The Beatles Anthology

The Beatles Anthology is the name of a documentary, a series of three albums, and a television miniseries which focus on the history of the popular rock band The Beatles.

The albums

Three Anthology collections were released, each containing 2 CDs of never before released Beatles material.

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Two days after the first Beatles Anthology television special had aired, The Beatles Anthology 1 was released to stores. The first collection included music recorded by the Quarry Men, the famous Decca Records audition tapes, and various out-takes and demos from the band's first four albums. The song "Free as a Bird" was included in the two-CD collection. 450,000 copies of Anthology 1 were sold in its first day of release, the most single day sales ever for an album.

Related Topics:
Anthology 1 - The Quarry Men - Decca Records

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On March 18, 1996, The Beatles Anthology 2 was released. The second collection included out-takes and demos from the Beatles sessions for Help!, Rubber Soul, Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Especially interesting is the early demos and takes for Lennon's "Strawberry Fields Forever", previously available only to bootleg collectors. The new song "Real Love," like "Free as a Bird" based on a John Lennon recording, was also included in the two-CD collection.

Related Topics:
March 18 - 1996 - Anthology 2 - Help! - Rubber Soul - Revolver - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band - Strawberry Fields Forever - John Lennon

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On October 28, 1996, The Beatles Anthology 3 was released. The third collection included out-takes and demos from The White Album, Let It Be and Abbey Road.

Related Topics:
October 28 - 1996 - Anthology 3 - The White Album - Let It Be - Abbey Road

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The success of the Anthology albums was parodied by the release of The Rutles' Archaeology some months later. This album even included a spoof of "Free as a Bird", entitled "Don't Know Why". In Anthology style, the album included both outtakes from the original Rutles LP and new material.

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Official Anthology releases

• The Beatles Anthology 1 (Apple, 1995)
• The Beatles Anthology 2 (Apple, 1996)
• The Beatles Anthology 3 (Apple, 1996)

Bootleg Anthologies

• The Beatles Anthology Plus (Invasion Unlimited, 1997)
• John Lennon Anthology (Invasion Unlimited, 1997)
• The Beatles Anthology More (OMI, 1998)
• The Beatles Anthology 4 (fake Apple, 1998)
• The Beatles Anthology 5 (fake Apple, 1998)
• The Beatles Anthology 6 (fake Apple, 1998)
• The Beatles Anthology Extra (OMI, 1999)
• Paul McCartney Anthology (OMI, 2000)
• The Beatles' Let It Be Sessions Anthology (OMI, 2000)
• The Beatles' Get Back Sessions Anthology (OMI, 2001)
• George Harrison Anthology (fake Invasion Unlimited, 2002)
• Ringo Starr Anthology (fake Invasion Unlimited, 2002)
• The Beatles Anthology Outtakes 1 (Beat Central, 2004)
• The Beatles Anthology Outtakes 2 (Beat Central, 2004)
• The Beatles Anthology Outtakes 3 (Beat Central, 2004)