Please Please Me
Single by The Beatles • 11 January 1963 • Parlophone R 4983
Beatlemania (1962–1964) — Mod sharpness — sharp suits, sharper hooks.
About this release
Please Please Me is a UK single on Parlophone (catalogue R 4983), released 11 January 1963. Their first UK No.1 (NME/Melody Maker charts).
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 2:12. Lennon dominates the lead vocals (2/2). Lead writing credit: Lennon–McCartney (2 of 2).Tracklist
Side A
Side B
Pattern analysis
Lennon 2
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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