Only The Beatles… (1986)

Only The Beatles… was a cassette-only promotional compilation produced and released by Heineken Beer and EMI. Customers could collect  4 tabs from specially marked cans of Heineken along with £2.99 and send in for the cassette and a special gift card.

The insert unfolded to display The Beatles albums and some photos.

It was noteworthy for advertising it featured “previously unreleased stereo” versions of This Boy and Yes It Is. However, Only Yes It Is was actually previously unreleased; This Boy was only in “mock stereo”.

The arrangement was made without input or approval from Apple or the Beatles, and 17 days after the promotion ended and the cassettes began to be sent out, Apple filed a lawsuit to stop shipment of the cassettes. EMI voluntarily halted the promotion and withdrew the remaining cassettes.

In 2007 an unknown number of unopened cassettes were discovered and have entered the collectors market.

Track listing

Side A

1. Love Me Do (Lennon/McCartney)
2. Twist And Shout (Medley/Russell)
3. She Loves You (Lennon/McCartney)
4. This Boy (Lennon/McCartney)
5. Eight Days A Week (Lennon/McCartney)
6. All My Loving (Lennon/McCartney)

Side B

1. Ticket To Ride (Lennon/McCartney)
2. Yes It Is (Lennon/McCartney)
3. Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da (Lennon/McCartney)
4. Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds (Lennon/McCartney)
5. And I Love Her (Lennon/McCartney)
6. Strawberry Fields Forever (Lennon/McCartney)

Release history

• Parlophone – SMMC 151, released 1986