In advance of the November 21 release of The Beatles’ Anthology Collection box set and the standalone Anthology 4 compilation, a previously unreleased first-take version of the Fab Four classic “In My Life” has debuted as a digital track.
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“In My Life (Take 1),” which is featured on Anthology 4, includes some studio chatter at the beginning. John Lennon can be heard griping about the weight of the Fender guitar he’s playing. It’s missing the piano solo played by producer George Martin heard in the bridge of the originally released studio version of the song, which appears on The Beatles’ 1965 album Rubber Soul.
As explained in the Anthology 4 liner notes, “In My Life” was recorded on October 18, 1965, at EMI (later Abbey Road) Studios in London. The Beatles recorded three takes of the song that day. Track one features the full group playing live, with Ringo Starr on drums, Paul McCartney on bass, Lennon on rhythm guitar, and George Harrison playing the lead-guitar riff. A second track features Lennon on lead vocals and McCartney singing harmony live with a rhythm backing.
According to interviews with Lennon, he wrote the lyrics and most of the music to “In My Life,” while McCartney helped out musically with the song’s middle-eight section. In an early version of the tune, John mentions various places in his hometown of Liverpool, England. He eventually dropped those lyrics and focused on the nostalgic theme of remembering friends and lovers from his past.
More About Anthology 4 and The Anthology Collection Box Set
“In My Life (Take 1)” is one of 13 previously unreleased tracks appearing on Anthology 4.
Anthology 4, which can be pre-ordered now at The Beatles’ official online store, can be purchased as a two-CD set and a three-LP package. The collection, which was curated by producer Giles Martin, features 36 tracks. Most of the recordings span from 1963 through 1969, and include studio outtakes, alternate takes, and a live performance.
The album also features the Fab Four’s 2023 single “Now and Then,” and new mixes of “Free as a Bird” and “Real Love.” The latter two songs originally appeared, respectively, on the Anthology 1 and Anthology 2 compilations. All three tracks were built around demos Lennon recorded in the late 1970s to which the three surviving Beatles members later added parts to complete.
As previously reported, The Anthology Collection will be available as a 12-LP vinyl package, an eight-CD set, and digitally. Along with the new Anthology 4, the box set includes remastered versions of the Anthology 1, Anthology 2, and Anthology 3 compilations, which were originally released in November 1995, March 1996, and October 1996, respectively.
The compilations contain rare tracks, outtakes, and live performances from different periods of the band’s history.
The Anthology Collection, which also can be pre-ordered now, features a total of 191 tracks.
About the Updated and Expanded Beatles Anthology Docuseries
The first three Anthology compilations were released as companion pieces to The Beatles Anthology docuseries, which premiered on ABC in November 1995.
As previously reported, a restored and expanded version of The Beatles Anthology will premiere as a nine-episode series on Disney+ starting November 26. The presentation’s ninth episode is brand-new. It includes previously unseen behind-the-scenes footage of McCartney, Harrison, and Starr reuniting in 1994 and 1995 to collaborate on the Anthology project and reflect on their shared experiences as members of The Beatles.
A new trailer for the updated docuseries premiered recently on The Beatles’ official YouTube channel. The promo features montage of archival footage, photos, and interviews with the band’s members, including clips of McCartney, Starr, Harrison, ad George Martin filmed in the 1990s specially for the series. The trailer also boasts some unseen footage shot for the original docuseries, including clips of the surviving band members reuniting to work on the then-new tracks.
(Courtesy of Apple Corps Ltd.)
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