Past Masters is a two-disc compilation album set by the English rock band the Beatles, released on 7 March 1988 as part of the first issue of the band's entire catalogue on compact disc. Compiled by noted Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn, this collection of many of the band's biggest hits, as well as rarities, includes every song released commercially by the band that was not available on the Beatles' 12 original UK albums or the US Magical Mystery TourLP. 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 SallyEP, two German-language tracks, a song recorded for the American market and a track released on a charity compilation album.
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, 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 Beatlesbox set. 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 albumMono 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.
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''
Contains recordings originally released between 1962 and 1965:
Eleven tracks from British singles
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
''Past Masters, Volume Two''
Contains recordings originally released between 1965 and 1970:
Fourteen tracks from British singles
The "Wildlife" version of "Across the Universe" from the charity album No One's Gonna ChangeOur World
The 1970 stereo mix of "The Inner Light" had only been previously available on a limited edition 1981 EP.
