The Beatles, Please Please Me, 1963
Label- Parlophone
Producer- George Martin
Issued on the cusp of the Fab Four’s initial burst of popularity in the United Kingdom, and still one full year prior to their launching of the British Invasion of American rock & roll, Please Please Me is the first chapter of one of the most important album canons of all time, and brimmed with further proof that The Beatles had that intangible quality no other competing band of the era possessed. Of course, those qualities not only translated to unprecedented commercial success, but also the single most fascinating and groundbreaking artistic evolution in music history. It’s unquestionably quaint when listened to with consideration to where their artistic path would ultimately lead seven years later. It’s also a thrilling listen within that context, but there are many factors which contribute to its enormous value as a stand-alone effort as well. For one, it’s the closest you’ll ever get to a true “live” record within the proper catalog of Beatles albums, thanks to producer George Martin’s crash-course recording process. The album was a true marathon, completed in a little over twelve hours, pulling from both the energy and varied set-list of their famed gigs at Liverpool’s Cavern Club. Rushed as it may have been, Martin’s approach was also efficient, successfully capturing one of rock & roll’s most pivotal moments in all its glory.
Opening with “I Saw Her Standing There”, Paul McCartney sets the tone from the get-go, again combining the frenetic rowdiness of the group’s primitive live shows with all the early pop spark and hit-making polish that made them such a fresh phenomenon. Their sound invigorated an early 60s musical landscape that was growing stale as the excitement of 50s rock and pop began to fade. While the poetic storytelling has certainly yet to develop in the self-penned lyrics of McCartney, John Lennon or George Harrison, they had the rest of the formula down in spades. “Standing”, along with fellow smash singles “Love Me Do” and the title track were and remain irresistible. This was thanks to a tremendous pop arsenal which built upon the crisp, influential harmonies of early rock acts like The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly by employing simple melodies, innovative chord progressions and superlative playing. Harrison’s guitar work alone–particularly on the opening cut–absolutely sizzles.
Other Lennon-McCartney originals throughout provided additional showcases of stylistic depth on the part of all four band members. This evidenced even early on that like all truly great bands, The Beatles were indeed an ensemble worth more than the sum of its parts. The trembling”Misery” tapped into Lennon’s affliction for melancholy, while McCartney displayed his same affinity for romantic longing on “P.S. I Love You”. Meanwhile, although Harrison has yet to unveil his own pen, “Do You Want To Know A Secret” and a take on “Chains” provided the opportunity for him to show his own unique vocal character. Finally, in addition to supplying some truly underestimated drum fills, Ringo Starr lends his idiosyncratic vocal quirks to The Shirelles’ “Boys”. Many Beatles fanatics may shutter at the thought of them covering a group like the Shirelles. However, remakes such as this entry, “Chains”, and Arthur Alexander’s “Anna (Go To Him)” prove to be charming detours, if not fascinating glimpses, into the quartet’s early roots, right before they surpassed all these preceding artists in terms of scope and influence. The final cover and song of the set, a take on The Isley Brothers’ “Twist and Shout”, would unarguably become the definitive cut of the song, with Lennon nearly shredding his vocal cords to unearth every ounce of jubilant power from the classic tune. It proved to be a stirring finale.
Over half a century later, it’s undoubtedly an understatement to christen Please Please Me as the most important debut record of all time, and it likewise remains worthy of its regard as one of the very best Beatles records. No, it does not contain the legendary group’s best compositions, arrangements or vocal turns. A debut record should not contain any of those moments if a band or artist ultimately achieves the kind of growth they desire. It’s another understatement that no single act in the history of music has defined artistic growth and reinvention like The Beatles. Over the next seven years, they would accomplish what no other artist could in a lifetime. Please Please Me is the beginning of that epic story, a musical revolution that, outside of Elvis Presley’s breakthrough less than a decade earlier, had never been seen before or would ever be seen again. But while this album may be one of those records that captures a specific period in time, it’s also one of those rare records that is truly timeless. Over sixty years later, it still elicits the sheer joy and fresh electricity it did back then, when it helped birth an entire musical phenomenon.
Track Listing
- “I Saw Her Standing There” (John Lennon and Paul McCartney) *Single Release 1963
- “Misery” (John Lennon and Paul McCartney)
- “Anna (Go To Him)” (Arthur Alexander)
- “Chains” (Gerry Goffin and Carole King)
- “Boys” (Luther Dixon and Wes Farrell)
- “Ask Me Why” (Lennon and McCartney) *B-Side Release 1963
- “Please Please Me” (Lennon and McCartney)*Single Release 1963
- “Love Me Do” (Lennon and McCartney) *Single Release 1962
- “P.S. I Love You” (Lennon and McCartney) *B-Side Release 1962
- “Baby It’s You” (Burt Bacharach, Barney Williams and Mack David)
- “Do You Want to Know A Secret?” (Lennon and McCartney)
- “A Taste of Honey” (Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow)
- “There’s A Place” (Lennon and McCartney)
- “Twist and Shout” (Phil Medley and Bert Russell) *Single Release 1964
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