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Twist and Shout

EP by The Beatles • 12 July 1963 • Parlophone GEP 8882

Beatlemania (1962–1964) — Mod sharpness — sharp suits, sharper hooks.

About this release

Twist and Shout is a UK extended play on Parlophone (catalogue GEP 8882), released 12 July 1963. UK No.1 EP for 21 weeks. Tracks compiled from the Please Please Me LP.

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.

They actually used to have to come to work in ties and suits and white coats which is lovely, like another age! But you listen to the early Beatle recordings, you listen to 'Twist And Shout', it's no less powerful than your current Curiosity Killed The— Mark Lewisohn, The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, p.11

What's distinctive

4 tracks; average length 2:05. Lennon dominates the lead vocals (2/4). Lead writing credit: Lennon–McCartney (2 of 4).

Tracklist

Side A

Side B

Pattern analysis

Lead vocalists across Twist and Shout
4
Lennon 2
McCartney 1
Harrison 1
Songwriters credited on Twist and Shout
Lennon–McCartney2covers2
Track lengths (seconds)
Twist and Shout152A Taste of Honey122Do You Want to Know a 118There's a Place110

Era technical context

MicrophonesNeumann U47, U48; AKG D19 (drums); STC 4038 (overheads)
OutboardEMI RS124 compressor (Altec 436B mod), EMT 140 plate reverb, STEED tape echo
GuitarsRickenbacker 325 (Lennon), Gretsch Country Gent / Tennessean (Harrison), Höfner 500/1 violin bass (McCartney), Ludwig Oyster Black Pearl kit (Starr)
AmplifiersVox AC30 (TB & non-Top-Boost variants)

References & external databases

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