There are many differing views about limited edition Beatles books and records. Some collectors like to own items not easily available to others. They take pride in the exclusivity of the product that they may have. Others may resent both the expense of the item and their lack of ability to obtain one.
Cover for Robert Freeman’s Book
Limited Edition
I must say, as a collector I truly enjoy these limited-edition books very much if there is something special and unique that is present only on the limited edition. The boxset you see here is a limited-edition slip-cased version of noted Beatles photographer, Robert Freeman’s book, “The Beatles: A Private View.” This edition was one of 2,500 copies.
Special Feature
The special feature of this book was a signed print of Robert Freeman’s submitted photo collage that would have been the cover of the LP “Revolver” if the Beatles had not chosen Klaus Voormann’s cover instead. A bit of historical trivia for Beatles fans. It has been speculated that Robert Freeman’s wife was the inspiration for the John Lennon song, “Norwegian Wood.”
The Collector’ Edition Promotion
The Alternative Revolver Cover
Robert Freeman’s Idea for “Revolver”
The book was published by Big Tent Entertainment; Limited edition (Oct. 25 2003)
The following letter accompanied the book, from the publisher.
Three books from a few of the character actors in the Beatles movie, “Help!”
Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, and Victor Spinetti
Leo McKern – Just Resting
Leo played the character Clang/Klang in the movie and Eleanor portrayed the role of Ahme.
Victor Spinetti
Victor had the role of the conniving Foot
Victor’s Book
Leo McKern’s book was published by Methuen in 1983, Bron’s book was published by Jonathan Cape in 1985. Spinetti’s book was published in 2006 by Pavilion Books.
It is amazing the variety of Beatles-related book titles that have appeared over the years. This one holds a special place in my heart for several reasons.
A while back I came across an Online Kickstarter campaign designed to help finance the sale and distribution of what I saw as a very special Beatles-related book. A gentleman named Jonathan Armstrong was assisting a lady named Jo Holden to publish a book of Beatles graffiti that appeared on the famous Abbey Road wall outside the EMI studios. Jo’s husband, photographer Martin Holden had spent 12 years photographing the various postings of Beatles grafitti on the wall because he was fascinated with the worldwide impact of the group and how fans still maintained their intense interest in them
To quote Marton Holden’s friend, Jonathan Armstrong:
“In October of 2018, Martin was diagnosed with Stage 4 brain cancer. Despite this prognosis, he continued to visit the studios and remained determined to keep the project going. He lost his battle in August 2019, and now Martin’s widow Jo is committed to finishing his work, both as a tribute to him and as closure to the long personal journey they took together.”
Sketch on Abbey Road Wall
As a special feature for the people that contributed to the Kickstarter campaign to finance the book, an artist would draw a little sketch like the walrus shown below and a message written by the pledge donor would accompany the sketch on the Abbey Road wall. The artist would photograph it before it was washed away the following month. My contribution to that book is presented in the middle panel of the picture below the book cover. The artist that did the walrus drawing for my post and I believe the person that took the photograph is named Robert Rubbish. People that purchased this book were also contributing to brain tumor research.
Buzz’s Walrus
I believe there is a website where interested parties can still find and purchase this book if they are interested! I was so happy to have been able to acquire a copy of this wonderful title which encapsulates the continuing importance of the band to our culture.
The Leather-bound Beatles Lyrics Hunter Davies Book-Fact or Fiction?
I learned a lesson the hard way with this title. It was advertised on Ebay as a leather-bound prototype of only two copies that were made by the publishers. The volume was also signed by the author. According to the seller he approached Hunter at the hotel he was staying at for a Beatles event and he asked him to sign the book there. I paid a lot of money for this book and then I did what I should have before I purchased it. I wrote to our good friend, author David Bedford, to ask Hunter Davies about this limited-edition book. David obliged my request and Hunter got back to him saying to the best of his knowledge, no leather-bound limited-edition versions of the book were ever issued. The publishers subsequently verified that notion.
Refund?
I could have returned the book to the seller demanding a full refund, but I decided not to for what you may interpret as an odd reason. The book is indeed leather-bound, and it is signed by Hunter as I have several of his signatures. What the sellers or people that they got the book from did, was to take the contents of the regular hardback edition of the book and bind it in a leather casing. Even though what was done was not a legitimate enterprise, it gave me the only leather-bound edition of the book in the world which I found to be very intriguing and prompted my keeping it. However, I am not going to throw caution to the wind in the future, as this will not happen to me again!
The Beatles Lyrics – Leather-bound
Thoroughly investigate ahead of time when thinking about buying a big-ticket item.
Apple to the Core was the book that attempted to get to the heart of the Beatles business problems which ultimately led to their breakup. There were several editions of this book released with many cover variations – some of which are below. The most difficult edition of this book to find is the hardback, 1972 edition. The book was co-written by authors Peter McCabe and Robert D. Schonfeld.
The hardback is of course more expensive, so it is often the case, the hardback editions are issued briefly as a quick run then the softback or paperback editions take over the bulk of the sales of the title. Even when titles are released simultaneously in both hardback and softcover, the bookstores would often choose to stock only the softcover. I do not know how you feel about this issue, but I personally prefer hardcover books as they are more durable over time. Often, the paper used for hardcovers is superior and the yellowing of pages is a much longer process. Of course, hardcovers usually have a superior binding as well.
In regard to the book below, the picture is the hardcover, with a selection of other covers below it. Despite having a huge Beatles book library, I went many years without even knowing there was a hardcover edition of the book until I acquired one a few years ago on the Abe Books Bookstore/search service.
This song, although attributed to Lennon/McCartney, is a John Lennon song about his devotion to Yoko Ono. In part, the song is controversial for the distinct simplicity of the lyrics and in part because of its length (around 8 minutes) and, some could argue, its self-indulgent structure.
It was the first song the Beatles worked on when the Abbey Road sessions began in February of 1969, yet one of the last songs that was completed for the album in August of that year when instrumental and synthesized tracks were layered in.
About Yoko
John Lennon’s repetitive, plaintive lyric, “I want you, I want you so bad” is the dominant content of the entire song, along with the colloquial compliment for Yoko, “She’s so heavy.” At the time Abbey Road came out, some critics took issue with the lyrics. In a Rolling Stone interview in 1970, Lennon reflected: A reviewer wrote of “She’s So Heavy”: “He seems to have lost his talent for lyrics, it’s so simple and boring.” “She’s So Heavy” was about Yoko. When it gets down to it, like she said, when you’re drowning you don’t say “I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,” you just scream. And in “She’s So Heavy” I just sang “I want you, I want you so bad, she’s so heavy, I want you,” like that.
The Final Three Minutes
The final 3 minutes of the song is an extended guitar/Hammond organ/Moog synthesized white noise cacophony that sounded as if it could have gone on for much longer. All the Beatles, and their friend Billy Preston, were totally committed to this very different-sounding work that closed out the A-side of Abbey Road. And in the final mixing process, Lennon himself ordered the abrupt ending of the riff in the middle of a phrase, as if the needle were being arbitrarily lifted off a record.
Biden and Harris?
The day before I initially wrote and posted this, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris became the President and Vice-President Elect. It was a day when, officially, the votes of around 80 million voters said, “I want you, I want you so bad.” There is much work for them to do, beginning with a concerted assault on the coronavirus pandemic. But may their efforts to defeat the virus, now surging again throughout the nation, be both thoughtful and successful. It will matter not only to the people who voted for them, but also to the people who didn’t.
Tim Hatfield
Get Tim’s book of reflections on the songs of The Beatles
