Anthology 2 | ||||
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Compilation album by the Beatles | ||||
Released | 18 March 1996 | |||
Recorded | 16 February 1965 – 30 April 1969; c. 1979 & February 1995 | |||
Genre | Rock, pop | |||
Length | 127:54 | |||
Label | Apple (CDP 7243 8 34448 2), Capitol | |||
Producer | George Martin, Jeff Lynne, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr ("Real Love") | |||
The Beatles chronology | ||||
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Singles from Anthology 2 | ||||
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Professional ratings | |
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Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
Robert Christgau | |
Entertainment Weekly | B |
Guitarist | |
The Independent | (mixed) |
Melody Maker | "Recommended" |
MusicHound | 3/5 |
NME | 10/10 |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
Wall of Sound | 92/100 |
Anthology 2 is a compilation album by the Beatles, released on 18 March 1996 by Apple Records as part of The Beatles Anthology series. It features rarities, outtakes and live performances from the 1965 sessions for Help! to the sessions just prior to their trip to India in February 1968. It is the second in a trilogy of albums with Anthology 1 and Anthology 3, all of which tie in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology. The opening track is "Real Love", the second of the two recordings that reunited the Beatles for the first time since the band's break-up. Like its predecessor, the album topped the Billboard 200 album chart and has been certified 4× Platinum by the RIAA.
The Anthology albums were remastered and made available digitally on the iTunes Store on 14 June 2011, individually and as part of the Anthology Box Set.
"Real Love", as with "Free as a Bird", is based on a demo made by John Lennon and given to Paul McCartney by Lennon's widow, Yoko Ono. The three surviving Beatles (McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr) added guitars, bass, drums, percussion and backing vocals, but unlike with the previous song, did not re-work the lyrics or music. "Real Love" remained solely credited to Lennon, becoming the only Beatles song to have Lennon by himself in the writing credit.