Highlights from My Vinyl Collection, Part 6

This is the sixth installment of "Highlights from My Vinyl Collection," an appreciation of great music, not necessarily rare finds or expensive imports. This is not about "deleted Smiths singles and original, not rereleased - underlined - Frank Zappa albums," as Rob Gordon so eloquently put it, though a small few select gems might appear every now and again.



The Beatles - Meet the Beatles!

Not all of the albums in my collection were acquired through a personal cash transaction. I suppose a more succinct way of saying that would be, "I didn't buy all of my albums." Oh well. I've never claimed to be economical with language. No, this is one of maybe 20 or so albums that I inherited (or took from a sibling under the cover of night because they didn't own a record player). I have no idea if Meet the Beatles!, in this Capitol Records American edition is worth any money. Actually, that's not true. I just looked it up between sentences and it's worth about $20, even though it this particular pressing is declared as "rare." But, that is not what is so special about this. I just love that I have a copy of "Meet the Beatles!" Plus, the condition that the record is in speaks volumes, and is not necessarily in the prime condition for getting the highest price. The vinyl itself is in decent condition, but I'm talking about the cover. My name is on the cover in thick black marker because at one time, I liked to put my name on everything, much to my parents' chagrin. On the back, in thin pencil writing that I presume is my father's, though it could have been my uncle's, are "real" running times next to the official ones. You see, my dad (again presuming) added the silence between tracks to get a true running time per side. There is something comforting about that. It shows me that this record was loved, and it captures a quality of those who owned it before, something that can't be replicated. And in the meantime, um, hello...

Side 1:
1. I Want to Hold Your Hand
2. I Saw Her Standing There
3. This Boy
4. It Won't Be Long
5. All I've Got to Do
6. All My Loving

Side 2:
1. Don't Bother Me
2. Little Child
3. Till There Was You
4. Hold Me Tight
5. I Wanna Be Your Man
6. Not a Second Time

Heck, "This Boy" and "Till There Was You" are amazing by themselves, but surrounded by all these powerhouse songs? Growing up, I always seemed to prefer the later Beatles work, but now have begun to fully appreciate just how mindblowingly good these guys were. And man, that iconic album cover. Sometimes, I just pull this record out and look at it, not even bothering to play it. It has that much power.