The Beatles - Please Please Me

Please Please Me

This is The Beatles' first UK album released in 1963; it consists of 14 songs with a short running time of less than 32 minutes, which was a norm in those days with the vinyl albums . Eight of the songs here are written by Lennon-McCartney while the remaining 6 tracks are some of The Beatles' favourite songs.

Prior to the release of this album, the British chart were dominated with sound-track albums, recordings of Broadway musicals, with the exception of Elvis Presley and other easy-listening US artistes. The only UK acts before the Beatles who had some success in the chart were Cliff Richard and The Shadows.

This album started the ball rolling and prompted bands like The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Hollies to write and play their own materials, rather than doing covers of songs from the US artistes.

Please Please Me hit the UK album chart in May 1963 and remained there for 30 weeks.

1. I Saw Her Standing There (Lennon-McCartney): The album's opener, with Paul in lead vocal and John in harmonies, features some of the Beatles' early trademarks - handclapping and "oooo"ing. And Paul plays some mean rock 'n' roll bass line in this bright number.

2. Misery (Lennon-McCartney): This up-tempo ballad is a close harmony duet between John and Paul, with John singing solo in some verses. Producer George Martin overdubbed in some piano into the track.

3. Anna (Go To Him) (Alexander): John is the lead vocal on this Arthur Alexander hit song. (The late Alexander was an American country soul singer who had another big hit, You Better Move On, which was covered by The Rolling Stones.)

4. Chains (Goffin-King): The vocals are a three-part harmony between John, Paul and George, with George doing solo between the chorus line that dominates the song. This Gerry Goffin and Carole King's song also introduces, for the first time in the album, the harmonica played by John.
5. B0ys (Dixon-Farrel): The rock 'n' roll song, written by Luther Dixon and Wes Farrel, gives Ringo his first appearance as the lead vocalist. The rest of the band supply the backing vocals.

6. Ask Me Why (Lennon-McCartney): It features John on lead vocal with some pleasant harmonies from Paul and George. Another Beatles' early trademarks, falsetto, can be heard on this song, which is also the B-side to the Beatles second single, Please Please Me.

7. Please Please Me (Lennon-McCartney): The title track, which is the Beatles' second single, has John in lead vocal with tight harmonised backing from Paul and George. The song is interspersed with some harmonica from John.

8. Love Me Do (Lennon-McCartney): This was initially the A-side of the Beatles' first single for Parlophone. The song features strongly the harmonica playing from John, with dueting lead vocals from John and Paul. George plays the acoustic guitar and also does the harmony, too. The album version has session musician Andy White playing drums with Ringo on tambourine. The reason was that after Ringo replaced Pete Best (the original drummer before the Beatles became famous), George Martin, who had not heard Ringo play before, brought in Andy just in case Ringo did not match up to expectations.

9. P.S. I Love You (Lennon-McCartney): Previously released as the B-side to Love Me Do, this pleasant song has John and Paul singing lead vocals. Again, Andy White sits in on drums while Ringo shakes the maraccas.

10. Baby It's You (David-Williams-Bacharach): This easy listening ballad has John doing the lead vocal and is accompanied by Paul and George who supply the 'sha, la, la, la' backing.

11. Do You Want To Know The Secret (Lennon-McCartney): George sings the lead vocal while John and Paul provide the 'do da do' backing vocals. (The song was later recorded by Billy J. Kramer and The Dakotas and hit the No. 1 spot in the UK chart.)

12. A Taste Of Honey (Marlow Scott): Before the Beatles recorded this very popular hit in the early 60s has been covered by many other artistes. The song is a good vehicle for Paul's voice. John and George provide the harmonies.

13. There's A Place (Lennon-McCartney): The tight harmony of John and Paul, with John singing solos at times. It also features the soulful and wailing harmonica from John.

14. Twist And Shout (Medley-Russel): The album closes with this rock 'n' roll track, originally recorded by The Isley Brothers in 1962. This Phil Medly and Bert Russel song was the song most people would remember at the Beatles' early concerts in The Cavern Club and Hamburg. John's leathery and hoarse vocal, with Paul and George doing the backing, makes this one of the strongest tracks of the album.

46 years later, Please Please Me still sounds fresh and engrossing, despite the fact that it was a rush-release album to cash in on the Beatles earlier two singles.

And so it's time to bring out this album and enjoy the great sound of The Beatles once more.