Love Songs (Beatles album)

Love Songs
Compilation album by the Beatles
Released	21 October 1977 (1977-10-21)
Recorded	11 September 1962 – 1 April 1970
Studio	EMI, Olympic and Apple studios, London
Genre	Pop folk rock
Length	59:05
Label	Capitol (US), Parlophone (UK)
Producer	George Martin and Phil Spector
The Beatles chronology
Live! at the Star-Club in Hamburg, Germany; 1962 (1977) Love Songs (1977) The Beatles Collection (1978)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[2]
The Rolling Stone Record Guide	[3]

Love Songs is a compilation album that comprises love songs recorded by the Beatles between 1962 and 1970. It was released by Capitol Records in the United States on 21 October 1977 (catalogue number SKBL-11711) and on Parlophone in the United Kingdom on 19 November 1977 (PCSP 721). The compilation peaked at #24 in Billboard's Top LPs & Tape chart during a 31-week stay that began on 12 November 1977.^[4] The RIAA certified the album with sales of three million units in 2000 even though the compilation was deleted in the late 1980s.^[4] The New Zealand release followed the US release with cat. no. and pressing plates, and was released on 2 different EMI labels.

The LP's original packaging included an 11 x 11" booklet, with the songs' lyrics printed, calligraphy-style, on simulated parchment paper. For the first several pressings, the cover itself was simulated leather, and the Beatles' image (a re-working of Richard Avedon's 1967 portrait, featured in Look Magazine) was simulated gold-foil. The LP was also available on yellow vinyl.

As with the previous year's Rock 'n' Roll Music compilation, the songs were presented with the left and right channels reversed, with the four Rubber Soul tracks - "Girl", "In My Life", "Michelle", and "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" - appearing in slightly narrowed stereo. Three further tracks—"Yes It Is", "This Boy", and "P.S. I Love You"—used the Duophonic mixes.

Track listing

All tracks written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney except where noted.

Disc one
Side one No. Title Length 1. "Yesterday" 2:03 2. "I'll Follow the Sun" 1:47 3. "I Need You" (George Harrison) 2:27 4. "Girl" 2:30 5. "In My Life" 2:24 6. "Words of Love" (Buddy Holly) 2:12 7. "Here, There and Everywhere" 2:22	Side two No. Title Length 1. "Something" (George Harrison) 3:00 2. "And I Love Her" 2:28 3. "If I Fell" 2:18 4. "I'll Be Back" 2:21 5. "Tell Me What You See" 2:35 6. "Yes It Is" 2:38
Disc two
Side three No. Title Length 1. "Michelle" 2:40 2. "It's Only Love" 1:55 3. "You're Going to Lose That Girl" 2:16 4. "Every Little Thing" 2:01 5. "For No One" 1:59 6. "She's Leaving Home" 3:35	Side four No. Title Length 1. "The Long and Winding Road" 3:37 2. "This Boy" 2:12 3. "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)" 2:02 4. "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" 2:07 5. "I Will" 1:46 6. "P.S. I Love You" 2:02

Cancelled single

Capitol Records originally intended to release a single in promotion of the compilation. The song "Girl" was going to be backed with "You're Going to Lose That Girl" as Capitol 4506. Picture sleeves for the single were printed, but the record was cancelled in early October 1977.^[5]

Charts and certifications

Charts Chart (1977) Peak position Australian (Kent Music Report)[6] 59 Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] 18 Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[8] 20 New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[9] 3 UK Albums (OCC)[10] 7 US Billboard 200[11] 24

Certifications and sales Region Certification Certified units/sales Austria — 3,500[12] Canada (Music Canada)[13] Platinum 100,000^^ United Kingdom (BPI)[14] Silver 60,000^^ United States (RIAA)[15] 3× Platinum 3,000,000^^ ^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Notes

1. AllMusic review
2. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
3. Marsh, Dave; Swenson, John, eds. (1983). The New Rolling Stone Record Guide. New York, NY: Random House/Rolling Stone Press. p. 31. ISBN 0-394-72107-1.
4. Spizer (2007), pp 159–162.
5. Spizer (2007), p157.
6. Kent, David (2005). Australian Chart Book (1940–1969). Turramurra: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-44439-5.
7. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 5498a". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
8. "Norwegiancharts.com – The Beatles – Love Songs". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
9. "Charts.nz – The Beatles – Love Songs". Hung Medien. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
10. "The Beatles | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
11. "The Beatles Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
12. "From the Music Capitals Of the World: Vienna". Billboard. 3 December 1977. p. 64. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
13. "Canadian album certifications – The Beatles – Love Songs". Music Canada. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
14. "British album certifications – The Beatles – Love Songs". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
15. "American album certifications – The Beatles – Love Songs". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 17 May 2016.

References

• Spizer, Bruce (2007). The Beatles Swan Song. New Orleans: 498 Productions, L.L.C. ISBN 978-0-9662649-7-5.
• Penman, Ross (2009). The Beatles in New Zealand ... a discography. ISBN 978-0-473-15155-3.

External links