The Beatles Anthologies consist of 191 songs over four volumes. It’s a lot to go through, and get to know. Here’s a guide to the 50 best studio recordings (live tracks not included). Then we’ll take a close look at 16 must-have tracks for an album-length playlist to enjoy often.
Here are two CD-length lists of the 50 selected studio recordings in chronological order. The tracks from Anthology 4 are placed into their proper historical context.
The first four songs are from before The Beatles started recording for EMI in England. They include two amateur recordings when John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison were part of The Quarrymen. The next two are high-quality recordings The Beatles did in Germany. “Ain’t She Sweet” is the first time the group and John Lennon’s famous voice were properly recorded. Famed producer Bert Kaempfert recorded the band while they were backing Tony Sheridan. The Beatles (billed as The Beat Brothers) got two songs on the album…the second is an original instrumental, with songwriting credited to Lennon & Harrison. Some of the other songs will be detailed later.
There are a couple ringers on the second list. Two instrumental tracks from The White Album box set are included…“Back In The U.S.S.R.” & “Revolution”. Besides some of the songs to be highlighted later, there are some really good raw recordings from the Get Back sessions, 12-18 above. Plus, there’s an early take of “Here Comes The Sun” and the impressive orchestrations of “Something” and “Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight”.
Here’s the list paired down to the tracks that make a great playlist for repeated listenings.
“I’m Looking Through You” is the 1st take (after rehearsals), and it’s amazing how good it is. When the Anthologies were first released, some fans preferred this rhythmic take to the final recording, even though the “Why, tell me why” bridge was not included.
Hearing the strings-only instrumental of Eleanor Rigby shows the arranging genius of producer George Martin. It’s fantastic!
”I’m Only Sleeping” is The Beatles unplugged, and is so different from the finished electric album track.
The demo and 1st take of “Strawberry Fields Forever” show the song developing. At first Lennon sings “Let me take you back” (instead of “down”). The 1st take really accents the lyrics, and gives us a cleaner non-psychedelic version.
The earlier mix of “Penny Lane” is nearly as good as the final one. Here we get oboes in the middle section, and a great piccolo trumpet flourish during the long final note of the song. Then there’s a bit of psychedelia added and John Lennon says (in a heightened British accent) “A suitable ending, I think”. That all would have fit perfectly with the spirit of the Sgt. Pepper album if the song had been placed after “Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite”.
The orchestration for “She’s Leaving Home” is absolutely beautiful, and deserves to be heard this way. The track was arranged by Mike Leander, and George Martin conducted the string section.
When Anthology 2 was released, we heard an early take of “Good Morning Good Morning” from before those title words were included. It gave the song a more serious feel. I had to add back in the horns and guitar parts to give it a finished sound. Here’s the audio to the song that would probably have been called “Nothing To Say”.
The first time someone hears the alternate version of “Hello Goodbye”, the extra guitar accents seem a little out of place. However, over the decades, I found that I missed the guitar parts when listening to the hit single. Now the alternate version is my favorite.
Listening to the clever orchestration George Martin did for “I Am The Walrus” reveals how it greatly elevates the song. How did he even came up with it?!
This earlier version of “Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da” is nearly as good as the final product. It has some clever touches of it’s own, including a cool “sliding saxophone” part.
”While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is a must-have version that matches the song’s title. The great recording on The White Album could never be replaced, but the acoustic version stands on its own with this impressive George Harrison solo performance. It would have been cool to have both versions on the original double album.
”Good Night” was written by John Lennon, and given to Ringo Starr who gives it just the right touch. This combination of a rehearsal with the orchestra added is better than the album version, and more appropriately gentle for the song than the multiple harmony version on Anthology 4.
There are several versions of “Across The Universe” but this simpler second take represents John Lennon’s song the best.
And we end with the final three songs the four Beatles (kind of) recorded together. The 2025 remixes of “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love” are a giant leap forward in making us believe John recorded his vocals in a studio. It’s also great that the new technology made it possible for “Now And Then” to be completed.
Thirty years ago, fans felt lucky to get the Anthology Collection to give us a look into the recording process of The Beatles, and to get historic recordings. The expanded 2025 collection provides even more for us to enjoy.