Best Gifts for the Beatles Fan

Perhaps in all pop music history, there hasn't been a far more global, wide-reaching, revolutionary movement as Beatlemania. While it may have bee forty years since the moptops hit the stage and the mainstream airwaves with their boyish swagger and blistering hits-let's face it-the world still loves the Beatles. They bring back the nostalgic whirlwind of the swinging 60's because really, there never has been a decade like it, and there has especially never been a pop group like the Beatles. Here are a few items that would make wonderful presents for the quintessential Beatle fan.

Released in 2004, The Capitol Albums Vol. 1 is a box set featuring four CDs of the Beatles' 1964 American releases, classified according to their original albums and presented in both their mono and stereo versions. This should be a delight for nostalgic Beatles fans, who resent having the confusion of only the original mono mixes of songs appearing in different albums (the Fab Four's songs were released differently in the British and American LPs) as they were reissued throughout the years. This may not make such a perfect present for Beatles purists, however, because the American releases were commercial, and the final product was not very faithful to how the Beatles envisioned their songs to sound. Volume 1 includes the original American releases of Meet the Beatles, The Beatles' Second Album, Something New, and Beatles '65.

The Capitol Albums Vol. 2 was only recently released in April 2006. It's also a 4-disc box set containing more of Capitol's American releases in 1965, including The Early Beatles, Beatles VI, the Help! soundtrack and the US version of Rubber Soul. This set also contains a wealth of songs that have been made available for the fist time on CD and a couple of stereo debuts of originally mono songs as well. The second volume is not quite as quintessential as the first, but for those who find it annoying to have patchy and incomplete sets for their collections, it's a good buy. The Japanese releases of these box sets contain better quality printing of the inner jackets (which attempt to recreate the original LP releases) but are certainly more expensive.

The Beatles' appearances on Ed Sullivan hold a dear place in the hearts of many Americans who grew up loving the boys. Their wit and charm on Sullivan's set were some of the most poignant catalysts that ushered in the British invasion on American soil. Ed Sullivan Presents The Beatles is a DVD release that finally allows us to relive those memories and those unforgettable, chart-topping performances. This 2-disc set contains all four appearances of the Fab Four as well as other milestone episodes of the Ed Sullivan Show. You can buy this just to enjoy the Beatles portions, but you will most probably end up enjoying it in its entirety, as you watch some of the groundbreaking moments in primetime vaudeville TV, including an appearance by future Monkee Davy Jones.

Another fantastic Beatles release is the Anthology series. Originally a project in the 1990's by the then three surviving Beatles Paul, George and Ringo, the Anthology sets run from Volume 1 to Volume 5, in effect chronicling the Beatles' musical and artistic development from their earliest days as a scruffy rock act in the Cavern to their culminating works in the studio. Anthology contains many never-before-released tracks, cover songs and alternate takes of well-loved standards that are certainly worth the listen for any Beatles fan, and the booklet inserts interestingly reveal the story behind every track. Of course, the special feature of the series is the new recordings written and performed by the boys using some old demo tapes by John. Free As A Bird and Real Love both make their debut in the Anthology series, showing that musical genius-in this case of the Beatles-can truly stand the test of time.

The Beatles Anthology also has a DVD release featuring 5 discs that make up a comprehensive documentary of the band's career spanning almost the entire decade of the 60's. It's a very interesting set, far more comprehensive than any other Beatles documentaries I've ever seen, and it's got a good collection of performance clips, old pictures, interview snippets, and promo videos, including the one for Free As A Bird. I would highly recommend this DVD set.

For a more classic appeal, a hardbound copy of The Beatles: A Life In Pictures makes for the elegance and nostalgic appeal of a picture book. This is a huge book by Tim Hill, containing 95 pictures of the Beatles in their everyday simplicity. It's a beautiful collection of photos that somehow give you an intimate glimpse into the life of the boys at work or just having a good time. It chronicles their lives behind their whirlwind success and backstage of their elaborate performances. Simply put, it's an intimate, intensely sincere picture book of four boys who won the hearts of a generation and changed the history of pop culture forever, for the better.

There are quite a few books as well that would make for wonderful presents. The Beatles Anthology is a unique biography-who better to tell their story than the Beatles themselves? This book contains a lot of colorful illustrations which make the reading much more light-hearted and enjoyable. Here, the boys reminisce on some of their career highlights, well accentuated by personal drawings and signed letters that give you an intimate look into their lives. This is a big, beautiful volume that gives you a definitive account of the story according to the Beatles.

For those on a tighter budget, why not grab a Beatles tee shirt? Hot Topic offers a wide range of band merchandise, including good quality Beatles vintage tees that comes in men's sizes or ladies' tank tops. These are sure to be a pleaser, and it doesn't hurt the wallet at all! You can also order online from their website www.hottopic.com. Of course, there are also different collectibles and memorabilia that you can snag, like inflatable Beatles figure, vintage posters and concert tickets, records, and books (John Lennon's In His Own Write and A Spaniard In The Works are fun reads). There are so many ways to brighten the holidays for any Beatles fan, and it doesn't have to hurt the wallet too!