The Beatles (No. 1)
EP by The Beatles • 1 November 1963 • Parlophone GEP 8883
Beatlemania (1962–1964) — Mod sharpness — sharp suits, sharper hooks.
About this release
The Beatles (No. 1) is a UK extended play on Parlophone (catalogue GEP 8883), released 1 November 1963. Compiles four further Please Please Me LP tracks.
The recording context is the band's Beatlemania (1962–1964) period, produced by George Martin with Norman Smith engineering. The track(s) were committed at EMI Studios, Abbey Road on Twin-track BTR-2 (1962); Studer J37 four-track from late-1963 via the REDD.37 / REDD.51 valve consoles.
Parlophone GEP 8880 (mono) A: 'From Me To You '; 'Thank You Girl '. B: 'Please Please Me '; 'Love Me Do '. The Beatles (No 1), first issued 1 November 1963. Parlophone GEP 8883 (mono). A: 'I Saw Her Standing There'; 'Misery '. B: 'Anna (Go To Him) '; 'Chains '. All My Loving, first issued 7 February— Mark Lewisohn, The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, p.200
What's distinctive
4 tracks; average length 2:30. Lennon dominates the lead vocals (2/4). Lead writing credit: Lennon–McCartney (2 of 4).Tracklist
Side A
Side B
Pattern analysis
Lennon 2
McCartney 1
Harrison 1
Era technical context
| Microphones | Neumann U47, U48; AKG D19 (drums); STC 4038 (overheads) |
|---|---|
| Outboard | EMI RS124 compressor (Altec 436B mod), EMT 140 plate reverb, STEED tape echo |
| Guitars | Rickenbacker 325 (Lennon), Gretsch Country Gent / Tennessean (Harrison), Höfner 500/1 violin bass (McCartney), Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl kit (Starr) |
| Amplifiers | Vox AC30 (TB & non-Top-Boost variants) |
References & external databases
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