The Beatles / Japan Tour Commemorative Edition: Best of Beatles

This release marks the 60th anniversary of the band’s 1966 visit to Japan by reviving a “phantom” commemorative album on CD—a record that was originally planned but never released. Conceived to coincide with the Beatles’ first tour of Japan, the compilation *The Best of the Beatles* featured a tracklist unique to the Japanese market. Although 16 songs were selected and test pressings were even manufactured, the project was ultimately cancelled due to a lack of approval from the UK, turning the album into a legendary rarity. This 60th-anniversary special edition faithfully recreates that album as a limited-edition CD featuring a paper sleeve and an obi strip. All tracks are sourced from the original 1960s analog recordings; “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You,” “Love Me Do,” and “P.S. I Love You” are presented in simulated stereo, while the remaining tracks are direct transfers from analog tape, preserving the authentic sound of the era rather than a modern digital remaster. Regarding the artwork, the original plan called for a “chick” design by Claude Okamoto—a young artist hailed as a prodigy at the time—but because the release was cancelled, that design never materialized and no original copies survive. Consequently, this release utilizes a reproduction that mimics the style of the various Odeon “Best of” compilations from that period. It is said that only a handful of the original test pressings exist; their rarity surpasses even the “Butcher Cover” or “Gold Parlophone” issues, making them virtually unobtainable and among the most sought-after collector’s items in the world. This release brings that ultimate collector’s item back to life. It is a faithful CD recreation of the “phantom” compilation album originally planned—but cancelled—to commemorate the 1966 Japan tour, featuring the complete tracklist sourced from the original 1960s analog recordings. (side1) 01. I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND 02. PLEASE PLEASE ME 03. A HARD DAY’S NIGHT 04. PLEASE MISTER POSTMAN 05. LOVE ME DO 06. ROLL OVER BEETHOVEN 07. ALL MY LOVING 08. I SAW HER STANDING THERE (side2) 09. TWIST AND SHOUT 10. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER 11. SHE LOVES YOU 12. CAN’T BUY ME LOVE 13. I WANNA BE YOUR MAN 14. LONG TALL SALLY 15. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET 16. P.S. I LOVE YOU [Originally compiled 1965/1966 : Reproduction direct from the original analog sources]