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1962–1966 (widely known as "The Red Album") is a compilation of songs by the English rock band The Beatles, spanning the years indicated in the title. It was released with its counterpart 1967–1970 ("The Blue Album") in 1973. 1962–1966 reached number 3 in the United Kingdom and managed to reach number 1 in the United States Cashbox albums chart. However, in the US, the official chart was administered by Billboard, where 1962–1966 peaked at number 3, while 1967–1970 reached the top spot. This album was re-released in September 1993 on compact disc, charting at number 3 in the UK.

The album was compiled by Beatles manager Allen Klein.^[5] Even though the group had had success with cover versions of songs, most notably with "Twist and Shout", which made number 2 on the Billboard charts, only songs composed by the Beatles themselves were included.

As with 1967–1970, this compilation was produced by Apple/EMI at least partially 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."^[6]

Album covers[link]

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). Also in 1963, the cover for The Beatles (No. 1) used a picture from the same shoot.

In 1969, The Beatles asked McBean to recreate this shot. Although the 1969 photograph 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, the 1969 photograph, along with an unused photograph from the 1963 photo shoot, was used for both this LP and the cover of 1967–1970.

The inner gatefold photo for both LPs is from the "Mad Day Out"^[7] photo session in London on Sunday 28 July 1968.

The album cover was designed by Tom Wilkes.^[8]

Release variations[link]

• Original 1973 release: Apple SKBO-3403 (whole and sliced apples on red background)
• Second pressings: Capitol SKBO-3403 (Capitol target logo on back of album cover, red labels with "Capitol" in light red at bottom. There are also copies erroneously pressed with the BLUE labels for the 1967–1970 pressings.)
• First red vinyl issue: Capitol SEBX-11842 (Capitol dome logo on back of album cover, large dome logo at top of labels)

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.)

The two discs of the 1993 CD issue in a carousel CD player

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.

2010 remastered version[link]

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. ^[9]

There have been no changes made to the content of the album since the 1993 CD re-issue, apart from the sound quality itself. The short 'whispering' oddity found at the beginning of "I Feel Fine" on the original 1973 LP was not included on the 2010 CD. The stereo version of "From Me To You" found in the original 1973 release was not included on the 1993 and 2010 releases.

Track listing[link]

• Although it appeared on the Vee-Jay compilation Jolly What! The Beatles and Frank Ifield on Stage, this is the first appearance of "From Me to You" on a US Capitol album.
• "A Hard Day's Night" also makes its US Capitol album debut here, previously only featured on the United Artists soundtrack album.
• All tracks written by Lennon–McCartney.

Disc 1

Side 1

1. "Love Me Do"  – 2:23
2. "Please Please Me"  – 2:03
3. "From Me to You"  – 1:57
4. "She Loves You"  – 2:22
5. "I Want to Hold Your Hand"  – 2:26
6. "All My Loving"  – 2:08
7. "Can't Buy Me Love"  – 2:13

Side 2

8. "A Hard Day's Night"  – 2:34
9. "And I Love Her"  – 2:31
10. "Eight Days a Week"  – 2:45
11. "I Feel Fine"  – 2:19
12. "Ticket to Ride"  – 3:10
13. "Yesterday"  – 2:05

Disc 2

Side 1

1. "Help!"  – 2:19
2. "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"  – 2:11
3. "We Can Work It Out"  – 2:16
4. "Day Tripper"  – 2:49
5. "Drive My Car"  – 2:27
6. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)"  – 2:05

Side 2

7. "Nowhere Man"  – 2:44
8. "Michelle"  – 2:42
9. "In My Life"  – 2:27
10. "Girl"  – 2:31
11. "Paperback Writer"  – 2:31
12. "Eleanor Rigby"  – 2:08
13. "Yellow Submarine"  – 2:37

Mix variations[link]

Chart positions[link]

Certification[link]

See also[link]

• List of best-selling albums in Germany
• List of best-selling albums in the United States

References[link]