How many of you bought or purchased the Starbuck’s special editions of special John and Paul album editions at their venue? Yes, I admit that the title presented on this post is a bad attempt of a not too subtle commentary pun!

Do these types of promotional activities by the artists and Starbuck’s effectively help both sides? What audience is Starbuck’s trying to appeal to with these releases?

Here are two solo Beatles releases that were authorized to be issued by the estate of John Lennon and Paul’s MPL.

As a collector I purchased both releases on eBay at a much-discounted price years after they were issued!

John’s release is called Remember and it is Starbuck’s attempt to issue a greatest hits compilation which at time, the choices seem random and not cohesive. The Paul one called Memory Almost Full-deluxe has three bonus tracks not appearing anywhere else and has a Starbuck’s gift card.

I know that artists sometimes even have their tours financed by corporate entities but when that happens, they often have the power to call the shots about the content of the respective releases.

Look how even Sean Lennon was prevented from issuing one of his mother and father’s live tracks from the One-to-One Concert. (Rumored to be due to pressure from Universal to censor one track by removing it from release) One was eliminated for apparent time concerns or the possible fairness in the # of performances included by John and Yoko, and one was eliminated for the potential controversy that it would once again might cause. (Due to the title of the song) None of this discussion were made public. It was all done behind the scenes, therefore all we can do is to speculate!

These are two of the Beatles-related releases licensed to Starbuck’s:

John Lennon: Remember

Beatle Dustino’s YouTube discussion of the Starbuck’s Beatles-related releases:

Beatles Starbucks Exclusive History #thebeatles #starbucks #exclusive #history #4k

Paul McCartney’s deluxe edition for Memory Almost Full not only presented three bonus tracks, but it featured a McCartney gift card to Starbuck’s to help promote the LP

THE STARBUCK’S McCARTNEY GIFT CARD:

Blog subscriber, Jennifer S. was so kind in sending three other special Starbuck’s CDs with solo Beatles tracks on them. Thank you, Jennifer, that was very kind of you!

Various – Peace Love & Music (Starbucks 25th Anniversary Anthology)

1 John Lennon– Instant Karma (We All Shine On) 3:23
2 Spirit (8)– Nature’s Way 2:35
3 Traffic– The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys 11:36
4 Love– Alone Again Or 3:16
5 The Chambers Brothers– Time Has Come Today 11:05
6 Tim Buckley– Pleasant Street 5:17
7 Al Green– You Ought To Be With Me 3:21
8 Todd Rundgren– Hello It’s Me 3:51
9 Joan Baez– Let It Be 3:36
10 Marvin Gaye– What’s Going One 3:53
11 Lee Michaels– Do You Know What I Mean 3:16
12 Rod Stewart– Reason To Believe 4:10
13 The Allman Brothers Band– Midnight Rider 2:56

Various – Sleigh Ride Side By Side

Various – Sleigh Ride Side By Side
Various – Sleigh Ride Side By Side album cover
More images

Label:
Starbucks Coffee – 509999-06684-2-5, Starbucks Coffee – NSPENT10PKG-00371, EMI Music Special Markets – 509999-06684-2-5, EMI Music Special Markets – NSPENT10PKG-00371

1 John Lennon & Yoko Ono and The Plastic Ono Band with The Harlem Community Choir– Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Written-By – Lennon/Ono*
3:34
2 Frank Sinatra– Jingle Bells
Written-By – Pierpont*
2:03
3 Pink Martini– Santa Baby
Written By – Javits/Springer/Springer
Written-By – Javits*, Springer*, Springer*
2:37
4 The Temptations– Little Drummer Boy
Written By – Someone/Davis/Onorati
Written-By – Simeone*, Onorati*, Davis*
3:25
5 Rosanne Cash– God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Written-By – Traditional
3:21
6 XTC as The Three Wise Men– Thanks For Christmas
Written-By – Partridge*
3:53
7 Dean Martin– Rudolph, The Red-Nosed Reindeer
Written-By – Marks*
2:18
8 Stevie Wonder– Someday At Christmas
Written By – Miller/Wells
Written-By – Wells*, Miller*
2:52
9 Elvis Presley– Blue Christmas
Written By – Johnson/Hayes
Written-By – Hayes*, Johnson*
2:09
10 Corinne Bailey Rae– This Christmas
Written By – Hathaway/McKinnor
Written-By – Hathaway*, McKinnor*
3:25
11 Ella Fitzgerald– Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
Written By – Coots/Gillespie
Written-By – Gillespie*, Coots*
2:21
12 Tony Bennett– White Christmas
Written-By – Berlin*
2:07
13 Peggy Lee– I Like A Sleighride (Jingle Bells)
Written By – May/Cavanaugh
Written-By – May*, Cavanaugh*
2:07
14 Barbra Streisand– The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)
Written By – Tormé/Wells
Written-By – Tormé*, Wells*
3:59
15 Nat King Cole– Silent Night
Arranged By – Bergdahl*, Cole*
Written By – Gruber/Mohr
Written-By – Gruber*, Mohr*
2:11
16 Lena Horne– What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?
Written-By – Loesser*
3:39

Various – Starbucks 40 (The 40th Anniversary Collection)

TRACK LISTING:

1-1 Duke Ellington– Satin Doll 3:44
1-2 Billie Holiday– Lover Man (Oh, Where Can You Be) 3:18
1-3 Nat King Cole– Just You, Just Me 3:03
1-4 Ella Fitzgerald– In The Still Of The Night 2:40
1-5 Louis Armstrong And The Allstars*– A Kiss To Build A Dream On 3:02
1-6 Peggy Lee– Fever 3:21
1-7 Ray Charles– Busted 2:12
1-8 Sam Cooke– Bring It On Home To Me 2:45
1-9 Wes Montgomery– Bumpin’ On Sunset 4:46
1-10 Dean Martin– Memories Are Made Of This 2:17
1-11 Frank Sinatra– Summer Wind 2:55
1-12 Bob Dylan– Visions Of Johanna 7:33
1-13 Aretha Franklin– (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman 2:45
1-14 Marvin Gaye– Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) 5:28
1-15 Paul SImon– Peace Like A River 3:20
1-16 Bob Marley And The Wailers*– Lively Up Yourself 5:13
1-17 k.d. Lang– Constant Craving 4:39
1-18 Elvis Costello & The Attractions– Beyond Belief 2:37
1-19 Sarah McLachlan– Building A Mystery 4:08
1-20 Us3 Featuring Rahsaan And Gerard Presencer– Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) 4:36
2-1 John Lennon– Woman 3:33
2-2 Paul McCartney– Every Night 2:35
2-3 George Harrison– If Not For You 3:30
2-4 Buena Vista Social Club– Chan Chan 4:19
2-5 The Shins– New Slang 3:51
2-6 Norah Jones– Lonestar 3:08
2-7 Wilco– How To Fight Loneliness 3:53
2-8 Shelby Lynne– Gotta Get Back 3:38
2-9 Damien Rice– 9 Crimes 3:37
2-10 Madeleine Peyroux– Don’t Wait Too Long 3:11
2-11 Beck– Lost Cause 3:49
2-12 Corinne Bailey Rae– Put Your Records On 3:36
2-13 Robert Plant & Alison Krauss– Please Read The Letter 5:53
2-14 Feist– I Feel It All 3:41
2-15 Fleet Foxes– Blue Ridge Mountains 4:22
2-16 Neko Case– Don’t Forget Me 3:09
2-17 Calexico & Iron And Wine– A History Of Lovers 3:08
2-18 DeVotchKa– The Clockwise Witness 4:40
2-19 Bon Iver– For Emma 3:39
2-20 Alicia Keys– Doesn’t Mean Anything 4:35

Hope you enjoyed this blog piece about the respective Starbuck’s business relationship with both the Lennon and McCartney concerns…

What are your feelings about corporate sponsorship of artist’s product. Do you believe that inevitably the issue of decision-making control is due to be compromised in this type of situation or do you welcome this type of involvement with open arms?

Be healthy and be happy!

Best wishes!

Buzz