This Classic Beatles 1965 Album Gets New Life With a Never-Before-Heard John Lennon Song

Fans of The Beatles have something new to celebrate. The group’s 1965 album, Rubber Soul, is set to be re-released in an expanded, special edition, UMG and Apple Corps Ltd announced.

Producer Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell remixed the LP. Now, the collection will present the album in stunning new stereo and Dolby Atmos mixes. The team sourced those mixes directly from the original four-track master tapes.

The audio reached stunning clarity with the help of cutting-edge de-mixing technology developed by the award-winning sound team led by Emile de la Rey at Peter Jackson’s WingNut Films Productions Ltd. At the same time, the new mixes remain faithful to the spirit of the original recordings.

On top of the new mixes, the special edition will include the original mono mix and the original Capitol US Album version. Additionally, the project will include previously unreleased session recordings and home demos.

The 4CD and 5LP Super Deluxe editions will be accompanied by an 88-page hardbound book. The book will feature a new written introduction by Paul McCartney, and a foreword compiled from John Lennon’s own words.

Rubber Soul will be available in standard 1CD and 1LP editions, 2CD and 2LP Special Editions, and 4CD and 5LP Super Deluxe editions. The collection will also be available on Blu-ray.

Ahead of the full Oct. 2 release, “Michelle (Take 1)” is available now. The full collection is also available for pre-order.

What to Know About The Beatles’ Rubber Soul

The Beatles recorded Rubber Soul over four weeks in October and November of 1965. The new release will give fans insight into that period.

Across the Super Deluxe collections, fans will be able to explore 24 early session recordings. That includes 20 previously unreleased takes and three previously unreleased home demos.

The Beatles released the album on Dec. 3, 1965, and it marked a pivotal moment in The Beatles’ evolution.

The adventurous LP followed a remarkable year for the band. At the time, Lennon, McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr had reached artistic and commercial heights.

Featuring songs like “Drive My Car” and “In My Life,” the album saw The Beatles experiment with new instruments, sounds, and recording techniques. It is widely regarded as having pioneered the long-form pop album as an art form.

An Unearthed John Lennon Track

If all this wasn’t enough, Rolling Stone has reported that the new release will feature a John Lennon tune you’ve almost certainly never heard before. The song, titled “Little Girl,” was unearthed by Lennon’s son Sean Ono Lennon.

“Yeah, it was surprising,” producer Giles Martin told Rolling Stone. “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.’” 

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