All the Songs
Page 3
Genesis
“Anna (Go to Him)” was one of John’s favorite songs. So he suggested doing a remake of it for their first album. The composer, Arthur Alexander, was an African-American singer and composer whose first success, in 1961, was “You Better Move On.” In 1963, Arthur repeated this success with “Anna (Go to Him).” The original version, recorded in the great Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals (Alabama), was a bit faster-paced than the Beatles’ version, and the orchestration, supported by violins, sounded like similar R&B records. But the adaptation of the Fab Four bests Alexander’s version, thanks to John’s voice, which is poignant and dynamic, and the background harmonies of Paul and George.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
Vee Jay Records, a black music label, was planning on producing “Anna (Go to Him)” as a single, on the flip side of “Ask Me Why.” It seems then that the Beatles’ performance was deemed likely to appeal to the black audience. Therefore, a very limited series of test records was pressed for disc jockeys. But ultimately the idea was dropped. Today, it is believed that there are only four copies left in the world. One of them was sold in July 2012 for $35,000. This was the highest bid for a single ever made by a Beatles collector.
Production
After a break of only an hour and a half, during which it seems the Beatles kept improving their work, the entire team began the last session of the day. It was 7:30 P.M. and there remained six songs to record. After Paul’s “Hold Me Tight,” which was left off the album, they began the second remake of the day, “Anna (Go to Him).” Since the piece was part of the usual repertoire of the group, three takes were sufficient. John played his Gibson J-160 E and did the singing. It is noteworthy that the title of the song was “Anna (Go to Him),” whereas John, as well as Alexander, sang, “go with him.” Totally performed live, the song did not require any editing. It was mixed along with the other songs on February 25.
Chains
Gerry Goffin–Carole King / 2:23
1963
MUSICIANS
George: vocal, lead guitar
John: backing vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica
Paul: backing vocals, bass
Ringo: drums
RECORDED
Abbey Road: February 11, 1963 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 4
MIXING
Abbey Road: February 25, 1963 (Studio One)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Norman Smith
Assistant Engineers: Richard Langham, A. B. Lincoln
Genesis
The Cookies were a black American female vocal trio formed in 1954 who, four years later, joined Ray Charles and became the Raelettes. Reestablished in 1961, the trio recorded “Chains” the following year, a composition by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, one of the famous songwriting duos that had offices in New York’s Brill Building. “Chains” was a song that the Beatles had discovered less than three months before recording it. Performed by the Cookies in November 1962, it reached seventeenth on the American pop charts a month later. The enthusiasm it generated among British teenagers convinced the Beatles to include it on their album. Even though they gave the song an unbeatable dynamism and freshness, the real innovation came from the harmonica solo played by John in the intro. John used a chromatic harmonica in C.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
Around 1:27 on this song, you can hear words that sound like “Is that enough?” or “Is that the rhythm?” The voice probably came from the control room, although it could have been John asking a question.
Production
It was the second song performed by George on the album, after “Do You Want to Know a Secret,” and it was the first song in which you could hear three-part harmony. It was not until “This Boy,” in October 1963, that the Beatles would use three-part harmony again. Although four takes were recorded live during the evening session, George Martin kept the first one, ending the song with a fade-out. The song was mixed on October 25.
Boys
Luther Dixon–Wes Farrell / 2:24
1963
MUSICIANS
Ringo: vocal, drums
John: backing vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica
Paul: backing vocals, bass
George: lead guitar, backing vocals
RECORDED
Abbey Road: February 11, 1963 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 1
MIXING
Abbey Road: February 25, 1963 (Studio One)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Norman Smith
Assistant Engineers: Richard Langham, A. B. Lincoln
Genesis
The Shirelles, a black American female vocal group formed in 1958, landed their first number 1 on the American charts on January 30, 1961. “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King, who also wrote “Chains.” Side B, “Boys,” was a song by Luther Dixon and Wes Farrell, both American author-composers, producers, and musicians who created hundreds of songs performed by Elvis Presley, the Jackson Five, David Cassidy, and others. “Boys” soon became one of the favorite songs of the Merseybeat groups. As soon as the Beatles included this piece in their repertoire, Pete Best sang it regularly in concerts. Ringo, who played it several times with Rory Storm & the Hurricanes, adopted it in turn, without the words (which would normally be sung by women) offending anyone. Paul recalled: “It was a Shirelles hit and they were girls singing it but we never thought we should call it ‘Girls’ just because Ringo was a boy.”1 “Boys” became Ringo’s signature tune, and, without fail, it drove his fans wild whenever he sang it.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
Although Ringo had a reputation for being a human metronome, it was not exactly the case during the recording of “Boys.” From the beginning (about 150 quarter-notes per minute) to the ending of the song (about 140), there is a rather significant difference in tempo.
Production
The original version by the Shirelles was less fast-paced, with an accompaniment on piano and a sax chorus. The Beatles turned it into a highly dynamic song, with an excellent solo by George that was very much influenced by Chet Atkins, one of his heroes. John and Paul both supplied a tight rhythm section, while Ringo sang and played drums with expressive conviction. The bopshoo-wop of the choruses contributed an indispensable kitsch touch to the whole number. You could feel the group working together, happy to feature Ringo, who in turn did not fail to shout out the solo of his guitar-playing colleague, “All Right, George!” “Boys” was the third song to be recorded during the last session of the day. The first take was chosen as the best. The mix took place on February 25 and the piece ended with a fade-out. “Boys” was the very first song sung by Ringo on record.
Technical Details
Norman Smith tried to isolate Ringo’s voice from the sound of his drums as much as possible. Since the drums and vocals were performed together, it was not possible to mix them separately. For the first and only time, he recorded both the drums and Ringo’s vocals to track 2 after first establishing a balance between the two. Track 1 was used for the other instruments.
Ask Me Why
McCartney-Lennon / 2:24
1963
SONGWRITER
John
MUSICIANS
John: vocal, rhythm guitar
Paul: backing vocals, bass
George: backing vocals, lead guitar
Ringo: drums
RECORDED
Abbey Road: June 6 (Studios Two or Three) / November 26, 1962 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 6
MIXING
Abbey Road: November 30, 1962 (Studio Two)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Norman Smith
Assistant Engineer: Chris Neal
RELEASED AS A SINGLE
“Please Please Me” / “Ask Me Why”
Great Bri
tain: January 11, 1963 / No. 1 in January
United States: February 25, 1963 (through Vee Jay)
Genesis
“It was John’s original idea and we both sat down and wrote it together, just did a job only. It was mostly John’s,”1 Paul admitted to Barry Miles. John, who deeply admired Smokey Robinson & the Miracles, was strongly inspired by the intro of “What’s So Good about Goodbye,” which came out in December 1961. Smokey remained a major influence on his first years of writing, during which the words were relegated to the background, and, according to John and Paul, the music took priority.
Production
“Ask Me Why” was one of the four songs recorded by the Beatles during the audition on June 6, 1962. Five months later, on Monday, November 26, they met to record their second single, “Please Please Me,” which was their first real success. They needed a second song for side B. After a break, they worked on a piece they knew well and which they performed regularly for several months, “Ask Me Why.” The recording went smoothly: only two takes were required. The musical quality of the song was not to be underestimated. The vocal harmonies were superb and the two guitars joined with finesse, John on his electroacoustic J-160 E Gibson and George on his Gretsch Duo Jet. The whole song had a slightly jazzy feel, which was unusual in their repertoire. The mix was carried out on November 30 without the participation of the Beatles, but in those days that was typical.
Technical Details
During the June 6 and November 26 recording sessions, “Please Please Me” and “Ask Me Why” were simultaneously recorded in mono and stereo by means of a system called Delta-Mono. This technique was soon dropped and replaced by solely mono recording with Twin Track tape recorders.
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
“Ask Me Why,” along with “Please Please Me,” was one of only two Beatles songs published by Dick James Music, their new publisher, before John, Paul, Brian Epstein, Dick James, and his partner, Charles Silver, founded the Northern Songs company.
Please Please Me
McCartney-Lennon / 2:00
1962–1963
SONGWRITER
John
MUSICIANS
John: vocal, rhythm guitar, harmonica
Paul: backing vocals, bass
George: backing vocals, lead guitar
Ringo: drums
RECORDED
Abbey Road: September 11 (Studio Two) / November 26, 1962 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAKES: 18
MIXING
Abbey Road: November 30, 1962 (Studio Two) / February 25, 1963 (Studio One)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Norman Smith
Assistant Engineers: unknown for the recording sessions on September 11, September 26, and November 30, 1962; for the February 25, 1963, recording session: A. B. Lincoln
RELEASED AS A SINGLE
“Please Please Me” / “Ask Me Why”
Great Britain: January 11, 1963 / No. 1 in January
United States: February 25, 1963 (through Vee Jay)
Genesis
In 1980, John assumed full responsibility for creating “Please Please Me.” He was trying to write a song in the style of Roy Orbison’s “Only the Lonely,” which was number 1 on the charts in Great Britain in October 1960. The title “Please” of Bing Crosby’s 1932 song, which his mother Julia used to sing him, was another source of inspiration. The sentence Please lend your ears to my pleas captured his attention: “I was always intrigued by the double use of the word of ‘Please.’ So it was a combination of Bing Crosby and Roy Orbison.”1
John remembered writing “Please Please Me” in his room at Menlove Avenue, at his aunt Mimi’s house in Liverpool. Another influence was the 1960 Everly Brothers tune, “Cathy’s Clown,” which was the origin of Paul’s voice in the couplets, while John sang the melody. Paul claimed, “I did the trick of remaining on the top note while the melody cascaded down from it. A cadence.”2
Production
The song that gave its name to the album was recorded a few months earlier, on Monday, November 26, 1962, for the second single. On Tuesday, September 11, the group was in the studio to rerecord “Love Me Do.” Since two hours were sufficient to produce it, there remained one hour of studio time at their disposal. Ron Richards, who was managing the session during the temporary absence of George Martin, asked them if they had a new song to propose. According to Geoff Emerick, the four musicians immediately suggested “Please Please Me.” George Martin listened to the song but found it rather monotonous. “It was like a Roy Orbison number, very slow, bluesy vocals. It was obvious to me that it badly needed pepping up.”3 He recommended then that they play it faster and harmonize John’s voice with the choruses. Then he asked them to try it again during a further session. He admitted to Ron Richards: “We haven’t quite got ‘Please Please Me’ right, but it’s too good a song to just throw away. We’ll leave it for another time.4
FOR BEATLES FANATICS
Norman Smith remembered sending, in an unmarked package, a tape of “Please Please Me” to Dick Rowe, the artistic director of Decca. A great rival of EMI, Decca Records had rejected the Beatles a few months before. Smith hoped that Rowe, thinking he was receiving a demo tape from a group searching for a recording company, would reject them a second time! (Unfortunately, Smith couldn’t recall how Rowe responded.)
On Monday, November 26, the song was largely redone, and they rehearsed for an hour during the session before recording it. George Martin was impressed. At 7:00 p.m., they were ready. It took eighteen takes. John’s harmonica was recorded by means of overdub. The final results thrilled Martin, “It went beautifully. The whole session was a joy. At the end of it, I pressed the intercom button in the control room and said, ‘Gentlemen, you’ve just made your first number-one record.’”5 John was also enthusiastic: “We changed the tempo a little, we altered the words slightly and we went over the idea of featuring the harmonica, just as we’d done on ‘Love Me Do.’ By the time the session came around we were so happy with the result, we couldn’t get it recorded fast enough.”6
On November 30, without the presence of the Beatles, Martin and Smith produced one mono and one stereo mix. “Please Please Me” / “Ask Me Why,” their second single in Great Britain and their first in the United States, came out on January 11 and February 25, 1963, respectively. In the land of Her Majesty, it was number 2 in the Record Retailer, but number 1 on all other charts. After its British release, Dick James, their new publisher, moved heaven and earth to promote his new artists. On January 19, he landed their first significant television show, Thank Your Lucky Stars, which was very popular with British teenagers. They only performed one song—“Please Please Me”: for most of the public, it was the revelation. Beatlemania was born.
Technical Details
On February 25, when George Martin joined Norman Smith to do the mix of the whole album, they produced a mono and a stereo version of each of the songs. However, for “Please Please Me,” they only had one mono mix available, dated November 30. Since they could not find the original tapes, they had to create different takes on November 26. They chose the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth takes to complete the new stereo mix. The difference from the mono version was found at the end of the song, where John could be heard discreetly chortling at 1:33 on the first Come on, because of an error in the text committed in the preceding sentence.
Love Me Do
McCartney-Lennon / 2:19
1962–1963
SONGWRITERS
John and Paul
MUSICIANS
Paul: vocal, bass, hand claps
John: backing vocals, harmonica, hand claps
George: rhythm guitar, hand claps
Ringo: drums (version 1), tambourine (version 2), hand claps
Andy White: drums (version 2)
RECORDED
Abbey Road: September 4–11, 1962 (Studio Two)
NUMBER OF TAK
ES: 18
MIXING
Abbey Road: September 11, 1962 (Studio Two) / February 25, 1963 (Studio One)
TECHNICAL TEAM
Producer: George Martin
Sound Engineer: Norman Smith
Assistant Engineers: unknown for the recording sessions on September 4 and 11, 1962
February 25, 1963: A. B. Lincoln
RELEASED AS A SINGLE
“Love Me Do”/“P.S. I Love You”
Great Britain: October 5, 1962/No. 17 on December 27, 1962
United States: April 27, 1964/No. 1 on May 30, 1964
Genesis
In a 1972 (Hit Parader) interview John said, “‘Love Me Do,’ one of the first ones we wrote, Paul started when he must have been about fifteen. It was the first one we dared do of our own.” Oddly, John mostly credited Paul for writing the song, whereas the latter remembered a shared creation: “‘Love Me Do’ was completely cowritten. It might have been my original idea but some of them really were 50-50s, and I think that one was.”1 Pete Best related having heard it under the title “Love, Love Me Do” one April 1962 afternoon when they were rehearsing in their Hamburg apartment, during their third stay in Germany. They tried to make it sound like blues, but, as Paul admitted himself, “It sounded white, because we were young white musicians from Liverpool.” “We did ‘Love Me Do’ and ‘I Saw Her Standing There,’ and got the basis of a partnership going.… The harmonica is a great hit. John was a good harmonica player.”2 Although George Martin did not like the words much, Paul claimed them as his creation.