This CD, along with its' companion (The Beatles 1967-1970), represent the only currently available "Best Of" Beatles anthologies available on CD and were originally released as two double LP sets back in the early 1970s. Most commonly referred to as the Red and Blue albums (the scheme supposedly requested by the ex-Beatles themselves to represent the colours of Liverpool's two soccer clubs), these double albums collect together all the Beatles UK hits, along with selected album tracks. I am not a huge fan of compilation CDs myself but these two double CDs are vital for any serious music fan and are as valid a part of any decent CD collection as the Beatles' original studio albums. Like many second generation Beatles fans, I grew up listening to these albums and these compilations really capture the essence of the Beatles' music although they are by no means totally representative. EMI has come in for a lot of criticism for making this CD a double disc set (when it will fit on one CD) but I have to say I think they were right to replicate the original vinyl releases. All the hits of the early Beatles career are here - from 1962 debut single Love Me Do through to the double A-sided Eleanor Rigby/Yellow Submarine single from 1966. The big criticism I do have of this set is the absence of albums tracks from Revolver - whoever made the track selection really should be severely punished for this! Given that this album is considerably shorter in running time than the accompanying Blue Album (and there are less songs on this compilation), extra tracks could have easily been included. It's the only thing that lets this CD down and it's a real shame some of the great Revolver tracks are not included (Taxman, She Said She Said, Here There & Everywhere, Tomorrow Never Knows), especially when you consider the fact that Rubber Soul is represented by no less than 6 songs - none of which were released as singles. Nevertherless these digitally remastered CDs offer vastly superior sound quality to the 1987 CD album releases and it's high time EMI did the decent thing and remastered the Beatles entire back catalogue in this way. 5 stars for timeless, brilliant, original pop songs. 3 stars for under-representation of Revolver.
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