Past Masters

This article is about the Beatles album. For other uses, see Past Master (disambiguation).

Past Masters is a two-disc compilation album set by the English rock band the Beatles. It was originally released as two separate volumes on 7 March 1988, as part of the first issue of the band's catalogue on compact disc.^[10] The album contains all songs released commercially by the band that were not available on the Beatles' 12 original UK albums or the US Magical Mystery Tour LP.^[10][11] It was compiled by Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn, who also wrote the liner notes. The majority of the Past Masters set consists of A- and B-sides from the band's singles, including single versions of songs that appeared in a different form on the band's albums. Also included are the full contents of the UK-only Long Tall Sally EP, two German-language tracks, a song recorded for the American market, and a track released on a charity compilation album.^[10]

Past Masters
The 2009 Past Masters album cover
Compilation album by the Beatles
Released	7 March 1988 (1988-03-07)
Recorded	4 September 1962 – 4 January 1970
Studio	EMI, Trident, Olympic and Apple, London Pathé Marconi, Paris
Genre	Rock
Length	93:29
Language	English, German ("Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" / "Sie Liebt Dich")
Label	Parlophone, Capitol, Apple
Producer	George Martin
Compiler	Mark Lewisohn
The Beatles chronology
20 Greatest Hits (1982) Past Masters (1988) The Beatles Box Set (1988)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	(Vol. 1)[1] (Vol. 2)[2] (Vol. 1 & 2)[3]
BBC	(favourable)[4]
Consequence	[5]
The Daily Telegraph	[6]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[7]
One Thirty BPM	100%[8]
Pitchfork	9.2/10[9]

Although Past Masters is not a studio album and is instead a compilation, it is considered to be the Beatles' 14th (and final) major release. This occurred when the Beatles' core catalog was standardized in 1987, followed by the official re-releases in 2009.^[12]

Release history

Past Masters was originally issued as two separate CDs, Past Masters, Volume One and Past Masters, Volume Two, on 7 March 1988. The two volumes were included in The Beatles Box Set. A double LP set, titled Past Masters, Volumes One & Two (also titled simply Past Masters), was subsequently released in the US on 24 October 1988 and in the UK on 10 November 1988. Both volumes were also released as a double cassette bundle on 7 March 1988.

The double set was re-released on CD, titled simply Past Masters, on 9 September 2009, as part of the remastering of the original Beatles catalogue, and was included in The Beatles (The Original Studio Recordings) box set.^[13] This release includes stereo mixes of both "From Me to You" and "Thank You Girl", whereas the original 1988 issue contained the two tracks in mono. Mark Lewisohn's name was removed from this reissue. The Beatles in Mono box set, released at the same time, includes the album Mono Masters, which contains a similar track list of dedicated mono mixes.

A remastered-for-vinyl version of the Past Masters double LP set was released on 12 November 2012.^[14]

Track listings

The dates provided are the dates when the tracks were originally released, not recorded.

All songs written and composed by Lennon–McCartney, except where noted. Tracks are in stereo, except where noted.

Past Masters, Volume One

Past Masters, Volume One album cover

Contains recordings originally released between 1962 and 1965:

• Eleven tracks from British singles (including B-sides)
• Both tracks from the German single "Komm, Gib Mir Deine Hand" / "Sie Liebt Dich"
• All four tracks from the Long Tall Sally EP
• The US-only track "Bad Boy", from the album Beatles VI (although the song was also on the 1966 A Collection of Beatles Oldies album released by Parlophone)

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Love Me Do" (from 5 October 1962 A-side, the original single version on Parlophone, catalogue number 45-R4949; recorded on 4 September 1962, featuring Ringo Starr on drums; mono)	Paul McCartney with John Lennon	2:24
2.	"From Me to You" (from 11 April 1963 A-side)	Lennon with McCartney	1:58
3.	"Thank You Girl" (from 11 April 1963 B-side)	Lennon with McCartney	2:04
4.	"She Loves You" (from 23 August 1963 A-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	2:21
5.	"I'll Get You" (from 23 August 1963 B-side; mono)	Lennon with McCartney	2:06
6.	"I Want to Hold Your Hand" (from 29 November 1963 A-side)	Lennon with McCartney	2:27
7.	"This Boy" (from 29 November 1963 B-side)	Lennon, with McCartney and Harrison	2:16
8.	"Komm, gib mir deine Hand" (Lennon/McCartney/Jean Nicolas/Heinz Hellmer) (from March 1964 German single; very narrow stereo, wider stereo on 2009 remasters)	Lennon and McCartney	2:27
9.	"Sie liebt dich" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Lee Montogue) (from March 1964 German single; very narrow stereo, wider stereo on 2009 remasters)	Lennon and McCartney	2:20
10.	"Long Tall Sally" (Enotris Johnson, Robert Blackwell, Richard Penniman) (from 19 June 1964 Long Tall Sally EP)	McCartney	2:03
11.	"I Call Your Name" (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:09
12.	"Slow Down" (Larry Williams) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:56
13.	"Matchbox" (Carl Perkins) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Ringo Starr	1:59
14.	"I Feel Fine" (from 27 November 1964 A-side)	Lennon	2:20
15.	"She's a Woman" (from 27 November 1964 B-side)	McCartney	3:03
16.	"Bad Boy" (Williams) (from 14 June 1965 US album Beatles VI, 10 December 1966 UK album A Collection of Beatles Oldies)	Lennon	2:21
17.	"Yes It Is" (from 9 April 1965 B-side of "Ticket to Ride")	Lennon, with McCartney and Harrison	2:43
18.	"I'm Down" (from 23 July 1965 B-side of "Help!")	McCartney	2:32
Total length:			42:28

Past Masters, Volume Two

Past Masters, Volume Two album cover

Contains recordings originally released between 1965 and 1970:

• Fourteen tracks from British singles (including B-sides)
• The "Wildlife" version of "Across the Universe" from the charity album No One's Gonna Change Our World
• The 1970 stereo mix of "The Inner Light", which had only been previously available on a limited edition 1981 EP.

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Day Tripper" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:50
2.	"We Can Work It Out" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	McCartney and Lennon	2:16
3.	"Paperback Writer" (from 10 June 1966 A-side)	McCartney	2:19
4.	"Rain" (from 10 June 1966 B-side)	Lennon	3:02
5.	"Lady Madonna" (from 15 March 1968 A-side)	McCartney	2:18
6.	"The Inner Light" (George Harrison) (15 March 1968 B-side, Stereo)	Harrison	2:37
7.	"Hey Jude" (from 30 August 1968 A-side)	McCartney	7:08
8.	"Revolution" (from 30 August 1968 single version B-side)	Lennon	3:25
9.	"Get Back" (from 11 April 1969 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:15
10.	"Don't Let Me Down" (from 11 April 1969 B-side)	Lennon	3:35
11.	"The Ballad of John and Yoko" (from 30 May 1969 A-side)	Lennon	3:00
12.	"Old Brown Shoe" (Harrison) (30 May 1969 B-side)	Harrison	3:18
13.	"Across The Universe" (12 December 1969 "Wildlife" version from the charity album No One's Gonna Change Our World)	Lennon	3:49
14.	"Let It Be" (from 6 March 1970 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:51
15.	"You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" (from 6 March 1970 B-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	4:19
Total length:			51:01

Past Masters, Volumes One & Two

Side one

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Love Me Do" (from 5 October 1962 A-side, the original single version on Parlophone, catalogue number 45-R4949; recorded on 4 September 1962, featuring Ringo Starr on drums; mono)	Paul McCartney with John Lennon	2:24
2.	"From Me to You" (from 11 April 1963 A-side)	Lennon with McCartney	1:58
3.	"Thank You Girl" (from 11 April 1963 B-side)	Lennon with McCartney	2:04
4.	"She Loves You" (from 23 August 1963 A-side; Mono)	Lennon and McCartney	2:21
5.	"I'll Get You" (from 23 August 1963 B-side; Mono)	Lennon with McCartney	2:06
6.	"I Want to Hold Your Hand" (from 29 November 1963 A-side)	Lennon with McCartney	2:27
7.	"This Boy" (from 29 November 1963 B-side)	Lennon, with McCartney and Harrison	2:16
8.	"Komm, gib mir deine Hand" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Hellmer) (from March 1964 German single; very narrow stereo, wider stereo on 2009 remasters)	Lennon and McCartney	2:27
9.	"Sie liebt dich" (Lennon/McCartney/Nicolas/Montague) (from March 1964 German single; very narrow stereo, wider stereo on 2009 remasters)	Lennon and McCartney	2:20
Total length:			20:23

Side two

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
10.	"Long Tall Sally" (Johnson, Blackwell, Penniman) (from 19 June 1964 Long Tall Sally EP)	McCartney	2:03
11.	"I Call Your Name" (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:09
12.	"Slow Down" (Williams) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Lennon	2:56
13.	"Matchbox" (Perkins) (from Long Tall Sally EP)	Ringo Starr	1:59
14.	"I Feel Fine" (from 27 November 1964 A-side)	Lennon	2:20
15.	"She's a Woman" (from 27 November 1964 B-side)	McCartney	3:03
16.	"Bad Boy" (Williams) (from 14 June 1965 US album Beatles VI, 10 December 1966 UK album A Collection of Beatles Oldies)	Lennon	2:21
17.	"Yes It Is" (from 9 April 1965 B-side of "Ticket to Ride")	Lennon, with McCartney and Harrison	2:43
18.	"I'm Down" (from 23 July 1965 B-side of "Help!")	McCartney	2:32
Total length:			22:06

Side three

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
1.	"Day Tripper" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	Lennon and McCartney	2:50
2.	"We Can Work It Out" (from 3 December 1965 double A-side)	McCartney	2:16
3.	"Paperback Writer" (from 10 June 1966 A-side)	McCartney	2:19
4.	"Rain" (from 10 June 1966 B-side)	Lennon	3:02
5.	"Lady Madonna" (from 15 March 1968 A-side)	McCartney	2:18
6.	"The Inner Light" (Harrison) (15 March 1968 B-side)	Harrison	2:37
7.	"Hey Jude" (from 30 August 1968 A-side)	McCartney	7:08
8.	"Revolution" (from 30 August 1968 single version B-side)	Lennon	3:25
Total length:			25:55

Side four

No.	Title	Lead vocals	Length
9.	"Get Back" (from 11 April 1969 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:15
10.	"Don't Let Me Down" (from 11 April 1969 B-side)	Lennon	3:35
11.	"The Ballad of John and Yoko" (from 30 May 1969 A-side)	Lennon	3:00
12.	"Old Brown Shoe" (Harrison) (30 May 1969 B-side)	Harrison	3:18
13.	"Across the Universe" (12 December 1969 "Wildlife" version from the charity album No One's Gonna Change Our World)	Lennon	3:49
14.	"Let It Be" (from 6 March 1970 single version A-side)	McCartney	3:51
15.	"You Know My Name (Look Up the Number)" (from 6 March 1970 B-side; mono)	Lennon and McCartney	4:19
Total length:			25:07

Charts and certifications

Past Masters: Volume 1

Charts Chart (1988) Peak position Australian (Kent Music Report)[15] 79 UK Albums (OCC)[16] 49 US Billboard 200[17] 149

Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Argentina (CAPIF)[18] Gold 30,000^ Australia (ARIA)[19] Gold 35,000^ United Kingdom (BPI)[20] Gold 100,000* United States (RIAA)[21] Platinum 1,000,000^ * Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Past Masters: Volume 2

Charts Chart (1988) Peak position Australian (Kent Music Report)[22] 75 UK Albums (OCC)[23] 46 US Billboard 200[17] 121

Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Argentina (CAPIF)[18] Gold 30,000^ Australia (ARIA)[24] Gold 35,000^ United Kingdom (BPI)[25] Gold 100,000* United States (RIAA)[26] Platinum 1,000,000^ * Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Past Masters

Charts Chart (2009) Peak position Australian Albums (ARIA)[27] 34 Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[28] 40 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[29] 53 Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[30] 27 German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[31] 61 Italian Albums (FIMI)[32] 47 Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[33] 90 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[34] 33 Portuguese Albums (AFP)[35] 20 Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[36] 44 Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[37] 36 Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[38] 47 UK Albums (OCC)[39] 31 Chart (2010) Peak position US Billboard 200[40][41] 154

Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales Canada (Music Canada)[42] Gold 40,000^ United Kingdom (BPI)[43] Silver 60,000‡ ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

• Outline of the Beatles
• The Beatles timeline

References

1. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: Past Masters, Vol. 1". Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
2. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Review: Past Masters, Vol. 2". Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
3. Ruhlmann, William. "Review: Past Masters, Vol. 1 & 2". Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 16 April 2011.
4. Diver, Mike (8 September 2009). "The Beatles Past Masters Review". BBC. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
5. Blackard, Cap (27 September 2009). "Album Review: The Beatles – Past Masters (Remastered)". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
6. McCormick, Neil (8 September 2009). "The Beatles – Past Masters, review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
7. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
8. Highkin, Sean. "Reviews: The Beatles – Past Masters (Remaster)". One Thirty BPM. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
9. Wolk, Douglas (10 September 2009). "Album review: The Beatles – Past Masters". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
10. Ingham, Chris (October 2003). The Rough Guide to The Beatles. Rough Guides Ltd. ISBN 1-84353-140-2. Retrieved 29 April 2011.
11. Lewisohn, Mark (March 1988). The Beatles – Past Masters, Volume 1 – Booklet. Parlophone.
12. Lewisohn 1988, pp. 200–201.
13. "The Beatles: Remastered". Apple Corps. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
14. "Inside the Beatles' Vinyl Album Remasters". Rolling Stone.
15. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book (1940–1969). Turramurra: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
16. "The Beatles | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
17. "The Beatles Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
18. "Discos de oro y platino" (in Spanish). Cámara Argentina de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original on 6 July 2011. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
19. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
20. "British album certifications – The Beatles – Past Masters, Volume One". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
21. "American album certifications – The Beatles – Past Masters, Volume 1". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
22. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book (1940–1969). Turramurra: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
23. "The Beatles | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
24. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2009 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 28 December 2021.
25. "British album certifications – The Beatles – Past Masters, Volume Two". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
26. "American album certifications – The Beatles – Past Masters, Volume 2". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
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30. "Ultratop.be – The Beatles – Past Masters" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
31. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Beatles – Past Masters" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
32. "Italiancharts.com – The Beatles – Past Masters". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
33. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Beatles – Past Masters" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
34. "Charts.nz – The Beatles – Past Masters". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
35. "Portuguesecharts.com – The Beatles – Past Masters". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
36. "Spanishcharts.com – The Beatles – Past Masters". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
37. "Swedishcharts.com – The Beatles – Past Masters". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
38. "Swisscharts.com – The Beatles – Past Masters". Hung Medien. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
39. "The Beatles | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
40. "The Beatles Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
41. "Billboard 200, Week of January 9, 2010". Billboard. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
42. "Canadian album certifications – The Beatles – Past Masters". Music Canada. Retrieved 19 May 2016.
43. "British album certifications – Beatles – Past Masters". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 20 July 2023.