The Beatles – Greatest Hits Volume 2 (1967): Album Guide, Tracklist, Credits & Trivia

Introduction

Greatest Hits Volume 2 is a 1967 compilation album by The Beatles, released primarily in Australia and other select international markets. Issued during the peak of Beatlemania, the album gathered some of the band’s biggest mid-career hits into one essential collection for fans who may not have owned the original UK singles.

Unlike official UK studio albums, this compilation was assembled by EMI’s Australian branch, making it a fascinating collector’s item in Beatles discography history.

Album Overview

Artist: The Beatles
Album Title: Greatest Hits Volume 2
Release Year: 1967
Label: Parlophone (Australia)
Format: LP (Vinyl)
Producer (Original Recordings): George Martin
Genre: Rock, Pop Rock, Beat Music

Chart Performance & Sales (Grossing)

Australia (Kent Music Report): #1
Remained on Australian charts for over 30 weeks
One of the best-selling Beatles compilations in Australia during the 1960s

Although no official worldwide sales figures were consolidated, the album achieved strong commercial success in Australia and became a staple in local Beatles collections.

Tracklist

Side One

She Loves You
I Want to Hold Your Hand
All My Loving
Can’t Buy Me Love
A Hard Day’s Night
I Should Have Known Better

Side Two

Long Tall Sally
I Feel Fine
Ticket to Ride
Yesterday
Help!
We Can Work It Out

Album Credits

The Beatles

John Lennon – Lead & backing vocals, rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney – Lead & backing vocals, bass guitar, piano
George Harrison – Lead guitar, backing vocals
Ringo Starr – Drums, percussion, vocals

Production

Producer: George Martin
Recording Studio: EMI Studios (Abbey Road), London
Engineers: Norman Smith, Geoff Emerick

Musical Highlights

This compilation captures The Beatles’ rapid evolution between 1963 and 1965:

Early Beatlemania anthems (She Loves You, I Want to Hold Your Hand)
Folk-rock influence (Ticket to Ride)
Orchestral pop masterpiece (Yesterday)
Mature songwriting partnership (We Can Work It Out)

It serves as a snapshot of the band’s transition from Merseybeat pop to more sophisticated studio craftsmanship.

Fun Facts

🇦🇺 The album was not released in the UK, making it unique to Australia and certain export markets.
📀 It followed Greatest Hits Volume 1, which covered earlier singles.
🎸 The compilation helped introduce Australian fans to singles that were otherwise only available as imports.
🖼️ The cover design differed from UK album aesthetics, giving it distinct collector appeal.

Trivia

Yesterday became one of the most covered songs in music history.
Long Tall Sally was originally a Little Richard song that The Beatles frequently performed live.
Several tracks were originally released as non-album singles in the UK.
The album reflects the era before The Beatles stopped touring in 1966.

Goofs & Oddities

📦 Because it was a regional release, some pressings feature slight variations in label design.
🔄 Track order does not follow chronological release order.
❗ Some collectors mistakenly assume it was an official UK compilation — it was not part of the core British discography.