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List Price: $12.98 | | Label: EMI Import
Salesrank: 68161
Released: November 19, 1999 |
| Our Price: $5.18 |
| Used Price: $6.26 |
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| Media: Audio CD |
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Free as a Bird Track Listing:
1. Free As A Bird
2. I Saw Her Standing There
3. This Boy
4. Christmas Time (Is Here Again)
Editorial Review:
Deleted in the U.S.! The only single taken from the Fab Four's 1995 collection 'Anthology' (Volume 1). It's backed with three non-album tracks, 'I Saw Her Standing There' (Studio Take Nine), 'This Boy' (Alternate Take) and 'Christmas Time Is Here Again'. NOTE - this was the first 'reunion' trac k to feature the three remaining members voices electronically overdubbed to John Lennon's original vocals. Slimline jewel case. 1995 release.
Free as a Bird Reviews:
Long, Long, Long 
2009-06-15 - Did you know that this comes from a land down under? Well, it does and I've been waiting 2 weeks for this 4 SONG single. A heafty wait for such a short cd. It seems that Amazon forgot to disclose the fact that this is so rare, you can only get it from Australia! I will give it some credit for the brilliant song, Free as a Bird, but seriously, why wait when you can get it faster from the Anthology?
Fantastic "new" Beatles music 
2007-03-09 - I have a hard time listening to "Free As a Bird" as I can't help thinking about what George said in the Anthology CD: It felt weird for the three of them to be working on John's song and he wasn't there. He stated that he felt like John was in another room.
Besides that, the melody and the finished product in general just gets a Beatlemaniac to thinking about what John would have thought of major events that have happened since his murder (not the least of which were the Reagan years).
This import CD single, as everyone knows by now, includes alternate versions of "I Saw Her Standing There" and "This Boy," and the short version of "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)" (minus the mini-skits that was released to their fan club).
It amazes me, someone born years after the end of the original Beatlemania, that the Boys' music endures and that this single, released 25 years after their public breakup, went to Number One. - Donna Di Giacomo
What a treat!
2007-02-25 - This is such a joy to hear! I'm glad that the producers decided to put these tracks on a single instead of back in the vaults. Tracks 2 and 3 are a great insight into recording sessions for "This Boy" and "I Saw Her Standing There" . "Christmas Time is Here Again" is a great nonsense song from the Christmas fan club discs that have yet to see a reissue. Even though it's only 4 tracks, it is worth the money for these rare performances. RECOMMENDED!
In Dreams
2006-08-16 - The Fab 3 managed to enhance John's basic track without destroying its simplicity, its delicacy, or its beauty. The song is one of the most ethereal, mystical, spiritual, soul-grabbing, life-yearning songs ever to be born. It must be, to make me use words like mystical and soul and spiritual; me being the total heathen that I am. One of the best Beatle songs of all.
"Whatever happened to the life that we once knew?" 
2003-06-11 - As others has pointed out, the 3 volumed Beatles Anthology sets didn't include all they could have (particularly the 1st 2 volumes). Since there are 3 tracks not on any of the Anthology CD's, this is worth collecting (it's too bad this and the Real Love CD were discontinued in the USA).
The "new" Beatles song actually evolved from a 1977 John Lennon demo and the other 3 added their musical contributions onto it. There is a demo of "I Saw Her Standing There" (the entire 9th take). There are 2 takes of "This Boy," which feature John and Paul giggling during vocal snafu's! Finally, there is the complete musical version of the Beatles' "Christmas Time (Is Here Again)," taken from their 1967 Christmas record (with individual Christmas greetings from Paul, John, George and Ringo from the previous year). George Martin plays "Auld Lang Syne" on the organ as John recites a Christmas poem.
Included on the cover is John Lennon's unique artwork.
