The "1" video collection
The Beatles’ "1" was not just the Beatles' but the world’s best selling album of the last decade, compiling all of the Beatles’ number one singles on to one album. "1" made its digital download debut in 2011 and quickly went to number one on many global iTunes charts, including the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Japan. In addition, the remastered "1" album was also re-released on CD with updated packaging on September 13th 2011.
Now, according to the music merchandising wholesale representative, Break-Thru, the album will be used as a theme when the Beatles' music video collection is due for release in October 2014.
Here's what they are saying: "October: 1's Program: dvd video clip compilation on dvd / vinyl / other 1's pieces. Leading up to this is probably the ideal time to do an Avedon art. program."
So let's take a look at the options they have when compiling this music video DVD. And since we seemed to have an impact on whether George Harrison's tie should be short or long on the "On Air" cover, I'm hoping they are still monitoring this site and are open to some free advice - before it's too late.
1. Love Me Do.
EMI did make a video for this song back in 1982, and I think two different versions of it is circulating. Since this has been the official Love Me Do video for three decades now, it's best to use it again. It may need to be recompiled, using the same footage in upgraded quality.
2. From Me to You
3. She Loves You
There are no music videos or promotional films, as they said in the sixties, for these two. So they will probably make a couple, using performance clips or mimed TV appearances. Big Night Out/Ready Steady Go?
4. I Want to Hold Your Hand
Again, the same sítuation, but the TV clip from "Late Scene Extra" of the Beatles miming to this song in front of a huge model of a camera has been regarded as the music video for this song among fans for a long time, so they should use that.
5. Can’t Buy Me Love
6. A Hard Day’s Night
They could have used footage from the A Hard Day's Night film for these, but that footage is now owned by Miramax and has to be licensed from them. Another option is to use performance footage and synch it to the records, for instance from the Shea Stadium film etc. Ready Steady Go for "Can't Buy Me Love"?
7. I Feel Fine
We are now entering the realm of the Intertel promo films, as produced by Tony Bramwell and directed by Joe McGrath. Tuesday November 25th, 1965, the Beatles filmed ten different promotional clips in black and white for five songs, "Help!," "We Can Work It Out" (three versions), "Day Tripper" (three versions)," "Ticket To Ride" and "I Feel Fine" (two versions). So for this and some of the following clips, the producer of the new video collection has the luxury of choosing between several films. And I do think that the Intertel videos should be used, because they have been regarded as the music videos of these songs since the sixties. In Anthology, they would put several of these together to create variety, but in my opinion they should select one video of each to represent each song. If they want to include more than one, the alternative version(s) should be presented as bonus material on the DVD.
8. Eight Days a Week
No obvious choice. One thing to consider is to make use of the old US Beatles cartoons. That's how bootleg DVD video makers have solved this in the past, but given Universal Music's resources, they could also create a new video.
9. Ticket to Ride
Intertel.
10. Help!
Intertel.
11. Yesterday
There are two performances they could use footage from: Blackpool and Ed Sullivan. No Beatles Greatest Hits video compilation is complete without "Yesterday".
12. Day Tripper
Intertel.
13. We Can Work It Out
Intertel.
14. Paperback Writer
As we saw in Anthology, there's a gorgeous video for this, made in the gardens of Chiswick. But they also have several Intertel promos filmed in a studio, so again a choice has to be made. And again, other versions can be bonus material.
15. Yellow Submarine
They could make one from footage from the cartoon film, the same goes for the next one:
16. Eleanor Rigby
17. Penny Lane
There's only one music video for this one, and a great one it is, too.
18. All You Need Is Love
They have to go for the "Our World" clip, colourised or in black and white, either way is good.
19. Hello, Goodbye
Three videos were made, all at the Savile Theatre. Of these, I prefer the one they made from outtakes, and it's also the one that's closest to modern music videos. In Anthology, they intercut footage from all three films, here they should use no. 3 and have no. 1 and 2 as bonus material.
20. Lady Madonna
There's two variations of this promo clip, both edited from footage of the Beatles recording "Hey Bulldog". Go figure!
21. Hey Jude
Michael Lindsay-Hogg recorded several takes of this at Twickenham. Use one of those.
22. Get Back
I would have gone for the studio version clip they made for "Let It Be...Naked".
23. The Ballad of John and Yoko
Another one which has several edits, use the one with colour footage throughout. Again, the Anthology used a combination of several versions. Stick with one.
24. Something
No problem here, the one and only "Something" promo clip.
25. Come Together
They made a flash animated music video for this when "1" was new, use that. Fortunately, flash allows for limitless upscaling without the loss of resolution, so go find the flash source file.
26. Let It Be
The usual promo film for this, an outtake of the Let It Be movie. And the same goes for the next one:
27. The Long and Winding Road
So there you have it, the "1" Beatles music video compilation. But with this opportunity, they shouldn't stop here.
