New Beatles 'Bootleg' Album Released On iTunes: Unreleased Recordings From 1963

by uInterviewDecember 18, 2013, 12:00 amNews >

The Beatles released a brand new, 59-track ‘bootleg’ album of never before heard recordings from 1963, available exclusively on iTunes called The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963. The album is available on iTunes for $39.99.

Bootleg Studio Recordings

The immense album features studio recordings of Beatles classics such as “From Me to You” and “I Saw Her Standing There,” and a recording of their live BBC radio concert as well as two never-released song demos, “Bad to Me” and “I’m in Love.”

Different takes of the songs in studio give fans a brand new look into how The Beatles recorded their first albums, and fans with a good ear can listen for when members, John Lennon or Paul McCartney flub the lyrics during a take or are joined by bandmates George Harrison and Ringo Star for a little pre-song discussion.

Released Due To E.U. Copyright Laws

The album was released Tuesday, Dec. 17 without any warning, perhaps inspired by the success of Beyoncé’s surprise visual album release from last week. The bootleg recordings act as a sort of preview of the 13-CD complete collection box set that will be available Jan. 21, 2014. The reason for this mysterious early release is rumored to be an effort to ensure copyrights to the song remain where they are now. In the European Union, copyright law states that a copyright can be kept for 70 years if the copyright is obtained within 50 years of the work being made. These recordings, from 1963, are turning 50 this year, and Jan. 21, 2014 would be after the 50-year limit in the E.U. and The Beatles would lose the rights to these recordings.

According to online rumblings, the recordings have disappeared from iTunes in some places, so fans are encouraged to act fast if they want to purchase the Bootleg album. The album reportedly appeared and then disappeared from various countries due to a mistake in pricing, reports The Telegraph in the U.K. Though Universal Music Group, the distributing label for the recordings, did not comment on the Bootleg album, a source close to the recordings revealed that the record would be available for purchase for “the foreseeable future.”

– Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Get Uinterview's FREE iPhone App For Daily News Updates here.

Get the FREE Uinterview iPad app here and watch our videos anywhere.