On March 22, 1963, the Beatles released their first full-length album, Please Please Me.
The Beatles first formed in 1957 as the Quarrymen and established themselves as a popular live act in Liverpool and Hamburg, Germany. In 1962, the band signed with Parlophone and recorded their first two singles, “Love Me Do” and “Please Please Me.” By early 1963, “Love Me Do” reached number 17 on the UK charts. Then on January 19, they appeared on the popular television show Thank Your Lucky Stars, and performed “Please Please Me.”
Over night, the Beatles became one of the hottest acts in Britain, and their record label requested a full album. So at 10 a.m. on February 11, the Beatles made their way to the legendary Abbey Road studios, previously known for its recordings of the London Symphony Orchestra. Their producer, George Martin, wanted the album to capture the intense energy of their live performances. Contrary to standard practice, they recorded almost every song live, rather than editing all the pieces together. The session was a testament to the Beatles’ work ethic – grinding out take after take and song after song. And when the rest of the crew left for a lunch break, the band stayed behind to rehearse.
By 10 p.m., the Beatles had completed nine songs. Front man John Lennon had been working though a cold the entire day, but they needed to record one more song – “Twist and Shout.” Though his voice was nearly gone, Lennon took a few throat lozenges and poured all his energy into two takes of the song. He later said that that song “nearly killed me… Every time I swallowed it was like sandpaper. I was always bitterly ashamed of it, because I could sing it better than that; but now it doesn’t bother me. You can hear that I’m just a frantic guy doing his best.”
Within 13 hours, the Beatles recorded their first album. Eight of the 14 songs that would appear on the final album (four had been previously recorded) were written by Lennon and Paul McCartney. They originally planned to title the album Off the Beatle Track, but due to the popularity of the recent single, they decided to name it Please Please Me.
The album was released over a month later, on March 22. It entered the UK charts on April 6 and spent 30 weeks at number one. It was knocked out of first place by the Beatles next album, With the Beatles. In all, Please Please Me spent 70 weeks on the charts. The album wasn’t released in America until 1987, though many of the songs were included on the 1964 album Introducing… The Beatles, which was sold in the US.
Please Please Me marked the start of “Beatlemania” and led to an invitation to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show, which launched The Beatles into stardom in the US. What followed was a magical ride, as The Beatles – with Lennon and McCartney writing almost all of the songs – recorded 22 No. 1 hits from 1963-69. In an 8-year run, the band released 13 albums. They affected the music and culture of the generation.
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Click here to see a mini documentary about Please Please Me.
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The long and winding road …
I grew up with the Beatles in Liverpool.And was with them at the Tavern Club where they performed every day.Will never forget those wonderful days.God bless you.
Long live the Beatles! At 67 years old, they are still my favorite band.
Heard that album here in America that summer of 1963 in Milwaukee, my home town, when a relative of an English neighbor of ours brought it with him during a visit. We played it repeatedly over the summer. Thus, we and our neighbor buddies where well acquainted with the Beatles when Beatlemania hit the US the following year. Knew all the songs by heart then. The only new tune on their first album here, “Meet the Beatles” that I can recall was “I Want to Hold Your Hand”. The rest were repeats from the English album.
My mother gave me the album “Meet the Beatles ” for my birthday, in 1964, when I was in college. I didn’t know who they were! I became a Beatlemaniac from then on.
Great Britain is a great country and so are the Beatles. Go Beatles and Go Great Britain!!! Dr. Doug
In 1964 I worked security at the Holiday Inn in Baltimore when the Beatles came to town. Along with Mary Wells, they played at the then Baltimore Civic Center. It was September of ’64. After my shift ended at midnight, we all joined them on the 10th floor of the hotel and partied until dawn. It was a hoot and I came home that night with an autographed photo of all four guys, They were really good people and I still have the picture. It is hard to believe that half of them are gone. Still great music. My grandchildren love them too.
Submerge! Submerge! Submerge!
The music of the Beatles created its own sub-culture that was beyond fad, fashion and style. The clothes, hairstyles, and speech became symbols of a mindset that was in direct opposition to conformity and caused a rift between mods(squeaks) and rockers(rocks) as well as the rock and roll ( Elvis, Fabian, Rydell etc.) fans and those of us who welcomed the first wave of the British invasion. It is amazing to me how relevant their music and message is to this day. Admittedly, rock and roll did pretty well itself.
Far out man! I remember it well.
One of your best so far. Thanks
Great memories, Mystic. Thank you!
I am 68 and still love the Beatles. Especially the early days. I saw them on their first US tour in Milwaukee, my hometown, at the Arena. Will never forget it.
A Flower Child from the sixties I loved the Beatles. I wish I still had all the albums today. My nephew who is 14 loves the Beatles. He plays drums and plays in a Rock and Roll school who last month did the Beatles Rubber Sole album.
Yeah, yeah, yeah!!!
Solid, good history! And I STILL think the Beatles were fantastic !!
They’ll never be forgotten!