I wouldn't down play the massive impression these albums made. As youngsters at the time we all studied everything about them. And we never heard nothing like it, it was mesmerising
The Beatles were one of the greatest cover bands ever, evidenced by their covers of Twist And Shout, Money and Please Mr. Postman. They OWNED these songs after delivering these blistering versions.
while the covers are fantastic I must disagree with what you said about owning them.. huge Beatles fan here but I do prefer the originals.. that being said this is just an amazing album
I became a Beatles fan when I was about 16 in the late 70s. This was one of the first albums I bought. Loved the cover. I grew up in an anti-Beatles home. My parents were WW2 generation parents who thought they were a bunch of long haired hippies. My oldest brother who lived thru Beatlemania…he was a big Stones fan. The 1962-66 album was what got me hooked on the Beatles. Some people have an almost mocking attitude towards that era of the Beatles but I think they had many great songs during that time period.
Although there are lots of tracks that sound a bit dated from the early period...there are more that give the hint of the sophistication to come and are quite advanced compared to the other stuff that was out there.
Hi Matt, great point about Ringo's drumming on the early songs. The intro fill on 'She Loves You" is amazing and another example of tasteful playing is 'All I've Got To Do".
@@popgoesthe60s52 agree I never knew they were right and left handed drum kits, till Ringo mentioned in on a video I saw. he is till one of my fav drummer sadly for me I can only play in my mind there was also an old Beatles EP record as well
This LP is a treasure. I was 14 when the Beatles roared into the US like a hurricane. I and my buddies couldn't get enough of what we were hearing from them on the airwaves and this album was non-stop excitement from beginning to end. To me, "I call your name" is my favorite. It's a powerhouse of a song and you are so right about Ringo's drumming. He drives this record like a souped-up hot rod. I can understand why you think there's a couple of less-than-stellar tunes included but I don't recall ever wanting to skip over a single track. As for the reverb that Capitol added, it doesn't diminish the overall quality at all. A friend of mine at the time had a reverb unit installed in his car and we thought every song that came on his radio sounded better because of it. Go figure. The cover didn't bother me. In those days it was the music that mattered, not the packaging. Anyway, this LP was the one that sealed the deal for me as far as the Fab Four went. It convinced me that they were the real thing and not a flash in the pan.
Gotta disagree with you on "Roll Over Beethoven". I think it's one of their most exciting and energetic performances on record. And I really like George's guitar work. It's very (early) "Beatley" sounding, and I think George and The Beatles surpassed the original by Chuck Berry.
I love The Beatles "Second Album", reverb and all! Much later in life, when the actual Parlaphone records came over, I wondered what happened to all that echo??
Matt, one thing you might look into was the Beatles on juke boxes in the early 60s. Like many of my pals, I had no record player and our local AM radio station didn't give the Fabs much airplay. So I walked down the beach to a penny arcade where we'd play the Beatles records over and over at a dime a pop!
I have to disagree re, Devil In Her Heart and Roll Over Beethoven. The only problem for me is the tagged on final chord to Roll Over Beethoven which I still don’t understand.
Definitely worth calling out the Beatles songs Classic Rock forgot. And I do like George's earnest if shaky delivery on "Devil In Her Heart," the same way I do John's on "MiIIIIIIIIIIISTER MOOOOONLIGHT"
Nothing better than growing up with their music in real time. An album came out and we had 3 months to absorb it until the single or next album came out. We got to know these records inside and out because we played them every day! I still listen to them daily.
I was 10 years old in 1964 and I loved the cover of the Beatles Second Album. It perfectly captured the excitement that many of us young Beatles fans (their target audience, after all) were feeling at that time. I still like the cover today.
Roll Over Beethoven is one of my favorite George Harrison covers. Guitar work is exciting and George-ish in nature. Again, my ears. The album in mono is the best because that's how I first heard it in 1964. It IS more energetic than " With The Beatles " (Meet the Beatles). Great review of an album I always, and still do, love. Beatlemania lives , man.
Thanks Matt, Yes, these US albums were wonderful because they included the singles. Had the She Loves You Swan single, my first single purchased for me by my mom. Still love John's vocals on Please Mr. Postman. The Second Album did include a lot of covers, but those are what launched they club successes. I loved this album, the energy was so evident in these recordings, after this they did phase toward ballads, changing from the hard electrics that made them so exciting and switch to the softer acoustic guitars.
I agree that the early albums are put one side. I listened to With The Beatles (I'm English) recently and it is a rocking album. like you say, FUN! I disagree with you about Roll Over Beethoven and Devil in Her Heart being stinkers: they are songs that you can imagine them playing in The Cavern. Maybe George's voice is weak but the group performances are excellent.
@@robertstewart239 Indeed I was. Sunday night in Feb. 1964, My sister was screaming and taking pictures of the TV screen while Dad sat cross-armed and scowling.
@@stuharris9993 I hadn't been born yet, but i've seen the clip many times. I liked the way they described it on Wonder Years. Kevin said that on that evening "73,000,000 people sat in front of the TV set and looked into the future." At 56, I've seen many momentous events on TV, but I don't suppose anything would ever quite measure up to that. BTW, I hope your dad came round to the band and stopped scowling!
I really liked the "Second Album". It's probably my favorite of the first phase Beatles records. I'm surprised you thought Roll Over Beethoven was a bad version. It's always been one of my favorites on the album and when they did it live.
'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' and 'She Loves You' still sounds electrifying and fresh to this day, the forgotten masterpieces, the genesis of their legend...
Well, it WAS their second album - on Capitol Records. Having been an 11-year-old when this album came out I can tell you that no one thought that the album cover was cheesy at the time. That was the way marketing was done in those days. In fact, that is one of my favorite album covers of their entire catalog! I loved that there were a collection of pictures instead of the usual one picture on the front and maybe one on the back. In those days you couldn't get enough pictures of the Beatles. My vote for the best add-on song for the album would easily be "Leave My Kitten Alone". Lennon does some fantastic vocals on that one! I really enjoy your channel, thank you for the time and effort you put in to make them informative and fun to watch!
Hey, I DISAGREE with your ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN assessment ! I remember hearing this song, their version and I thought they wrote it. I was about 10 at the time and I though we’ll that song is pretty cheeky, my father was a big classical fan, I also thought the lyrics were very clever..it was when I read the credits that I saw it was by Chuck Berry! It was through this I went back and discovered Chuck…anyway I think George did a great job on this..I like the guitar intro a lot even though it’s not perfect. The album is a great one …thanks.
This is a great rock and roll LP with NO ballads! It's just in your face up tempo classics! And boy, could they do covers! I disagree with you regarding their renditions of Beethoven and Devil. They are stellar filled with energy and emotion. As for the cover design, us kids did not care about the integrity or intent of the graphics or fonts. And they were the the worlds most popular foursome. Who were more popular then? The word teeny bopper was never associated to this cover image as we (most of us were burgeoning musicians) know the grit and grind in their vocals, guitars, and certainly Ringo's drumming. He is the reason I became a drummer.
ALOT OF Christian rock bands came out of England, THE PILGRIMS,1962 to 1967 released 2 singles and the rest of their songs are on one CD called TELLING YOUTH THE TRUTH Thank You Lord by THE PILGRIMS on RUclips a great song, THE CROSSBEATS 1963 to 1970, released 1 album and 4 singles I KNOW by THE CROSSBEATS a great song on RUclips,THE JOY STRINGS,1964 to 1968 released 16 singles and 2 albums,O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM by THE JOY STRINGS a great song on RUclips,3 great bands from England
Nice to hear the Duophonic She Loves You here, which has been praised for hiding the edits on the mono mix and having a beefier sound than the fake stereo UK mix. The one mix I didn't like on the stereo Second Album LP was You Can't Do That, which sounded muffled and boxy.
Nice one Matt. These albums, which included stuff not in the original British album releases are charged with some unbelievable vocal sounds, and yes, the raw energy is palpable. Also interesting to hear your thoughts on the outtakes and demos. Ty,
As a child of the sixties I can say even if the marketing was CHEEZY , it contributed to their massive commercial success. You still , however, have many who see the band as not much more than a teeny-bopper group who got a little freaky after they took LSD. The most cheezy was the Saturday morning cartoons (1965-1967) which I don't remember watching too often. This prompted the band not to lend their voices to The Yellow Submarine. Oddly enough even though they appeared to hate it at the time years later George said "I always kind of liked [the cartoons]. They were so bad or silly that they were good, if you know what I mean, and I think the passage of time might make them more fun now."☮
The most impactful thing I remember about the Beatles TV cartoon series was that, in what must have been a later season, it opened with "And Your Bird Can Sing." I couldn't figure out where the song had come from since it wasn't on the U.S. version of Revolver and I didn't know about Yesterday and Today. I'm not sure, but I suspect it wasn't even the entire song. But what a song!
I have this album (in mono), purchased not long after it was released. The original price tag of $2.99 slipped out of the cover when I removed the album to look at it after watching your video. The inner paper sleeve is long gone. My copy has a printing malfunction on the rear cover. The right 1/3 or so is fine, but the rest of it has ghost images offset from the actual images making it kind of fuzzy.
I like all your reviews, Matt, but I was really looking forward to this one. I too got to know these US releases first, & this is one of my faves. Always liked the pace & sequencing, and the inventiveness is evident even this early on. I do agree about the cover’s cheesiness factor (especially the copy), but it just serves to emphasize their evolution, in a way. Keep up the great work!👍
I have no problem with the song selection or the sequencing. But the sound on the album, particularly the stereo with added echo, sounds like utter crap. The label couldn’t even wait for stereo masters, they just trashed the sound of the UK mono originals. For reference, I am 59 y.o.
Don't slam the George songs! Devil In Her Heart is a fantastic performance ,listen to the bass and George's guitar is posh! Sir I don't agree I call this album Rock of Ages and the mono rules.
Great review Matt. I didn't like to the American albums of their movies. I could of done without all the orchestral filler songs. The British movie albums were better. Just the band no orchestra covers.
Up here in Canada, She Loves You the single was in the Top Five just before Christmas 1963 and it was HUGE. The Canadian lp containing She Loves You (Twist and Shout) was released about a week before the Ed Sullivan appearance. I remember us watching the show on TV and laughing as my older sister went completely bonkers! I think Devil in her Heart is a gem. One of my favourites in 64. Great job as usual Matt.
@@farrellmcnulty909 It was written by Ricahrd Drapkin and recorded originally by a Detroit group, The Donays in 1962, Their release sank like a stone and never charted. I think it is remarkable that the Beatles had even heard it - thanks to Liverpool sailors bringing back 45 rpm records from America. They rejuvenated it completely. Of course the lyrics seem quaint to us now (even funny as you say) but I have always found it engaging, and it has a great backbeat and strong harmonies.
In 1980 I was 13. The onlyBeatles Album in the family collection was the Red Album…So that year I really discovered them My first cassette was Sgt Pepper because my father told me to get it. From that point on I started with Meet The Beatles and then bought the cassette in chronological order. I still have a soft spot for the Capitol releases because the song sequences are imbedded in my memory. Later that year my mother left and my parents divorced…Then John was killed. I also moved to a new school…. The Beatles were my friends in this period….in hindsight thinking about all of that they really kept me optimistic and grounded…as I write this I remember buying the Yesterday and Today right at that period. The memories of buying those Beatle cassette had me commenting on a personal level…….Beatles Forever….
I had heard that Capital Records was leery about using any of the Motown covers on Meet The Beatles. They felt the American audiences would not buy an album filled with American artists songs they were already familiar with. With the off the charts success of Meet The Beatles, Capital execs had become far less reticent about the contents of their oh so uninspiring titled "Second Album" (really ?) I love this album. I think starting Side 1 with From Me To You and Side 2 with She Loves You would have been a smart way to showcase the bands previous 2 singles and balance out the two sides running order.. I am looking forward to your United Artists "A Hard Days Night "album, instrumentals and all!! Great video Matt. Take care, RNB
I'm a fan of Thank You Girl - but I'd only heard the US version and not the UK version (the difference is in the harmonica in the middle eight), so finally hearing that other version was my entry into the world of alternative Beatles mixes or takes. I always thought that Devil In Her Heart was more of a filler, but Roll Over Beethoven was one of the songs that I practised when learning guitar. I think that this album, the US Rubber Soul and of course Magical Mystery Tour are better narratively than the UK ones.
Fantastic review Matt I fully understand you guys grew up with these Albums but in Australia we had the UK versions I have always felt Capitol Records disrespected the work of George Martin and The Beatles. The running order of albums was very important
Devil in Her Heart figured prominently in the cartoon TV series. Don't see the problem w/ Roll Over Beethoven; so emblematic of the sounds if that era. Yes, nobody could touch Chuck Berry..
I’ve heard Chuck turn in a few questionable performances of Roll Over Beethoven over the years. 😉 I have no issues with George’s performance on that track. I just wish his guitar hadn’t been recorded with such a thin sound. It should have been beefed up a bit!
The Beatles had no input into compiling the Capitol albums, so it wasn’t on them to record “Bad to Me” or any other track to pad out the Capitol compilations. (It wouldn’t have even been on their radar.) They were delivering 14-track albums plus singles to Parlophone, which was more than plenty. I would argue that Capitol likely preferred 11 track albums over 12 track albums because it meant paying less royalties overall. They stuck to 11 tracks for Something New, Beatles 65, Early Beatles, Beatles VI, and Revolver. So even if “Bad to Me” or another song had been available, there’s no guarantee it would have been used on the Second Album. “Money” is probably my least favorite cover from the Beatles, so I don’t agree that “everybody really loves” it. It comes off as a misguided attempt to find an album closer that rocked as much as Twist and Should did. It falls short of the mark, especially when compared to “Long Tall Sally.” I actually prefer the two covers from George over “Money.”
I can’t help but disagree with you about George Harrison’s lead guitar playing on Roll Over Beethoven. I find it, for lack of a better word, smooth and perfectly suited for how the other Beatles were playing on that track. If you compare that with The Rolling Stones’ cover of ROB (a rare track that both bands covered), you’ll find that Keith Richards’ lead guitar work was simply a copy of Chuck Berry’s playing. It showed no originality or style at all. But you can’t say that about GH’s efforts. Also: Capitol was infamous for chopping up the British catalog, just so they could make 2 or 3 albums out of the one, to make more money. This is not only why American Beatles albums had less tracks on them, but also, since they rushed out new material as soon as they had their hands on it, the artwork and titles (“The Beatles Second Album”, really???!!!!) reflected the rush job. Personally, since I grew up with the American Beatles catalog, I prefer the Capitol albums to the original British albums. And though Capitol certainly sliced and diced the British catalog, this was the way many Americans heard The Beatles’ catalog. For that reason alone, the American catalog deserves more respect than it gets. I am glad that they re-released the American catalog on CD around 2004. It’s worth picking up if you haven’t heard the American catalog. And don’t forget the vinyl!!!
I do agree the US catalog also deserves more respect. The cd age and the standardization of the catalog has created many 'false purists' who think they are taking some moral and artistic high ground by disregarding the US releases. As for Roll Over, I find the intro guitar sloppily played. He us fine on the rest of the song but guitarists do find that beginning amateurish. I wish he would have polished it more.
The Beatles Second album is a great early rock and roll (and R&B) album. Yes it's a Capitol hodgepodge.....but like you said.....it's the one I grew up with. Capitol (rightly) gets bashed for butcher jobs on Fab albums, but there are three times when they REALLY came out with something special. That would be the Magical Mystery Tour album.....putting "I've Just Seen a Face" as the lead track on its version of Rubber Soul......and the Beatles Second Album.....which, for the most part, is a full-throttle blast from start to finish. Great video once again.
So funny that you like "Thank You Girl". It is one of the few songs I usually skip over. The lyrics are weak and sung in a goofy fashion. "YOU'VE been good to ME... You made me GLAD When I was blue..." Good point about Ringo's drumming, though.
Matt, you dropped the ball on this one. You must be too tired after the wedding... 😉 The review was typical of someone who came of age after The Beatles ended. I was 9 for Sullivan, fyi. It would be impossible to grow up with "Revolution" and be able to give "Devil In Her Heart" a fair shake. Nearly everyone commenting here of course missed out on what it was like as it happened (but I'm so happy folks are still commenting on Beatles!), when it was ALL cutting edge, before the culture went full-on cynical about everything. "Cheesy" did not apply to anything coming out of England back then, even Herman's Hermits and Freddie & the Dreamers. Ha! 1965 sure changed that, tho... The cover was brilliant for the time (a commenter below summed it up: ANY Beatle pictures were highly sought after in the beginning); George's songs were excellent, and their rarity made them all the more special. howardscott below knows the feelings from back then; "She Loves You" was being played everywhere. Truly, it was nothing but Beatles on AM radio. I would often hear "Do You Want to Know a Secret" in regular rotation and just loved the guy's accent. "Ain't She Sweet" was being played a lot as well! The could-a-been songs you mentioned weren't even available then. This was all spur of the moment, "who the hell knows what's gonna happen with this group," until A Hard Day's Night truly conquered all. This album had all the cover songs that the hubristic Capitol records deemed as second-hand and left them off Meet The Beatles, but then rushed to get 'em available for sale just 3 months later! And glad they did it that way. British Invasion music became passe and nostalgic by the early 70's, until that basic musical formula came back (powerfully) as punk & new wave. Sorry for yapping, but this is fun to recall witnessing that glorious, shiny, black-and-white moment in time. You do great Beatle work, so keep it up. I refer your channel to other music aficionados. Thank you.
Side note, even though most Beatlemaniacs know about it- the mono and stereo versions of "I Call Your Name" have different guitar intros from George. I was used to my mother's old copy of the Second Album, but when the compilation "Rock And Roll Music" came out in 1976, I was like wait, what?? Freaked me out as a 10 year old! LOL
i think this albums invokes what an live show by the beatles could have sounded like...all these track would make a nice set...granted the devil in her heart IMHO is the weak track and perhaps should have been replaced with BAD BOY had it been recorded earlier. i think ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN sounds wonderful and suits this album better than THANK YOU GIRL does but music is subjective to each listeners taste. that being said it the album is not high on my like list.
Do enjoy your videos, esp the historical ones, but this one I have to disagree. This album is their best pure rock and roll lp, in their canon. And Roll Over Beethoven is hardly a "stinker". Why does George have to do anything with his guitar? Worst performance? You don't like that intro? And a great song to start the album! Much better than the song's writer, Chuck Berry's version. Can already tell you have some bias against the Capitol albums. "cheesy"? At least the album has pictures on the back as opposed to Meet the Beatles back...one picture of them standing there. Wow. Also, Meet the Beatles had hype as you call it on the back of that album too. Capitol just following suit with this album. It was the 60's. It was all just promotional fun.
"...bias against the Capitol albums."?!? I've praised the first 3 US albums! But they certainly are not perfect as I point out. Not sure what videos you're watching but you obviously haven't watched the other two. As for George's playing on Roll Over, his intro is very amateurish and guitarists have pointed this out before. I happen to agree.
Excellent Analysis. Especially how earlier albums were ignored by “ classic rock” radio stations. Love some of capitol stereo mixes. Especially Roll Over Beethoven.
I've heard a few rock music critics rate it as one of Capitol records best compilations as it omitted McCartney's ballads which tended to slow albums down such as "Till There Was You" on the album "Meet The Beatles."
@@briancunningham3155 Many out there, particularly from GB and mainland Europe tend to trash the Beatle Capitol albums. I’ll take them over the Parlophone records any day of the week.
She Loves You established the Beatles as the top British pop force, but it didn't work everywhere in continental Europe. The French were reluctant as were the Germans, where the Please Please Me album only appeared after With the Beatles and a couple of singles had paved the way. I believe that I Want to Hold Your Hand was the single that constituted The Beatles as a worldwide phenomenon, not only in the US. BTW, in Germany It Won't be Long, Please Mr. Postman, and Long Tall Sally appeared as singles (and many others), and the first two of those were my first contact with the Group that wrote the soundtrack of my life. The Second Album is the only US release I regularly play (because of its energy and track list), although for me, who grew up with the British albums, it is obviously a compilation album. In terms of the track list, a very similar and possibly even better compilation is the later (1965) The Beatles in Italy or The Eskimo cover/Swedish Greatest Hits. And one more thought: Long Tall Sally is, in my view, their best rock'n'roll cover. Or cover of any kind. That second solo is breathtaking, and after it they sound as if they were tumbling down a flight of stairs, barely maintaining their equilibrium, untill they come to a shrieking halt, possibly right in front of a glass door. They had worked out that arrangement in Hamburg, before George Martin had a say, and it shows how they tried to inject even more vitality into their covers instead of slavishly imitating them.
I wasn't aware that She Loves You didn't work in France or Germany - thank you for that info! I can't argue with you about Long Tall Sally, though I would rate it a tie with Twist And Shout.
@@popgoesthe60s52 I didn't quite say it didn't work, I meant to say it was not their breakthrough. In the Netherlands as well as (W.) Germany, it got to No 7 on the charts, in France it initially appeared on an EP but reached No 1 later on. The first Beatles No 1 in most continental countries was IWTHYH, and that was in the beginning of 1964. (I don't know all chart positions by heart, mind you, so I might have overlooked something, but I'm pretty sure). I agree with you that Twist And Shout is a contender for best cover. I'd also consider Please Mr. Postman. Its so Beatlish, people thought it was a L/McC composition!
Oh, man, how I loved the Beatles' "Second Album"! I was 11yo, and had to do some extra chores at home to earn enough to pay the whopping $2.99 for the album at Woolworths, but it was worth every penny!
Excellent review, Matt, as always. Agree that Ringo never gets enough credit for his early drumming. With you on Soldier Of Love: they should have recorded that at some point. I bought the Capitol records when they came out and grew up with them, and as much as I enjoyed them then, you couldn't pay me to listen to the Capitol records now: with their crummy sound and bogus covers. It's the UK releases only, as the Beatles intended.
I do like the cover now as a giggle as it represents the crass old school show-biz hype machine at work. Of course, the Beatles did present their work in the UK more artistically and the USA afterward, there is a fun, high-energy elation in most of the rock'n'roll & rhythm & blues originals and cover songs on the 2nd album.
Back when I was a kid, my teenage aunt played me her Swan 45 of "She Loves You" and that was it for me. The Second Album was one of the first albums I bought and is still a favorite. The whole album is one big Beatle blast and I think really captures the excitement and fun of Beatlemania. The UK mix of "Roll Over Beethoven" never sounds right to me without the reverb!
If all the vinyl collectors are like me, the most common Beatles single I see on my vinyl safaris is "She Loves You". That sucker must have sold in massive numbers, and I think it would be fair to say it was their best seller of '64. But the picture sleeve is rarer than the Capitol sleeves.
Shyman, i'm curious, since i picked up a She Loves You with picture sleeve in very hood condition quite some time ago. Do you have an idea what theu go for nowadays? Thanks.
As a first generation Beatles fan...this was not a favorite Beatles album of mine at the time....I guess I was not a rhythm and blues kid then....I preferred the more pop songs but thru all these years I have come to appreciate this album more.
Thanks Matt, well prepared and insightful. I've loved this music since I was a kid listening to my older brother spin them. Their music (along with many others) inspired me to play guitar...and play professionally for years. You know when you play these classics live you always have a crowded dance floor. Thanks, appreciated.
WHAT?! George's guitar on Roll Over Beethoven is one of his worst?! I must be listening to some other Beatles and some other song because the Roll Over Beethoven I hear is one of Geroge's BEST GUITAR PERFORMANCES! That rocking cover by the Beatles doesn't even come close to being a so-called stinker!
@@popgoesthe60s52 OK since I made that comment...I obtained that American albums vol 1 set. I was wrong...I don't detest them. In fact when I was a little kid...Beatles 65 was my favorite record until Rubber Soul came out. I was a lucky little kid. My aunt Judy was eight years older than me and she dotted on me...I was there on the rug at Grandpa's house watching Ed Sullivan with her.. Instant fan at 5 years old. 60 years of being completely enthralled with the sound. As my aunt grew up and moved on she gave me her records...all in pretty decent shape. I do a lot of my listening out in the back field on a pair of mains that used to be in The Old Waldorf in S.F....powered by a Marantz 1060. So, I use cds out there because of the dust in the garage studio. Those american versions are starting to resonate again. Hell we didn't know they were different mixes...it's all we had.
THE BEATLES SECOND ALBUM SHOULD BE CALLED THE BEATLES "BIG BEAT ".THERE'S A SUDAFRICAN ISSUE OF THAT ALBUM WITH THE SAME COVER ,BUT IT HAS A DIFFERENT NAME.
Thanks Matt: my second Beatles LP. I loved it in 1964. Great covers and originals. Today I hear the weakness of Roll Over Beethoven and agree Devil in her Heart isn’t the greatest but I liked it. I guess what I am saying is that I agree with you.
I turned 15 in July of 1964 so hearing these songs takes me back to those times, not just the Beatles but how life was back then in all it's innocence. I never had the album but I had Capital Records 45's of some of their hits. I went completely nuts when I saw them on the Ed Sullivan Show but now my tastes have gone in other directions and I really don't pay a lot of attention to them anymore. But I certainly appreciate your videos and learn a lot from watching them. Thanks for all that you do.
Another very well put production, Matt. I have always found that I've agreed with your stance on your video productions. However, as a guitarist in a variety of fields (and having learned much from the Fab Four in terms of chords and their unique approach to changes in progressions) I would truly disagree with your comments on Harrison's solo on "Roll Over Beethoven." If you've learned to play the solo at all, I think you would appreciate his taste and approach to the Chuck Berry tune. He pulls off those licks really well. As to "Devil in Her Heart", well ... there is no solo, but some well played double stops in the intro. I thought it considerably more melodic than "Money" (which was one song I had rarely played from that LP. I thought it too repetetive.... my opinion). I should mention that Lennon's guitar solo in "You Can't Do That" is really well constructed with several "color points". I'm not trying to be contentious. I just thought I might share my thoughts. You've got such an interesting channel, and your material is well thought out and the narrative always carries me through to the end.... Thank you!
Thank you George, I appreciate the candor. With regard to Roll Over, I was referring to George's intro to the song specifically, not the rest of the song which is fine. Guitarists I speak to have found those first couple of bars amateurish as do I. I'm disappointed he didn't work harder on that. Oh well, no accounting for one's taste! Lennon's solo is very good and on that track we hear George's electric 12-string for the first time. Keep the comments, coming, George!
@@popgoesthe60s52 Thank you for taking the time to reply, Matt (I know you have a lot of folks to deal with on your channel!). I know precisely what you mean as to the intro; but I think in such matters a musician may be confined somewhat to stay close to the cliche "Chuck Berryesque" motif. You, in retrospect (as to your comment on Harrison playing the Rickenbacker 360/12 on "You Can't Do That"), what a difference that 12-string made in the Beatles' sound. When you figure how different they were, it was just another notch up! The fact that they rode that on the wave to fame made all other guitarists' attempt to own that sound second hand. Again, I know I speak for everyone who follows your channel when I say how well-crafted your narrative is! As I've said in previous times, you are the Ken Burns of the genre... you have a real natural talent for these things!
@@georgemixis2172 That is high praise, George and I really appreciate it. I must say that I am partial to the electric 12-string and what a game changer that was for the band. Now I'm excited to review A Hard Day's Night!
This really brings back memories. I was 10 years old in early 1964, but I managed to acquire my very first record album, "Meet the Beatles", and then "The Beatles Second Album", when they came out. I played them everyday, and I was well on my way to becoming a full-fledged Beatlemaniac. It's hard for me to pick my favorite tracks from this album because I pretty much loved them all (with the possible exception of "Devil in her Heart"). I'm really diggin' these Beatles album reviews, thanks Matt!
Hi Amanda, yes, these all bring back a flood of great memories and for that reason, these albums should be given a bit more respect than they've gotten in the cd era.
Excellent! Looking forward to the next one. Disagree about George not sounding good. Agree that Bad to Me and Soldier of Love would have been wonderful. Thanks for the upload. : )
yeah, i agree with you about the george criticisms. not sure why he picks on "roll over beethoven".. considering george handled the lead guitar AND lead vocal, i thought he did a fine job picking it. and "devil" is good too..🤷♂️
In my opinion, the missing original song that would make this album even better (and a bit longer) is “From Me To You.” After all, they included its British b-side “Thank You Girl.” Capitol passed up another chance to use “From Me To You” when they released “The Early Beatles” the next year. What were they thinking?
another fine video, matt, though I rather enjoy those Harrison songs. Back in those days, Roll Over had a something magical about it. And the Devil was a sort of wink given to the pop songs of the past. Very different from say, McCartney's references to the past. The Beatles sounded knowledgeable about music. Sort of giving we folks a crash course of pop music!
The Beatles music is the music of my life. I was 5 years old when this album was released and to this day it’s one I associate with the magic of the early Beatles. The mix between covers and originals offers a blend between the super early Beatles music and what they would soon become. This album also highlights Lennox’s remarkable raspy rock voice…just too cool. Also, sorry, but I disagree with your review of Roll Over Beethoven. It’s cool because of the clean, tenor leaning guitar on a rocker. It’s tough to play lead and sing at the same time. I know It’s sacrilege, but I like it better than the original. Overall, the second album is pure Beatles hysteria on display. Side note, I always thought She Loves You was a much bigger hit. Thanks for the education.
I wouldn't down play the massive impression these albums made. As youngsters at the time we all studied everything about them. And we never heard nothing like it, it was mesmerising
The Beatles were one of the greatest cover bands ever, evidenced by their covers of Twist And Shout, Money and Please Mr. Postman. They OWNED these songs after delivering these blistering versions.
while the covers are fantastic I must disagree with what you said about owning them.. huge Beatles fan here but I do prefer the originals.. that being said this is just an amazing album
Excellent review. "Money" totally kicks ass, even against the other strong songs on the album, IMO.
I became a Beatles fan when I was about 16 in the late 70s. This was one of the first albums I bought. Loved the cover. I grew up in an anti-Beatles home. My parents were WW2 generation parents who thought they were a bunch of long haired hippies. My oldest brother who lived thru Beatlemania…he was a big Stones fan. The 1962-66 album was what got me hooked on the Beatles. Some people have an almost mocking attitude towards that era of the Beatles but I think they had many great songs during that time period.
Although there are lots of tracks that sound a bit dated from the early period...there are more that give the hint of the sophistication to come and are quite advanced compared to the other stuff that was out there.
How the hell do you not love 'Devil in her Heart'? John and Paul answering in their pseudo 'Irish' voices to George's plaintive pleas.
Hi Matt, great point about Ringo's drumming on the early songs. The intro fill on 'She Loves You" is amazing and another example of tasteful playing is 'All I've Got To Do".
I should do a video on early Ringo drumming because he seldom gets the respect he deserves.
@@popgoesthe60s52 agree I never knew they were right and left handed drum kits, till Ringo mentioned in on a video I saw. he is till one of my fav drummer sadly for me I can only play in my mind there was also an old Beatles EP record as well
This LP is a treasure. I was 14 when the Beatles roared into the US like a hurricane. I and my buddies couldn't get enough of what we were hearing from them on the airwaves and this album was non-stop excitement from beginning to end. To me, "I call your name" is my favorite. It's a powerhouse of a song and you are so right about Ringo's drumming. He drives this record like a souped-up hot rod. I can understand why you think there's a couple of less-than-stellar tunes included but I don't recall ever wanting to skip over a single track. As for the reverb that Capitol added, it doesn't diminish the overall quality at all. A friend of mine at the time had a reverb unit installed in his car and we thought every song that came on his radio sounded better because of it. Go figure. The cover didn't bother me. In those days it was the music that mattered, not the packaging. Anyway, this LP was the one that sealed the deal for me as far as the Fab Four went. It convinced me that they were the real thing and not a flash in the pan.
Great comments, Flirolas - thank you!
Gotta disagree with you on "Roll Over Beethoven". I think it's one of their most exciting and energetic performances on record. And I really like George's guitar work. It's very (early) "Beatley" sounding, and I think George and The Beatles surpassed the original by Chuck Berry.
Hey William - thanks for commenting (even though we disagree). Much appreciated!
I love The Beatles "Second Album", reverb and all! Much later in life, when the actual Parlaphone records came over, I wondered what happened to all that echo??
Matt, one thing you might look into was the Beatles on juke boxes in the early 60s. Like many of my pals, I had no record player and our local AM radio station didn't give the Fabs much airplay. So I walked down the beach to a penny arcade where we'd play the Beatles records over and over at a dime a pop!
Juke boxes have always caught my attention and my grandparents had one in their restaurant which I hovered over constantly in the 70s.
As good as "Soldier of Love" was live at the BBC, can you imagine how great a contemporary studio recording of it would have sounded?
I have to disagree re, Devil In Her Heart and Roll Over Beethoven. The only problem for me is the tagged on final chord to Roll Over Beethoven which I still don’t understand.
Definitely worth calling out the Beatles songs Classic Rock forgot. And I do like George's earnest if shaky delivery on "Devil In Her Heart," the same way I do John's on "MiIIIIIIIIIIISTER MOOOOONLIGHT"
I don't know why "Moonlight" has so many detractors. I love it!
@@jeffclement2468 It's a great song John delivers with total commitment and a bit of his tongue in cheek.
I love 'Devil in Her Heart'. To each his own...
Hey Michael - yeah... there is no accounting for one's taste! I appreciate the comment.
I totally agree. I think Matt's snapped his cap. And dissing one of George's best moments ("Beethoven") ?!
Nothing better than growing up with their music in real time. An album came out and we had 3 months to absorb it until the single or next album came out. We got to know these records inside and out because we played them every day! I still listen to them daily.
I was 10 years old in 1964 and I loved the cover of the Beatles Second Album. It perfectly captured the excitement that many of us young Beatles fans (their target audience, after all) were feeling at that time. I still like the cover today.
It was a neat thing to hold in your hands.
I totally agree, Shelly. I loved this album, adored the cover, and feel the same today.
Same age in 1964, same thrills!
Hey! I was 8yrs old when this album came out. I loved it and thought it was their best album in '64. It was very energetic.
Roll Over Beethoven is one of my favorite George Harrison covers. Guitar work is exciting and George-ish in nature. Again, my ears. The album in mono is the best because that's how I first heard it in 1964. It IS more energetic than " With The Beatles " (Meet the Beatles). Great review of an album I always, and still do, love. Beatlemania lives , man.
Thanks Matt,
Yes, these US albums were wonderful because they included the singles.
Had the She Loves You Swan single, my first single purchased for me by my mom.
Still love John's vocals on Please Mr. Postman.
The Second Album did include a lot of covers, but those are what launched they club successes.
I loved this album, the energy was so evident in these recordings, after this they did phase toward ballads, changing from the hard electrics that made them so exciting and switch to the softer acoustic guitars.
I agree that the early albums are put one side. I listened to With The Beatles (I'm English) recently and it is a rocking album. like you say, FUN! I disagree with you about Roll Over Beethoven and Devil in Her Heart being stinkers: they are songs that you can imagine them playing in The Cavern. Maybe George's voice is weak but the group performances are excellent.
Agreed on the "2 stinkers' which were probably great live.
Great review! I remember buying this album in 1964 at Discount Records in Ann Arbor. I was eight tears old.
Were you one of the 73,000,000 that watched their first TV appearance?
@@robertstewart239 Indeed I was. Sunday night in Feb. 1964, My sister was screaming and taking pictures of the TV screen while Dad sat cross-armed and scowling.
@@stuharris9993 I hadn't been born yet, but i've seen the clip many times. I liked the way they described it on Wonder Years. Kevin said that on that evening "73,000,000 people sat in front of the TV set and looked into the future." At 56, I've seen many momentous events on TV, but I don't suppose anything would ever quite measure up to that. BTW, I hope your dad came round to the band and stopped scowling!
I really liked the "Second Album". It's probably my favorite of the first phase Beatles records. I'm surprised you thought Roll Over Beethoven was a bad version. It's always been one of my favorites on the album and when they did it live.
I just don't like George's wonky intro on guitar. The rest of the song is a great rocker.
Me, too. I have really loved their version of "Beethoven". It's still one of my favorite songs to dance to.
I agree! Heresy!
I agree on 'Soldier of Love', another good one from the Decca tapes is 'Take Good Care of My Baby'.
'I Wanna Hold Your Hand' and 'She Loves You' still sounds electrifying and fresh to this day, the forgotten masterpieces, the genesis of their legend...
I wouldn't say forgotten...as I remember it those are the two that got the girls shakin' to start the whole thing off.
April 10, 1964...GREAT rock'n'roll album...
Thanks for all the Beatles shows! Really enjoy them. Great job!!!
As a kid, I encountered 'Introducing the Beatles" AFTER the other two. My reaction: "EGAD they all got haircuts!" :)
That's funny!!!
This was the 1st LP I ever bought which I bought in December 1973 when I was 9 yrs old ❤❤❤
Cool!
3:35 - One of my first misheard lyrics: "I'll get you in the inn!" :)
I'm peeing my pants!!!!😂😂😂
Well, it WAS their second album - on Capitol Records. Having been an 11-year-old when this album came out I can tell you that no one thought that the album cover was cheesy at the time. That was the way marketing was done in those days. In fact, that is one of my favorite album covers of their entire catalog! I loved that there were a collection of pictures instead of the usual one picture on the front and maybe one on the back. In those days you couldn't get enough pictures of the Beatles. My vote for the best add-on song for the album would easily be "Leave My Kitten Alone". Lennon does some fantastic vocals on that one! I really enjoy your channel, thank you for the time and effort you put in to make them informative and fun to watch!
Hey Robert - thank you for the comments and kind words.
Hey, I DISAGREE with your ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN assessment ! I remember hearing this song, their version and I thought they wrote it. I was about 10 at the time and I though we’ll that song is pretty cheeky, my father was a big classical fan, I also thought the lyrics were very clever..it was when I read the credits that I saw it was by Chuck Berry! It was through this I went back and discovered Chuck…anyway I think George did a great job on this..I like the guitar intro a lot even though it’s not perfect. The album is a great one …thanks.
I appreciate the comment, ToneDog! Thank your for watching.
This is a great rock and roll LP with NO ballads! It's just in your face up tempo classics! And boy, could they do covers! I disagree with you regarding their renditions of Beethoven and Devil. They are stellar filled with energy and emotion. As for the cover design, us kids did not care about the integrity or intent of the graphics or fonts. And they were the the worlds most popular foursome. Who were more popular then? The word teeny bopper was never associated to this cover image as we (most of us were burgeoning musicians) know the grit and grind in their vocals, guitars, and certainly Ringo's drumming. He is the reason I became a drummer.
Thanks for the comments, James!
AND ALSO THINK THAT "FROM ME TO YOU "SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THAT ALBUM.
ALOT OF Christian rock bands came out of England, THE PILGRIMS,1962 to 1967 released 2 singles and the rest of their songs are on one CD called TELLING YOUTH THE TRUTH Thank You Lord by THE PILGRIMS on RUclips a great song, THE CROSSBEATS 1963 to 1970, released 1 album and 4 singles I KNOW by THE CROSSBEATS a great song on RUclips,THE JOY STRINGS,1964 to 1968 released 16 singles and 2 albums,O LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM by THE JOY STRINGS a great song on RUclips,3 great bands from England
Nice to hear the Duophonic She Loves You here, which has been praised for hiding the edits on the mono mix and having a beefier sound than the fake stereo UK mix. The one mix I didn't like on the stereo Second Album LP was You Can't Do That, which sounded muffled and boxy.
I agree with the US You Can't Do That, not a great sound. I do like to immerse myself in the duophonic sounds every now and then!
Nice one Matt. These albums, which included stuff not in the original British album releases are charged with some unbelievable vocal sounds, and yes, the raw energy is palpable. Also interesting to hear your thoughts on the outtakes and demos. Ty,
My pleasure, Aceface.
The so called SECOND ALBUM , Capital should have called it BEATLES REVIVAL ,the word REVIVAL means COME BACK TO LIFE
APPLE RECORDS today could still put their name on INTRODUCING THE BEATLES and rerelease it ,just a thought
100% on Bad to me....missed opportunity there
I LOVE THIS ALBUM.
As a child of the sixties I can say even if the marketing was CHEEZY , it contributed to their massive commercial success. You still , however, have many who see the band as not much more than a teeny-bopper group who got a little freaky after they took LSD. The most cheezy was the Saturday morning cartoons (1965-1967) which I don't remember watching too often. This prompted the band not to lend their voices to The Yellow Submarine. Oddly enough even though they appeared to hate it at the time years later George said "I always kind of liked [the cartoons]. They were so bad or silly that they were good, if you know what I mean, and I think the passage of time might make them more fun now."☮
The most impactful thing I remember about the Beatles TV cartoon series was that, in what must have been a later season, it opened with "And Your Bird Can Sing." I couldn't figure out where the song had come from since it wasn't on the U.S. version of Revolver and I didn't know about Yesterday and Today. I'm not sure, but I suspect it wasn't even the entire song. But what a song!
Same here! "What song is that, and which album is it from?"
Thanks Matt. Solder of love was always one of my faves. What do you think the new AI track will be??
It seems to be Now & Then. McCartney I think always wanted to finish it.
I have this album (in mono), purchased not long after it was released. The original price tag of $2.99 slipped out of the cover when I removed the album to look at it after watching your video. The inner paper sleeve is long gone. My copy has a printing malfunction on the rear cover. The right 1/3 or so is fine, but the rest of it has ghost images offset from the actual images making it kind of fuzzy.
A collector's item! Thanks for watchig, Michael.
I like all your reviews, Matt, but I was really looking forward to this one. I too got to know these US releases first, & this is one of my faves. Always liked the pace & sequencing, and the inventiveness is evident even this early on. I do agree about the cover’s cheesiness factor (especially the copy), but it just serves to emphasize their evolution, in a way. Keep up the great work!👍
Thank you, Tom!
Thank You Girl and You Can’t Do That are gems off this album, not to mention Long Tall Sally, which showcases McCartney’s pipes.
I have no problem with the song selection or the sequencing. But the sound on the album, particularly the stereo with added echo, sounds like utter crap. The label couldn’t even wait for stereo masters, they just trashed the sound of the UK mono originals. For reference, I am 59 y.o.
Oh man, I love Roll Over Beethoven and She's Got The Devil In Her Heart. Hmmmmmm....
Hey Silas! Yeah, some tastes don't line up. Had I grown up with this album, I would probably feel differently.
Don't slam the George songs! Devil In Her Heart is a fantastic performance ,listen to the bass and George's guitar is posh! Sir I don't agree I call this album Rock of Ages and the mono rules.
Lennon's powerful Pop/Rock Tenor voice was fabulous along with the entire group.
Great review Matt. I didn't like to the American albums of their movies. I could of done without all the orchestral filler songs. The British movie albums were better. Just the band no orchestra covers.
Up here in Canada, She Loves You the single was in the Top Five just before Christmas 1963 and it was HUGE. The Canadian lp containing She Loves You (Twist and Shout) was released about a week before the Ed Sullivan appearance. I remember us watching the show on TV and laughing as my older sister went completely bonkers! I think Devil in her Heart is a gem. One of my favourites in 64. Great job as usual Matt.
Thank you for the comments, Robert!
Devil in her heart is pretty funny..."oh no nay will she deceive"" 😂😂😂
@@farrellmcnulty909 It was written by Ricahrd Drapkin and recorded originally by a Detroit group, The Donays in 1962, Their release sank like a stone and never charted. I think it is remarkable that the Beatles had even heard it - thanks to Liverpool sailors bringing back 45 rpm records from America. They rejuvenated it completely. Of course the lyrics seem quaint to us now (even funny as you say) but I have always found it engaging, and it has a great backbeat and strong harmonies.
@@robertfontaine356 I love the Donay’s version too. It’s too bad it wasn’t a hit.
Another cover that would have been great for this album is Where Have You Been All My Life.
In 1980 I was 13. The onlyBeatles Album in the family collection was the Red Album…So that year I really discovered them My first cassette was Sgt Pepper because my father told me to get it. From that point on I started with Meet The Beatles and then bought the cassette in chronological order. I still have a soft spot for the Capitol releases because the song sequences are imbedded in my memory. Later that year my mother left and my parents divorced…Then John was killed. I also moved to a new school…. The Beatles were my friends in this period….in hindsight thinking about all of that they really kept me optimistic and grounded…as I write this I remember buying the Yesterday and Today right at that period. The memories of buying those Beatle cassette had me commenting on a personal level…….Beatles Forever….
Matt love your Beatles videos bro thanks for making em! 💯 👍 🙏
I had heard that Capital Records was leery about using any of the Motown covers on Meet The Beatles. They felt the American audiences would not buy an album filled with American artists songs they were already familiar with. With the off the charts success of Meet The Beatles, Capital execs had become far less reticent about the contents of their oh so uninspiring titled "Second Album" (really ?) I love this album. I think starting Side 1 with From Me To You and Side 2 with She Loves You would have been a smart way to showcase the bands previous 2 singles and balance out the two sides running order.. I am looking forward to your United Artists "A Hard Days Night "album, instrumentals and all!! Great video Matt. Take care, RNB
Thank you, Rick... these early lps are very fun to review. More to come!
@@popgoesthe60s52 Great!!!
I'm a fan of Thank You Girl - but I'd only heard the US version and not the UK version (the difference is in the harmonica in the middle eight), so finally hearing that other version was my entry into the world of alternative Beatles mixes or takes. I always thought that Devil In Her Heart was more of a filler, but Roll Over Beethoven was one of the songs that I practised when learning guitar. I think that this album, the US Rubber Soul and of course Magical Mystery Tour are better narratively than the UK ones.
Love my copy of this. Daughters have been fighting for inheritance of all my original albums. Arrg! I'm still here!!!😂
Hang in there!
Fantastic review Matt
I fully understand you guys grew up with these Albums but in Australia we had the UK versions
I have always felt Capitol Records disrespected the work of George Martin and The Beatles.
The running order of albums was very important
Yes, Capitol really treated the Beatles work as 'unimportant.' Thank you for commenting!
Devil in Her Heart figured prominently in the cartoon TV series. Don't see the problem w/ Roll Over Beethoven; so emblematic of the sounds if that era. Yes, nobody could touch Chuck Berry..
I’ve heard Chuck turn in a few questionable performances of Roll Over Beethoven over the years. 😉 I have no issues with George’s performance on that track. I just wish his guitar hadn’t been recorded with such a thin sound. It should have been beefed up a bit!
The Beatles had no input into compiling the Capitol albums, so it wasn’t on them to record “Bad to Me” or any other track to pad out the Capitol compilations. (It wouldn’t have even been on their radar.) They were delivering 14-track albums plus singles to Parlophone, which was more than plenty. I would argue that Capitol likely preferred 11 track albums over 12 track albums because it meant paying less royalties overall. They stuck to 11 tracks for Something New, Beatles 65, Early Beatles, Beatles VI, and Revolver. So even if “Bad to Me” or another song had been available, there’s no guarantee it would have been used on the Second Album.
“Money” is probably my least favorite cover from the Beatles, so I don’t agree that “everybody really loves” it. It comes off as a misguided attempt to find an album closer that rocked as much as Twist and Should did. It falls short of the mark, especially when compared to “Long Tall Sally.” I actually prefer the two covers from George over “Money.”
I hear ya!
Can't say thanks enough for all the work you do.
I appreciate that Gail. Much thanks!
I can’t help but disagree with you about George Harrison’s lead guitar playing on Roll Over Beethoven. I find it, for lack of a better word, smooth and perfectly suited for how the other Beatles were playing on that track.
If you compare that with The Rolling Stones’ cover of ROB (a rare track that both bands covered), you’ll find that Keith Richards’ lead guitar work was simply a copy of Chuck Berry’s playing. It showed no originality or style at all. But you can’t say that about GH’s efforts.
Also: Capitol was infamous for chopping up the British catalog, just so they could make 2 or 3 albums out of the one, to make more money. This is not only why American Beatles albums had less tracks on them, but also, since they rushed out new material as soon as they had their hands on it, the artwork and titles (“The Beatles Second Album”, really???!!!!) reflected the rush job.
Personally, since I grew up with the American Beatles catalog, I prefer the Capitol albums to the original British albums. And though Capitol certainly sliced and diced the British catalog, this was the way many Americans heard The Beatles’ catalog. For that reason alone, the American catalog deserves more respect than it gets. I am glad that they re-released the American catalog on CD around 2004. It’s worth picking up if you haven’t heard the American catalog. And don’t forget the vinyl!!!
I do agree the US catalog also deserves more respect. The cd age and the standardization of the catalog has created many 'false purists' who think they are taking some moral and artistic high ground by disregarding the US releases. As for Roll Over, I find the intro guitar sloppily played. He us fine on the rest of the song but guitarists do find that beginning amateurish. I wish he would have polished it more.
The Beatles Second album is a great early rock and roll (and R&B) album. Yes it's a Capitol hodgepodge.....but like you said.....it's the one I grew up with. Capitol (rightly) gets bashed for butcher jobs on Fab albums, but there are three times when they REALLY came out with something special. That would be the Magical Mystery Tour album.....putting "I've Just Seen a Face" as the lead track on its version of Rubber Soul......and the Beatles Second Album.....which, for the most part, is a full-throttle blast from start to finish.
Great video once again.
Thank you, John! I appreciate the comments.
So funny that you like "Thank You Girl". It is one of the few songs I usually skip over. The lyrics are weak and sung in a goofy fashion. "YOU'VE been good to ME... You made me GLAD When I was blue..." Good point about Ringo's drumming, though.
Yes, the lyrics are inane but the sheer intensity has always made up for it!
Matt, you dropped the ball on this one. You must be too tired after the wedding... 😉
The review was typical of someone who came of age after The Beatles ended. I was 9 for Sullivan, fyi.
It would be impossible to grow up with "Revolution" and be able to give "Devil In Her Heart" a fair shake. Nearly everyone commenting here of course missed out on what it was like as it happened (but I'm so happy folks are still commenting on Beatles!), when it was ALL cutting edge, before the culture went full-on cynical about everything. "Cheesy" did not apply to anything coming out of England back then, even Herman's Hermits and Freddie & the Dreamers. Ha! 1965 sure changed that, tho...
The cover was brilliant for the time (a commenter below summed it up: ANY Beatle pictures were highly sought after in the beginning); George's songs were excellent, and their rarity made them all the more special.
howardscott below knows the feelings from back then; "She Loves You" was being played everywhere. Truly, it was nothing but Beatles on AM radio. I would often hear "Do You Want to Know a Secret" in regular rotation and just loved the guy's accent. "Ain't She Sweet" was being played a lot as well!
The could-a-been songs you mentioned weren't even available then. This was all spur of the moment, "who the hell knows what's gonna happen with this group," until A Hard Day's Night truly conquered all. This album had all the cover songs that the hubristic Capitol records deemed as second-hand and left them off Meet The Beatles, but then rushed to get 'em available for sale just 3 months later! And glad they did it that way.
British Invasion music became passe and nostalgic by the early 70's, until that basic musical formula came back (powerfully) as punk & new wave.
Sorry for yapping, but this is fun to recall witnessing that glorious, shiny, black-and-white moment in time.
You do great Beatle work, so keep it up. I refer your channel to other music aficionados.
Thank you.
Hey Chris! I am a bit tired I must admit.... still recovering. I appreciate your comments - keep 'em coming!
Side note, even though most Beatlemaniacs know about it- the mono and stereo versions of "I Call Your Name" have different guitar intros from George. I was used to my mother's old copy of the Second Album, but when the compilation "Rock And Roll Music" came out in 1976, I was like wait, what?? Freaked me out as a 10 year old! LOL
Yes, I forgot to mention that. Thank you, Senator!
"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!" was the great hook (and it pissed off the parents).
i think this albums invokes what an live show by the beatles could have sounded like...all these track would make a nice set...granted the devil in her heart IMHO is the weak track and perhaps should have been replaced with BAD BOY had it been recorded earlier. i think ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN sounds wonderful and suits this album better than THANK YOU GIRL does but music is subjective to each listeners taste. that being said it the album is not high on my like list.
Hi Al, thank you for weighing in! Much appreciated.
Incredible that there is always something new to learn about these guys.
Do enjoy your videos, esp the historical ones, but this one I have to disagree. This album is their best pure rock and roll lp, in their canon. And Roll Over Beethoven is hardly a "stinker". Why does George have to do anything with his guitar? Worst performance? You don't like that intro? And a great song to start the album! Much better than the song's writer, Chuck Berry's version. Can already tell you have some bias against the Capitol albums. "cheesy"? At least the album has pictures on the back as opposed to Meet the Beatles back...one picture of them standing there. Wow. Also, Meet the Beatles had hype as you call it on the back of that album too. Capitol just following suit with this album. It was the 60's. It was all just promotional fun.
"...bias against the Capitol albums."?!? I've praised the first 3 US albums! But they certainly are not perfect as I point out. Not sure what videos you're watching but you obviously haven't watched the other two. As for George's playing on Roll Over, his intro is very amateurish and guitarists have pointed this out before. I happen to agree.
Excellent Analysis. Especially how earlier albums were ignored by “ classic rock” radio stations.
Love some of capitol stereo mixes. Especially Roll Over Beethoven.
Thank you, Felix!
The Beatles 2nd album is just one great Rock & Roll record album.
I've heard a few rock music critics rate it as one of Capitol records best compilations as it omitted McCartney's ballads which tended to slow albums down such as "Till There Was You" on the album "Meet The Beatles."
@@briancunningham3155 Many out there, particularly from GB and mainland Europe tend to trash the Beatle Capitol albums. I’ll take them over the Parlophone records any day of the week.
She Loves You established the Beatles as the top British pop force, but it didn't work everywhere in continental Europe. The French were reluctant as were the Germans, where the Please Please Me album only appeared after With the Beatles and a couple of singles had paved the way. I believe that I Want to Hold Your Hand was the single that constituted The Beatles as a worldwide phenomenon, not only in the US. BTW, in Germany It Won't be Long, Please Mr. Postman, and Long Tall Sally appeared as singles (and many others), and the first two of those were my first contact with the Group that wrote the soundtrack of my life.
The Second Album is the only US release I regularly play (because of its energy and track list), although for me, who grew up with the British albums, it is obviously a compilation album. In terms of the track list, a very similar and possibly even better compilation is the later (1965) The Beatles in Italy or The Eskimo cover/Swedish Greatest Hits.
And one more thought: Long Tall Sally is, in my view, their best rock'n'roll cover. Or cover of any kind. That second solo is breathtaking, and after it they sound as if they were tumbling down a flight of stairs, barely maintaining their equilibrium, untill they come to a shrieking halt, possibly right in front of a glass door. They had worked out that arrangement in Hamburg, before George Martin had a say, and it shows how they tried to inject even more vitality into their covers instead of slavishly imitating them.
I wasn't aware that She Loves You didn't work in France or Germany - thank you for that info! I can't argue with you about Long Tall Sally, though I would rate it a tie with Twist And Shout.
@@popgoesthe60s52 I didn't quite say it didn't work, I meant to say it was not their breakthrough. In the Netherlands as well as (W.) Germany, it got to No 7 on the charts, in France it initially appeared on an EP but reached No 1 later on. The first Beatles No 1 in most continental countries was IWTHYH, and that was in the beginning of 1964. (I don't know all chart positions by heart, mind you, so I might have overlooked something, but I'm pretty sure). I agree with you that Twist And Shout is a contender for best cover. I'd also consider Please Mr. Postman. Its so Beatlish, people thought it was a L/McC composition!
Oh, man, how I loved the Beatles' "Second Album"! I was 11yo, and had to do some extra chores at home to earn enough to pay the whopping $2.99 for the album at Woolworths, but it was worth every penny!
What a great deal! Thanks for sharing, Pete!
Excellent review, Matt, as always. Agree that Ringo never gets enough credit for his early drumming. With you on Soldier Of Love: they should have recorded that at some point. I bought the Capitol records when they came out and grew up with them, and as much as I enjoyed them then, you couldn't pay me to listen to the Capitol records now: with their crummy sound and bogus covers. It's the UK releases only, as the Beatles intended.
I agree, but they did have some good songs on this one. But the reverb blows, the pressings sucked, and Capitol ripped us off!
Hey David, yes good ol' Ringo deserves some attention for his early chops. Thanks for the comments!
@@rudolphguarnacci197 The quality of the songs are beyond debate; it's Capitol's crummy all around presentation.
@@popgoesthe60s52 Ringo and Charlie: the two best !
Always interesting. Thank you Matt.
I do like the cover now as a giggle as it represents the crass old school show-biz hype machine at work. Of course, the Beatles did present their work in the UK more artistically and the USA afterward, there is a fun, high-energy elation in most of the rock'n'roll & rhythm & blues originals and cover songs on the 2nd album.
I have come to appreciate the commercialism of these covers... so very period!
Good point.
Back when I was a kid, my teenage aunt played me her Swan 45 of "She Loves You" and that was it for me. The Second Album was one of the first albums I bought and is still a favorite. The whole album is one big Beatle blast and I think really captures the excitement and fun of Beatlemania. The UK mix of "Roll Over Beethoven" never sounds right to me without the reverb!
If all the vinyl collectors are like me, the most common Beatles single I see on my vinyl safaris is "She Loves You". That sucker must have sold in massive numbers, and I think it would be fair to say it was their best seller of '64. But the picture sleeve is rarer than the Capitol sleeves.
I will check that out. Thanks shyman!
Shyman, i'm curious, since i picked up a She Loves You with picture sleeve in very hood condition quite some time ago. Do you have an idea what theu go for nowadays? Thanks.
@@popgoesthe60s52 - I failed to mention it was so popular that even their German overdub, "Sie liebt dich", charted on the Hot 100.
@@shyman99 Yes! I had forgotten about that one.
The Mamas and the Papas covered "I Call Your Name" with a honky--tonk vocal from Mama Cass.
Very good cover too - love it!
You're right Matt, it's supposed to be fun stuff to rock and roll to. Until it becomes art. Sometimes I think that's what this channel is.
Thank you, Buzz.
Roll Over Beethoven? A masterpiece.
As a first generation Beatles fan...this was not a favorite Beatles album of mine at the time....I guess I was not a rhythm and blues kid then....I preferred the more pop songs but thru all these years I have come to appreciate this album more.
Hey Gymee, thanks for weighing in!
Thanks Matt, well prepared and insightful. I've loved this music since I was a kid listening to my older brother spin them. Their music (along with many others) inspired me to play guitar...and play professionally for years. You know when you play these classics live you always have a crowded dance floor. Thanks, appreciated.
That's good to hear that these songs still pack the dance floor! Thanks, Brad.
WHAT?!
George's guitar on Roll Over Beethoven is one of his worst?!
I must be listening to some other Beatles and some other song because the Roll Over Beethoven I hear is one of Geroge's BEST GUITAR PERFORMANCES! That rocking cover by the Beatles doesn't even come close to being a so-called stinker!
His guitar intro is very amateurish and guitarists have pointed this out before. I happen to agree.
@@popgoesthe60s52 I disagree!
I grew up with these Capitol records....I've gown to detest them....completely. However....I'm not throwing these original copies away.
Hang on to them! Thank for commenting Timmy.
@@popgoesthe60s52 OK since I made that comment...I obtained that American albums vol 1 set. I was wrong...I don't detest them. In fact when I was a little kid...Beatles 65 was my favorite record until Rubber Soul came out. I was a lucky little kid. My aunt Judy was eight years older than me and she dotted on me...I was there on the rug at Grandpa's house watching Ed Sullivan with her.. Instant fan at 5 years old. 60 years of being completely enthralled with the sound. As my aunt grew up and moved on she gave me her records...all in pretty decent shape. I do a lot of my listening out in the back field on a pair of mains that used to be in The Old Waldorf in S.F....powered by a Marantz 1060. So, I use cds out there because of the dust in the garage studio. Those american versions are starting to resonate again. Hell we didn't know they were different mixes...it's all we had.
THE BEATLES SECOND ALBUM SHOULD BE CALLED THE BEATLES "BIG BEAT ".THERE'S A SUDAFRICAN ISSUE OF THAT ALBUM WITH THE SAME COVER ,BUT IT HAS A DIFFERENT NAME.
I think there is a German release with that name as well. That WOULD have been better! Thanks Juan.
Thanks. As a european fan it makes me reconsider the American discography in a certain way.
Hey David, that is very open of you! I appreciate the comment.
I always remember the amount echo they put on this record
Also love Thank you girl. Agree about the drumming.
Always a favorite of mine!
Thanks Matt: my second Beatles LP. I loved it in 1964. Great covers and originals. Today I hear the weakness of Roll Over Beethoven and agree Devil in her Heart isn’t the greatest but I liked it. I guess what I am saying is that I agree with you.
I appreciate the comments, David - thank you!
I Call Your Name and Please Mr. Postman give me chills till this very day.
I turned 15 in July of 1964 so hearing these songs takes me back to those times, not just the Beatles but how life was back then in all it's innocence. I never had the album but I had Capital Records 45's of some of their hits. I went completely nuts when I saw them on the Ed Sullivan Show but now my tastes have gone in other directions and I really don't pay a lot of attention to them anymore. But I certainly appreciate your videos and learn a lot from watching them. Thanks for all that you do.
That is very kind of you to say, Paavo. You are welcome!
Another very well put production, Matt. I have always found that I've agreed with your stance on your video productions. However, as a guitarist in a variety of fields (and having learned much from the Fab Four in terms of chords and their unique approach to changes in progressions) I would truly disagree with your comments on Harrison's solo on "Roll Over Beethoven." If you've learned to play the solo at all, I think you would appreciate his taste and approach to the Chuck Berry tune. He pulls off those licks really well. As to "Devil in Her Heart", well ... there is no solo, but some well played double stops in the intro. I thought it considerably more melodic than "Money" (which was one song I had rarely played from that LP. I thought it too repetetive.... my opinion). I should mention that Lennon's guitar solo in "You Can't Do That" is really well constructed with several "color points". I'm not trying to be contentious. I just thought I might share my thoughts. You've got such an interesting channel, and your material is well thought out and the narrative always carries me through to the end.... Thank you!
Thank you George, I appreciate the candor. With regard to Roll Over, I was referring to George's intro to the song specifically, not the rest of the song which is fine. Guitarists I speak to have found those first couple of bars amateurish as do I. I'm disappointed he didn't work harder on that. Oh well, no accounting for one's taste!
Lennon's solo is very good and on that track we hear George's electric 12-string for the first time. Keep the comments, coming, George!
@@popgoesthe60s52 Thank you for taking the time to reply, Matt (I know you have a lot of folks to deal with on your channel!). I know precisely what you mean as to the intro; but I think in such matters a musician may be confined somewhat to stay close to the cliche "Chuck Berryesque" motif. You, in retrospect (as to your comment on Harrison playing the Rickenbacker 360/12 on "You Can't Do That"), what a difference that 12-string made in the Beatles' sound. When you figure how different they were, it was just another notch up! The fact that they rode that on the wave to fame made all other guitarists' attempt to own that sound second hand. Again, I know I speak for everyone who follows your channel when I say how well-crafted your narrative is! As I've said in previous times, you are the Ken Burns of the genre... you have a real natural talent for these things!
@@georgemixis2172 That is high praise, George and I really appreciate it. I must say that I am partial to the electric 12-string and what a game changer that was for the band. Now I'm excited to review A Hard Day's Night!
This really brings back memories. I was 10 years old in early 1964, but I managed to acquire my very first record album, "Meet the Beatles", and then "The Beatles Second Album", when they came out. I played them everyday, and I was well on my way to becoming a full-fledged Beatlemaniac. It's hard for me to pick my favorite tracks from this album because I pretty much loved them all (with the possible exception of "Devil in her Heart"). I'm really diggin' these Beatles album reviews, thanks Matt!
Hi Amanda, yes, these all bring back a flood of great memories and for that reason, these albums should be given a bit more respect than they've gotten in the cd era.
It would have been great if Ringo sang lead on I Call Your Name, and it was on the A Hard Days Night album.
No it wasn't, in England it appears on the Long tall Sally e.p., I have the original imported A Hard Day's Night vinyl on parlophone...
That's an interesting thought. Ringo should have sung Run For Your Life.
Excellent! Looking forward to the next one. Disagree about George not sounding good. Agree that Bad to Me and Soldier of Love would have been wonderful. Thanks for the upload. : )
yeah, i agree with you about the george criticisms. not sure why he picks on "roll over beethoven".. considering george handled the lead guitar AND lead vocal, i thought he did a fine job picking it. and "devil" is good too..🤷♂️
In my opinion, the missing original song that would make this album even better (and a bit longer) is “From Me To You.” After all, they included its British b-side “Thank You Girl.” Capitol passed up another chance to use “From Me To You” when they released “The Early Beatles” the next year. What were they thinking?
My fave of ALL Beatle tracks are the Deccagone sessions and the earliest BBC stuff. Nothing better.
another fine video, matt, though I rather enjoy those Harrison songs. Back in those days, Roll Over had a something magical about it. And the Devil was a sort of wink given to the pop songs of the past. Very different from say, McCartney's references to the past. The Beatles sounded knowledgeable about music. Sort of giving we folks a crash course of pop music!
The Beatles music is the music of my life. I was 5 years old when this album was released and to this day it’s one I associate with the magic of the early Beatles. The mix between covers and originals offers a blend between the super early Beatles music and what they would soon become. This album also highlights Lennox’s remarkable raspy rock voice…just too cool. Also, sorry, but I disagree with your review of Roll Over Beethoven. It’s cool because of the clean, tenor leaning guitar on a rocker. It’s tough to play lead and sing at the same time. I know It’s sacrilege, but I like it better than the original. Overall, the second album is pure Beatles hysteria on display. Side note, I always thought She Loves You was a much bigger hit. Thanks for the education.