Past Masters • Volume Two
by The Beatles

It was a VERY big deal when they released all of the Beatles catalog on CD (yes, that was a long time ago). This was the final CD, and I found it quite astonishing how so many of their "hits" never actually made it to a studio album. That they were so prolific with their genius in such a short time is astonishing - and this collection proves it.

From RoundTheBend 08/07/2016 16:08 | #172455

Way better than Past Masters 2. I'm not sure, but I think none of these were on the album as opposed to 1 (looked at it again and I think that's true minus the Let It Be tracks). Possibly best track is the alternate version of Revolution. Day Tripper was one of the first "harder" bass lines I learned. Paperback Writer is one of the best Beatles songs sorely missed on their album releases. I've heard drummers talk about how Rain is Ringo's best drum work. Don't Let Me Down is also sorely missed. Ballad of John and Yoko is my second least favorite Beatles song though... I mean lyrically/the message is already, but the music really does nothing for me. Then of course the silly you know my name is a fun way to remember John.

While I have little to no interest in the first volume, this definitely is worth spinning more than once a decade.

Finally a decent collection of later non album singles. The record company did a fine job with this release.

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From SingingPeasant96 03/21/2013 10:38 | #69333

BT:Revolution

Some of their best singles are in this compilation, with Rain being the best track.

From junodog4 04/23/2012 00:37 | #40701

It's true - if these songs had been assembled on a proper album, we'd be talking the top of 'best of' lists everywhere.
Lady Madonna and Ballad of John and Yoko are better than the huge hits - Jude, Get Back, Let it Be...

From ffudnebbuh 09/28/2010 20:01 | #15420

I think that "Paperback Writer" is my favorite Beatles track. As I recall, this was the first Beatles single after an 8 month hiatus where they really started changing their sound..."Rain" was on the flip side of the single, so it was a great buy for a 9 year old. I get so angry that these great songs were left off albums. "Paperback Writer" and "Rain" would have fit perfectly on "Revolver".

From ffudnebbuh 08/01/2010 03:57 | #13925

I agree and I believe that it was the Beatles 'showing off' to the rest of the rock bands out there that they had so much creative power that they could record these great songs and not make people buy a whole album to listen to them...it is not really a compilation in the normal sense, it is not a collection of previously released albums tracks assembled as a greatest hits..these were all, with the exception of "let it be", released as 'singles'only (called throw away singles in the record business), never on any album, so for that reason I put it in a different category than greatest hits compilations. But I understand the reasons why purists want to put only original studio albums on greatest album charts. I count it as an album better than Sgt. Pepper and so include it here. I also put it here because I don't think that many of the younger members don't realize that these songs existed only as singles.

If this were a proper Beatles studio album and not a singles compilation, this would definitely be one of the highest rated albums of all time.

But as it stands, this is a compilation and therefore it is more often dismissed. But really, this ranks up there with the Beatles best.