h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm your Sub-editor for the Beatles' Red and Blue Albums

The Red Album is A87894832 - please subscribe.

I've had a read through and made a few minor tweaks. In particular, I've tried to distinguish between America and the US, so I hope that's OK. Other than that, just two queries:

In Love Me Do, is the tambourine in the version on this album, or not?

"Before 1964, a British act had only had a US Number One on three separate occasions" - is that one British Act having 3 US Number Ones, or three acts?

The Blue Album is A87895741 - please subscribe

"skeleton as it hopes to uncover the fossils of planet formation, as well as the song 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds', reflected in its diamond-shaped mission insignia."

What does it mean that the song is reflected in the insignia?

Did the Beatles and Friends only sing one song for Our World?

"both the songtrack and soundtrack albums of Yellow Submarine"

What does this mean? Some subtlety (tbc...)

Hello

Thanks for volunteering to do this one.

In Love Me Do, is the tambourine in the version on this album, or not?

It is definitely the tambourine, Andy White on version.

Is that one British Act having 3 US Number Ones, or three acts?
Only 3 acts had had a US number one - none of whom had had more than one US number one either. ('Auf Wiedersehen' by Vera Lynn (1952), Acker Bilk's 'Stranger on the Shore' (1961) and The Tornadoes with 'Telstar' (1962) - mentioned earlier in the entry)

<BB<

What does it mean that the song is reflected in the insignia?:

The insignia or logo of the Lucy mission is diamond-shaped deliberately because of 'Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds':
http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/styles/side_image/public/thumbnails/image/lucy_final_logosv.png?itok=c0yAQE8K

The Beatles only performed one song for 'Our World', but it was a 2 1/2 hour programme filmed live in 19 different countries and broadcast to 26 - the first time anything of its kind had ever been attempted before.

the songtrack and soundtrack albums of Yellow Submarine
The Beatles have released two different albums called 'Yellow Submarine'. To avoid confusion the Soundtrack album is the name given 'Yellow Submarine' (1969) and contains six Beatles songs on side 1, as well as George Martin's soundtrack to the film on side 2. 'Yellow Submarine Songtrack' (1999) was released for the 30th anniversary and contains 15 Beatles songs and none of George Martin's music.

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Right - I've updated the Red Album A87894832 and found another question:

"It was so 'lousy' it became a Number One hit both sides of the Atlantic." - was it only Number One in the UK and US, or did it reach the top in other countries too?

Other than that, I've finished my readthrough. I hope you're still happy with it, but if there's anything else you would like, let me know

Most books only concentrate on UK and US charts, but it looks like 'I Feel Fine' was also number one in Canada, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand and Norway.

I had a read through and there's only one change to make. LIPA have changed their website, so the link to them should now go to http://www.lipa.ac.uk/more-about-us/about-lipa/history-and-heritage/the-history-of-our-buildings

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I changed the title so I hope that's OK for you - makes it consistent with the Rubber Soul album for starters C55689

Now I'll go back to the Blue Album and sort out the Yellow Submarines

If you want to change the titles of all the Beatles albums to be consistent I've no objection. Consistency would be useful.

<BB<

Right, so the Yellow Submarines have been realigned and I have a few more questions:

I presume the song 'Magical Mystery Tour' lent its name to the 1967 film, rather than the other way round?

"It was released as an album in the US, with the US album version supplementing the British original." - what does 'supplementing' mean here?

Did Billy Preston contribute to the Get Back single, or was he just being honoured?

"It was recorded the day before the re-dubbed and edited by Phil Spector version that appears on the Let It Be and Let It Be... Naked albums."

I read this as saying 'Get Back' was recorded twice, and the second recording was re-dubbed and edited by Phil Spector - is that right? Was the Spector version included on the Naked album as well as on the Let it Be album?

Aha! I read to the end and found the Credits! Thank you for writing the Entry

Thanks - good questions, quite a workout to answer

I presume the song 'Magical Mystery Tour' lent its name to the 1967 film, rather than the other way round?
Paul McCartney had the ideas together - he conceived it as a music film and developed the song & film at the same time.

"It was released as an album in the US, with the US album version supplementing the British original." - what does 'supplementing' mean here?
In the US 'Magical Mystery Tour' was sold as an 11-track album, while in the UK it had been a 6-track double-EP. Since the 1980s, only the 11-track version has been released on CD and cassette. So the original 6 tracks have been supplemented with 5 more, but if you want to say 'substituted' or 'replaced' instead if that is clearer?

Did Billy Preston contribute to the Get Back single, or was he just being honoured?
Billy Preston plays the electric piano.

I read this as saying 'Get Back' was recorded twice, and the second recording was re-dubbed and edited by Phil Spector - is that right? Was the Spector version included on the Naked album as well as on the Let it Be?
I've looked into this some more and can say:
The single version is an edit of a take on 27 January with a coda recorded the day after.
The 'Let It Be' version like the single is again the same edit combining most of the best take from 27 January with the 28 Janaury coda, plus some additional dialogue from the song's Rooftop Performance on 30 January.
The Anthology 3 version was the song's live rooftop performance on 30 January.
The 'Let it Be... Naked' version was the unadulterated take from 27 January 1969 without the coda.

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Thanks <BB< - excellent additional details. I've made tweaks accordingly and hope that's still OK for you.

Just one more question I found:

"The song contains snippets of international music including Marseilles, Bach and Glen Miller to symbolise world unity."

Is that La Marsellaise?

Yes, that is indeed La Marseilles.

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Is there anything specific that was included by Bach and Glen Miller, or were the snippets from more than one of their pieces?

Invention 8 by Bach and there's a bit of 'In The Mood' at the end,
just before they sing 'She Loves You' by The Beatles

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Thanks <BB<

I've finished my readthrough, so I hope everything is OK for you, but let me know if there is anything else you would like me to change.

I spotted two minor tweaks & typos:

'Past Masters: Volume 2
- Delete the ' - in the Lady Madonna section
'Abbey Road' should be in italics in the Come Together section.

Other than that, press the button!

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Thanks <BB< - well spotted

I've pressed the button

Congratulations! The Blue Album is on the Front Page today

Hurray, and a big to Sasha too!

<BB<

Yay! Thank you - the photo on the Entry showing the record and the CD is excellent