The Beatles - Live at the BBC - Amazon.com Music (original) (raw)
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Customers say
Customers praise this live album for capturing the Beatles' early sound and being better than other Beatles recordings. They appreciate the live performances and find it entertaining to hear the banter, with one customer noting the hysterical interview clips. The album features favorite songs and shows influence of 1950s rock and roll, making it a nice addition to any Beatles collection. Customers consider it worth the price.
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70 customers mention music quality, 69 positive, 1 negative
Customers praise the music quality of this album, describing it as outstanding and better than other Beatles recordings, particularly highlighting its excellent early Beatles songs.
Great CD. You can feel the energy and fun that the Fab Four brought to every performance. A great additon to the collection of any Beatle fan.Read more
Overall a great album IF you are a Beatles fan like I am.Read more
Love the Beatles! There are so many of their great songs and some I've never heard before. They will always be a favorite
24 customers mention music for fans, 24 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the album highly entertaining and great for Beatles fans, with one customer describing it as "ear candy."
This is a must have for any Beatles fan . Great early tracks, when you get it live , you just feel the music even more .Read more
This is a must for Beatles fans. 2 cd's full of fun entertainment. Takes you way back, and is a delight to listen to....Read more
...Truly a joy to listen to, and I recommend this collection to Beatlemaniacs everywhere
...live beatles at there start it is a great cd package to have and enjoy their music and talk it rocksRead more
23 customers mention sound quality, 21 positive, 2 negative
Customers praise the sound quality of the album, particularly noting how it captures the Beatles' early sound, with one customer highlighting Paul's bass as hot and thumping.
...you are on your way to another early Beatle tune--well produced, good sound quality, lots of rockin tunes that never appears on any of their albums...Read more
...It does sound better than ever. Glad I picked it up.Read more
...Priceless!!!! Sound quality is very good, also.Read more
...All of the songs sound fantastic, and it's mono which is great if you are only listening with one earbud....Read more
19 customers mention live performance, 19 positive, 0 negative
Customers love the live performances of this album, with one customer specifically praising the band's competent live act.
A must have if you are a Beatle fan. These are live takes. A lot of them are songs you never heard them do....Read more
There's not much to say here: It's the Beatles and they are live....Read more
...the difference with this and other albums is that all of the songs were played live, and sent out over the BBC radio airwaves....Read more
17 customers mention fun, 16 positive, 1 negative
Customers find the album entertaining, particularly enjoying the banter between the performers and the host, with one customer specifically mentioning the hysterical interview clips.
...Their wit, humour, and incredible charisma also is very evident in the chat with the various MCs prior to playing....Read more
If you are into old Beatles, this is a fun set of songs from their BBC recording 1962-1966. Nice to here music that was not recorded anywhere else....Read more
I loved the live versions of many songs as well as their banter with the host. A true must have for any Beatles fan
...They rock, they are funny, these CDs bring home the beginnings of the greatest rock and roll band of all time!!!
17 customers mention music variety, 17 positive, 0 negative
Customers enjoy the variety of music on this album, particularly appreciating the favorite Beatles songs, with one customer noting the influence of 1950s rock and roll and another mentioning the covers of early 60's music.
...The band is tight, the voices and angelic and the songs are classic. This is a must have for any real Beatles fan
...Nice to here music that was not recorded anywhere else. Some old favorites and some covers of early 60's music....Read more
This is a must have for any Beatles fan . Great early tracks, when you get it live , you just feel the music even more .Read more
...Most of the songs are familiar, but some of them are sung in interesting unfamiliar versions....Read more
15 customers mention addition value, 15 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the album to be a good addition to their Beatles collection, with one customer noting it's essential for Beatle fans.
Nice to have - interesting collectionRead more
...A good addition to your collectionRead more
If you love The Beatles this is a must have for your Beatles collection. The quality of the recording is very good....Read more
...This was a great addition to my collection plus I get to explain to my kids & grandchildren what MONO is.Read more
15 customers mention value for money, 15 positive, 0 negative
Customers find the album worth its price, with one noting it's a must-have for Beatles fans and another highlighting its historical and musical value.
If you're a fan of the era, its worth having. Its an adventure listening to what was then. Good PurchaseRead more
...Well worth the price of admission.Read more
...But this is well worth having and has a song or two they never performed before or since.Read more
Two disc set of early Beatles radio-live songs are interesting. Good price and many of the songs show influence of 1950s rock and roll.Read more
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Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2013
On a quality basis, most of the Beatles' original tunes on this album are superior to the covers (with the exception, possibly, of the Chuck Berry numbers). But it's the covers I love here. That's partly because of the Beatles' earnest and enthusiastic live performances - which capture the band's sound when they were still young and hungry - and partly because the group just plain had good taste. It's fascinating to hear the variety of influences the Beatles absorbed, and anyone who's interested in learning how they became the group we know and admire should acquire this disc.
From basic rhythm-and-blues to country-western to straight rock n' roll to American musical to Chuck Berry to Carole King - this album has the Beatles doing it all, and I've discovered a lot of great songs here I never would have heard otherwise. Some of the best of these unknowns are "Soldier of Love," "The Honeymoon Song," "Sure to Fall," and "Lonesome Tears in My Eyes." The Beatles also triumph on a number of 1950s rock classics we know and love, including some by Chuck Berry ("Carol," "Too Much Monkey Business," "Sweet Little Sixteen," "Memphis)," all of which are sung with gusto by John; as well as one made famous by Elvis ("That's All Right (Mama)," which is belted out expertly by Paul.
The disc also punches holes in the old argument that John was the hard rocker and Paul was the balladeer. When you listen to Paul's rocking performances on "Clarabella" or "That's All Right (Mama)" or to John sweetly croon "To Know Her Is To Love Her," the stereotypes die. Of course, Paul is in his element with some of the ballads, like "The Honeymoon Song" and John can rock as well as anyone on tracks like "Too Much Monkey Business" and "I Got a Woman." George also has some good moments - particularly on "Young Blood," a country-influenced number with hilarious background vocals by Paul and John. The singing and playing by all four members is excellent throughout, although the sound quality isn't always top-notch. The performances are all live, punching holes in another old stereotype that the Beatles weren't a talented live band. I challenge anyone to listen to this and then try to make that argument.
To sum it up, when I want to hear the Beatles' original songs at their finest, I go straight to their official releases, not this one. But when I want to hear what they must have sounded like doing covers of their favorite songs at the Cavern Club in 1962 or 1963, I put on the BBC disc. Even after nearly 20 years, it's still rewarding (and the Beatles' silly banter with the radio host never fails to charm). It's a must-have for any Beatles fan.
25 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2012
In all my years of buying records and CD's, the live albums were usually the most disappointing. Either the technology was behind the times, or in the case of The Beatles Live at the Hollywood Bowl, the decibel level of the crowd noise made for a sub-par recording. I always enjoyed the 2 disc Live at the Star Club in Hamburg album that came out 35 years ago as a piece of early Beatles history. Then along came the Live at the BBC collection.
As other reviews have stated, this disc proves that the Fab Four were a VERY competent live act. The Lennon quote from the Anthology Volume 1,"We were performers in Liverpool, Hamburg and around the dance halls... what we generated was fantastic when we played straight rock, and there was no one that could touch us in Britain", is proven on these 2 CD's.I concur with the review that questions why Ringo isn't the number 2 or 3 drummer in rock history. Listen to this disc and tell me that the way he moves the song along and the fills he plays aren't proof of his talent and skill. And all of that with 4 drums, 2 cymbals and a hi-hat. Big drum kits and fancy moves do not necessarily equate with good drumming. You could apply that to all of the Beatles. Not fancy or flashy,no mega solos, just solid playing.
Although I like the live performances of songs that also were a part of their studio output, the best stuff is their covers of American R&B, rockabilly and early rock and roll. Makes one wonder why they didn't release an album of nothing but these songs recorded in the studio. Apparently the hours and hours of tape from the Let It Be sessions give evidence that even at that late stage of their career as Beatles they still returned to their roots.
John's vocal on "To Know Her Is To Love Her"," A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues", "I Got To Find My Baby" and George's cover of Carl Perkins "Glad All Over" are some of the best on these 2 discs. Their really isn't a bad track out of the bunch.
The other thing about this set that is interesting is that much of this was recorded at the zenith of their popularity. While they could have been filling these dates with large concerts, they were fulfilling their obligation to the BBC. Whether that was at the insistence of Brian Epstein, their own sense of "doing the right thing" or a mixture of the two, it stands out in today's world of selling out to the highest bidder.
If you're new to the whole Beatles experience, this collection gives you some good insight as to what it was all about.
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Top reviews from other countries
5.0 out of 5 stars 71 Tracks digital remastered = Perfekter Audiogenuss
Reviewed in Germany on March 20, 2018
Das Live at the BBC Konzert wurde digital nachbearbeitet und es entstand ein Werk mit 71 Tracks auf 2 CDs, darunter aber auch Textpassagen, so dass es nur knapp 60 Songs sind. Darunter alle bekannten Songs, aber auch diverse wenig gespielte Titel. Eine super Sammlung in toller Qualität Wir sind begeistert.
Ich freue mich über jeden Nutzer der meine Bewertung als hilfreich bewertet, wenn diese ihm hilft. Vielen Dank!
5.0 out of 5 stars (Extended) Beatles Broadcasting Corporation 1
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2013
First released in 1994, `Live at the BBC' has been both remastered and re-packaged, which gets rid of the unwieldy plastic double CD boxes that always managed to get cracked or lost the lugs for the discs. That re-packaging, which is far superior, has bought it in line with most other Beatles CDs (and I'm sure the remaining ones, `Anthology', and `Let It Be...Naked', will follow). The cover photo, which was digitally altered quite a lot (see original photo), is no longer the silly sepia toned one, but contemporary black and white. (The cut-and-paste rear photo of the booklet has been cleaned up to remove Ringo's 'ghost head'.) The remastering has made it all better, not sounding as 'tinny', though there is a limit to what you can do with 50 year old recordings made from a transistor radio. But it isn't an exact re-release as this remaster has 71 tracks as opposed to the 69 on the original and a bit of speech replaced with another. Despite asking the relevant people why (that's Apple, EMI and the BBC), no reply has been forthcoming. And the booklet, too, is slightly different in terms of photo layout and content.
By far the best of the post 1970 releases, this is a showcase for songs the group would never record and gives an idea as to what most of us missed. Of the 56 musical tracks, 28 were covers never issued by the group on their official 1960s releases, one is an oddity in `From Us To You', one has a different Beatle singing, and another (a Lennon-McCartney original) was only ever performed on this one occasion. Moreover, it's those 28 songs (and the other three mentioned) which make this collection worthwhile. That isn't to say the remainder aren't good, they are, but we all know those songs backwards even though they're audibly different here with, in many instances, George enjoying himself with his solos.
Whilst many of those 28 songs were performed just once, it's hard to place them in any order of preference, but the standout tracks, in my opinion, have to be the early protest song of `Soldier of Love', `Ooh! My Soul' (followed by an amusing snippet of speech), `I Just Don't Understand', `Lucille' with its stinging guitar solo, `Some Other Guy' (in front of an audience showing just how exciting they were live), and `Clarabella' simply for its obscurity value. For George fans, your boy gets to sing a half dozen of these covers and a further three elsewhere.
Highlights of the rest. `I'll Be On My Way' is the most unusual selection included, seeing as it's an original song; `Honey Don't' is sung by John, `A Hard Day's Night' has an extended ending to prove they "weren't playing the record" (not quite true as, weirdly, the piano break is brutally edited in from the record). A powerful live version of `Thank You Girl' is, I think, better than the studio recording, and whilst the quality of `Keep Your Hands off My Baby' isn't the best, Apple couldn't leave it out (it's also the earliest song here), and `Baby It's You' has a cute full ending. The two 'extra' tracks added to this remaster is a repeat of 'From Us To You' tagged on at the end complete with BBC announcer, and George reading out a letter asking why he hasn't been to the Isle of Wight - "I haven't got a passport".
The between song banter is interesting enough, and the early exchanges gives the impression of four lads having a good time, which is what endeared them to the public. Whilst girls fantasised about them and boys wanted to copy them, the mums and dads were swayed by the kind of chat heard here. They didn't take themselves too seriously and their northern vernacular was in marked contrast to the well intoned BBC voices usually heard; they sung a few songs those parents would know and came over as people who had a bit of a homey touch that appealed to many, not just the teenage element. My only gripe is why this isn't in chronological order.
If you already have this in the double jewel case, is it worth replacing? It has been remastered and the case is much better, and you do get those two 'extras', so if it was my decision, then yes (I did). If you don't have this, then get it. With technology as it is now and music on both radio and television 24 hours a day, those three guitars and drums still haven't been beaten. The ability to sing and play, it's called talent, seems to have been lost.
The Beatles also recorded a further 31 songs for the BBC so there's enough for a second volume one day.
Well, how coincidental is that? No sooner have I finished this review than a `Volume 2' appears.
5.0 out of 5 stars
(Extended) Beatles Broadcasting Corporation 1
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 11, 2013
First released in 1994, `Live at the BBC' has been both remastered and re-packaged, which gets rid of the unwieldy plastic double CD boxes that always managed to get cracked or lost the lugs for the discs. That re-packaging, which is far superior, has bought it in line with most other Beatles CDs (and I'm sure the remaining ones, `Anthology', and `Let It Be...Naked', will follow). The cover photo, which was digitally altered quite a lot (see original photo), is no longer the silly sepia toned one, but contemporary black and white. (The cut-and-paste rear photo of the booklet has been cleaned up to remove Ringo's 'ghost head'.) The remastering has made it all better, not sounding as 'tinny', though there is a limit to what you can do with 50 year old recordings made from a transistor radio. But it isn't an exact re-release as this remaster has 71 tracks as opposed to the 69 on the original and a bit of speech replaced with another. Despite asking the relevant people why (that's Apple, EMI and the BBC), no reply has been forthcoming. And the booklet, too, is slightly different in terms of photo layout and content.
By far the best of the post 1970 releases, this is a showcase for songs the group would never record and gives an idea as to what most of us missed. Of the 56 musical tracks, 28 were covers never issued by the group on their official 1960s releases, one is an oddity in `From Us To You', one has a different Beatle singing, and another (a Lennon-McCartney original) was only ever performed on this one occasion. Moreover, it's those 28 songs (and the other three mentioned) which make this collection worthwhile. That isn't to say the remainder aren't good, they are, but we all know those songs backwards even though they're audibly different here with, in many instances, George enjoying himself with his solos.
Whilst many of those 28 songs were performed just once, it's hard to place them in any order of preference, but the standout tracks, in my opinion, have to be the early protest song of `Soldier of Love', `Ooh! My Soul' (followed by an amusing snippet of speech), `I Just Don't Understand', `Lucille' with its stinging guitar solo, `Some Other Guy' (in front of an audience showing just how exciting they were live), and `Clarabella' simply for its obscurity value. For George fans, your boy gets to sing a half dozen of these covers and a further three elsewhere.
Highlights of the rest. `I'll Be On My Way' is the most unusual selection included, seeing as it's an original song; `Honey Don't' is sung by John, `A Hard Day's Night' has an extended ending to prove they "weren't playing the record" (not quite true as, weirdly, the piano break is brutally edited in from the record). A powerful live version of `Thank You Girl' is, I think, better than the studio recording, and whilst the quality of `Keep Your Hands off My Baby' isn't the best, Apple couldn't leave it out (it's also the earliest song here), and `Baby It's You' has a cute full ending. The two 'extra' tracks added to this remaster is a repeat of 'From Us To You' tagged on at the end complete with BBC announcer, and George reading out a letter asking why he hasn't been to the Isle of Wight - "I haven't got a passport".
The between song banter is interesting enough, and the early exchanges gives the impression of four lads having a good time, which is what endeared them to the public. Whilst girls fantasised about them and boys wanted to copy them, the mums and dads were swayed by the kind of chat heard here. They didn't take themselves too seriously and their northern vernacular was in marked contrast to the well intoned BBC voices usually heard; they sung a few songs those parents would know and came over as people who had a bit of a homey touch that appealed to many, not just the teenage element. My only gripe is why this isn't in chronological order.
If you already have this in the double jewel case, is it worth replacing? It has been remastered and the case is much better, and you do get those two 'extras', so if it was my decision, then yes (I did). If you don't have this, then get it. With technology as it is now and music on both radio and television 24 hours a day, those three guitars and drums still haven't been beaten. The ability to sing and play, it's called talent, seems to have been lost.
The Beatles also recorded a further 31 songs for the BBC so there's enough for a second volume one day.
Well, how coincidental is that? No sooner have I finished this review than a `Volume 2' appears.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Quatre garçons toujours dans le vent!
Reviewed in France on September 14, 2015
Une promenade musicale enrichissante. On se rend bien compte de l'évolution de ces quatre garçons de Liverpool durant cette première époque de leur collaboration. Mais le plus travaillé restait à venir puis l'explosion de leur personnalité individuelle.
5.0 out of 5 stars This release is slightly different than the 1993 original.
Reviewed in the Netherlands on September 11, 2022
This release does not have the crossfade between tracks, and has extra tracks not on the original. Need i say more, no, so just buy it, now!
- Parthasarathi Mukhopadhyay
5.0 out of 5 stars Back to the BBC radio programme of the early '60s
Reviewed in India on May 11, 2014
When I first heard about the remastered issue of this 1994 album, I was not much excited, as I already had it. Rather I was interested to buy the Vol. 2. However, as an avid Beatles fan, I bought the two volumes together. But definitely I would say that this is worth buying. The clarity of sound has much improved, very much comparable to the 2009 remastered versions of the studio albums. Every bit of it is enjoyable. Further, one finds three extra tracks in this 2013 remastered version, which were not present in the original 1994 one. These are, namely, the closing version of "From Us To You" at the end of Disc Two; "What is it, George?" - a "speech" track inserted between "Carol" and "Soldier of Love" on disc one, and another speech track titled "Ringo? Yep!" in Disc Two as track 3, replacing earlier "Have a Banana!"