Monday 14 June 1965 | Album Release | Capitol Records, USA
On Monday 14 June 1965, The Beatles' US label Capitol Records released Beatles VI — the group's sixth LP on the label, not counting The Beatles' Story documentary album. With releases also having appeared on Vee-Jay and United Artists Records, Beatles VI was The Beatles' ninth album to be released in the United States.
The catalogue numbers were Capitol T 2358 (mono) and ST 2358 (stereo).
The Album
As with all their US releases up to 1966, The Beatles had little say in the contents of the album — Capitol exercised full editorial control over which tracks appeared on their American releases, routinely splitting UK albums across multiple US releases and supplementing them with B-sides and other material. Beatles VI was assembled from several sources:
- Beatles For Sale tracks that Capitol had chosen to leave off Beatles '65 — including 'Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!', 'Eight Days a Week', 'I Don't Want to Spoil the Party', 'Words of Love', 'What You're Doing', and 'Every Little Thing'
- 'Yes It Is' — the B-side of 'Ticket to Ride' (released April 1965)
- Two tracks from the forthcoming UK version of Help!: 'You Like Me Too Much' and 'Tell Me What You See'
- Two songs recorded exclusively for North American listeners: covers of Larry Williams' 'Bad Boy' and 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy', both taped at Abbey Road on 10 May 1965
The inclusion of 'Bad Boy' and 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy' — recorded specifically for the US market — gave Beatles VI a distinction unusual among the Capitol albums: two tracks that did not appear on any contemporary UK release. 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy' would later appear on the UK Help! album (released 6 August 1965), but 'Bad Boy' remained a US-only track until its inclusion on the UK compilation A Collection of Beatles Oldies in December 1966.
Larry Williams and The Beatles
Larry Williams (1935–1980) was an American rock 'n' roll and rhythm and blues singer-songwriter whose recordings for Specialty Records in the late 1950s were a significant influence on The Beatles. The group recorded three of his songs: 'Slow Down' (recorded 1 June 1964, released on the Long Tall Sally EP), 'Bad Boy' (10 May 1965), and 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy' (10 May 1965). John Lennon was particularly fond of Williams' recordings, and the raw, driving energy of his originals is evident in The Beatles' versions.
The Capitol Albums and the US Market
The practice of Capitol Records reconfiguring The Beatles' UK albums for the American market — removing tracks, adding singles and B-sides, and releasing the material across a greater number of shorter albums — was a source of frustration for The Beatles, who had no contractual control over their US releases until 1966. The result was a parallel American discography that diverged significantly from the UK releases, creating a distinct listening experience for American fans and a complex discographical legacy that was not fully resolved until the 2004 release of The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 and the 2006 release of The Capitol Albums Vol. 2.
Beatles VI was first reissued on compact disc on 11 April 2006 as part of the box set The Capitol Albums Vol. 2, with both mono and stereo mixes.
Track Listing
Side One
- 'Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!'
- 'Eight Days a Week'
- 'You Like Me Too Much'
- 'Bad Boy'
- 'I Don't Want to Spoil the Party'
- 'Words of Love'
Side Two
- 'What You're Doing'
- 'Yes It Is'
- 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy'
- 'Tell Me What You See'
- 'Every Little Thing'
Key Facts: 14 June 1965
- Date: Monday 14 June 1965
- Release: Beatles VI (US)
- Label: Capitol Records
- Catalogue numbers: T 2358 (mono); ST 2358 (stereo)
- Capitol LP number: Sixth (not counting The Beatles' Story)
- Overall US LP number: Ninth
- US-exclusive tracks: 'Bad Boy'; 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy' (both recorded 10 May 1965)
- CD reissue: 11 April 2006 (The Capitol Albums Vol. 2)
- Tracks: 11
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Beatles VI?
Beatles VI is a Beatles album released by Capitol Records in the United States on 14 June 1965. It was the group's sixth Capitol LP and their ninth US album overall. It combined tracks from Beatles For Sale that had been omitted from Beatles '65, the B-side 'Yes It Is', two tracks from the forthcoming UK Help! album, and two songs recorded exclusively for the US market: 'Bad Boy' and 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy'.
What songs were recorded exclusively for Beatles VI?
'Bad Boy' and 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy' — both covers of Larry Williams songs — were recorded at Abbey Road on 10 May 1965 specifically for the North American market. 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy' later appeared on the UK Help! album, but 'Bad Boy' remained a US-only track until December 1966.
Why did Capitol Records release different Beatles albums to the UK?
Capitol Records exercised full editorial control over The Beatles' US releases until 1966, routinely splitting UK albums across multiple shorter US releases and adding singles, B-sides, and other material. The Beatles had no contractual say in the contents of their American albums during this period.
Who was Larry Williams?
Larry Williams (1935–1980) was an American rock 'n' roll and R&B singer-songwriter whose Specialty Records recordings were a major influence on The Beatles. The group recorded three of his songs: 'Slow Down', 'Bad Boy', and 'Dizzy Miss Lizzy'. John Lennon was particularly fond of his work.
Has Beatles VI been released on CD?
Yes — Beatles VI was first released on CD on 11 April 2006 as part of the box set The Capitol Albums Vol. 2, which included both mono and stereo mixes.
What number album was Beatles VI in the US?
Beatles VI was Capitol Records' sixth Beatles LP (not counting The Beatles' Story documentary album). Including releases on Vee-Jay and United Artists, it was The Beatles' ninth album to be released in the United States.
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