

Martha My Dear

I’m so tired

Blackbird

Piggies

Rocky Raccoon

Don’t Pass Me By

Why don’t we do it in the road?

I Will

Julia

CD 2: The BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 Stereo Mix

Birthday

Yer Blues

Mother Nature’s Son

Everybody’s Got Something to Hide

Except Me and My Monkey

Sexy Sadie

Helter Skelter

Long, Long, Long

Revolution I

Honey Pie

Savoy Truffle

Cry Baby Cry

Revolution 9

Good Night

CD 3: Esher Demos

Back in the U.S.S.R.

Dear Prudence

Glass Onion

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Happiness is a Warm Gun

I’m so tired

Blackbird

Piggies

Rocky Raccoon

Julia

Yer Blues

Mother Nature’s Son

Everybody’s Got Something to Hide

Except Me and My Monkey

Sexy Sadie

Revolution

Honey Pie

Cry Baby Cry

Sour Milk Sea

Junk

Child of Nature

Circles

Mean Mr. Mustard

Polythene Pam

Not Guilty

What’s the New Mary Jane

CD 4: Sessions

Revolution I (Take 18)

A Beginning (Take 4) / Don’t Pass Me By (Take 7)

Blackbird (Take 28)

Everybody’s Got Something to Hide

Except Me and My Monkey (Unnumbered rehearsal)

Good Night (Unnumbered rehearsal)

Good Night (Take 10 with a guitar part from Take 5)

Good Night (Take 22)

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Take 3)

Revolution (Unnumbered rehearsal)

Revolution (Take 14 – Instrumental backing track)

Cry Baby Cry (Unnumbered rehearsal)

Helter Skelter (First version – Take 2)

CD 5: Sessions

Sexy Sadie (Take 3)

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Acoustic version – Take 2)

Hey Jude (Take 1)

St. Louis Blues (Studio jam)

Not Guilty (Take 102)

Mother Nature’s Son (Take 15)

Yer Blues (Take 5 with guide vocal)

What’s the New Mary Jane (Take 1)

Rocky Raccoon (Take 8)

Back in the U.S.S.R. (Take 5 – Instrumental backing track)

Dear Prudence (Vocal, guitar & drums)

Let It Be (Unnumbered rehearsal)

While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Third version – Take 27)

(You’re so Square) Baby, I Don’t Care (Studio jam)

Helter Skelter (Second version – Take 17)

Glass Onion (Take 10)

CD 6: Sessions

I Will (Take 13)

Blue Moon (Studio jam)

I Will (Take 29)

Step Inside Love (Studio jam)

Los Paranoias (Studio jam)

Can You Take Me Back? (Take 1)

Birthday (Take 2 – Instrumental backing track)

Piggies (Take 12 – Instrumental backing track)

Happiness is a Warm Gun (Take 19)

Honey Pie (Instrumental backing track)

Savoy Truffle (Instrumental backing track)

Martha My Dear (Without brass and strings)

Long, Long, Long (Take 44)

I’m so tired (Take 7)

I’m so tired (Take 14)

The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill (Take 2)

Why don’t we do it in the road? (Take 5)

Julia (Two rehearsals)

The Inner Light (Take 6 – Instrumental backing track)

Lady Madonna (Take 2 – Piano and drums)

Lady Madonna (Backing vocals from take 3)

Across the Universe (Take 6)

Blu-ray: The BEATLES (‘White Album’)

Audio Features:

: PCM Stereo (2018 Stereo Mix)

: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (2018)

: Dolby True HD 5.1 (2018)

: Mono (2018 Direct Transfer of ‘The White Album’ Original Mono Mix)

 

Deluxe [3CD digipak / 180-gram 4LP vinyl box set (limited edition) / digital audio collection]
order link: https://amzn.to/2q9kt8Z

The BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 Stereo Mix

Esher Demos

 

4LP-setDeluxe 4LP Vinyl [180-gram]
order link: https://amzn.to/2q9I6i0

A 180-gram 4LP vinyl set housed in a 2 piece lift off lid box and gatefold sleeves with a 16 page 12”x12” stapled book.

 

 

 

2LP-setStandard 2LP Vinyl [180-gram]

The BEATLES (‘White Album’) 2018 Stereo Mix

 

 

 

 

 

The Beatles White Album 50th anniversary

 

The BEATLES (‘White Album’) was the first Beatles album to be released on the group’s own Apple Records label. Issued in both stereo and mono for the U.K. and in stereo for the U.S., the double album was an immediate bestseller, entering the British chart at number one and remaining there for eight of the 22 weeks it was listed. ‘The White Album’ also debuted at number one on the U.S. chart, holding the top spot for nine weeks of its initial 65-week chart run.

In the U.S., ‘The White Album’ is 19-times platinum-certified by the RIAA and in 2000, it was inducted into the Recording Academy’s GRAMMY® Hall of Fame, recognizing “recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance.”

(source: excerpts from official press release)

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