The Beatles’ double-A-side single for “Now And Then” and “Love Me Do” pairs the last Beatles song with the band’s first UK single. Powerful musical bookends to The Beatles’ recorded canon, both songs are also featured in the expanded Anniversary Editions for 1962-1966 (“The Red Album”) and 1967-1970 (“The Blue Album”).
“Now And Then”.
“Now And Then” is the last Beatles song, written and demoed by John Lennon in the mid/late 1970s. With John’s voice now pristine in the mix, “Now And Then” features elements from the 1995 sessions including George Harrison’s guitar parts, and vocal and instrumental parts recorded by Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in 2022, along with a new arrangement for strings. Produced by Paul and Giles Martin, “Now And Then” is the last song recorded by all four Beatles, a powerful and fitting finale for the band’s timeless recordings.
“Love Me Do”.
The song that started it all, “Love Me Do” was The Beatles’ first UK single in 1962. For the first time, the iconic song has been de-mixed using machine aided learning and remixed in true stereo. “Love Me Do” launched The Beatles’ journey to unparalleled worldwide success and acclaim that continues to this day.
Inner Sleeve:
7″ single, Apple Records 0602448145864, Parlophone 45-R 4814586.
Matrix numbers:
Side A: BN90756-01 A1 4814586 MILES. ABBEY ROAD ½SPEED. ROOM 30
Side B: BN95777-01 B1 4814586 MILES. ABBEY ROAD ½SPEED. ROOM 30
7″ Black vinyl:
Blue vinyl:
Crystal Clear vinyl:
Blue / White Marble vinyl:
12″ single, Apple Records 0602458129526, Parlophone 45-R 5812952.
Matrix numbers:
Side A: BN98000-01 A1 5812952 MILES. ABBEY ROAD ½SPEED. ROOM 30
Side B: BN98000-01 B1 5812952 MILES. ABBEY ROAD ½SPEED. ROOM 30
Black vinyl:
Red vinyl:
The album has a front and back laminated gatefold sleeve manufactured by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. The red color of the album is associated with the color of FC Liverpool. The first edition had no producer George Martin’s credit on the inside.
“The Beatles 1962-66” include colored inner sleeves with lyrics. First edition of The Beatles 1962-1966 has red die-cut inner sleeves with two corners cut.
1. First pressing, April 20, 1973. For the first pressing was used matte Apple labels on a dark red background. Apple labels have “Mfd. in U.K.”, “An Apple Record”, “An EMI Recording” and “The Gramophone Company Limited” credits. Matrix numbers: Side One: YEX 905-1, Side Two: YEX 906-1, Side Three: YEX 907-1, Side Four: YEX 908-1. Other common combinations of matrix numbers: -1/-1/-3/-1/// -3/-1/-1/-1/// -1/-3/-3/-1/// -2/-2/-4/-2.
Pye Records contract pressing. For the manufacture of discs was used dark red translucent vinyl which looks black but glows dark red and which can be seen by holding up to the light. Pye pressing the same matte labels. Matrix numbers: Side One: YEX 905-2, Side Two: YEX 906-2, Side Three: YEX 907-4, Side Four: YEX 908-2.
2. Second pressing, December 20, 1978. Laminated Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. outer sleeve has producer George Martin’s credit on the inside. Glossy labels have “Mfd. in U.K.”, “An Apple Record”, “An EMI Recording” and “The Gramophone Company Limited” credits. Possible combinations of matrix numbers: -3/-4/-3/-3/// -4/-4/-5/-3/// -5/-5/-5/-5.
Variation A.
Variation B. Textured labels.
Color edition of “The Beatles 1962-1966” has the round sticker glued on front sleeve.
All variations of the second pressing have red die-cut inner sleeves with four rounded corners.
Note! Black vinyl with the same labels and sleeves published in the same period.
3. Third pressing, 1980 – 1983. Third pressing has unlaminated Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. outer sleeve with George Martin’s credits and the same labels as the second pressing. Possible combinations of matrix numbers: -5/-5/-5/-5/// -6/-5/-5/-5 /// -6/-5/-5/-6.
Red inner sleeves does not cut the corners.
4. Fourth pressing, 1983 – 1987. Unlaminated sleeve with bar code and “Sleeve printed in England Manufactured in England” text on the back side. Red inner sleeves does not cut the corners. Traditional Apple label on a green background. The rimtext reached all the way around the labels. Importantly, around the 5 o’clock position in the rimtext the wording is: “UNAUTHORISED COPYING, HIRING, RENTING, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE AND BROADCASTING”. Matrix numbers: Side One: YEX 905-6-1-1, Side Two: YEX 906-5, Side Three: YEX 907-6C-1-1, Side Four: YEX 908-6-1-1.
5. Fifth pressing, 1993. Red vinyl, digitally re-mastered edition. Catalog number PCSPP 717 (0777 7 97036 0). Unlaminated outer sleeve with round black and white sticker and red inner sleeves. Complete with red poster with some The Beatles photos. Matrix numbers: Side One: PCSPP 7171 A-01-01-2, Side Two: PCSPP 7171 B-01-01-2, Side Three: PCSPP 7172 A-01-01-1, Side Four: 7172 B-01-01-1.
Round sticker.
6. Sixth pressing, Remastered, Apple 0602547048455, released November 21, 2014. The album was reissued on 180g vinyl, prepared from the original UK 1973 compilation master. The fake stereo mixes of “Love Me Do” and “She Loves You” were replaced by the true mono versions. Vinyl pressed by Optimal Media GmbH, Germany.
Sticker:
An insert was added to the album:
Inner sleeves:
Matrix nimber variations:
Side A: 11141 1A 00602547048455000000 / Side B: 11141 1B 00602547048455000000 i…i // Side C: 11141 1C 00602547048455000000 /
Side D: 11141 1D 00602547048455000000 i…i In addition, there are various options for matrices with numbers 2A, 2B, 2C 2D.
7. Seven pressing, New Remix, Apple 0602455920539, released November 10, 2023.
For its 50th anniversary, the collection has been expanded with 12 additional tracks, including for the first time some of George Harrison’s earliest songs and some classic Beatles versions of R&B and rock ‘n’ roll hits that were so influential on the band. The 3LP collection now contains 38 tracks, 30 of which have new mixes for 2023. The set’s 12 newly added tracks are collected on its 3rd LP. An insert contains new sleeve notes by journalist and author John Harris.
Manrix numbers:
Side A: BN96725-01 A1 5592057 MILES.ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side B: BN96725-01 B1 5592057 MILES.ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side C: BN96728-01 A1 5592058 MILES.ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side D: BN96728-01 B1 5592058 MILES.ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side E: BN96729-01 A1 5592059 MILES.ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side F: BN96729-01 B1 5592059 MILES.ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Black vinyl:
Red vinyl:
The album has a front and back laminated gatefold sleeve manufactured by Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. The blue color of the album is associated with the color of FC Everton. The first edition had no producer George Martin’s or Phil Spector credits on the inside.
The Beatles 1967-1970 include colored inner sleeves with lyrics. First edition of The Beatles 1967-1970 has dark blue die-cut inner sleeves with the three corners cut.
However, can often find the inner sleeves with the two top corners cut.
1. First pressing, April 20, 1973. For the first pressing was used matte Apple labels on a dark blue background. Apple labels have “Mfd. in U.K.”, “An Apple Record”, “An EMI Recording” and “The Gramophone Company Limited” credits. Matrix numbers: Side One: YEX 909-1, Side Two: YEX 910-1, Side Three: YEX 911-1, Side Four: YEX 912-1. Other common combinations of matrix numbers: -1/-3/-3/-1/// -2/-2/-2/-1.
2. Second pressing, December 20, 1978. Laminated Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. outer sleeve has producer George Martin’s credit on the inside. Glossy labels have “Mfd. in U.K.”, “An Apple Record”, “An EMI Recording” and “The Gramophone Company Limited” credits. Possible combinations of matrix numbers: -4/-3/-2/-1/// -4/-3/-3/-1/// -3/-3/-2/-1/// -5/-5/-2/-3/// -6/-5/-2/-3.
Color edition of The Beatles 1967 – 1970 has the round sticker glued on front sleeve.
All variations of the second pressing have blue die-cut inner sleeves with four rounded corners.
Note! Black vinyl with the same labels and sleeves published in the same period.
3. Third pressing, 1980 – 1983. Third pressing has unlaminated Garrod & Lofthouse Ltd. outer sleeve with George Martin’s credits and the same labels as the second pressing. Possible combinations of matrix numbers: -6/-5/-5/-3///-6/-6/-2/-3/// -7/-6/-3/-3/// -9/-7/-7/-6.
Blue inner sleeves does not cut the corners.
4. Fourth pressing, 1983 – 1987. Unlaminated sleeve with bar code and “Sleeve printed in England Manufactured in England” text on the back side. Blue inner sleeves does not cut the corners. Traditional Apple label on a dark green background. The rimtext reached all the way around the labels. Importantly, around the 5 o’clock position in the rimtext the wording is: “UNAUTHORISED COPYING, HIRING, RENTING, PUBLIC PERFORMANCE AND BROADCASTING”. Matrix numbers: Side One: YEX 909-9-1-2, Side Two: YEX 910-7-1-2, Side Three: YEX 911-7, Side Four: YEX 912-6-1-3.
5. Fifth pressing, 1993. Blue vinyl, digitally re-mastered edition. Catalog number PCSPP 718 (0777 7 97039 0). Unlaminated outer sleeve with round black and white sticker and blue inner sleeves. Complete with blue poster with some The Beatles photos. Matrix numbers: Side One: PCSPP 7181 A-01-01-1, Side Two: PCSPP 7181 B-2-01-1, Side Three: PCSPP 7182 A-01-01-1, Side Four: 7182 B-01-01-1.
Round sticker.
6. Sixth pressing, Remastered, Apple 0602547048448, released November 21, 2014. The album was reissued on 180g vinyl, prepared from the original UK 1973 compilation master. Vinyl pressed by Optimal Media GmbH, Germany.
Sticker:
An insert was added to the album:
Inner sleeves:
Matrix nimber variations:
Side A: 11140 1A 00602547048448000000 / Side B: 11140 1B 00602547048448000000 i…i // Side C: 11140 2C 00602547048448000000 /
Side D: 11140 1D 00602547048448000000 i…i
Side A: 11140 2A 00602547048448000000 / Side B: 11140 3B 00602547048448000000 i…i // Side C: 11140 3C 00602547048448000000 /
Side D: 11140 2D 00602547048448000000 i…i
7. Seven pressing, New Remix, Apple 0602455920805, released November 10, 2023.
For its 50th anniversary, the collection has been expanded with 12 additional tracks, including for the first time some of George Harrison’s earliest songs and some classic Beatles versions of R&B and rock ‘n’ roll hits that were so influential on the band. The 3LP collection now contains 38 tracks, 30 of which have new mixes for 2023. The set’s 12 newly added tracks are collected on its 3rd LP. An insert contains new sleeve notes by journalist and author John Harris.
Matrix numbers:
Side A: BN96948-01 A1 5592082 MILES. ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side B: BN96948-01 B1 5592082 MILES. ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side C: BN96949-01 A1 5592083 MILES. ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side D: BN96949-01 B1 5592083 MILES. ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side E: BN96950-01 A1 5592085 MILES. ABBEYROAD. 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Side F: BN96950-01 B1 5582095 MILES. ABBEYROAD 1/2SPEED. ROOM30
Black vinyl:
Blue vinyl: