Please Please Me
The Beatles Please Please Me album was rush-released by Parlophone on 22nd March, 1963 to capitalise on the enormous success of the title track which had been the group’s second single and their first no. 1 in the majority of UK charts.
Ten of the album’s fourteen tracks were recorded in just one day – 11th February, 1963. These included a mixture of stage favourites and “Lennon-McCartney originals”. The four remaining songs had been committed to tape in 1962 having formed the B-side of their debut release and both sides of their second single. A slightly later recording of ‘Love Me Do’ to that previously released, was selected for the album. This version would also appear on a subsequent EP and later still on an American # 1 single in 1964.
The iconic front cover shot was taken at the then headquarters of EMI Limited at 20 Manchester Square in London’s West End in early 1963 by Angus McBean. EMI remained in the building until 1995 before moving to West London taking the famous balcony railing with them.
Given that the UK album chart in those days tended to be dominated by more ‘adult’ tastes such as film soundtracks and easy listening vocalists, it was a surprise when Please Please Me hit the top of the chart in May 1963 and remained there for thirty weeks before being replaced by With The Beatles.
Please Please Me didn’t receive an official US release until 1987 but “Introducing The Beatles” issued early in 1964 on the Vee-Jay label and “The Early Beatles” released by Capitol Records the following year later did contain many of the songs from the British release.
NME March 8th 1963
The Beatles opened a copy of the NME and gazed proudly at the charts when ‘Please Please Me’ hit the top recently. It was a big moment for the talented boys from Liverpool, worth waiting a long time for.
Things are beginning to move for the Beatles, the r-and-b styled British group. The disc ‘Please Please Me’ follows closely on the heels of their first hit ‘Love Me Do’ written by group members John Lennon and Paul McCartney.
It looks like a bright future for the Beatles, but knowing them I don’t think they’ll let it go to their heads.
Facts
- Producer
- George Martin
- Principal Engineer
- Norman Smith
Wikipedia
- Name
- Please Please Me
- Type
- studio
- Artist
- The Beatles
- Released
- 22 March 1963
- Recorded
- 11 September 1962, 26 November 1962, 11 and 20 February 1963; Abbey Road Studios, London, United Kingdom
- Genre
- Rock and roll, Merseybeat, pop
- Length
- 32:45
- Language
- English
- Label
- Parlophone
- Producer
- George Martin
- Reviews
- Allmusic Rated 5/5 link Blender Rated 2/5 link Q Rated 3/5 link Rolling Stone Rated 5/5 link George Starostin (11/15) link
Please Please Me is the first album recorded by The Beatles, rush-released on 22 March 1963 in the United Kingdom to capitalise on the success of singles "Please Please Me" (#2) and "Love Me Do" (#17). Of the album's fourteen songs, eight were written by Lennon/McCartney, early evidence of what Rolling Stone later called "invention of the self-contained rock band, writing their own hits and playing their own instruments.". The album was released by Parlophone in mono (catalogue number PMC 1202) and stereo (PCS 3042.)
Release
Please Please Me was officially released on Compact Disc on 26 February 1987 (catalogue number CDP 7 46435 2), along with three other Beatles' albums (With the Beatles, A Hard Day's Night, and Beatles for Sale), all in mono only. In the U.S., most of the songs on Please Please Me were first issued on Vee-Jay Records' Introducing The Beatles in 1964, and then subsequently on Capitol Records' The Early Beatles in 1965. The unexpurgated Please Please Me was not released in the U.S. until the Beatles catalog was standardized for CD. The album was released on CD in America on 26 February 1987. It was not released on vinyl or tape in America until five months later, when it was issued domestically for the first time in the US on LP and cassette on 21 July 1987. Please Please Me, along with all the other original UK studio albums, will be rereleased on CD in newly remastered versions on 9 September 2009 in stereo and mono editions.http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE5363RN20090407 The expected 2009 remasters will replace the infamously poor quality 1987 remasters.Interview with Yoko Ono
Personnel
Mark Lewisohn: ;The Beatles George Harrison – harmony and background vocals; lead and acoustic guitars; lead vocals on "Chains" and "Do You Want to Know a Secret"; hand claps John Lennon – lead, harmony and background vocals; rhythm and acoustic guitars; harmonica and hand claps Paul McCartney – lead, harmony and background vocals; bass guitar and hand claps Ringo Starr – drums, tambourine, maracas, hand claps and lead vocals on "Boys" ;Additional musicians and production George Martin – additional arrangements, producer and mixer; piano on "Misery" and celesta on "
Comments
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Hair peace 1969 on 29th Jan 12:
“And to think it only took three days to record this album!”
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Think for Yourself on 27th Jan 12:
“One of the best debut albums ever! Is amazing how this album still sounds fresh and exciting even in the nowadays.”
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divbeatles_fans on 16th Dec 11:
“i really really love this album, COOL MAN!”
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floortom on 2nd Dec 11:
“amazing!”
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The Nowhereman from Nowhereland on 25th Oct 11:
“I love this album. The Please Please Me song never disappoints either! :) Hehe!”
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MccartneyPlus789 on 15th Oct 11:
“NICE album. Best of the best
<><><><><><><><><><><><>” -
iwannabeyourman64 on 23rd Sep 11:
“first album i ever bought!”
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iwannabeyourman64 on 25th Aug 11:
“This was the first album i ever bought
the story is i got it from the library and LOVED it so i racked up some money and bought it
still one of my fave albums” -
APPLEBONKERS on 22nd Aug 11:
“The greatest debut album of all time!!!!”
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Lemontree on 20th Aug 11:
“Excelent song 'love me do' !”
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