The Beatles, Part II

Some of the compilation albums that are/should still be available. And if not, you could always get them second hand on Amazon. So there.

1962-1966 aka "The Red Album" (1973)

Does what it says on the tin. And leaves off the weak ballads that blighted the early Beatles albums.

Best Song: Help!

Rating: 5/5

1967-1970 aka "The Blue Album" (1973)

This is what I'm talkin' about, Willis. A compilation of most of the best bits of their best albums, how could this fail? Answer: it can't.

Best Song: Strawberry Fields Forever

Rating: 5/5

Past Masters, Volume One (1988)

A compilation of a-sides, b-sides and some other stuff (alternate mixes etc). Not bad but not great.

Best Song: She Loves You

Rating: 3/5

Past Masters, Volume Two (1988)

The current reissues have volumes one and two together. Which is nice. The phrase "for completists only" was probably invented for these two volumes, if you get/have "1962-1966" and "1967-1970", or the "1" album, there's no real need for you to get these.

Best Song: Revolution

Rating: 4/5

Anthology 1 (1995)

Pointless. If you want rubbish early songs or five takes of the same song for a ridiculous amount of money, you need to get a life. And that's me saying that.

Best Song: She Loves You

Rating: 1/5

Anthology 2 (1996)

See the above. Waste of time and money.

Best Song: Strawberry Fields Forever

Rating: 1.5/5

Anthology 3 (1996)

Why they couldn't have put together the best bits of the Anthology series onto one album, I'll never know. Nor will anyone else. Unless you do know. In which case the answer is probably money-related.

Best Song: While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Rating: 1.5/5

Yellow Submarine Songtrack (1999)

A compilation of all the songs featured in the film, rather than the earlier soundtrack album which featured only the new songs and some orchestral pieces, this is actually pretty good. It's worth getting on the cheap (i.e. second hand) as a nice little compilation album, or if you can't bring yourself to buy the earlier poor soundtrack album.

Best Song: Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds

Rating: 4/5

1 (2000)

If you don't have "1962-1966" and "1967-1970", this is the perfect summary of/introduction to The Beatles hits. Compiles the number one singles for the UK and US, then throws some other classics in as well. What more could you want? Answer: nothing.

Best Song: Help!

Rating: 5/5

Let It Be... Naked (2003)

Whatever your feelings of going back to remix original recordings so extensively, this is better than the original album, mainly due to the removal of Phil Spector's orchestral add-ons. We'll have to take Paul MCartney's word that this was how the songs were meant to be. John Lennon certainly disagreed with him. At least they didn't add anything new or mess with the songs too much...

Best Song: The Long And Winding Road

Rating: 3.5/5

Love (2006)

An abomination, pure and simple. "Let It Be... Naked" was tough to swallow, but at least it sounded like The Beatles. Mashing-up various Beatles songs for a circus show is a step too far. Don't buy this album. Or I will hurt you.

Best Song: Here Comes The Sun

Rating: 0.5/5