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UK Release date : Monday, November 11, 2013

On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2

By The BeatlesOfficial live • Part of the collection “The Beatles • Post break-up albums

Last updated on June 6, 2016


Details

  • UK release date: Nov 11, 2013
  • US release date: Nov 12, 2013
  • Publisher: Apple Records

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Disc 1

  1. And Here We Are Again

    0:16 • Interview • During the summer of 1963, fifteen editions of Pop Go The Beatles were broadcast on Tuesday evenings at five o'clock. Rodney Burke presented the series from July to September. Having gained experience as an actor in Canada for two years, he auditioned for the BBC in July 1957. [...]

    Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 23, 1963

  2. Words of Love

    Written by Buddy Holly

    1:56 • LiveL1 • "Words Of Love" was released in the UK on an album called "Buddy Holly" in July 1958. This BBC recording was broadcast fifteen months before the song’s inclusion on Beatles For Sale. John and Paul sang the two-part harmony which, through primitive but effective overdubbing, Buddy had sung with himself.

    Paul McCartney : Vocals John Lennon : Vocals Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Aug 20, 1963

  3. How About It, Gorgeous?

    0:37 • Interview • The Pop Go The Beatles format included The Beatles reading some of the many letters sent to the BBC. George reads one referring to The Flowerpot Men. This was a puppet show for children broadcast from 1952 on the BBC’s television service. The lead characters, whose bodies were formed from flowerpots, were Bill and Ben. Many generations of British children have deciphered the ‹flobalobalob› sounds of the Flowerpot Men. After adventures in the garden, Bill and Ben returned to slumber inside flower- pots on either side of their friend and protector Little Weed.

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 30, 1963

  4. Do You Want to Know a Secret

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    1:48 • LiveL3 • This is the last of six radio performances of a song from The Beatles’ debut album "Please Please Me". At the time of the broadcast, "Do You Want To Know A Secret" was at the top of the British EP chart as one of the four tracks on "Twist And Shout". A version recorded by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas reached number one in several British music papers’ charts in June. In America, as the A-side of a Beatles single on the Vee-Jay label, "Do You Want To Know A Secret" peaked at number two behind Louis Armstrong’s "Hello, Dolly" in May 1964.

    George Harrison : Vocals Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 30, 1963

  5. Lucille

    Written by Richard Penniman / Little Richard, Albert Collins

    2:29 • LiveL3 • Little Richard’s rocker made the UK Top Ten during the summer of 1957. This is the first recording The Beatles made for the BBC. Their other broad- cast version of "Lucille", taped four days later for Saturday Club, was included in the first volume of Live At The BBC.

    Paul McCartney : Bass, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar George Harrison : Lead guitar Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 17, 1963

  6. Hey, Paul

    0:21 • Interview • For the initial four-week run of Pop Go The Beatles, the presenter was Lee Peters (or "Pee Litres", as The Beatles liked to call him). His was a familiar voice on the network. He played the character of David Owen in the daily soap opera The Dales, first broadcast in January 1948 as Mrs Dale’s Diary. Here, he encourages Paul to talk about his birthday party in a session recorded the day before it was due to happen. "Harry and His Box" was an enigmatic topic raised during several Beatles radio appearances in 1963.

    Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 25, 1963

  7. Anna (Go to Him)

    Written by Arthur Alexander

    2:50 • LiveL2 • Written and recorded by country-soul singer Arthur Alexander, "Anna" was an American Top Ten R&B hit at the end of 1962. Following the single’s UK release in December 1962, The Beatles taped the song a couple of months later at Abbey Road for their debut album "Please Please Me".

    John Lennon : Vocals Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in Manchester, United Kingdom on Aug 27, 1963

  8. Hello!

    0:19 • Interview • For Pop Go The Beatles, Lee Peters acted the role of a posh BBC straight man apparently struggling to keep order amongst the send-ups and antics of the cheeky Liverpudlians.

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 25, 1963

  9. Please Please Me

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    1:56 • LiveL3 • This is the eleventh of twelve BBC radio performances of their first UK number one (on most charts, including that used by the BBC). None of the broadcast versions has John playing harmonica as heard on the Parlo- phone single.

    John Lennon : Vocals Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Aug 13, 1963

  10. Misery

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    1:50 • LiveL1 • The Beatles recorded this song from their debut album seven times at the BBC. All of the broadcast performances lack the descending piano runs overdubbed by George Martin onto the version made at EMI for Please Please Me.

    Paul McCartney : Vocals John Lennon : Vocals Peter Pilbeam : Producer

    Concert From "Here We Go" in Manchester, United Kingdom on Mar 12, 1963

  11. I'm Talking About You

    Written by Chuck Berry

    1:52 • LiveL1

    Paul McCartney : Bass guitar Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Lead guitar Terry Henebery : Producer Bernie Andrews : Producer Jimmy Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Mar 16, 1963

  12. A Real Treat

    0:37 • Interview • Although he always mispronounced Ringo’s name as "Ring-oh", The Beatles responded well to the corny links of Lee Peters. Paul is heard pointing out that the request was for pupils at the sister school to the establishment he attended - the Liverpool Institute.

    Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 25, 1963

  13. Boys

    Written by Luther Dixon, Wes Farrell

    2:29 • LiveL3 • The Shirelles’ original was the flip-side of the biggest of their three British hits - "Will You Love Me Tomorrow". The single topped the American charts - one of 22 pop hits scored by The Shirelles in the States. This Pop Go The Beatles recording was released in 1995 on an EP of four BBC performances called "Baby It’s You".

    Ringo Starr : Vocals Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 25, 1963

  14. Absolutely Fab

    0:27 • Interview • When the fourth show of the Pop Go The Beatles series was broadcast, the BBC’s weekly magazine Radio Times reported that ‹two days after the first broadcast, the producer Terry Henebery received over one hundred cards from listeners all over the country expressing their delight that this remarkable group now have their own programme›. The production team were swamped with many more letters as the weeks went by. Here "Gorgeous George" steps up to the microphone to read one.

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 25, 1963

  15. Chains

    Written by Gerry Goffin, Carole King

    2:15 • LiveL3 • The original by The Cookies - female backing singers on many other Gerry Goffin and Carole King hits on the Dimension label - was in the US Top 40 when The Beatles first tried "Chains" in a BBC studio in January 1963. George had bought The Cookies’ single at NEMS, the Liverpool record store run by the group’s manager Brian Epstein. This is The Beatles’ third BBC performance of a song included on their LP Please Please Me.

    George Harrison : Vocals Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 25, 1963

  16. Ask Me Why

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    1:54 • LiveL1 • "Ask Me Why" became the first ever Lennon-McCartney song to be broadcast when it was featured during Here We Go in June 1962. The Beatles recorded the B-side of ‹Please Please Me› four times for BBC radio; this is their final performance.

    John Lennon : Vocals Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 24, 1963

  17. Till There Was You

    Written by Meredith Willson

    2:16 • LiveL6 • Paul was inspired to sing this highlight from The Music Man by Peggy Lee’s UK Top Thirty hit from April 1961. Meredith Willson’s Broadway show had a long run on stage from 1957 and was then adapted for a movie version released in 1962. Having been part of the group’s stage act for two years, "Till There Was You" was released on With The Beatles in November 1963. A later recording made for the radio show From Us To You was included on the first volume of Live At The BBC.

    Paul McCartney : Vocals Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 30, 1963

  18. Lend Me Your Comb

    Written by Kay Twomey, Fred Wise, Ben Weisman

    1:47 • LiveL1 • "Lend Me Your Comb" was on the fourth Carl Perkins single released in the UK in April 1958. It was a staple of The Beatles’ act for several years before they made their BBC recording. John and Paul replicate the harmony singing of Carl and his brother Jay heard on the original. This track was first released in 1995 on The Beatles’ Anthology 1.

    Paul McCartney : Bass, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Lead guitar Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 16, 1963

  19. Lower 5E

    0:23 • Interview • Paul and George attended the Liverpool Institute grammar school for boys. A request from pupils in the current fifth form triggered their memories of teachers and their nicknames.

    Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 10, 1963

  20. Roll Over Beethoven

    Written by Chuck Berry

    2:22 • LiveL7 • Following three BBC broadcasts of Chuck Berry’s song during the summer of 1963, the group made it the side two opener of With The Beatles released in November. The EMI version was made at Abbey Road two days before this performance. The 1994 collection of the group’s radio performances includes their last BBC recording of "Roll Over Beethoven" made in 1964.

    George Harrison : Vocals Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in Manchester, United Kingdom on Sep 03, 1963

  21. There's a Place

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    1:49 • LiveL1 • The penultimate track on Please Please Me, in the USA it was on the B-side of "Twist And Shout". In his 1980 interview with David Sheff, John described "There’s A Place" as "my attempt at a sort of Motown black thing". The mature lyric explored a theme revisited in one of John’s last songs "Watching The Wheels".

    John Lennon : Vocals Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in Manchester, United Kingdom on Sep 03, 1963

  22. Bumper Bundle

    0:49 • Interview • Lee Peters borrowed this name applied to multiple requests for the same song from Two-Way Family Favourites. The extremely popular BBC radio show, broadcast each Sunday lunchtime, linked families to their loved ones serving with British forces overseas. George also dedicated the next song to his sister-in-law Irene.

    Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 25, 1963

  23. P.S. I Love You

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    1:59 • LiveL1 • "P.S. I Love You" was the B-side of The Beatles’ first Parlophone single "Love Me Do" released in October 1962.

    Paul McCartney : Vocals Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jun 25, 1963

  24. Please Mister Postman

    Written by Georgia Dobbins, William Garrett, Freddie Gorman, Brian Holland, Robert Bateman

    2:17 • LiveL1 • In December 1961, The Marvelettes’ record on the Tamla label was the first American pop number one for Berry Gordy’s Motown company. American hits issued on Tamla and Motown struggled to be heard on the BBC in the early sixties. When The Beatles became successful, they were tireless champions of the labels’ Mary Wells.

    Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 30, 1963

  25. Beautiful Dreamer

    Written by Stephen Foster

    1:46 • LiveL1 • The song was written in the mid-nineteenth century by American writer Stephen Foster. Recordings by crooners Bing Crosby and Al Jolson ensured "Beautiful Dreamer" remained a popular standard in the next century. In the late fifties, there was a trend for reviving ‹oldies› by adding a faster rhythm. Tony Orlando’s "Beautiful Dreamer", updated by songwriters Gerry Goffin and Jack Keller, was released in the UK at the end of 1962. A few weeks later The Beatles’ cover of his single, including all the changes to the original lyric and its added "hully-gully" beat, was recorded for Saturday Club.

    Paul McCartney : Bass guitar, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Lead guitar Jimmy Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Jan 26, 1963

  26. Devil in Her Heart

    Written by Richard Drapkin

    2:22 • LiveL2 • This is the second BBC performance of "Devil In Her Heart". The first version, recorded on 20 August 1963, was released on the Baby It's You EP in 1995. "Devil In His Heart" was the B-side of "Bad Boy" - the only record made by four Detroit school girls called The Donays. Their American single on Brent was picked up by the British label Oriole for release in September 1962.

    Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 24, 1963

  27. The 49 Weeks

    0:17 • Interview • In fact, Pop Go The Beatles ran for fifteen weeks. Rodney Burke was the presenter for eleven of the programmes.

    Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 24, 1963

  28. Sure to Fall (In Love with You)

    Written by Carl Perkins, Bill Cantrell, Quinton Claunch

    2:21 • LiveL2 • The song was included on Dance Album Of Carl Perkins recorded in 1956. The Beatles covered four songs from that LP at the BBC. The sleeve note for the album released in the UK in November 1959 described its contents: "For the most part, they’re happy songs - light, toe-tapping rhythm numbers that just naturally make you feel a little gayer".

    Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 24, 1963

  29. Never Mind, Eh?

    0:34 • Interview • The Beatles dedicate their last number of the Pop Go The Beatles series to each other.

    Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 24, 1963

  30. Twist and Shout

    Written by Phil Medley, Bert Russell

    2:25 • LiveL4 • "Twist And Shout" made its initial impact through a single by The Isley Brothers. The Beatles’ characteristic falsetto whoops had been sparked by Little Richard, but the vocal gymnastics on the Isleys’ "Twist And Shout" and their earlier American hit "Shout" also influenced the group’s sound in 1963. The Beatles used "Twist And Shout" as the rousing closer of their debut album and many live shows. They performed it nine times in BBC radio studios. This version was recorded on a day when, in less than seven hours, they recorded eighteen songs for three Pop Go The Beatles programmes.

    Terry Henebery : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Aug 06, 1963

  31. Bye, Bye

    0:24 • Live • A sung farewell to what is now regarded as an historically significant radio series.

    Ian Grant : Producer

    Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Sep 24, 1963

  32. Bonus interview track

    Three days before the release of The Beatles’ album Rubber Soul, Brian Matthew recorded separate interviews with John and George for the series Pop Profile. The programmes were pressed on seven-inch discs running at LP speed and distributed to radio stations around the world by the BBC Transcription Service.

    1. John - Pop Profile

      8:22 • Interview

    2. George - Pop Profile

      8:06 • Interview

Disc 2

  1. I Saw Her Standing There

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    2:36 • LiveL7 • The group performed this song eleven times in BBC studios. The recording in front of an audience for Easy Beat was included on the first collection of Live At The BBC. This version was taped for the fifth anniversary of Saturday Club.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Oct 05, 1963

  2. Glad All Over

    Written by Aaron Schroeder, Sid Tepper, Roy Bennett

    1:53 • LiveL2 • The third British single by Carl Perkins was released in December 1958. Not a hit on either side of the Atlantic, ‹Glad All Over› entered The Beatles’ live repertoire in 1960. Their first BBC version was included on the first collection of radio songs in 1994. This is the other recording made two weeks later. The Beatles all loved the music of Carl Perkins and each of them sang one of his songs at the BBC. In 1985, George and Ringo joined Carl Perkins on stage for the televised tribute concert Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Aug 24, 1963

  3. Lift Lid Again

    0:37 • Interview • With the hope of making their request stand out from the hundreds of postcards and letters sent to the BBC, inventive listeners went to great lengths. Paul is heard investigating an elaborately designed item, which prompted another mention of the mysterious Harry and "his box".

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Aug 24, 1963

  4. I'll Get You

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    2:02 • LiveL3 • Released on the other side of the "She Loves You" single, "I’ll Get You" is a Beatles B-side gem. Anthology 1 presents a live TV performance of the song from Sunday Night At The London Palladium broadcast 13 October 1963. The British press described the screaming enthusiasm of fans outside the theatre that night as "Beatlemania".

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Oct 05, 1963

  5. She Loves You

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    2:15 • LiveL7 • The Beatles’ biggest selling single in Britain spent twelve weeks in the Top Three, including two stints at number one. In the States, Capitol declined to release it in 1963 so the Philadelphia-based independent Swan Records distributed the record. After four weeks at number two, behind "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "She Loves You" became number one in March 1964.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Oct 05, 1963

  6. Memphis, Tennessee

    Written by Chuck Berry

    2:16 • LiveL2 • First released on the flip-side of Chuck Berry’s "Back In The USA" in the summer of 1959, ‹Memphis, Tennessee› reached number six in the British charts four years later. Paul remembers learning ‹Memphis, Tennessee› in John's bedroom when the two lads decided it had "the greatest riff ever!".

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Oct 05, 1963

  7. Happy Birthday Dear Saturday Club

    0:34 • Live • To celebrate the fifth birthday of the BBC Light Programme’s most successful music show, The Beatles rocked up "Happy Birthday".

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Oct 05, 1963

  8. Now Hush, Hush

    0:25 • Interview • The announcement that The Beatles’ had been included in the Royal Variety Performance, playing for The Queen Mother and Princess Margaret, gave their success a regal seal of approval. The British media were fascinated by this news.

    Ron Belchier : Producer

    Concert From "Easy Beat" in London, United Kingdom on Oct 20, 1963

  9. From Me to You

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    1:51 • LiveL3 • Performed in sixteen radio shows, "From Me To You" is The Beatles’ most frequently performed song at the BBC. Number one in the UK throughout May and June 1963, the song was the first by Lennon-McCartney to crack the US charts when Del Shannon’s cover reached number 77 in the Hot100.

    Ron Belchier : Producer

    Concert From "Easy Beat" in London, United Kingdom on Oct 20, 1963

  10. Money (That's What I Want)

    Written by Janie Bradford, Berry Gordy

    2:43 • LiveL3 • Motown founder Berry Gordy gained his first national hit as a label owner with this song. He had co-written it with the company’s receptionist Janie Bradford. Recorded by Barrett Strong, "Money" was an American R&B number two and reached 23 in the US pop chart. The disc made little headway in the UK, but the song was popularized by The Beatles when included as the closing track of their second LP.

    Bryant Marriott : Producer

    Concert From "From Us To You" in London, United Kingdom on Dec 26, 1963

  11. I Want to Hold Your Hand

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    2:23 • LiveL3 • With advance orders from shops of a million, The Beatles’ fifth single quickly replaced their previous disc - ‹She Loves You› - at the top of the UK charts. Two months later, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" became only the fourth record by a British act to reach number one in the US charts. The single’s success launched The Beatles’ musical domination of the world.

    Bryant Marriott : Producer

    Concert From "From Us To You" in London, United Kingdom on Dec 26, 1963

  12. Brian Bathtubes

    0:59 • Interview • This verbal combat was typical of the way the group and Brian Matthew conducted their interviews. The DJ remembered that, "They were quite sparky and always very different from any of the other artists and groups who appeared on the show. I think their main object in life seemed to be how to put me down in as good natured a way as possible. But it was great fun always to talk to The Beatles."

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Dec 21, 1963

  13. This Boy

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    2:16 • LiveL2 • Released in the UK on the flip-side of "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "This Boy" is distinguished by a three-part harmony, sung at one microphone, by John, Paul and George. This distinctive blend of their voices can also be heard on the BBC recording of "To Know Her Is To Love Her", included the first volume of Live At The BBC, and a later B-side ballad "Yes It Is".

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Dec 21, 1963

  14. If I Wasn't in America

    0:45 • Interview • The group knew that when their Saturday Club session was broadcast, they would be in Miami Beach, Florida to rehearse for a second live appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show the next day. Ringo used the idiomatic expression "act the goat", meaning to behave in a silly way to get a laugh.

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Feb 15, 1964

  15. I Got a Woman

    Written by Ray Charles, Renald Richard

    2:36 • LiveL2 • The Beatles heard this Ray Charles song on Elvis Presley’s first British album called Rock ’N’ Roll released in October 1956. Elvis was described in the sleeve note as ‹the jazz phenomenon to end all phenomena›. The group’s first version, recorded for Pop Go The Beatles in August 1963, was on the first volume of Live At The BBC. For this later version, John duets with himself by overdubbing a second lead vocal.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Apr 04, 1964

  16. Long Tall Sally

    Written by Richard Penniman / Little Richard, Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell

    1:58 • LiveL6 • The group had performed the song ever since 1957 when it had erupted in the UK on a record by Little Richard. The UK single coupled his first two American hits from a year before: ‹Long Tall Sally› and the equally thunderous "Tutti Frutti". The first collection of Live At The BBC featured a recording made at the BBC in August 1963 for Pop Go The Beatles.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 16, 1964

  17. If I Fell

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    2:09 • LiveL1 • A high point of A Hard Day’s Night, "If I Fell" was coupled with Paul’s ballad "And I Love Her" on an American single and also featured on the British EP Extracts From The Film A Hard Day's Night.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 16, 1964

  18. A Hard Job Writing Them

    1:20 • Interview • Producer Bernie Andrews remembered, "I wanted to get the pre-recorded sessions at a higher standard ...somewhere near matching the record quality. When I started Top Gear, I tried very hard to do that. I was very pleased when The Beatles went along with me and helped launch this programme".

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 16, 1964

  19. And I Love Her

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    2:20 • LiveL2 • For this BBC performance, George played his solo on electric guitar rather than the nylon-strung acoustic used for the record. "And I Love Her" was soon the subject of a variety of cover versions that dispensed with a simple beat group arrangement. Beatles favourites Smokey Robinson & The Miracles made a sensitive recording for their 1970 LP What Love Has ...Joined Together.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 16, 1964

  20. Oh, Can't We? Yes We Can

    0:20 • Interview • The Australian DJ Alan "Fluff" Freeman had planned a short visit to the UK in 1957. Having quickly become one of the country’s best-loved DJs, he stayed forever. From 1962, he had been presenting the BBC’s Sunday chart show Pick Of The Pops. In this era, it was the most exciting record show on the air in the UK. In His Own Write, John’s book of poetry, prose and drawings was published the week before this "bank holiday" programme was broadcast.

    Bryant Marriott : Producer

    Concert From "From Us To You" in London, United Kingdom on Mar 30, 1964

  21. You Can't Do That

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    2:32 • LiveL1 • Released first as the flip-side of "Can't Buy Me Love", "You Can't Do That" is a swaggering R&B workout that became a highlight of the non-film-songs side of A Hard Day’s Night.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Jul 16, 1964

  22. Honey Don't

    Written by Carl Perkins

    2:24 • LiveL2 • The B-side of Carl Perkins’ Top Ten UK hit "Blue Suede Shoes", "Honey Don’t" was a Beatles stage favourite for several years before it appeared on their fourth album. John sings on an earlier BBC recording that was released on the first Live At The BBC album. At the final session for Beatles For Sale in October 1964, he generously gave ‹Honey Don’t› to Ringo for his featured vocal on the LP. From then on, it was exclusively Ringo’s number.

    Ringo Starr : Vocals Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Nov 26, 1964

  23. I'll Follow the Sun

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    1:51 • LiveL1 • This early song of Paul's was at least four years old by the time it was revisited for Beatles For Sale. It was featured, along with three others from that album, during their second appearance on the late-night show Top Gear presented by Brian Matthew. This BBC recording was first issued in 1995 on the hit EP Baby It’s You.

    Paul McCartney : Bass guitar, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar George Harrison : Lead guitar Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Nov 26, 1964

  24. Green with Black Shutters

    0:56 • Interview • Circa May or June 1965. In addition to broadcasting to the UK, Brian Matthew introduced a programme produced by the BBC for distribution to international radio stations. This interview was recorded exclusively for that weekly show called Top Of The Pops.

    Pete Dauncey : Producer

  25. Medley

    1. Kansas City

      Written by Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller

      2:43 • LiveL3 • "Kansas City" was an American number one for Wilbert Harrison in May 1959. Little Richard’s medley of ‹Kansas City› with his previously released "Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey ! (Goin' Back To Birmingham)" was a Top Thirty UK hit during the summer of 1959. That single was the model for The Beatles’ interpretation. Their earliest recording was included on the first album of BBC performances; this is the third and final BBC version.

      Jimmy Grant : Producer Brian Willey : Producer

      Concert From "Saturday Club" in London, United Kingdom on Dec 26, 1964

  26. That's What We're Here For

    0:24 • Interview • The group’s second appearance on Top Gear was broadcast the night before "I Feel Fine"/"She’s A Woman" was released in the UK. Their new single topped the UK and US charts during Christmas 1964, bringing their tally of American number ones in that year to six.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Nov 26, 1964

  27. I Feel Fine (Studio Outtake Sequence)

    Written by Lennon - McCartney

    3:29 • OuttakeL2 • The Beatles began using a four-track machine at EMI in October 1963, but multi-tracking did not start at the BBC until the seventies. There was a method to "overdub" by copying a first recording to another tape, while at the same time adding more instruments or vocals. This take of "I Feel Fine" is the one onto which John overdubbed another lead vocal. The completed version is included on the first volume of Live At The BBC.

    Bernie Andrews : Producer

    Concert From "Top Gear" in London, United Kingdom on Nov 26, 1964

  28. Bonus interview track

    Having recorded highly personal interviews with John and George for Pop Profile, Brian Matthew talked to Paul and Ringo for the series five months later. The interviews took place on a day-off from sessions started in April 1966 to produce a new album - Revolver.

    1. Paul - Pop Profile

      7:50 • Interview

    2. Ringo - Pop Profile

      8:04 • Interview


From Wikipedia:

On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2 is a 2013 live/compilation album featuring 40 previously unreleased tracks from the Beatles’ 1963–1964 BBC Radio broadcasts (accompanied by 23 interview tracks from the associated broadcasts). It was released on 11 November 2013, along with a remastered and repackaged Live at the BBC Volume 1, which was originally released in 1994. The album is available as a two-CD set and a three-LP set. An exclusive limited edition lithographic print is also available from the Beatles online store.

Content

Most of the songs performed on the album are taken from the Beatles’ first four LPs Please Please Me, With the Beatles, A Hard Day’s Night, and Beatles for Sale. Many of the other songs performed are the band’s covers of early rock and roll classics by American artists such as Little Richard, Chuck Berry, and Buddy Holly, many of which were never recorded in a studio or released on a Beatles album. “I’m Talking About You” and “Beautiful Dreamer” were the two songs on the album that had never been on a previous Beatles release, leaving only “Dream Baby (How Long Must I Dream)” and “A Picture of You,” both low fidelity recordings with Pete Best from 1962, as the only songs from the Beatles’ BBC performances that have never been issued in any version.

There are several witty and irreverent moments among the 23 speech tracks of in-studio conversation and banter. “A Hard Job Writing Them“, for example, includes the moment where Ringo describes the trouble he had writing songs for A Hard Day’s Night and Paul launches the ship “Top Gear” in an unusual voice.

Reception

The album received very positive reviews upon release. The Daily Mail reviewer Adrian Thrills gave this compilation a rating of 5 stars. He points to the version of Chuck Berry’s “I’m Talking About You” as being a highlight as it “reiterates John Lennon’s credentials as a rock ’n’ roller“. Thrills also stated, “Other highlights include a fresh take on Arthur Alexander’s ‘Anna’, a heartfelt ‘Please Mr Postman’ and a countrified stroll through the Carl Perkins hit ‘Lend Me Your Comb‘.

Another reviewer, Damian Fanelli from Guitar World, stated the album is “an exceedingly satisfying release, yet another example of how talented, charming and generally ‘different’ the Beatles were. In terms of George Harrison’s guitar playing, we get to hear the good (his whammy-bar-laced guitar solo on ‘Till There Was You‘), the not so good (his solo on ‘Lucille‘) and the intriguing (His better-than-the-EMI-version solo on ‘I Saw Her Standing There‘ inspires a few ‘What ifs?’).

Mojo music writer Jon Savage reviewed the album, giving it four stars, and stated, “There are several surprises: a tough version of Chuck Berry’s ‘I’m Talking About You’, an early ‘Words of Love‘, covers of ‘Lend Me Your Comb‘ and ‘Beautiful Dreamer’.” […]

From the liner notes:

I had grown up with the BBC. I remember lying on the living room carpet listening to afternoon shows that my mum would be listening to as she was doing the ironing. So you grew up with it. You knew all the little theme tunes that introduced the various programmes and some of the shows like Two-Way Family Favourites were huge. You got the feeling that the whole nation was listening to them and I’m sure they were. This is basically where we got our music from. The only other source was Radio Luxembourg, which was good, but the signal kept coming and going, so the BBC was the mainstay of our music source.

Raised on the BBC radio programmes, one of the big things in our week was Saturday Club. We would wake up to this great show playing the kind of music we loved. That was something we really aspired to. Eventually we got to go to that show and be a part of it. I think out of that came Pop Go The Beatles. We knew we would have to compromise to some extent, but when it came to playing the numbers, we could do them the way we wanted. Then there would be the talk with the very plummy BBC announcer, who was not from our world at all. We couldn’t imagine what world he was from, but now you realise we were all doing what we had to do. You had actors – Rodney Burke and Lee Peters – doing all this silly stuff. They would rather have been doing Hamlet. Then you’ve got producer Terry Henebery behind the control glass and he would rather have been down a jazz club!

You will find stuff in our repertoire that came off little odd-ball records. We had started off going onstage and playing songs that we liked, but then we would find that on the same bill as us in the Liverpool clubs, there might be another band that would play exactly the same songs. If they were on before us, it made us look a bit silly. We started to look further afield, study the American charts and see what was there. We’d listen to radio a lot and find out if there was anything up and coming. We would also flip records and listen to the B-sides; see if we could find anything that way. In fact that’s what started John and I writing, because this was the only foolproof way that other bands couldn’t have our songs. There was no great artistic muse that came out of the heavens and said, ‘Ye shall be a songwriting partnership!’. It was really just we had better do this or everyone else is going to have our act.

With our manager Brian Epstein having a record shop – NEMS – we did have the opportunity to look around a bit more than the casual buyer. But we knew people who had records. You’d go to a party and someone would have something that you hadn’t heard and you’d always flip it over, listen to the B-side. Obviously, they had to be things that we thought we could play well. Something like the Arthur Alexander song ‘Anna’ – which not many people have heard of to this day – was an odd record choice somebody had. We discovered ‘Twist and Shout’ by The Isley Brothers, which was a little bit hip to know about. I remember coming down to London and somebody saying, ‘Wow, you’ve heard of the Isleys!’ It gave us this little edge over other bands, who perhaps weren’t scouring the racks quite as avidly as we were.

Ringo would get stuff from sailors. I don’t think the rest of us knew any sailors, but he happened to have a few mates who’d been abroad to New Orleans or New York and had picked up some nice blues or country and western. Ringo was very into country and western. But it was really a question of looking harder than the next guy. We made it our full-time job to research all these things; to go for the road less travelled.

When I listen to the BBC recordings, there’s a lot of energy. I think spirit and energy – those are the main words I’d use to describe them. We are going for it, not holding back at all, trying to put in the best performance of our lifetimes. By the way, of course, we were brilliant! Let’s not forget that. I always say to people, ‘Not a bad little band’.

Paul McCartney, 4 July 2013

Paul McCartney writing

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