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Love Me Do

Single by The Beatles • 5 October 1962 • Parlophone R 4949

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

About this release

Love Me Do is a UK single on Parlophone (catalogue R 4949), released 5 October 1962. Their UK debut single. Reached UK No.17.

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.

Contents Preface 4 The Paul McCartney Interview 6 1962 Recording sessions for: `Love Me Do', `Please Please Me' 19631967 16 Recording sessions for: `Penny Lane', 92 Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Yellow Submarine, `All You Need Is Love', Magical Mystery Tour, `Hello, Goodbye' Recording sessions for: Please…— Mark Lewisohn, The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions, p.3

What's distinctive

2 tracks; average length 2:13. Lennon dominates the lead vocals (1/2). Lead writing credit: Lennon–McCartney (1 of 2). 1 marquee song(s) on this release have hand-crafted extended essays.

Tracklist

Side A

Side B

Pattern analysis

Lead vocalists across Love Me Do
2
Lennon 1
McCartney 1
Songwriters credited on Love Me Do
Lennon–McCartney1McCartney1
Track lengths (seconds)
Love Me Do142P.S. I Love You124

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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