Hot on the heels of last month’s Global Beatles Day comes news that a previously unreleased John Lennon track titled Little Girl will be included on the reissue of The Beatles' Rubber Soul, which is due to arrive on October 2 via UMG and Apple Corps Ltd.
The demo appears to have been hidden away in the vaults for decades before being unearthed when plans for the re-issue were being drawn up.
Producer Giles Martin tells Rolling Stone: “It was surprising. It was one of those things that came from the Lennon Estate – I think it was Sean. It was one of those things where they say, ‘Oh, and then there’s this.’”
The record has been newly mixed by Martin and engineer Sam Okell and, alongside the original mono mix, you’ll also find a new stereo mix sourced from the original four-track masters. There’s also a Dolby Atmos mix and the original Capitol US version is also included. The expanded album will also include previously unreleased home demos and studio recordings.
For Beatles’ enthusiasts, the main draw will likely be the Super Deluxe editions of Rubber Soul which will be released as 4CD and 5LP box sets. These contain a total of 68 tracks, with the vinyl box set featuring a 7-inch single with Day Tripper and We Can Work It Out.
There’s also an 88-page hardback book with an introduction written by Paul McCartney and a foreward complied from John Lennon’s own words. The book also includes track notes, photographs and an in-depth look at the background of the album.
Rubber Soul will also be released in limited-edition orange vinyl and zoetrope vinyl, 1CD and 1LP standard editions, and 2CD and 2LP deluxe editions.
To mark the announcement, you can watch a visualiser featuring Michelle (Take 1) below.
Rubber Soul: Special Edition Super Deluxe: 5LP + 7” single box set
LP1: New stereo mix
Side A
1. Drive My Car
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won't See Me
4. Nowhere Man
5. Think For Yourself
6. The Word
7. Michelle
Side B
1. What Goes On
2. Girl
3. I'm Looking Through You
4. In My Life
5. Wait
6. If I Needed Someone
7. Run For Your Life
LP2: Sessions, demos and the single (Disc 1)
Side A
1. Wait (Take 3 – instrumental backing track)
2. Run For Your Life (Takes 1-5 – instrumental backing track)
3. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (First version –Take 1)
4. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Second version –Take 2)
5. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) (Third version – Take 3)
6. Drive My Car (Takes 1 and 2 – instrumental backing track)
7. Day Tripper (Songwriting work tape)
Side B
1. Day Tripper (Take 1 – instrumental backing track)
2. Day Tripper (Takes 2 and 3 – instrumental backing track)
3. If I Needed Someone (Take 1 – instrumental backing track)
4. In My Life (Take 1)
5. In My Life (Extract with unused organ solo)
6. We Can Work It Out (Paul’s demo)
7. We Can Work It Out (Take 1 – instrumental backing track)
LP3: Sessions, demos and the single (Disc 2)
Side A
1. Nowhere Man (First version – Take 2)
2. Nowhere Man (Second version – Take 5 – instrumental backing track)
3. I’m Looking Through You (First version – Take 1)
4. I’m Looking Through You (Second version – Take 2)
5. I’m Looking Through You (Second version – Take 3)
6. Michelle (Guitar rehearsal)
7. Michelle (Take 1)
Side B
1. What Goes On (Take 1 – instrumental backing track)
2. The Word (Takes 1 and 2 – instrumental backing track)
3. Girl (Take 2 – instrumental backing track)
4. Beatle Talk (Think For Yourself vocal overdubs)
5. Little Girl (John’s demo)
LP4: Mono
Side A
1. Drive My Car
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won't See Me
4. Nowhere Man
5. Think For Yourself
6. The Word
7. Michelle
Side B
1. What Goes On
2. Girl
3. I'm Looking Through You
4. In My Life
5. Wait
6. If I Needed Someone
7. Run For Your Life
LP5: US Album
Side A
1. I’ve Just Seen A Face
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won't See Me
4. Think For Yourself
5. The Word
6. Michelle
Side B
1. It’s Only Love
2. Girl
3. I’m Looking Through You
4. In My Life
5. Wait
6. Run For Your Life
7” single
1. Day Tripper
2. We Can Work It Out
