The Beatles - The Beatles' Second Album

The Beatles' Second Album is Beatlemania at its rawest, a 1964 Capitol collection that leans hard on rock and roll and rhythm and blues.

Despite the title, it was actually the band's third album in the United States, assembled by Capitol for the American market from songs that had appeared elsewhere in Britain. With the group conquering the US charts, the label raided covers from With the Beatles, recent singles and fresh recordings to keep up with demand, adding echo to give it the feel of a live show. It quickly climbed to number one, replacing Meet the Beatles! at the top.

George Harrison takes the lead on Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven", a rollicking opener, while John Lennon tears his throat apart on "Money (That's What I Want)", one of the most ferocious vocals in their catalogue. Paul McCartney matches him with a wild, Little Richard-style howl on "Long Tall Sally".

Then there is "She Loves You", the yeah-yeah-yeah anthem that defined an era. The album pairs Lennon-McCartney originals with Motown and R&B covers, revealing exactly where the band's influences lay.

For collectors exploring the band's American catalogue, it is a loud, joyous snapshot of four young men taking over the world.