The Beatles in Italy

The Beatles in Italy
Compilation album by The Beatles
Released	1965
Recorded	1963–1965
Genre	Rock
Language	English
Label	Parlophone
Producer	George Martin

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The Beatles in Italy is a Beatles compilation album released in Italy in 1965 (Parlophon PMCQ 315006). Despite its title, The Beatles in Italy is not a live album, but, rather, a compilation of previously released studio recordings. The album was issued in Italy in the summer of 1965 to capitalise on the release of the film, Help!, and it contained studio versions of songs that The Beatles had previously performed in concert in Italy.

As The Beatles in Italy contained no new material, it did not sell very well, and it was soon quietly deleted by Parlophone. The record probably would have remained obscure had not John Lennon, in a 1970 Rolling Stone interview, mistakenly referred to it as a live record. As The Beatles had not issued a live album during their career, the Lennon interview set off a frenzy among Beatle collectors seeking to add the alleged "live" album to their collection.

In the mid-1970s, Parlophone's Italian subsidiary re-released the album. By then, most fans had realized that it was not a live album (and, with the release of The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl in 1977, the demand for a live Beatles album had been met). Nonetheless, imported copies of the album continued to attract the interest of Beatles collectors, who saw it both as a curiosity and as an item needed to complete their collections. The album has not been issued on CD.

The album contains a unique version of I Feel Fine in that you can faintly here the tape being started and someone muttering something before the song starts. This version also has the whisper at the beginning that can be heard on some other versions.

Track listing

All songs written by Lennon–McCartney, except where noted

Side one

1. "Long Tall Sally" (Enotris Johnson/Richard Penniman/Robert Blackwell)
2. "She's a Woman
3. "Matchbox"(Carl Perkins)
4. "From Me to You"
5. "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
6. "Ticket to Ride"

Side two

7. "This Boy"
8. "Slow Down" (Larry Williams)
9. "I Call Your Name"
10. "Thank You Girl"
11. "Yes It Is"
12. "I Feel Fine"