It has become difficult to add anything to the cultural conversation surrounding the Beatles. I have found starting this review of Please Please Me to be the most difficult introduction I have done as a result. Both the most popular band in the world and hipster darlings, the evolution point of popular music as an art form and the art’s greatest marketing project, above all I call The Beatles and their presence in music ubiquitous. They are a touchstone part of broad culture, like curry or the Bible. Just like The Bible, people tend to prefer the hippy dippy second half of the collection, but all of those songs and albums, which we will get to in time, were made when they were The Beatles, with all the lightning rod attention that name still carries today. By contrast to just two years later, Please Please Me was a record made by just another band. A very popular band mind you, one who recently had a UK #1 single on their hands, but still a band whose main comparison points tended to be Lonnie Donegan and Gerry and the Pacemakers before it was ever comparable by critics to Brahms.
That hit single was the title track, “Please Please Me”, and to capitalise on the success of that song the Liverpool lads – you know their names by now – were instructed to run into production a full length album by manager Brian Epstein and producer George Martin, aka the one who actually works quickly. And Please Please Me was quickly worked on indeed, with the whole album recorded within the span of a single day, a feat by four late teens/early twenty year olds that makes me typing this right now in my pyjamas feel ashamed. The tracks were of course still tailored to fit the demographic courted by their successful hit, but for the most part they were the setlist that The Beatles played in Liverpool’s iconic Cavern Club, and then in the notoriously rough venues in Hamburg. This quick and easy attitude, in the face of adversity, is one those with the loosest of definitions could call a “punk ethos”, but really its the product of punk’s closest ancestor skiffle, the DIY genre upon which a band first called The Quarrymen had originally honed their craft before deciding upon a less restricting name.
The music of Please Please Me still has those elements of skiffle, particularly on the self penned songs by Lennon and McCartney, as well as the Merseybeat scene they had helped to cultivate. But the rest of the song, with around half of the album being cover songs, all stand as a good indication of the band’s interests at the time, with jazzy pop standards, early rock and roll and R&B each making the cut. The result of these arrangements is that Beatles’ debut album demonstrates the multiple talents and efficiency of the band, but with the speed of production and the amount of covers lacks certain sounds and structures we would come to know as the band’s trademarks. In fact, with twelve more albums and fifty more years of hindsight, some songs here more charmingly kitsch than songs on later albums which are meant to be pastiches.
But despite all that, despite the progression we know the band would make in just seven years (a point I’ll probably keep emphasising) in both song craft and subject matter, and the lapses into immaturity that come with this era of pop, Please Please Me is not just a really good album, but maybe the one album of the Beatles’ early period that I find myself returning to the most (likely tied with A Hard Day’s Night). The energy that came with that one day recording session is palpable, with the spontaneity of those performances bringing iconic music moments (such as John Lennon’s voice in “Twist and Shout”). The band’s dynamic is just incredible, with the layered vocal harmonies and musicianship that even here sounds less like a collection of talented musicians and more a complete working unit (though each gets there opportunity to shine). The unity, speed and rawness that would never really be seen in a Beatles’ album again all gives the feeling of being live with the band. Not many us get to say that they were there when a young band called The Beatles were playing at the Cavern Club, but with Please Please Me it’s the closest we are ever going to get.
Track by Track
“I Saw Her Standing There”: The iconic countdown brings the Beatles catalogue to a rip roaring start. This track in particular is a showcase for the skills of Paul McCartney, not just in terms of rocking the lead singer role, but being one of the all time greatest bass players. Paul freely admits that he lifted the riff from Chuck Berry’s “Talking about You”, but what he brings to the song in his playing accentuates sounds you wouldn’t even think to listen to. The fast paced, constant rhythm is perhaps the most memorable part of this track, even more then George Harrison’s guitar. Though when that solo kicks in, it certainly seems to match. Oh, and given pervier interpretations I have seen, I should point out to US readers that sixteen is the UK age of consent. There, Paul is being a pickup artist, but at least he’s being legal about it!
“Misery”: The first two songs on Please Please Me present the two major modes of early Beatles numbers: the rocker and the ballad. The introduction was certainly the former, and this is now the latter. The declining piano notes is really needed really help to accentuate the mood swings between major and minor, a technique the band will especially play with throughout their songwriting. Occasionally there’s a bit of a fanfare quality to the piano, but for the most part the song pervades with a swinging melancholy.
“Anna (Go To Him)”: The first of the covers on this album also allows the band to focus on technical proficiency, with John’s voice being matched by the elongated harmonies from Paul and George, raising in both tone and frustration as the verses progresses. Like the original this track is very soulful, though here that is also mixed with some bluesy, creeping guitars and swinging percussion from Ringo.
“Chains”: I know “Chains” is labelled as an R&B song, but with the way that George’s lead vocals are mixed with the harmonies all into the left channel, along with the harmonica and the rhythm of the guitars, it honestly sounds more like a country song than anything else to me. “Chains of love” that you can’t break away from is definitely not the most romantic imagery in the world, but George and the gang sell the hell out of it. Though I always found it funny that Carole King and Gerry Goffin, the original writers and performers of this song, ended up writing for the Monkees. The chained metaphor can work in so many ways!
“Boys”: Just as the opening track seemed like a showcase for Paul McCartney, “Boys” is the track that mainly shows of the skills and talents of one Ringo Starr. I hope none of you sniggered when you read that line, because get ready to ride the tidal wave of Ringo love! Ringo’s voice might be the weakest of the group, but that slight crackling vibrato and belt of his singing really works to “Boys” advantage. Plus the playing and harmonies around the song all build around that full, expansive drum performance, one of the rare times that it wasn’t mainly to accentuate mood (though, as we will discuss, rarely has someone been better). Also, I like the fact that, barring a couple of pronoun changes, they didn’t care about the impressions people would get from the “I talk about boys” chorus. The joys of youth.
“Ask Me Why”: The most doo-wop song on the whole track, this one was mostly written by John Lennon as a tribute to Smokey Robinson and The Miracles. While this song lacks the passion and smoothness of ol’ Smokey, the harmonies in the verses are nothing short of delightful. This song also emphasises the interplay between the acoustic and electric team of John and George, swinging and building to the sudden and effecting pauses.
“Please Please Me”: Side One ends with the title track, their first real hit single and the reason we had this collection of songs in the first place. There was definitely some good reason in that decision. Barring a bizarre drum mix at the end, everything from the harmonica to the vocals to the bouncing guitars flow together seamlessly, showing both the strength of the request and the desperation of the demand. All great things for a song that I honestly think is about begging to finish each other off. Also, is the fact that this song is set the previous evening and the harmonica line sounds a little “Silent Night” intentional, a coincidence, or something only I can hear?
“Love Me Do”: “Please Please Me” might have been the first hit single, but the song that opens Side Two was the first charting song from The Beatles, and might be the most famous song from the album. It was said that “Love Me Do” was written by McCartney as early as the fifties, and when you consider how simple both the compositions and the lyrics are for this song it kind of shows. The simplicity of the rhythm and arrangement of instruments really does work to the songs advantage, but I can’t lie and say that the corniness of the lyrics doesn’t make me cringe just a little bit. I don’t find the constant addresses to a vague female “you” as dodgy in early Beatles compared use in future groups, just because the actual song craft is so good, but it’s in more immature songs like this that this technique noticeable (that and the repetition). But, I can’t deny that this is a damn catchy tune, and more than half of this song’s success is down to that harmonica. Other than the theme to Midnight Run, is there a more iconic harmonica part?
“P.S I Love You”: Just as with the first side, the upbeat introduction is followed with a more melancholic ballad. Paul wrote this song in Hamburg, and whilst a specific longing is said not to be the primary source of inspiration for the longing lyrics and the wistful guitars (that teeter on the edge of gloom), but one can’t help but think a general homesickness doesn’t seep into the song’s tone in some way. Oh, and did you know that Ringo is only playing the maracas on this song, and Andy White is playing the drums? It will be the little things I will learn doing this series that I’ll enjoy the most!
“Baby It’s You”: Back to the covers, and continuing with the depressive tone of the guitars and the harmonies is this cover of a Burt Bacharach number. Though compared to the original, which ends with the lead character crying, the lyrics are arranged to make a slightly more optimistic feel to the songs ending. This brightness is also highlighted by the use of the xylophone, which colour the guitar with a youthful innocence. Maybe not the strongest track on Please Please Me, but next to “Twist and Shout” this might be John Lennon’s most impressive vocal performance on the album.
“Do You Want to Know A Secret”: The question of “Who is your favourite Beatle” is not one that I can answer with any definitiveness, because to me each member completes the other, but if you put the proverbial gun to my head I would say George Harrison. So fortunately for me, the band gave George the best song on the album with “Do You Want to Know A Secret”. It starts with echoing, evocative chords, before moving to a guitar line that’s so sprite and bouncy that it makes George sound coy in his requests. There’s a dreamy quality to this, like a Roy Orbinson track, that isn’t on the rest of the album, and it’s all the more better for it. Though he says he is going to whisper in you ear and then shouts “I’m in love with you”. I hope you’re fine with looking after a deaf partner….ah I can’t keep the snark, I love this song.
“A Taste of Honey”: Unfortunately we move from the strongest song on the album to probably the weakest. In many ways the echoing, quiet guitars and changing rhythms is going for the same dream like quality as the song that preceded. But although it is an old Bobby Scott standard, the parts in this version just don’t gel together, and the song feels like a bit of a slog as a result.
“There’s A Place”: Inspired by the iconic opening line from “Somewhere”, apparently this song was an attempt at a Motown sort of rhythm. Although “There’s A Place” does not sound like any Motown song I’ve ever heard of, the song does have a rollicking good swing as a result. The drums and the acoustic guitar keep the track rolling along, and John and Paul’s interplay for the lead vocals make this search for a place feel like a group journey, particularly as George enters the equation for the song’s triumphant outro.
“Twist and Shout”: I presume many of us know the story of this song’s creation. “Twist and Shout” was the last song recorded on that legendary studio day, and from hours of recording and performing all day with a cold, John’s voice was nearly shot on what was going to be the hardest song to perform. As a result George Martin only got one take from John before his voice completely went. But what a take it was, his rough, blasting vocal helping to make this version of the song the classic it is. It’s an insane level of energy matched perfectly by the rest of the band, from Ringo’s drums breaking into rambling fills to the escalating harmonies to just the bouncing, twisting joy of that central riff, “Twist and Shout” is the parade float leading conclusion that represents the joys of early Beatles at its best.
Despite one or two songs more than necessary, which is more the byproduct of a primitive time for the album, Please Please Me is the sound of a talented and hungry band in the right circumstances and with the right talent and insight to grab those opportunities produce a joy on record that is tangible. Though this is a sentence I can use in pretty much any future Beatles. release. There would only be one other album release by The Beatles before “Beatlemania” happened, and whereas Please Please Me was the mostly the product of a day, their next release gave the group much more time to prepare…
What did you think, though?
The Beatles Album Rankings
1. Please Please Me