1962–1966, also known as the Red Album, is a compilation album of hit songs by the English rock band the Beatles, spanning the years indicated in the title. Released with its counterpart 1967–1970 (the "Blue Album") in 1973, the double LP peaked at number 3 in the United Kingdom. In the United States, it topped the Cash Box albums chart and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape chart while 1967–1970 reached the top spot. The album was re-released in September 1993 on compact disc, charting at number 3 in the UK.
1962–1966 | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 2 April 1973[1] | |||
Recorded | 11 September 1962 – 21 June 1966, EMI Studios, London and Pathé Marconi Studios, Paris | |||
Genre |
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Length | 62:34 | |||
Label | Apple | |||
Producer | George Martin | |||
Compiler | Allen Klein | |||
The Beatles UK chronology | ||||
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The Beatles North American chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blender | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The album was instigated by Apple Records manager Allen Klein shortly before he was dismissed from his position.[6] Even though the group had success with cover versions of songs, particularly "Twist and Shout", 1962–1966 contains only songs composed by the Beatles. The album omits any George Harrison compositions from the era, such as "Taxman", as the content is entirely Lennon–McCartney originals.
As with 1967–1970, the compilation was created by Apple and EMI/Capitol Records in response to a bootleg collection titled Alpha Omega, which had been sold on television the previous year. Print advertising for the two records made a point of declaring them "the only authorized collection of the Beatles".[7] The success of the two official double LP compilations inspired Capitol's repackaging of the Beach Boys' 1960s hits, starting with the 1974 album Endless Summer.[8]
For the group's 1963 debut LP Please Please Me, photographer Angus McBean took the distinctive colour photograph of the group looking down over the stairwell inside EMI House (EMI's London headquarters in Manchester Square, now demolished). The cover for the 1963 EP The Beatles (No. 1) used a picture from the same shoot.
In 1969, the Beatles asked McBean to recreate this shot. Although one of the 1969 photographs was originally intended for the planned Get Back album, it was not used when that project saw eventual release in 1970 as Let It Be. Instead, another 1969 photograph, along with an unused one from the 1963 photo shoot, were used for both this LP and the cover of 1967–1970.
The inner gatefold photo for both LPs is from the "Mad Day Out"[9] photo session in London on Sunday 28 July 1968.
The album cover was designed by Tom Wilkes.[10]
The British and American versions of the vinyl album contain notable differences; for example, "Help!" on the American edition includes the same pseudo-James Bond intro as the mix found on the American Help! soundtrack LP, while the same song on the British edition does not. Also, the British LP uses the stereo "whispering intro" mix of "I Feel Fine", while the US LP uses the mono mix from Beatles '65, which is drenched in additional reverb. (See Mix Variations below.) In the liner notes associating the songs with their original albums, the US editions referenced the Capitol albums while UK printings used the British albums.
The first compact disc version was released on 20 September 1993.[1] It was released on two discs for the price of two albums, though it could have fit on to a single disc; EMI stated that this was done to match the release of 1967–1970. The CD version used new digital masters. The first four tracks on the CD release are in mono; the rest of the tracks are in stereo. The tracks "All My Loving", "Can't Buy Me Love", "A Hard Day's Night", "And I Love Her" and "Eight Days a Week" made their CD stereo debut with this release. The 1993 versions were also issued on vinyl in the UK.
EMI announced on 10 August 2010, that the album had been remastered for a second time and, once again, would be released as a two-CD package. The album was released worldwide on 18 October 2010, and 19 October 2010 in North America.[11]
The album was reissued on 180g vinyl in 2014, prepared from the original UK 1973 compilation master. The fake stereo mixes of the Andy White version of "Love Me Do" (with Starr on tambourine) and "She Loves You" were replaced by the true mono versions, but while the Side 1 label indicated “Please Please Me” and “From Me To You” being mono, they were, in fact, the stereo versions.
All tracks are written by Lennon–McCartney.
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Love Me Do" (single released October 1962, later included on Please Please Me, 1963) | 2:22 |
2. | "Please Please Me" (single released January 1963, later included on Please Please Me, 1963) | 2:01 |
3. | "From Me to You" (non-album single, 1963) | 1:57 |
4. | "She Loves You" (non-album single, 1963) | 2:22 |
5. | "I Want to Hold Your Hand" (non-album single, 1963) | 2:26 |
6. | "All My Loving" (from With the Beatles, 1963) | 2:09 |
7. | "Can't Buy Me Love" (from A Hard Day's Night, 1964) | 2:13 |
Total length: | 15:30 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "A Hard Day's Night" (from A Hard Day's Night, 1964) | 2:34 |
2. | "And I Love Her" (from A Hard Day's Night, 1964) | 2:31 |
3. | "Eight Days a Week" (from Beatles for Sale, 1964) | 2:44 |
4. | "I Feel Fine" (non-album single, 1964) | 2:20 |
5. | "Ticket to Ride" (from Help!, 1965) | 3:11 |
6. | "Yesterday" (from Help!, 1965) | 2:05 |
Total length: | 15:25 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Help!" (from Help!, 1965) | 2:20 |
2. | "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" (from Help!, 1965) | 2:11 |
3. | "We Can Work It Out" (non-album single, 1965) | 2:16 |
4. | "Day Tripper" (non-album single, 1965) | 2:49 |
5. | "Drive My Car" (from Rubber Soul, 1965) | 2:28 |
6. | "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" (from Rubber Soul, 1965) | 2:05 |
Total length: | 14:09 |
No. | Title | Length |
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1. | "Nowhere Man" (from Rubber Soul, 1965) | 2:44 |
2. | "Michelle" (from Rubber Soul, 1965) | 2:42 |
3. | "In My Life" (from Rubber Soul, 1965) | 2:27 |
4. | "Girl" (from Rubber Soul, 1965) | 2:31 |
5. | "Paperback Writer" (non-album single, 1966) | 2:19 |
6. | "Eleanor Rigby" (from Revolver, 1966) | 2:08 |
7. | "Yellow Submarine" (from Revolver, 1966) | 2:39 |
Total length: | 17:30 |
Song | Mix used on 1973 UK vinyl edition | Mix used on 1973 US vinyl edition | Mix used on 1993 & 2010 CD reissues |
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"Love Me Do" | 1963 fake stereo mix from Please Please Me (stereo version) |
1963 fake stereo mix from The Early Beatles (stereo version) same as UK vinyl album |
1962 mono mix from Please Please Me (mono version) and later single releases |
"Please Please Me" | 1963 stereo mix from Please Please Me (stereo version) |
1963 stereo mix from Introducing... The Beatles (stereo version); The Early Beatles (stereo version) same as UK vinyl album |
1963 mono mix from Please Please Me (mono version) and single release |
"From Me to You" | 1963 stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version) |
1963 stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies first appearance on an American LP same as UK vinyl album, except reversed channels |
1963 mono single mix |
"She Loves You" | 1966 fake stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version) | 1966 re-EQed mono from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (mono version) | 1963 mono single mix same as US vinyl album |
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" | 1966 stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version) |
1964 fake stereo mix made for the US Meet The Beatles! (stereo version) |
1966 stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version) same as UK vinyl album |
"All My Loving" | 1963 stereo mix from With the Beatles (stereo version) |
1963 stereo mix from Meet the Beatles! (stereo version) same as UK vinyl album |
1963 stereo mix same as both vinyl albums (although 1993 version has right vocal channel placed in the centre) |
"Can't Buy Me Love" | 1964 stereo mix from UK stereo version of A Hard Day's Night |
1964 stereo mix first released in the US on the Hey Jude album same as UK vinyl album |
1964 stereo mix same as both vinyl albums |
"A Hard Day's Night" | 1964 stereo mix from UK stereo version of A Hard Day's Night |
1964 mono mix from mono version of A Hard Day's Night |
1964 stereo mix same as UK vinyl album |
"And I Love Her" | 1964 stereo mix from UK stereo version of A Hard Day's Night |
1964 stereo mix from stereo version of Something New same as UK vinyl album |
1964 stereo mix same as both vinyl albums |
"Eight Days a Week" | 1964 stereo mix from Beatles for Sale (stereo version) |
1964 stereo mix from Beatles VI (stereo version) same as UK vinyl album |
1964 stereo mix same as both vinyl albums |
"I Feel Fine" | 1964 stereo mix (with "whispering" intro) made from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version) | 1964 mono mix with additional reverb from Beatles '65 (mono version) and US single version |
1964 stereo mix same as UK vinyl album; whispering intro edited out on both CD versions |
"Ticket to Ride" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Help! |
1965 mono mix from single and US mono version of Help! album |
1987 stereo remix |
"Yesterday" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Help! |
1965 stereo mix from stereo version of Yesterday and Today same as UK vinyl album |
1987 stereo remix |
"Help!" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Help! |
1965 stereo mix from US stereo version of Help! same as UK vinyl album but with a "James Bond" intro |
1987 stereo remix |
"You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Help! |
1965 stereo mix from US stereo version of Help! same as UK vinyl album |
1987 stereo remix |
"We Can Work It Out" | 1966 stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version) |
1965 stereo mix from stereo version of Yesterday and Today |
1966 stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version) same as UK vinyl album |
"Day Tripper" | 1965 stereo mix from stereo version of Yesterday and Today same as US vinyl album |
1965 stereo mix from stereo version of Yesterday and Today |
1966 stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version); with glitch corrected on the 2010 CD reissue |
"Drive My Car" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Rubber Soul |
1965 stereo mix from stereo version of Yesterday and Today same as UK vinyl album |
1987 stereo remix |
"Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Rubber Soul |
1965 stereo mix from US stereo version of Rubber Soul same as UK vinyl album |
1987 stereo remix |
"Nowhere Man" | 1965 stereo mix made for UK stereo version of Rubber Soul |
1965 stereo mix from stereo version of Yesterday and Today same as UK vinyl album |
1987 stereo remix |
"Michelle" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Rubber Soul |
1965 stereo mix from US stereo version of Rubber Soul same as UK vinyl album |
1987 stereo remix |
"In My Life" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Rubber Soul |
1965 stereo mix from US stereo version of Rubber Soul same as UK vinyl album |
1987 stereo remix |
"Girl" | 1965 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Rubber Soul |
1965 stereo mix from US stereo version of Rubber Soul same as UK vinyl album |
1987 stereo remix |
"Paperback Writer" | 1966 stereo mix from A Collection of Beatles Oldies (stereo version) |
1966 stereo mix from Hey Jude same as UK vinyl album, except reversed channels |
1966 stereo mix same as both vinyl albums |
"Eleanor Rigby" | 1966 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Revolver |
1966 stereo mix from US stereo version of Revolver same as UK vinyl album |
1966 stereo mix same as both vinyl albums |
"Yellow Submarine" | 1966 stereo mix from UK stereo version of Revolver |
1966 stereo mix from US stereo version of Revolver same as UK vinyl album |
1966 stereo mix same as both vinyl albums |
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Chart (1973) | Position |
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Austrian Albums Chart[42] | 2 |
Dutch Albums Chart[43] | 3 |
German Albums Chart[44] | 14 |
French Albums Chart[45] | 4 |
Japanese Albums Chart[46] | 3 |
US Billboard Pop Albums[47] | 32 |
Chart (1974) | Position |
Austrian Albums Chart[48] | 1 |
German Albums Chart[49] | 1 |
UK Albums Chart[50] | 33 |
US Billboard Pop Albums[51] | 95 |
Chart (1975) | Position |
German Albums Chart[52] | 1 |
Chart (1976) | Position |
German Albums Chart[53] | 2 |
Chart (1977) | Position |
German Albums Chart[54] | 12 |
Chart (1978) | Position |
German Albums Chart[55] | 20 |
Chart (1993) | Position |
Canadian Albums Chart[56] | 93 |
Dutch Albums Chart[57] | 55 |
Japanese Albums Chart[58] | 91 |
Spanish Albums Chart[59] | 11 |
Spanish Foreign Albums Chart[60] | 9 |
UK Albums Chart[61] | 67 |
In the US, the album sold 1,215,338 LPs by 31 December 1973 and 5,475,942 LPs by the end of the decade.[62]
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Argentina (CAPIF)[63] | Platinum | 60,000^ |
Australia (ARIA)[64] | 5× Platinum | 350,000^ |
Austria (IFPI Austria)[65] | 3× Platinum | 150,000* |
Belgium | — | 25,000[66] |
Canada (Music Canada)[67] | Diamond | 1,000,000^ |
France (SNEP)[68] | Platinum | 400,000* |
France (SNEP)[69] 2010 remaster |
Gold | 50,000* |
Germany (BVMI)[70] | 4× Platinum | 2,000,000^ |
Greece | — | 25,000[71] |
Italy (FIMI)[72] sales since 2009 |
Gold | 25,000![]() |
Japan (RIAJ)[73][74] | 2× Platinum+Gold | 918,000[19] |
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[75] | 2× Platinum | 200,000^ |
Sweden (GLF)[76] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[77] | Platinum | 50,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[78] | 2× Platinum | 600,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[79] | 15× Platinum | 7,500,000^ |
* Sales figures based on certification alone. |
The Beatles album discography | |||||||||||||
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Albums in the core catalogue are marked in bold. | |||||||||||||
Studio albums |
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Extended plays |
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Live albums | |||||||||||||
Selected compilations |
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Authority control ![]() |
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