DCC Archive Which version of "Love Me Do" is Ringo playing drums on? I forgot.

Steven, we don't know the answer to the first part, sorry. But can you tell us why the "EP box" version is better than the "Singles Box" version?

Thanks!!

 

Tambourine version - Andy on drums, Ringo on Tambourine. Please, Please me lp version.

No tambourine - Ringo version. Original (first press single). Also on Past Masters I.

 

Al got it right. Also, I believe the master tape for the Ringo version is gone, and that the version on Past Masters came from a disc dub. The one on Rarities did as well, although it was a different dub.

I think I need a cheap copy of the EP box...

 

Here's the deal:

- The Ringo version was cut September 4th. George Martin wasn't totally happy with the results, and told the boys to come back in a week.

- The Andy White version was cut the 11th, with Ringo playing tambourine. P.S. I Love You was also cut at this session.

- George Martin must not have thought the Andy White version was really that much better, as he used the Ringo version for the initial pressings of the single.

- Either through a reversal of decision or a mix-up, the Andy White version was used on the LP and all following versions of the single.

FWIW, I believe the Ringo version also was released as a single in Canada. Wonder if that copy tape still exists...

 

Wow, that was fast.

Thanks, Steve for the info on which CD version sounds better. I understand why, but I don't understand how the greatest band ever could have the worst mastering ever. Does not compute.

Regarding the drumming on "Love Me Do", what Luke P. says makes sense. I guess the oft told story of Ringo going in to the Abbey Road studio for the first time and seeing another drummer there is an urban legend. He actually went in the studio a SECOND time. Most history books have this totally wrong, and I can see how it could be confusing.

 

Actually its George Martin that always gets this wrong. Trust Mark Lewisohn, he's usually right.

 

Oh? How do you know that?

 

Well, *usually* being the key word. In his book he said the stereo version of Money is a sync-up of two different mono mixes, which of course isn't true. He's also not clear on a lot of things, like that there was a reduction mix in Help, or how overdubs could be assigned new takes with stuff from AHDN or BFS. He's done a lot of great work, but unfortunately doesn't seem to be that up on certain recording techniques.

 

Are you saying the Rolling Stones are the greatest band ever?

 

I seem to remember discussions about that. That its possible that he was also rushed in getting the recording sessions research done. In comparison, his other work on the Beatles' activities is very complete.

Overall, a more reliable resource than George Martin's memory! Another GM gem - In his book on SPLHCB he made a claim that the first Beatles visit to Abbey Road studios was in March 62 not June! He made a big deal about this but its is easily proved false.

 

Poor George Martin. Snif...

He still gets flack from Ringo at random "oh, you HAD to get Andy White, huh? I came drumsticks in and and you HAD to get Andy White..."

George has said he feels horrible about that decision.

 

I feel bad for Ringo's situation at that point but I can understand George's decision. They were an unknown band who got their first recording contract. Ringo was a new drummer... We're lucky he didn't decided to use session player for every instrument and just have them sing over it.

Todd

 

BTW, Steve, as you seem to know a good bit about the EP/Singles collection (I was under the impression that the stuff in the same phase as the official releases...i.e. the early mono Singles and EP material, not counting SLY) wer..WAS the same as the official releases, but..), why does the stereo MMT stuff sound a bit betteR?

-D

 

The thing that always struck me odd is that Andy White's drumming is quite simple and not particularly different from Ringo's on that track. It seems like a lot of trouble to remake the track for such a subtle difference. Not like with the Beach Boys, where Hal Blaine was brought in to do things on drums that Denny would have been incapable of. At least Ringo got the last laugh... his version of Please Please Me indisputably smokes the Andy White version.

 

I have a copy of the ORIGINAL Canadian "Love Me Do" single.

 

Um, am I mistaken in the assumption that this wastes 6 dB of S/N ratio, as far as tape noise is concerned ?

Michael

[ November 07, 2001: Message edited by: Michael Beckmann ]

 

According to the book "The Beatles On Capitol records" (part 1) by Bruce Spizer, somone at Capitol of Canada informed him that the Canadian single version of "Love Me Do" was mastered from an import Parlophone 45. If this is the case we had dip**** remastering as far back as 1963.