Anthology 3 - Expanded Edition

Here's something a little different from me; what if Anthology 3 had received an expanded reissue to go along with the release of "Now and Then"? Considering that the song in question had been intended for Anthology 3 before George Harrison put it on ice, calling it "fucking rubbish", as well as what was included on the 50th anniversary releases of The White Album, Abbey Road and Let It Be, it would've made much better sense to rework Anthology 3 by expanding upon it and maybe adding in a few outtakes that weren't included on that or any of the special edition releases.

And yes, I'm aware that there's another expanded Anthology 3 out there on the internet, but I made my own track listing long before I ever found out about it. My version of Anthology 3: Expanded Edition mainly includes outtakes that were officially released. I've used the original track listing as a basis and then filled the gaps wherever needed. The only tracks that I excluded were the Esher demos that were recorded following the Beatles' India trip. I think they work just fine as their own thing as disc three of The Beatles: 50th Anniversary Edition; no reason to change what isn't broken.

While the official cover will remain for Anthology 3, I'm going to be giving each disc their own cover, each featuring the Beatles during that specific time period.

Disc 1 (The White Album Sessions: May - July 1968)

1. Now and Then - 4:08 (1966, 1969, 1977, 1995 and 2022) [1967-1970]
2. Revolution 1 (Take 18) - 10:28 (5/30/68) [WA50]
3. Don't Pass Me By (Takes 3 & 5) - 2:42 (6/5-6/68) [A3]
4. A Beginning/Don't Pass Me By (Take 7) - 5:05 (6/5-6 & 7/22/68) [WA50]
5. Blackbird (Take 4) - 2:19 (6/11/68) [A3]
6. Everybody's Got Something to Hide Except Me and My Monkey (Rehearsal) - 2:43 (6/26/68) [WA50]
7. Good Night (Take 10) - 2:31 (6/28 & 7/2/68) [WA50]
8. Good Night (Take 34) - 2:38 (6/28 & 7/22/68) [A3]
9. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Take 3) - 2:54 (7/3/68) [WA50]
10. Revolution (Take 14) - 3:25  (7/10/68) [WA50]
11. Cry Baby Cry (Take 1) - 2:46 (7/16/68) [A3]
12. Helter Skelter (Take 2) - 12:53 (7/18/68) [WA50]
13. Sexy Sadie (Take 6) - 4:07 (7/19/68) [A3]
14. Good Night (Take 22) - 3:46 (7/22/68) [WA50]
15. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Demo) - 3:28 (7/25/68) [A3]
16. Hey Jude (Take 2) - 4:21 (7/29/68) [A3]
17. St. Louis Blues - 0:51 (7/30/68) [WA50]

Total length: 71:05

Apart from kicking off the album with "Now and Then", recorded at various points between 1977 and 2022, with additional overdubs from the 1960s, this disc covers the first half of the White Album sessions. We begin with the full length version of "Revolution 1", which also served as a basis for "Revolution 9", and end with the second take of "Hey Jude"; the first take I excluded due to wanting to keep things as concise as possible. The "St. Louis Blues" jam is included shortly afterward in a sort of "Her Majesty" situation. For each disc, I've personally cut away studio chatter if necessary to streamline the listening experience.

Disc 2 (The White Album Sessions: August - October 1968)

1. Not Guilty (Take 102) - 4:28 (8/8-9 & 12/68) [WA50]
2. Mother Nature's Son (Take 2) - 3:17 (8/9/68) [A3]
3. Yer Blues (Take 5) - 3:57 (8/13/68) [WA50]
4. What's the New Mary Jane (Take 4) - 6:12 (8/14/68) [A3]
5. Rocky Raccoon (Take 8) - 4:57 (8/15/68) [WA50]
6. Back in the U.S.S.R. (Take 5) - 3:09 (8/22/68) [WA50]
7. Dear Prudence (Vocal, Guitar & Drums) - 3:59 (8/28-30/68) [WA50]
8. Let It Be (Rehearsal) - 1:17 (9/5/68) [WA50]
9. While My Guitar Gently Weeps (Take 27) - 3:17 (9/5/68) [WA50]
10. (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care - 0:42 (9/9/68) [WA50]
11. Glass Onion (Original Mono Mix) - 2:08 (9/11-13, 16 & 26/68) [A3]
12. I Will (Take 1) - 1:55 (9/16/68) [A3]
13. Blue Moon - 1:11 (9/16/68) [WA50]
14. Step Inside Love/Los Paranoias - 5:32 (9/16/68) [WA50]
15. Can You Take Me Back? - 2:22 (9/16/68) [WA50]
16. Birthday (Take 2) - 2:40 (9/18/68) [WA50]
17. Piggies (Take 12) - 2:10 (9/19-20/68) [WA50]
18. Happiness is a Warm Gun (Take 19) - 3:09 (9/23/68) [WA50]
19. Honey Pie (Backing Track) - 2:43 (10/1-2/68) [WA50]
20. Savoy Truffle (Backing Track) - 2:56 (10/3, 5, 11 & 14/68) [WA50]
21. Martha My Dear (Without Brass & Strings) - 2:29 (10/4/68) [WA50]
22. Long, Long, Long (Take 44) - 2:54 (10/7/68) [WA50]
23. I'm So Tired (Takes 3, 6 & 9) - 2:14 (10/8/68) [A3]
24. The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill (Take 2) - 3:12 (10/8/68) [WA50]
25. Why Don't We Do It in the Road? (Take 4; Mono) - 2:15 (10/9/68) [A3]
26. Julia (Take 2) - 1:58 (10/13/68) [A3]

Total length: 77:03

The second half of the White Album sessions, beginning with the full-length version of "Not Guilty" and ending with take two of "Julia". There are more songs here given that so many of them are short; on disc one, "Revolution 1" and "Helter Skelter" both exceed ten minutes! There weren't that many officially released outtakes for some songs such as "Back in the U.S.S.R.", but for my purposes, it'll do. I've also noticed that some songs were not included as part of the Esher demos, most likely being worked upon or started off as jams in the studios; "Birthday", "Bungalow Bill" and "In the Road?" are likely among them, having been recorded so late in the process.

Disc 3 (Get Back/Let It Be Sessions: January 1969)

1. All Things Must Pass (Rehearsal) - 4:22 (1/3/69) [LIB50]
2. Gimme Some Truth (Rehearsal) - 1:19 (1/7/69) [LIB50]
3. I Me Mine (Rehearsal) - 1:35 (1/8/69) [LIB50]
4. She Came in Through the Bathroom Window (Savile Row Sessions) - 3:37 (1/21/69) [A3]
5. Rocker/Save the Last Dance for Me/Don't Let Me Down - 1:56 (1/22/69) [LIB50]
6. Dig a Pony (Savile Row Sessions) - 4:18 (1/22/69) [A3]
7. I've Got a Feeling (Glyn Johns Mix) - 2:53 (1/23/69) [LIB50]
8. Two of Us (Take 1) - 3:27 (1/24/69) [A3]
9. Maggie Mae/Fancy My Chances with You - 0:58 (1/24/69) [LIB50]
10. Can You Dig It? - 2:02 (1/24/69) [LIB50]
11. Teddy Boy (Savile Row Sessions) - 3:41 (1/24 & 28/69) [LIB50]
12. For You Blue (Take 1) - 2:23 (1/25/69) [A3]
13. Let It Be (Savile Row Sessions) - 4:05 (1/25/69) [A3]
14. Octopus's Garden (Rehearsal) - 1:50 (1/26/69) [LIB50]
15. Rip It Up/Shake, Rattle and Roll/Blue Suede Shoes - 3:11 (1/26/69) [A3]
16. The Long and Winding Road (Savile Row Sessions) - 3:39 (1/26/69) [LIB50]
17. Get Back (Take 8) - 3:52 (1/27/69) [LIB50]
18. Oh! Darling (Jam) - 5:19 (1/27/69) [LIB50]
19. The Walk - 0:55 (1/27/69) [LIB50]
20. Without a Song - 2:00 (1/28/69) [LIB50]
21. Mailman, Bring Me No More Blues - 1:56 (1/29/69) [A3]
22. Don't Let Me Down (First Live Performance) - 3:28 (1/30/69) [LIB50]
23. Get Back (Third Live Performance) - 3:09 (1/30/69) [A3]
24. The Long and Winding Road (Take 19) - 3:47 (1/31/69) [LIB50]
25. Let It Be (Take 28) - 4:42 (1/31/69) [LIB50]

Total length: 74:24

It feels really strange that the sessions, rehearsals and jams were spread out across two CDs, even though there was enough room to include all of them on one; it makes sense for vinyl, but on CD? A complete waste of resources. It's doubly frustrating when you consider that the Esher demos were all included on one disc without problem, and with the same number of songs, no less! That little rant aside, this disc represents what was going on at Twickenham and Apple Studios (mainly the latter) that fateful January. Of course, the bootlegs tell a far more complete picture than Let It Be: Special Edition possibly could, but compilations are all about compromises, and they'll never please everybody.

Disc 4 (Abbey Road Sessions: February 1969 - January 1970)

1. Goodbye (Demo) - 2:23 (2/?/69) [AB50]
2. I Want You (She's So Heavy) (Trident) - 6:59 (2/22/69) [AB50]
3. All Things Must Pass (Demo) - 3:05 (2/25/69) [A3]
4. Old Brown Shoe (Demo) - 3:03 (2/25/69) [A3]
5. Something (Demo) - 3:37 (2/25/69) [AB50]
6. The Ballad of John and Yoko (Take 7) - 3:37 (4/14/69) [AB50]
7. Old Brown Shoe (Take 2) - 3:15 (4/16/69) [AB50]
8. Oh! Darling (Take 4) - 3:30 (4/20/69) [AB50]
9. Octopus's Garden (Takes 2 & 8) - 2:49 (4/26/69) [A3]
10. You Never Give Me Your Money (Take 36) - 5:17 (5/6/69) [AB50]
11. Her Majesty (Takes 1-3) - 1:34 (7/2/69) [AB50]
12. Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight (Takes 1-3) - 3:20 (7/2/69) [AB50]
13. Here Comes the Sun (Take 9) - 3:40 (7/7/69) [AB50]
14. Maxwell's Silver Hammer (Take 5) - 3:50 (7/9/69) [A3]
15. Come Together (Take 1) - 3:40 (7/21/69) [A3]
16. Come and Get It (Demo) - 2:42 (7/24/69) [AB50]
17. Ain't She Sweet - 2:08 (7/24/69) [A3]
18. Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard (Take 20) - 4:48 (7/24/69) [AB50]
19. Polythene Pam/She Came in Through the Bathroom Window (Take 27) - 3:18 (7/25/69) [AB50]
20. Because (A cappella) - 2:24 (8/4/69) [A3]
21. I Me Mine (Take 16) - 1:45 (1/3/70) [LIB50]
22. The End (Anthology Remix) - 2:53 (2/22/67, 7/23, 8/5, 7-8, 15 & 18/69) [A3]

Total length: 73:39

The final ever sessions between the Beatles in John Lennon's lifetime, covering February to August 1969. It seems almost prophetic that this disc would begin with "Goodbye" and end with... well, the Anthology remix of "The End". The only track outside of those sessions, of course, is "I Me Mine", from January 1970; by which point, John had left the group. Speaking of whom, I considered including the home demo of "Give Peace a Chance" from Plastic Ono Band: The Ultimate Mixes, recorded in June 1969, since there were Paul and George solo demos also included. That would, of course, mean having to cut "I Me Mine" in order to make room; maybe that could be included as a part of Anthology 4? What, dear readers, do you think?

Sources

- Anthology 3 (1996)

- The Beatles: 50th Anniversary Edition (2018)

- Abbey Road: 50th Anniversary Edition (2019)

- Let It Be: Special Edition (2021)

- 1967-1970: Expanded Edition (2023)