Apple Records announces best-of compilation and bonus material

Apple Corps and EMI today announced the release of a best-of compilation from the Apple Records label and the reissue of the Radha Krishna Temple’s self-titled album from 1971.

Come And Get It: The Best Of Apple Records will be released on 26 October 2010, along with 16 other titles from the label’s past. Each of the tracks has been digitally remastered at Abbey Road Studios in London.

The tracklisting for Come And Get It is as follows:

• Those Were The Days – Mary Hopkin
• Carolina In My Mind – James Taylor
• Maybe Tomorrow – The Iveys
• Thingumybob – The Black Dyke Mills Band
• King Of Fuh – Brute Force
• ‘Sour Milk Sea’ – Jackie Lomax
• Goodbye – Mary Hopkin
• That’s The Way God Planned It – Billy Preston
• New Day – Jackie Lomax
• ‘Golden Slumbers’/‘Carry That Weight’ – Trash
• ‘Give Peace A Chance’ – Hot Chocolate Band
• ‘Come And Get It’ – Badfinger
• Ain’t That Cute – Doris Troy
• ‘My Sweet Lord’ – Billy Preston
• Try Some Buy Some – Ronnie Spector
• Govinda – Radha Krishna Temple
• We’re On Our Way – Chris Hodge
• Saturday Nite Special – The Sundown Playboys
• God Save Us – Bill Elliot & The Elastic Oz Band
• Sweet Music – Lon & Derrek Van Eaton
• Day After Day – Badfinger

The Radha Krishna Temple album was produced by George Harrison in 1971. Two top 30 UK singles were released from it: Hare Krishna Mantra and Govinda. The reissue contains a previously-unreleased bonus track, Namaste Sarawati Devi.

Here’s the full press release:

The dazzling range of music originally issued by Apple Records between 1968 and 1973, which is now the subject of an unprecedented multi-album worldwide campaign starting October 25th ‘ including remastered CDs (with bonus material revealed for the first time below) and Apple’s first digital downloads ‘ will now be augmented by two additional titles: ‘Come and Get It: The Best Of Apple Records,’ the first commercially issued multi-artist compilation in the label’s history; and ‘The Radha Krishna Temple,’ the self-titled album of devotional music produced by George Harrison.

‘Come and Get It: The Best Of Apple Records,’ a 21 track compilation of singles, ranging from the folk-rooted tunes of Mary Hopkin and James Taylor, and the energetic rock of Badfinger (also The Iveys) and Jackie Lomax, to the deep soul of Doris Troy and Billy Preston, will also be released in the physical and digital marketplace on October 25th 2010.

‘Come and Get It’ displays Apple’s vibrant years of musical experimentation in full flower, from bona fide hit singles to the cult classics of the catalogue, as represented by brass band The Black Dyke Mills Band, Cajun collective The Sundown Playboys, and more. Hot Chocolate (as ‘The Hot Chocolate Band’) makes an appearance, as does Ronnie Spector, Bill Elliot & The Elastic Oz Band, Chris Hodge, Brute Force, and others.

Launched by The Beatles in 1968, Apple served as the new outlet for their own recordings as well as the music of an eclectic roster of artists who were all personally brought to the label by The Beatles (individually and/or collectively). In the revolutionary spirit of the times, Apple’s utopian artist-orientated mission celebrated diversity in a friendly creative environment. The result was a rainbow spectrum of music, from folk, rock and soul to The Modern Jazz Quartet and the work of contemporary British classical composer John Tavener.

As Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI Music prepare for the upcoming 17 album CD and digital download release, it is a reminder that the introduction of an artist on The Beatles’ record label was avidly followed by fans across the universe ‘ then and now. Each of the albums has been digitally remastered at EMI’s Abbey Road Studios in London by the same dedicated team of engineers behind The Beatles’ recent remastered catalogue releases of 2009.

Details of ‘Come And Get It’ and each original album along with newly announced bonus material are as follows:

COME AND GET IT: THE BEST OF APPLE RECORDS

1 Those Were The Days / Mary Hopkin
The multi-million selling debut 45 by Mary Hopkin was UK No. 1 for six weeks in 1968 and was produced by Paul McCartney, who discovered this 1920s Russian folk song in a London night club.

2 Carolina In My Mind / James Taylor
Taken from his self-titled debut album, this is the original version of ‘Carolina In My Mind’, cut in London in 1968. Issued as a US single, it features Paul McCartney on bass and George Harrison on backing vocals.

3 Maybe Tomorrow / The Iveys
The Iveys were brought to Apple by former Beatles roadie Mal Evans and ‘Maybe Tomorrow’ was a hit in Holland and a minor hit in the US, before the band changed its name to Badfinger.

4 Thingumybob / The Black Dyke Mills Band
Paul McCartney’s theme tune for a 1968 British TV comedy drama series, recorded by the most famous brass band in the world.

5 King Of Fuh / Brute Force
Brute Force is a New York songwriter and this single was championed by John Lennon and George Harrison, but ‘Fuh’ rhymes with ‘Uh’, and ‘the Fuh king’ was therefore banned back in 1969.

6 Sour Milk Sea / Jackie Lomax
Jackie Lomax has a great blue-eyed soul voice that more than does justice to this otherwise unavailable ‘White Album’-era song by George Harrison. Paul and Ringo provide rhythm and Eric Clapton plays lead guitar.

7 Goodbye / Mary Hopkin
Mary’s hugely successful follow-up to ‘Those Were The Days’ was written by Paul McCartney, and features Paul providing his own thigh-slapping percussion throughout.

8 That’s The Way God Planned It / Billy Preston
Billy Preston’s breakthrough UK hit, reaching No. 11, features the stellar line-up of Billy on keyboards, George Harrison on guitar, Keith Richards on bass, Ginger Baker on drums and Eric Clapton on lead guitar.

9 New Day / Jackie Lomax
An original non-album Lomax 45 that was co-produced with Mal Evans, and single-handedly defines the Jackie Lomax sound: British soul meets R&B with horns.

10 Golden Slumbers-Carry That Weight / Trash
A powerful interpretation of two songs from The Beatles’ Abbey Road, recorded by Trash, a heavy Scottish group that came to Apple via their producer, former Shadows drummer Tony Meehan.

11 Give Peace A Chance / Hot Chocolate Band
This completely re-worded British reggae version of John Lennon’s peace anthem was brought to Apple in a one-off deal by the band that became hugely popular in the Seventies with a string of classic disco hits.

12 Come And Get It / Badfinger
Written and produced by Paul McCartney for The Magic Christian film starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr, ‘Come And Get It’ was a massive worldwide hit and the first record issued by The Iveys under their new name of Badfinger.

13 Ain’t That Cute / Doris Troy
Soul singer-songwriter Doris Troy had scored hits before coming to Apple in 1969, and she and George Harrison wrote ‘Ain’t That Cute’ from scratch in the studio — the first time George had ever written a song that way.

14 My Sweet Lord / Billy Preston
George Harrison produced this soulful, gospel version of his most famous solo song, which he gave to Billy Preston before he had recorded it and released it himself.

15 Try Some Buy Some / Ronnie Spector
Ronnie Spector, one-time Ronette and former wife of legendary producer Phil, recorded this George Harrison original in 1971. George later re-cut it himself for Living In The Material World, using the exact same backing as Ronnie’s single.

16 Govinda / Radha Krishna Temple
‘Govinda’ is a Sanskrit hymn to Krishna, and was a UK Top 30 hit for the Radha Krishna Temple in 1970. Produced by George Harrison, who also plays bass and accordion.

17 We’re On Our Way / Chris Hodge
In 1972, Chris Hodge, a young British pop singer with a fascination for UFOs, caught the attention of Ringo Starr who signed Chris to Apple. ‘We’re On Our Way’ was recorded at Apple’s own studio in the basement of 3 Savile Row, London, and was a hit in America.

18 Saturday Nite Special / The Sundown Playboys
‘Saturday Nite Special’ is a lover’s lament sung in Cajun French by this cross-generational collective from Louisiana, USA, who came to Apple when their teenage accordionist sent in the song on a whim.

19 God Save Us / Bill Elliot & The Elastic Oz Band
John Lennon and Yoko Ono wrote this fundraiser for the defence in the famous Oz Obscenity Trial of 1971 and produced it too with Mal Evans and Phil Spector. Vocalist Bill Elliot later signed to George Harrison’s Dark Horse label.

20 Sweet Music / Lon & Derrek van Eaton
New Jersey’s Lon & Derrek van Eaton were one of the last acts to sign to Apple in 1971 and the first to make use of Apple’s then state-of-the-art recording studio. George Harrison produced ‘Sweet Music’ and Ringo played drums.

21 Day After Day / Badfinger
The band’s third single for Apple was produced by George Harrison, who duetted with the band’s Pete Ham on the slide guitar solo. It went UK Top 10 in 1972, and peaked at No. 4 Billboard in the US, in the same week that Nilsson’s cover of Badfinger’s ‘Without You’ was at No. 1.

JAMES TAYLOR (1968) by James Taylor
James Taylor’s debut album, recorded in 1968, includes two of his best loved songs, ‘Something In The Way She Moves’ and ‘Carolina In My Mind’. Both are familiar to millions from the 1976 versions that open his 11 x Platinum Greatest Hits, but were first recorded for Apple Records in 1968. Here are the original recordings, alongside 10 equally strong others, made in London with a little help from top musicians and some baroque English strings.

This Remastered CD includes four Bonus Tracks, all previously unreleased:

‘Sunny Skies’ / studio demo, later re-recorded for 1970’s Sweet Baby James
‘Let Me Ride’ / studio demo, later re-recorded for 1971’s Mud Slide Slim And The Blue Horizon
‘Sunshine Sunshine’ / solo acoustic demo of a song from James Taylor
‘Carolina In My Mind’ / solo acoustic demo of a song from James Taylor

MAGIC CHRISTIAN MUSIC (1970) by Badfinger
Magic Christian Music is a sweet, colourful pop album packed full of early gems from the songwriting powerhouse that began as The Iveys and later became Badfinger. Also featuring the worldwide smash hit ‘Come And Get It’, written and produced by Paul McCartney for the 1969 Peter Sellers / Ringo Starr movie The Magic Christian.

This Remastered CD includes five Bonus Tracks, all previously unreleased rare recordings by The Iveys:

‘And Her Daddy’s A Millionaire’ / alternative version
‘Mrs Jones’ / remix of an Iveys single-that-never-was
‘Sali Bloo’ / mono mix
‘See-Saw Granpa’ / mono mix
‘I’ve Been Waiting’ / unedited take of this psychedelic cult classic
Six further rare Iveys tracks will be available exclusively as Digital Downloads:

‘Dear Angie’ / mono mix
‘No Escaping Your Love’ / mono mix
‘Think About The Good Times’ / previously unreleased mono mix
‘Yesterday Ain’t Coming Back / previously unreleased mono mix
‘Arthur’ / previously unreleased stereo remix.
‘Storm In A Teacup’ / from Apple’s 1969 Wall’s Ice Cream EP

NO DICE (1970) by Badfinger
The first album with guitarist and singer-songwriter Joey Molland, No Dice is a watershed collection of power pop that bridges the band’s commercial instincts with the classic, no-frills rock that became their trademark. Includes the Top 10 single, ‘No Matter What’, and the original version of the Ivor Novello and Grammy Award winning ‘Without You’, made famous by Harry Nilsson, and later Mariah Carey.

This Remastered CD includes five Bonus Tracks, all previously unreleased rare recordings; the last five of which were all produced by Mal Evans:

‘I Can’t Take It’ / extended version / produced by Geoff Emerick
‘Without You’ / mono studio demo
‘Get Down’ / mono studio demo
‘Photograph’ (aka ‘Friends Are Hard To Find’) / alternative version
‘Believe Me’ / alternative version
‘No Matter What’ / mono demo version
Two further previously unreleased tracks will be available exclusively as Digital Downloads:

‘Love Me Do’ / instrumental version
‘Get Down’ / extended stereo version

STRAIGHT UP (1972) by Badfinger
Long considered to be the group’s finest album, Straight Up is a glorious collection of strong melodies, insightful lyrics and deep emotion. Produced in part by George Harrison and containing the U.S. hit, ‘Baby Blue’, plus the worldwide smash ‘Day After Day’ — featuring George and the group’s Pete Ham joining forces on the superb synchronized slide guitar solo.

This Remastered CD includes six Bonus Tracks, all produced by the Grammy Award-winning Geoff Emerick, three of which are previously unreleased songs:

‘I’ll Be The One’ / originally intended as a Badfinger single
‘Name Of The Game’ / first version; the cancelled single, Apple 35
‘Baby Blue’ / US single mix; not issued on 45 in the UK
‘Baby Please’ / previously unreleased song
‘No Good At All’ / previously unreleased song
‘Sing For The Song’ / previously unreleased song
Seven further tracks will be available exclusively as Digital Downloads, all taken from the unreleased album in between No Dice and Straight Up, produced by Geoff Emerick. One of these tracks is previously unreleased:

‘Money’
‘Flying’
‘Perfection’
‘Suitcase’ / with original ‘Pusher, Pusher’ lyric
‘Sweet Tuesday Morning’ / previously unreleased
‘Mean Mean Jemima’
‘Loving You’

ASS (1974) by Badfinger
Joey Molland assumes half the songwriting on this, the group’s heaviest and most serious album. Ass is solid gold Badfinger. It was partly recorded at the then state-of-the-art Apple Studios at 3 Savile Row, London, and contains the group’s valedictory ‘Apple Of My Eye’, written by Pete Ham. The album was produced by Badfinger with Chris Thomas.

This Remastered CD includes five Bonus Tracks, all produced by Badfinger themselves. Four of these are previously unreleased versions, and one is a previously unreleased song:

‘Do You Mind’
‘Apple Of My Eye’
‘Blind Owl’
‘Regular’ / previously unreleased song
‘Timeless’
Five further tracks will be available exclusively as Digital Downloads, all produced by Badfinger themselves. Four of these are previously unreleased versions and the other is a previously unreleased song:

‘Get Away’

‘When I Say’

‘The Winner’

‘I Can Love You’

‘Piano Red’ / previously unreleased song

POST CARD (1968) by Mary Hopkin
Mary Hopkin’s debut is a treasury of popular song. Produced by Paul McCartney and featuring numbers from Donovan, Harry Nilsson and, in rare songwriting mode, George Martin; plus classics from the Gershwins and Irving Berlin. Mary’s pure, folk-inspired vocals make for a beguiling, dreamy album. Although not included on the original UK LP, Mary’s global smash hit ‘Those Were The Days’ is now the staple track on Post Card.

This Remastered CD includes four Bonus Tracks, three of which were produced by Paul McCartney, and one by Geoff Emerick. One of these is previously unreleased — a cancelled Mary Hopkin single from 1969

‘Turn Turn Turn’ / 1968 B-side to ‘Those Were The Days’
‘Goodbye’ / Mary’s second hit single, written by Paul McCartney
‘Sparrow’ / 1969 B-side to ‘Goodbye’, written by Gallagher & Lyle then signed to Apple Publishing
‘Fields Of St. Etienne’ / previously unreleased version of this Gallagher & Lyle song, the cancelled single, Apple 16.
Four further tracks will be available exclusively as Digital Downloads, each produced by Paul McCartney: foreign language vocal versions of ‘Those Were The Days’. Two of these have never before been available in digital format (CD or download):

‘Le Temps Des Fleurs’ / ‘Those Were The Days’ in French (first time on digital)
‘An Jenem Tag’ / ‘Those Were The Days’ in German (first time on digital)
‘Quelli Erano Giorni’ / ‘Those Were The Days’ in Italian
‘Que Tiempo Feliz’ / ‘Those Were The Days’ in Spanish

EARTH SONG / OCEAN SONG (1971) by Mary Hopkin
Issued in 1971, this is Mary Hopkin’s coming-of-age collection, packed with socially-conscious, lyrically-aware anthems from the cream of the era’s folk protagonists: Ralph McTell, Gallagher & Lyle, Tom Paxton, Cat Stevens, Harvey Andrews and the relatively unknown Liz Thorsen who wrote the collection’s title songs, ‘Earth Song’ and ‘Ocean Song’. Mary defines her art on this album, co-ordinated by legendary producer and Mary’s husband-to-be at the time, Tony Visconti.

This Remastered CD includes three Bonus Tracks, all produced by Tony Visconti:

‘Kew Gardens’ / 1971 B-side to ‘Let My Name Be Sorrow’
‘When I Am Old One Day’ / from the Earth Song / Ocean Song sessions
‘Let My Name Be Sorrow’ / Mary’s penultimate single for Apple Records, issued in 1971
Three further tracks will be available exclusively as Digital Downloads, each produced by Tony Visconti and two of which are being made available digitally (on CD or as downloads) for the first time:

‘Quand Je Te Regarde Vivre’ / ‘Let My Name Be Sorrow’ sung in French (first time on digital)
‘Watashi O Kanashimi To Yonde’ / ‘Let My Name Be Sorrow’ sung in Japanese (first time on digital)
‘Jefferson’ / original 1971 B-side to ‘Water, Paper And Clay’, Mary’s last single for Apple Records

THAT’S THE WAY GOD PLANNED IT (1969) by Billy Preston
Billy Preston’s debut album for Apple Records was his vocal album debut too. Before this Billy was renowned merely as a wizard instrumentalist. Here, his impassioned vocals help create one of the best soul records of the 1960s. Produced by George Harrison, That’s The Way… expands Billy’s palette of gospel and R&B to embrace rock elements brought in by A-list players Keith Richards, Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton.

This Remastered CD includes the three bonus tracks from the 1991 CD plus the previously unreleased ‘Something’s Got To Change’

‘Through All Times’
‘As I Get Older’ / an instrumental produced by Ray Charles and the 1970 B-side to Billy’s second Apple single, ‘All That I’ve Got (I’m Gonna Give It To You)’
‘That’s The Way God Planned It’ / stripped back ‘rock’ version
‘Something’s Got To Change’ / first recorded by Ray Charles in 1967

ENCOURAGING WORDS (1970) by Billy Preston
Encouraging Words is steeped in exemplary playing and songwriting… and pure funky soul. Produced by George Harrison and Billy together, it is packed with originals and inspired covers, including ‘My Sweet Lord’ and ‘All Things (Must) Pass’ — donated by George before he released them himself — and a unique Harrison-Preston songwriting collaboration, the gospel hymn ‘Sing One For The Lord’. This is Billy on the launch pad just before he rocketed to U.S. No.2 success with ‘Outta Space’ for A&M Records.

This Remastered CD includes the two Bonus Tracks from the 1993 release along with ‘How Long Has The Train Been Gone’ which is a previously unreleased track

‘As Long As I’ve Got My Baby’ / originally the planned B-side to the cancelled UK ‘My Sweet Lord’ single, Apple 29
‘All That I’ve Got (I’m Gonna Give It To You)’ / co-written with Doris Troy and Billy’s third Apple single in 1970.
‘How Long Has The Train Been Gone’ / written with Bruce Fisher and later re-recorded for Billy’s 1973 album Everybody Loves Some Kind Of Music
DORIS TROY (1970) by Doris Troy
The self-titled Apple album from the legendary Doris Troy, nicknamed ‘Mama Soul’ by her British fans, is an exciting union of R&B, gospel and rock. It showcases four little-known songs that Doris co-wrote with George Harrison, two of which also credit Stephen Stills and Ringo Starr. Other guests include Billy Preston, Peter Frampton and Eric Clapton.

This Remastered CD includes the five Bonus Tracks that appeared on the 1992 CD reissue, plus an additional, previously unreleased, alternative version of ‘All That I’ve Got (I’m Gonna Give It To You)’, written with Billy Preston and issued by Billy as his third Apple single in 1970.

‘All That I’ve Got (I’m Gonna Give It To You)’ / co-written with Billy Preston
‘Get Back’ / Beatles cover version and the B-side to Doris’ second Apple single ‘Jacob’s Ladder’
‘Dearest Darling’ / a Doris original unreleased until 1992
‘What You Will Blues’
‘Vaya Con Dios’ / the B-side to ‘Ain’t That Cute’ in 1970
‘All That I’ve Got (I’m Gonna Give It To You)’ / newly discovered alternative version

IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? (1968) by Jackie Lomax
Yes! This is a cracking album of powerful late-Sixties rock and blue-eyed soul originals by Liverpool vocalist Jackie Lomax. Among the many highlights is the one cover, George Harrison’s otherwise unavailable ‘White Album’-era song ‘Sour Milk Sea’, given to Jackie and featuring guest players including George, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Keith Richards and Eric Clapton.

This Remastered CD includes six Bonus Tracks, three of which are previously unreleased:

‘New Day’ / Jackie’s second single for Apple, from 1969
‘Thumbin’ A Ride’ / cover of the Coasters song, produced by Paul McCartney and the B-side to ‘How The Web Was Woven’ in 1970
‘How The Web Was Woven’ / Jackie’s last single for Apple, produced by George Harrison
‘You’ve Got To Be Strong’ / previously unreleased by Jackie Lomax; also covered by Doris Troy on her Apple album
‘You Make It With Me’ / previously unreleased; one of the last tracks Jackie recorded for Apple
‘Can You Hear Me’ / previously unreleased; one of the last tracks Jackie recorded for Apple in the summer of 1969
Four further tracks will be available exclusively as Digital Downloads, three of which make their debut in the digital domain:

‘Going Back To Liverpool’ / unreleased until 1991
‘Sour Milk Sea’ / 1968 mono mix (first time on digital)
‘The Eagle Laughs At You’ / 1968 mono mix (first time on digital)
‘Little Yellow Pills’ / 1968 mono mix (first time on digital)

UNDER THE JASMIN TREE (1968) & SPACE (1969) by the Modern Jazz Quartet (a 2-on-1 CD)
Two albums of high-class improvisational bebop recorded by Atlantic Records legends the MJQ while on secondment to Apple. With their unique line-up of piano, vibes, bass and drums, the Quartet brought old-style tuxedo excellence and cool organic jazz to the Apple catalogue.

This Remastered CD includes one Bonus Track:

‘Yesterday’ / previously unreleased version of The Beatles’ classic

THE WHALE (1970) & CELTIC REQUIEM (1971) by John Tavener (a 2-on-1 CD)
Sir John Tavener was knighted by The Queen in 2000 for his services to music, and he remains one of Britain’s most popular classical composers. Back in the late Sixties, John Tavener was championed by John & Yoko, and befriended by Ringo Starr. Apple’s recordings of The Whale, his avant-garde oratorio, and Celtic Requiem, written for soprano, orchestra and children’s choir, were his first ever full-length releases, and remain extraordinary examples of British contemporary classical music.

This remastered CD also contains two supporting pieces, ‘Nomine Jesu’ (‘Name Of Jesus’) and ‘Coplas’ (‘Verses’), that were originally issued on the Celtic Requiem album in 1970, and were later reworked into the major Tavener composition of 1972 Ultimos Ritos. For this new CD, Sir John has re-presented The Whale as it was originally published in the score. Instead of spanning two tracks as per all previous releases, the oratorio has now been split into its seven discrete sections, allowing the listener for the first time to follow on record the individual elements of this early and most innovative work.

RADHA KRISHNA TEMPLE (1971) by the Radha Krishna Temple (London)
The latest addition to the 2010 Reissue campaign is The Radha Krishna Temple album, which was recorded by the London chapter of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness and was produced by George Harrison. The album is a collection of devotional chants and prayers to Krishna (another name for God) and to the movement’s own divinely-inspired spiritual masters. It spawned two Top 30 UK singles, ‘Hare Krishna Mantra’ (No. 12) and ‘Govinda’ (No. 23), and said George: “It was the greatest fun of all, really, to see Krishna on Top Of The Pops”. Krishna Consciousness can be defined as a “process of plain living and high thinking” that leads to spiritual knowledge, self-realization, as well as the greater goal of peace and happiness in the wider world.

This Remastered CD includes one Bonus Track:

‘Namaste Sarawati Devi’ / previously unreleased