Another reissue for this ever-popular set, originally released in 1973, which chronicles the second half of the Fabs' career from 'Stawberry Fields Forever' to 'The Long And Winding Road'.
It begins with early 1967's double A-side coupling of Lennon's 'Strawberry Fields' and McCartney's 'Penny Lane', foreshadowing the increasingly divided route the band took as the decade came to its end.
Before that, though, there was the gloriously together 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Band', four tracks from which appear here. Although the inclusion of the lightweight 'With A Little Help From My Friends' is questionable in artistic terms, commercially it remains one of their most popular moments. On the other hand, 'A Day In The Life' still sounds simply staggering.
The goodtime vibe of 'All You Need Is Love' is up next, before it's time for the 'Magical Mystery Tour'. McCartney's whimsical 'The Fool On The Hill' and the title track are the only inclusions from the double EP, but justifiably as they were easily the best two new tracks on the film soundtrack.
The vaudevillian 'Lady Madonna' was a brief creative blip before the masterful pairing of 'Hey Jude' and 'Revolution'. Again, while one track is distinctly McCartney's and the other Lennon's there is a quality present that both would struggle to replicate in their solo careers.
Which brings us to the 'White Album', either the band's peak or a disjointed mess, depending on one's viewpoint. McCartney's Chuck Berry-homage 'Back In The USSR' finds the Fabs rocking out like they did in their youth and is in sharp contrast to Harrison's gentle 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' with its stellar soloing from uncredited guest Eric Clapton.
The pantomine 'Obi-La Di Ob-La Da' again wins its place on the basis of popularity. However, it's disappointing that only four tracks are included from the album - there is only so much space on a collection like this - but the aforementioned track could easily have been sacrificed in favour of Lennon's trippy 'Dear Prudence' or the nerve-shredding 'Sexy Sadie'.
Both sides of 'Get Back' and 'The Ballad Of John & Yoko' further illustrate the creative divide widening, and B-sides 'Don't Let Me Down' and 'Old Brown Shoe', while passable, could have been dropped in favour of more 'White Album' material.
Then it's on to 'Abbey Road', The Beatles' final studio album proper, and a glorious collection. Harrison's 'Here Comes The Sun' and 'Something' are possibly his best Fabs compositions. Meanwhile, Lennon's shuffling stream-of-consciousness on 'Come Together' is yet another display of his scattershot brilliance. The popular vote also wins out with the inclusion of Ringo's gurgling under-the-sea anthem 'Octopus's Garden'.
The end of the decade that changed the world is heralded by the slow disintegration of the band that changed the world. McCartney's mournful 'Let It Be', complete with Phil Spector's strings, Lennon's ethereal 'Across The Universe' and the final weary resignation of 'The Long And Winding Road' mark the end.
This compilation can be criticised for leaning too much on the crowd-pleasers but to a large extent that would be to miss the point. The Beatles were entertainers and, while they may have pushed their art form to its limits from 'Rubber Soul' to 'Abbey Road', they still produced timeless singles loved by every age group. These 28 songs are just a small part of the story.
by Simon P Ward