Beatles - Long Tall Sally EP

The Beatles released 13 EPs during their career, and only two contained original songs not already available on 45-rpm single and LP.  The format was popular in the UK - two songs per side, instead of one for singles.  It was a cheap in-between for those who couldn't afford the big, expensive LPs.  Eventually, the format was phased out, but the idea lived on well into the CD age; "EP" generally means any album with fewer songs than a full-length album.  Hovercraft's Been Brained (5 songs) and Babes in Toyland's To Mother (7 songs) are excellent examples.

Anyway, here is The Beatles' Long Tall Sally EP from 1964, released just before A Hard Day's Night.  This EP contained four new songs, three covers and one original.  Today, these songs are included on Past Masters, and "Mono Masters" on the spectacular Beatles in Mono box set.  This is a terrific series of rockers, loud and ferocious, especially in mono.  The stereo versions, as always, are stripped down and lack the necessary punch.  Frankly, I'm just not a fan of seperating instruments into this speaker and that speaker.  It's like putting the band at opposite ends of the stage.

Thank God for Beatles in Mono, that's what I say.  It's officially listed as a "limited release," but I do hope the powers that be rethink that option.  Even if the mono albums are only available on the box set (seperate mono CDs would only confuse the stupids), I would be more than happy.  Check out the Long Tall Sally songs and discover for yourself.

Oh, you do know that the other Beatles EP of new songs was Magical Mystery Tour, right?  Of course.  Just checking.  Here's a photo of all the EPs from their career, released some years ago as a CD box set.