THE NUMBER ONES
Parlophone PLAY 1024
Parlophone PLAY 1024
PAGE LAST UPDATED: 9 NOVEMBER 2022
| RELEASE DATE | SIDE 1 MATRIX | SIDE 2 MATRIX | PARTS |
| 13 May 1983 | PLAY 1024 A OR | PLAY 1024 B OR | AU |
| ORIGIN | CODE | CIRCULATED | SLEEVE DETAILS |
| AUST | A1 | May 1983 | Copies came sealed in extremely tight shrink wrap that damaged the sleeve over time |
BLACK 1-BOX B
AU1024S1B
Jul 1987
AU1024S1B
Jul 1987
BLACK 1-BOX A
AU1024S1A
13 May 1983
AU1024S1A
13 May 1983
To reflect Australia's differing tastes, EMI (Australia) issued in May 1983 its own version of 20 Greatest Hits, an album released with localised variations in both the UK and US the previous October. As The Beatles had 23 number ones in Australia (they actually had more if one included all the double A-sides), the title was aptly changed to The Number Ones. Not all tracks would fit onto a standard LP—as it was, side two had a very low volume to compensate for the 32+ minute side length—so three tracks were provided as a "bonus EP". However, this marketing was technically incorrect, for it was actually added to EMI's single catalogue, with a catalogue number from the singles range along with matrix numbers. In any event, how three of the core tracks could be considered a "bonus" is a mystery.
The album is unique even if for no other reason than being the only album worldwide to contain the 1963 stereo mix of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. Unfortunately though, the first second of the track suffers from an audible "wow", the result of a hasty 1982 disc-to-tape dubbing exercise (see below).
Album compiler Bruce Hamlin selected the tracks and tapes to be used for this album. Bruce specifically chose the 1963 stereo mix of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. He also wanted the 'repaired' version of 'I Should Have Known Better' that appeared on the American Reel Music LP, which does not have the harmonica drop out in the intro. EMI (Australia) had that Capitol tape in its possession, but for whatever reason, went with the standard UK stereo mix instead.
The release of this album created a unique situation in Australia, because for the first time a buyer could obtain the 1963, 1965 and 1966 stereo mixes of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' concurrently depending on the album purchased!
The album spent 19 weeks on the charts, reaching #1.
Mastered at Studios 301 by Otto Ruiter utilising the Maxicut Process.
CASSETTE RUNNING ORDER
Without the limitations of vinyl to contend with, the cassette version sequenced the "bonus" tracks in their chronological release order, viz:
Side 1
1. I Want To Hold Your Hand
2. Love Me Do
3. I Saw Her Standing There
4. Can't Buy Me Love
5. A Hard Day's Night
6. I Should Have Known Better
7. I Feel Fine
8. Rock 'N' Roll Music
9. Ticket To Ride
10. Help
11. We Can Work It Out
12. Nowhere Man
13. Yellow Submarine
14. Penny Lane
Side 2
1. All You Need Is Love
2. Hello, Goodbye
3. Lady Madonna
4. Hey, Jude
5. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
6. Get Back
7. The Ballad Of John And Yoko
8. Something
9. Let It Be
Much like the LP release, the tracks on side two play at a much lower volume than side one, even though on cassette side one runs some three plus minutes longer.
THE STORY BEHIND 'I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND'
When EMI's contract with The Beatles expired in early 1976, EMI started a worldwide campaign to reissue all official Beatles singles. EMI (Australia) jumped on board, but by 1976 only one of the first 18 singles was still in print, the ever popular 'Rock And Roll Music'/'Honey Don't'. Thus 17 singles would need to be reissued to join the remaining 12 singles that were still available.
In preparing the reissues, EMI (Australia) obtained new sources for six singles: 'From Me To You'/'Thank You Girl', 'She Loves You'/'I'll Get You', 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'/'This Boy', 'Love Me Do'/'I Saw Her Standing There', 'I Feel Fine'/'She's A Woman' and 'Ticket To Ride'/'Yes It Is'. As these singles had been out of print for many years, the original masters and parts had been disposed and thus new cuts were required.
Documentation indicates that locally-stored tape sources were used for some of the singles (stereo where available), but others, including (at least) 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' and 'This Boy', were freshly sourced from EMI UK.
Along with the standard stereo mix of 'This Boy', EMI UK despatched for reasons known only to them the October 1963 stereo mix of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' rather than the later November 1966 stereo mix that was made for A Collection Of Beatles Oldies. EMI (Australia) dutifully used what it was sent; it didn't care about the mix, just the title.
Sometime after the singles were reissued, Capitol Records (US) heard about the 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'/'This Boy' tape and asked EMI (Australia) for a copy. For reasons known only to them, EMI (Australia) didn't send a copy, they sent the actual tape… without keeping a copy for themselves! Even worse is that Capitol appears to have never used the tape.
Fast forward to 1982, when EMI (Australia) needed to recut 'This Boy' due to a damaged mother. After a quick search they found the track on the Love Songs production master tape (PARLO 469), and dutifully started preparing it. Bruce Hamlin pointed out to the cutting engineer the next day, immediately prior to plating, that Love Songs contained the fake stereo mix, and if he wanted to replace the original stereo cut he should use the original 1976 single, seeing as though EMI (Australia) had given away the original tape without keeping a copy!
So an employee grabbed a copy of the single and dubbed both 'This Boy' and 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' to one 30ips tape. Unfortunately though, 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' was only dubbed for posterity as it wasn't required for the recut. For this reason the dubber didn't take particular care with it - he either didn't wait for the turntable to come up to speed or he cued the needle up too close to the music start. This introduced an audible "wow" into the recording during the first second of the intro.
So, fast forward again to 1983 when The Number Ones album was compiled. Bruce knew about the single dub and chose it as the source for the album. Thus, the copy on The Number Ones is a dub from the 1976 single, with the audible "wow".
The album is unique even if for no other reason than being the only album worldwide to contain the 1963 stereo mix of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. Unfortunately though, the first second of the track suffers from an audible "wow", the result of a hasty 1982 disc-to-tape dubbing exercise (see below).
Album compiler Bruce Hamlin selected the tracks and tapes to be used for this album. Bruce specifically chose the 1963 stereo mix of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'. He also wanted the 'repaired' version of 'I Should Have Known Better' that appeared on the American Reel Music LP, which does not have the harmonica drop out in the intro. EMI (Australia) had that Capitol tape in its possession, but for whatever reason, went with the standard UK stereo mix instead.
The release of this album created a unique situation in Australia, because for the first time a buyer could obtain the 1963, 1965 and 1966 stereo mixes of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' concurrently depending on the album purchased!
The album spent 19 weeks on the charts, reaching #1.
Mastered at Studios 301 by Otto Ruiter utilising the Maxicut Process.
CASSETTE RUNNING ORDER
Without the limitations of vinyl to contend with, the cassette version sequenced the "bonus" tracks in their chronological release order, viz:
Side 1
1. I Want To Hold Your Hand
2. Love Me Do
3. I Saw Her Standing There
4. Can't Buy Me Love
5. A Hard Day's Night
6. I Should Have Known Better
7. I Feel Fine
8. Rock 'N' Roll Music
9. Ticket To Ride
10. Help
11. We Can Work It Out
12. Nowhere Man
13. Yellow Submarine
14. Penny Lane
Side 2
1. All You Need Is Love
2. Hello, Goodbye
3. Lady Madonna
4. Hey, Jude
5. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
6. Get Back
7. The Ballad Of John And Yoko
8. Something
9. Let It Be
Much like the LP release, the tracks on side two play at a much lower volume than side one, even though on cassette side one runs some three plus minutes longer.
THE STORY BEHIND 'I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND'
When EMI's contract with The Beatles expired in early 1976, EMI started a worldwide campaign to reissue all official Beatles singles. EMI (Australia) jumped on board, but by 1976 only one of the first 18 singles was still in print, the ever popular 'Rock And Roll Music'/'Honey Don't'. Thus 17 singles would need to be reissued to join the remaining 12 singles that were still available.
In preparing the reissues, EMI (Australia) obtained new sources for six singles: 'From Me To You'/'Thank You Girl', 'She Loves You'/'I'll Get You', 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'/'This Boy', 'Love Me Do'/'I Saw Her Standing There', 'I Feel Fine'/'She's A Woman' and 'Ticket To Ride'/'Yes It Is'. As these singles had been out of print for many years, the original masters and parts had been disposed and thus new cuts were required.
Documentation indicates that locally-stored tape sources were used for some of the singles (stereo where available), but others, including (at least) 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' and 'This Boy', were freshly sourced from EMI UK.
Along with the standard stereo mix of 'This Boy', EMI UK despatched for reasons known only to them the October 1963 stereo mix of 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' rather than the later November 1966 stereo mix that was made for A Collection Of Beatles Oldies. EMI (Australia) dutifully used what it was sent; it didn't care about the mix, just the title.
Sometime after the singles were reissued, Capitol Records (US) heard about the 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'/'This Boy' tape and asked EMI (Australia) for a copy. For reasons known only to them, EMI (Australia) didn't send a copy, they sent the actual tape… without keeping a copy for themselves! Even worse is that Capitol appears to have never used the tape.
Fast forward to 1982, when EMI (Australia) needed to recut 'This Boy' due to a damaged mother. After a quick search they found the track on the Love Songs production master tape (PARLO 469), and dutifully started preparing it. Bruce Hamlin pointed out to the cutting engineer the next day, immediately prior to plating, that Love Songs contained the fake stereo mix, and if he wanted to replace the original stereo cut he should use the original 1976 single, seeing as though EMI (Australia) had given away the original tape without keeping a copy!
So an employee grabbed a copy of the single and dubbed both 'This Boy' and 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' to one 30ips tape. Unfortunately though, 'I Want To Hold Your Hand' was only dubbed for posterity as it wasn't required for the recut. For this reason the dubber didn't take particular care with it - he either didn't wait for the turntable to come up to speed or he cued the needle up too close to the music start. This introduced an audible "wow" into the recording during the first second of the intro.
So, fast forward again to 1983 when The Number Ones album was compiled. Bruce knew about the single dub and chose it as the source for the album. Thus, the copy on The Number Ones is a dub from the 1976 single, with the audible "wow".
GENERAL ALBUM INFORMATION
MATRIX INFORMATION
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
Machine Stamped - Hand Written
SLEEVE INFORMATION
