Please Please Me - The Beatles First Album
The Beatles first album Please, Please Me was released in March of 1963. The album was produced by George
Martin and was on Parlophone Records.The songs Please Please Me and Love Me Do were hit singles in Britain and the album was released quickly to capitalize on their success. The album was recorded over 9 hours in one day. It remained on the UK charts at number one for 30 weeks, only to be replaced by their second album, With The Beatles.
The album features original songs by Lennon/McCartney and several covers of the songs of such people as Carole King and Gerry Goffin, Burt Bacharach, and Phil Medley.
It was just a year before the Beatles would make their triumphant entry into the United States. The Liverpool band were on their way to taking over the world.
Side One
I saw her standing there
Misery
Anna (Go to him)
Chains
Boys
Ask me why
Please, please me
I Saw Her Standing There
This has long been one of my favorite Beatles songs. It was written by Lennon/McCartney, mostly McCartney.
It was more of a tribute to the R & B that the band liked than their poppy songs such as I Want to Hold Your Hand which it was the B side of.
Misery
This song was also a Lennon/McCartney song, but this time it was mostly Lennon.
Please Please Me
This was the second single released by the Beatles in the UK and reached number one there in 1963. The song was written by John Lennon.
This song has been covered by a few artists including David Cassidy.
The video below was filmed at their first US concert.
Side Two
Love me do
P.S. I love you
Baby, it’s you
Do you want to know a secret?
A taste of honey
There’s a place
Twist and shout
Love Me Do
This song was written by Paul McCartney in 1958 when he was 16. John Lennon helped to finish it off.
It was the first single release for the Beatles in the UK in 1962.
P.S. I Love You
This song was written by Paul McCartney. As Lennon said: "That's Paul's song. He was trying to write a Soldier Boy" like The Shirelles. He wrote that in Germany, or when we were going to and from Hamburg. I might have contributed something. I can't remember anything in particular. It was mainly his song."
Baby it's You
I've always liked this song by the Shirelles. I think the Beatles do a great cover of this song. The song was written by Burt Bacharach, Luther Dixon and Hal David.
John's vocals are right on the money as usual.
Do You Want To Know a Secret
George Harrison sings the lead on this song. It was written mainly by John Lennon.