'The Beatles / A Collection Of Beatles' Oldies, But Goldies (1966) remaster (2008)'!

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Here's another one for those in need of a compilation for this holiday season.  'A Collection Of Beatles' Oldies, But Goldies!' was the first official 'Beatles' compilation released on December 10, 1966.  14 of its original 16 tunes were Number 1s, and were all released as singles before that album release date.  Only 'Michelle' and the Larry Williams cover of 'Bad Boy' (which the 'Beatles' recorded on Mr. Williams' birthday, May 10th, 1965) hadn't been released prior to this issue on singles, and the latter had only been issued, at the time, in the U.S. on the album, 'Beatles VI' and on a limited edition E.P. in Sweden only.  Yes, more recent releases like the 'Past Masters, Volumes 1 & 2', as well as '1' have, in a sense, superceded this album which until now had never been released on CD.  This remaster is special for the simple facts that, 1) it assembles an original 'Beatles' album together again for completists, and 2) as a remaster adds all of the B-sides to all of the said singles, including the 2 E.P.s, and adds a further Number 1 record (according to the NME of that year) in 'Please, Please Me'.  So, is this release necessary?  Probably only if YOU are one of those completists mentioned before, or if YOU just have never actually sat down to listen to any 'Beatles' record before than this is a good place to start, because it fathoms the mind to believe that all of these great songs were released between 1963 and 1966 only!  So, enjoy the music of John, Paul, George & Ringo together for auld lang syne! - Rick Wilson, former Rock Radio Journalist with Radio Canale Grande.

A quick review:

01) She Loves You (#1 *****)
02) From Me To You (#1 *****)
03) We Can Work It Out (#1 *****) (AA-side of 'Day Tripper')
04) Help! (#1 *****)
05) Michelle (*****)
06) Yesterday (#1 *****)
07) I Feel Fine (#1 *****)
0 Yellow Submarine (#1 *****)
09) Can't Buy Me Love (#1 *****)
10) Bad Boy (****)
11) Day Tripper (#1 *****)
12) A Hard Day's Night (#1 *****)
13) Ticket To Ride (#1 *****)
14) Paperback Writer (#1 *****)
15) Eleanor Rigby (#1 *****) (AA-side of 'Yellow Submarine')
16) I Want To Hold Your Hand (#1 *****)

all on the original with:

17) I'll Get You (B-side of 'She Loves You') (*****)
1 Thank You, Girl (B-side of 'From Me To You') (****)
19) I'm Down (B-side of 'Help!') (*****)
20) Girl (*****)
21) Act Naturally (B-side on 'Yesterday' E.P.) (*****)
22) You Like Me Too Much (B-side on 'Yesterday' E.P.) (****)
23) It's Only Love (B-side on 'Yesterday' E.P.) (*****)
24) She's A Woman (B-side of 'I Feel Fine') (*****)
25) You Can't Do That (B-side of 'Can't Buy Me Love') (****)
26) Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (B-side on 'Bad Boy' E.P.) (*****)
27) I'm Looking Through You (B-side on 'Bad Boy' E.P.) (****)
2 In My Life (B-side on 'Bad Boy' E.P.) (*****)
29) Things We Said Today (B-side of 'A Hard Day's Night') (*****)
30) Yes, It Is (B-side of 'Ticket To Ride') (*****)
31) Rain (B-side of 'Paperback Writer') (*****)
32) This Boy (B-side of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand') (*****)
33) Please, Please Me (#1 ****)