Please Please Me

About

Please Please Me
CD on Amazon.com
Artist: The Beatles
Released: 1963, 22 March
Labels: Parlophone
Average rating: Based on DM and site visitor ratings
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Tracks

Average song rating I Saw Her Standing There (McCartney) - 2:56 Lyrics
Average song rating Misery (Lennon, McCartney) - 1:50 Lyrics
Average song rating Anna (Go to Him) (Arthur Alexander) - 2:57 Lyrics
Average song rating Chains (Jerry Goffin, Carol King) - 2:27 Lyrics
Average song rating Boys (Luter Dicson Wes Farrell) - 2:27 Lyrics
Average song rating Ask Me Why (Lennon, McCartney) - 2:28 Lyrics
Average song rating Please Please Me (Lennon) - 2:04 Lyrics
Average song rating Love Me Do (Lennon, McCartney) - 2:22 Lyrics
Average song rating P.S. I Love You (Lennon, McCartney) - 2:06 Lyrics
Average song rating 10  Baby It's You (Hal David, Barney Williams, Bert Bacharach) - 2:38 Lyrics
Average song rating 11  Do You Want to Know a Secret? (Lennon) - 2:00 Lyrics
Average song rating 12  A Taste of Honey (Bobby Scott, Ric Marlow) - 2:05 Lyrics
Average song rating 13  There's a Place (Lennon) - 1:53 Lyrics
Average song rating 14  Twist and Shout (Phil Medley, Bert Russell) - 2:33 Lyrics
All album lyrics on one page 

Credits

Producer: George Martin
Liner Notes: Tony Barrow
Photography: Angus McBean

George Harrison: Vocals, Guitar
John Lennon: Vocals, Guitar, Harmonica, Rhythm Guitar
Paul McCartney: Vocals, Bass Guitar
Ringo Starr: Drums, Vocals, Maracas, Tambourine

Andy White: Drums
George Martin: Piano

Reviews

Site visitor reviews
6/10 d bestwhkibb (December 31, 2007)
Despite the Beatles obvious superiority to every group in existence, they didn't quite begin that way. Not to say the album is bad or even mediocre - it's fantastic for its day and age (though I reckon a contemporary album by the Zombies would have nailed it into the dirt, were that possible) - just that it isn't at all a clear picture of what the Beatles were. Its best purpose is to show the humble beginnings from which the group sprung so powerfully. The fact that in less than a year, they went from writing songs like 'Ask Me Why' and 'Boys' to songs to like 'It Won't Be Long' and 'All My Loving' is absolutely shocking (with no disrespect towards the first two). Buy it only if you're a big Beatles fan, which everyone should be..
9/10 Bruce Beatlefan (September 30, 2005)
A historical landmark, and fully deserving of this status. It is not, however, the album I would employ to introduce a young person to the fabulous Beatles (probably the Red/Blue compilations). The energy and joy packed into this album still reverberate for me over forty years after being made. Their subsequent success has caused some of the glory of this album to dim a little, but much of this album stands up proudly right alongside the likes of Hard Days Night
or Sgt. Pepper or Abbey Road.

With the increased knowledge of the Beatles' early years due to Mark Lewisohn's books and the BBC/Anthology albums it is fascinating to ponder two questions concerning this first Beatle's album: (1) Can we take the creative effort of this album and from it anticipate or speculate later heights such as "Strawberry Fields Forever", "Hey Jude", etc.? and (2) Can we improve on this album, given the Beatle's vast library of songs (both original and cover) available to use at the time?

My answers, after much thought: (1) No. I think the earliest one can do this is "A Hard Day's Night". (2) Yes. I'm sure everyone would have a differing opinion on exactly the maximum Beatle's debut album. Shoot, they could have released a double-album! I would definitely drop "A Waste of Money--oops--A Taste of Honey" and maybe "Chains" and replace them with "Besame Mucho" for Paul's vocal and "Cry for a Shadow" for greater Harrison exposure. What do you say??

If you know this album you can review it.