The Beatles "Please Please Me"

To release the album "Please Please Me" the Beatles would have to lay down ten more tracks to add to the four sides of their first two singles that were recorded and released previously. At 10.00 a.m. on Monday, February 11, at Abbey Road Studios, studio 2 The Beatles and George Martin started recording what was basically their live act from 1963, and they finished in 9 hours and 45 minutes. There were three sessions that day, each lasting approximately three hours which produced an authentic representation of the band's Cavern Club era sound, there were very few overdubs and edits. "Please Please Me" was recorded on a two-track tape recording machine, with most of the instrumentation on one track and the vocals on the other, allowing for a better balance between the two on the final half-inch tape which was mix-down in mono. A stereo mix was made later, with one track on the left channel and the other on the right, and a layer of reverb was added to better blend the two tracks together. Unfortunately, the stereo versions of the songs on this album do not sound very balanced because of this.

* links go to wikipedia

1. I Saw Her Standing There 2:56 (Lennon-McCartney) Peaked at #14 in the U.S. January 1964

2. Misery 1:50 (Lennon-McCartney) Originally written for singer Helen Shapiro, whose manager rejected it

3. Anna Go To Him 2:57 (Arthur Alexander) A personal favorite of Lennon's, though he sang the title phrase as "go with him"

4. Chains 2:27 (Gerry Goffin-Carole King) Features lead vocals by George Harrison

5. Boys 2:27 (Luther Dixon-Wes Farrell)
Ringo on lead vocals; originally recorded by The Shirelles in 1960

6. Ask Me Why 2:20 (Lennon-McCartney)
Released as a single B-side in the UK January 1963

7. Please Please Me 2:08 (Lennon-McCartney)
Released as a single A-side in the UK January 1963; peaked at #3 US in January 1964

* links go to wikipedia

1. Love Me Do 2:22 (Lennon-McCartney) Released as a single A-side in UK October 1962; peaked at #1 US in May 1964

2. P.S. I Love You 2:06 (Lennon-McCartney) Released as a single B-side in UK October 1962; peaked at #10 US in 1964

3. Baby Its You 2:38 (Burt Bacharach-Mack David-Barney Williams) Originally a hit for The Shirelles; the only Bacharach song recorded by The Beatles

4. Do You Want to Know a Secret 2:00 (Lennon-McCartney)
Peaked at #2 in the U.S. April 1964

5. A Taste of Honey 2:05 (Ric Marlow-Bobby Scott)
Based on the 1958 play and 1961 film of the same name

6. There's a Place 1:53 (Lennon-McCartney) Peaked at #74 in the US 1964

7. Twist & Shout 2:33 (Phil Medley-Bert Russell) Recorded in one take because Lennon was losing his voice; peaked at #2 in the U.S. 1964

George Martin, a friend to the London Zoo, thought that it might be good publicity for the zoo to have the Beatles pose outside the insect house for the cover photography of the album. However, the Zoological Society of London turned down Martin's offer, and instead Angus McBean was asked to take the distinctive color photograph of the group looking down over the stairwell inside EMI's London headquarters

The whole day's session cost for Please Please Me was around 400 pounds which is approximate 627.00 in US dollars in 2015 . Individually, under a contract with the Musicians Union, each Beatle was entitled to collect seven pounds and ten shillings (approx. 11.75) session fee, for each three hour session, which they duly did.

On the track "Please Please Me" the stereo version has John making an error in the words in the final verse, which causes him to chuckle a bit, this is not heard in the mono release.

P.S.

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