2008 four CD box set anthology from the Liverpool band. It includes unreleased tracks, early and 'no strings' versions, all their UK singles, EPs and LP masters with some recordings issued only in the USA and Canada. Hitting the top spot with their first three singles, they were a true Mersey Beat phenomena. They rivaled the Beatles in the heydays of that scene and they had a huge following at home and abroad. This CD box set is the definitive collection of the band at its peak. It contains EMI Columbia recordings from January 1963 until November 1966 and their hit singles 'How Do You Do It?', 'I Like It', 'You'll Never Walk Alone', 'I'm The One' and 'Ferry Cross The Mersey'. Included are many in both mono and stereo plus the full Oakland Auditorium show, in stereo, which provided the four tracks for the Gerry In California (mono) EP. EMI. 123 tracks.

Disc 1
1. How Do You Do It? (Mono) 1:56
2. Away From You 2:09
3. It's Happened To Me (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:19
4. I Like It (Mono) (Main) 2:15
5. Pretend (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:28
6. Jambalaya (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:37
7. Summertime (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:32
8. The Wrong Yoyo (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:21
9. I'll Be There (First Version) 3:17
10. Slow Down (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:29
11. Here's Hoping (2002 Digital Remaster) 1:48
12. Where Have You Been All My Life? (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:36
13. Maybellene (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:06
14. You'll Never Walk Alone (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:40
15. Don't Ever Stray 1:51
16. Hello Little Girl 1:54
17. Don't You Ever (2002 Digital Remaster) 1:50
18. It's All Right (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:04
19. You Can't Fool Me (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:17
20. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:11
21. You're The Reason (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:19
22. Chills (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:00
23. I'm The One 2:17
24. You've Got What I Like 2:08
25. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying 2:37
26. Show Me That You Care 2:04
27. She's The Only Girl For Me (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:31
28. Why Oh Why 1:48
29. Think About Love (2002 Digital Remaster) 1:45
30. I'll Be There (Second Version Without Strings) (2008 Digital Remaster) 3:30
31. Give Me All Your Love (No Strings) (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:37
32. Come Back To Me (No Strings) (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:39

Disc 2
1. Ferry Cross The Mersey (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:22
2. It's Gonna Be Alright (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:25
3. I'll Wait For You (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:11
4. Fall In Love (2002 Digital Remaster) 1:47
5. Baby You're So Good To Me (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:36
6. This Thing Called Love (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:11
7. My Love Forever 2:16
8. It's Just Because 2:19
9. Rip It Up 2:12
10. Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On 3:07
11. When Oh When (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:21
12. What'd I Say (2008 Digital Remaster) 4:42
13. I'll Be There 3:13
14. My Babe (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:28
15. Skinny Minnie (2008 Digital Remaster) 3:29
16. It'll Be Me 2:18
17. Reelin' And Rockin' 2:26
18. You Win Again 3:04
19. I Count The Tears (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:04
20. You You You (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:01
21. Now I'm Alone (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:45
22. Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Live) (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:41
23. My Babe (Live) (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:46
24. Away From You (Live) (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:37
25. What'd I Say (Live) (2008 Digital Remaster) 4:35
26. Give Me All Your Love (With Strings) (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:38
27. Come Back To Me (With Strings) 2:45
28. Dreams (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:21

Disc 3
1. Hallelujah I Love Her So (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:47
2. Tomorrow 2:30
3. I'll Make It Up All Up To You 2:43
4. Walk Hand In Hand 2:28
5. Today I'm In Love 1:59
6. La La La 2:37
7. Without You (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:56
8. Girl On A Swing 2:06
9. The Way You Look Tonight (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:10
10. Fool To Myself (2002 Digital Remaster) 1:57
11. Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine 2:49
12. On A Wonderful Day Like Today (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:12
13. Tonight (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:54
14. Strangers In The Night (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:55
15. Who Can I Turn To (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:52
16. See You In September (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:25
17. Pretty Flamingo (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:17
18. The End Of The Rainbow (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:15
19. Guantanamera (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:51
20. Looking For My Life (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:46
21. Anyone At All 2:36
22. Introduction 0:18
23. Dizzy Miss Lizzy (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 1:34
24. I Like It (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 1:53
25. My Babe (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 2:22
26. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 2:20
27. Slow Down (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 2:42
28. I'm The One (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 1:47
29. Away From You (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 1:51
30. A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 1:53
31. How Do You Do It (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 1:47
32. What'd I Say (Recorded Live At Oakland Auditorium) 5:25

Disc 4
1. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:38
2. Ferry Cross The Mersey (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:25
3. It's Gonna Be Alright (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:11
4. This Thing Called Love (2002 Digital Remaster) 2:12
5. Reelin' And A Rockin' (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:27
6. Whole Lot Of Shakin' Goin' On (2008 Digital Remaster) 3:06
7. Rip It Up (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:12
8. You Win Again (2008 Digital Remaster) 3:04
9. I'll Be There (Second Version) (2008 Digital Remaster) 3:14
10. You You You (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:06
11. Give Me All Your Love (New Mix) 2:37
12. Dreams (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:22
13. Hallelujah I Love Her So (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:47
14. I'll Make It Up All Up To You 2:43
15. Walk Hand In Hand (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:30
16. Today I'm In Love 2:00
17. La La La (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:37
18. Without You (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:55
19. Girl On A Swing (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:07
20. The Way You Look Tonight (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:11
21. A Fool To Myself (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:58
22. Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:49
23. On A Wonderful Day Like Today (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:13
24. Tonight (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:54
25. Strangers In The Night (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:56
26. Who Can I Turn To (2008 Digital Remaster) 1:54
27. See You In September (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:28
28. Pretty Flamingo (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:17
29. The End Of The Rainbow (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:14
30. Guantanamera (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:53
31. Looking For My Life (2008 Digital Remaster) 2:44

Amazon USA:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0011UY6IK/?tag=imwan-20

Amazon UK:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0011UY6IK/?tag=imwan-21

Now that's a box I thought I'd never see.

Per an e-mail I just received from Amazon regarding my order, release of this item has been delayed until March 25.

Perhaps you ordered through Amazon in the U.S.A.
Amazon.co.uk just e-mailed me today to say that they've shipped the set to me.I go to the British branch of Amazon to get British CD's.It makes sense.

Thanks very much for the tip. I'll look into doing just that.

I received my set today(Feb.15th),so leave no doubt,the set has been released.I'll give you a brief report.With only one exception,the 123-track 4-CD set sounds fine.Discs 1,2 & part of disc 3 run through the group's complete released recordings(with various unreleased songs,mixes & versions) in original 1960's mono mixes.Disc 3 concludes with a complete 10-song 1964 concert in stereo.(4 of the songs had appeared in mono on a 1960's UK E.P.,and those mixes appear on Disc 2).Disc 4 offers stereo mixes of 31 studio tracks.

The only serious flaw is when the mono mix of "Without You"(a Gerry Marsden original of that title) appears on Disc 3.There's an annoying surface noise,either tape print through/crosstalk and/or sticky tape sydrome.The crosstalk is piercing and unpleasant.Fortunately,a sonicly flawless stereo mix appears on Disc 4.Overall,despite the one flawed track,this an excellent set,and recommended.

Phil, thanks for the great review -- looks like I'll have to pick this one up! How is the packaging, btw, and how comprehensive are the liner notes? Thanks!

The packaging is a thick double jewel box which holds 4 CD's.The liner notes are pretty good,and there's a sessionography.

If I order this from Amazon UK, how much is the cost in American $ ?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0011UY6IK/?tag=imwan-21

Under today's exchange rate it should come out to about $50 including shipping.

Thanks, Linda.