The Beatles: Single By Single

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Bailes, Nov 15, 2019.

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  1. Bailes

    Bailes Billy Shears Thread Starter

    Location:
    Australia
    Believe it or not, there doesn't seem to be a "Beatles. Single by Single" thread. And after reading a bit of this thread here: Solo Beatles single by single thread , I was even more tempted.

    I thought it would be fun to talk about each Beatles single released. I will be talking about both UK and US singles to not confuse US readers.

    So let's begin!

    LOVE ME DO

    [​IMG]
    UK Single Released: 5 October 1962
    US Single Released: 27 April 1964
    A-side of: P.S I Love You

    "Love Me Do" was primarily written by Paul McCartney in 1958–1959 while truant from school at age 16.[5] John Lennon contributed the middle eight (or "bridge"). The song was later credited to Lennon–McCartney. Lennon said: "'Love Me Do' is Paul's song ... I do know he had the song around, in Hamburg, even, way, way before we were songwriters." McCartney said: "'Love Me Do' was completely co-written ... It was just Lennon and McCartney sitting down without either of us having a particularly original idea. We loved doing it, it was a very interesting thing to try and learn to do, to become songwriters. I think why we eventually got so strong was we wrote so much through our formative period. 'Love Me Do' was our first hit, which ironically is one of the two songs that we control, because when we first signed to EMI they had a music publishing company called Ardmore and Beechwood which took the two songs, 'Love Me Do' and 'P.S. I Love You', and in doing a deal somewhere along the way we were able to get them back."

    Their practice at the time was to scribble songs in a school notebook, dreaming of stardom, always writing "Another Lennon–McCartney Original" at the top of the page. "Love Me Do" is a song based around three simple chords: G7 and C, before moving to D for its middle eight. It begins with Lennon playing a bluesy dry "dockside harmonica" riff, then features Lennon and McCartney on joint lead vocals, including Everly Brothers-style harmonising during the beseeching "please" before McCartney sings the unaccompanied vocal line on the song's title phrase.

    References: Wikipedia
     
    Last edited: Nov 15, 2019
  2. Bailes

    Bailes Billy Shears Thread Starter

    Location:
    Australia
    Gotta love that Harmonica! It was a tradition for songs at this time to have catchy Harmonica grooves. Can't say I don't know why.
     
  3. Dinstun

    Dinstun Forum Resident

    Location:
    Middle Tennessee
    Original single version:

     
  4. Bailes

    Bailes Billy Shears Thread Starter

    Location:
    Australia
    Ah yes! The version with Ringo Starr on drums. Personally I think this is the version they should've used but I guess the final version is also pretty good. I heard somewhere that all single releases with Ringo's drumming were destroyed... shame.
     
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  5. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy."

    Location:
    U.S.A.
    Thank you for creating this thread. I am looking forward to where it leads! :righton:
     
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  6. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy."

    Location:
    U.S.A.
    The harmonies between John and Paul on this song is literally the sound of Heaven.
     
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  7. Bailes

    Bailes Billy Shears Thread Starter

    Location:
    Australia
    Thank you :) I plan to do each A-side/B-side every day (considering there is so many). Tomorrow is "P.S I Love You". And yes, I will be including "Free As a Bird" and "Real Love".




    I'll stop spoiling now. ;)
     
  8. saborlord123

    saborlord123 "I'm not a genius. I'm just a hard working guy."

    Location:
    U.S.A.
    :edthumbs:
     
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  9. John54

    John54 Senior Member

    Location:
    Burlington, ON
    Love Me Do is alright really but it's Pong to their later material's Fornite or whatever
     
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  10. Bailes

    Bailes Billy Shears Thread Starter

    Location:
    Australia
    Yeah. Couldn't agree more. "Love Me Do" is not even in the same league as something like "Let It Be".
     
  11. Bailes

    Bailes Billy Shears Thread Starter

    Location:
    Australia
    I should also mention I'm including singles released all around the world.
     
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  12. blutiga

    blutiga Forum Resident

    Cool. The Aussie 45's of Roll Over Beethoven and Rock n Roll Music will get a guernsey.
     
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  13. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    You skipped their first single, "I Want to Hold Your Hand."
     
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  14. Bailes

    Bailes Billy Shears Thread Starter

    Location:
    Australia
    Actually, "I Want to Hold Your Hand" was released in late 1963. We'll get to that later though.
     
  15. ShockControl

    ShockControl Bon Vivant and Raconteur!

    Location:
    Lotus Land
    It was their first single, released in January 1964. :righton:
     
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  16. idleracer

    idleracer Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    :kilroy: I think they are both probably misremembering how and when this song came to be. In 1959, The Everly Brothers' "Til I Kissed You" (below) had been an even bigger hit in the UK than it was in the US. My assumption has always been that the two of them heard it and said to each other, "Hey, that's a brill tune. Let's write something that sounds like it." I'm sure the resemblance wasn't lost on George Martin, so when they didn't want to release "How Do You Do It," he decided to instead play it safe by choosing one of their songs with a formula that had a proven track record.

     
    Last edited: Nov 16, 2019
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  17. nikh33

    nikh33 Senior Member

    Location:
    Liverpool, England
    Is it supposed to be funny or is there a medical reason?
     
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  18. Manapua

    Manapua Forum Resident

    Location:
    Honolulu
    Lol. Love Me Do isn't even in the same league as P.S. I Love You. And you need to be aware there will be lots of posts complaining about time lines and who released what first where. Hoo boy.
     
  19. JozefK

    JozefK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dixie
    I prefer to think of it as a poboy to their later Catfish Acadienne.

    Or maybe deep dish pizza to their later Fettuccini Alfredo.
     
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  20. blutiga

    blutiga Forum Resident

    I dunno. I've always found PS I Love You a bit cloying and mannered. One of the weaker early tunes. It sounds like young matinee idol schtick. Love Me Do is a bit more grittier. The harmonica and the middle eight save it for me.
     
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  21. JozefK

    JozefK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dixie
    I'm waiting patiently for "Komm, gib mir deine Hand"
     
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  22. WLL

    WLL Popery Of Mopery

    ...I really like the '62 " Love Me Do " Brit 45 a LOT better than the " Tollie version ". Really, first thought, best thought :tsk: at least in this case:laugh:!:wave:
    I was always a little underwhelmed by the US hit/PPM album take. I don't quite understand Baiies' comment about " single versions with Ringo destroyed ":confused:.
     
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  23. JozefK

    JozefK Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dixie
    Prefer "Do" myself. It's essentially the Everlys crossed with a foot stomping garage band party in the basement shouter, and what could be better than tbat?
     
  24. blutiga

    blutiga Forum Resident

    :) Released to coincide with the 64 Aussie tour. Did not chart. Our small post war German speaking population didn't get behind it.:D

    [​IMG]
     
  25. Bailes

    Bailes Billy Shears Thread Starter

    Location:
    Australia
    It's okay. I can explain. See, back in the early 60s it was common for records to either be used or destroyed. Ones that were used would be sent off to be released while ones that were not used were most of the time destroyed. This is only for single releases by the way. So.. because George Martin hired a session drummer to do "Love Me Do", some people have said that the people at Parlorphone destroyed all single copies with Ringo's drumming. I know, it's sad, but luckily the actual master was preserved for the "Past Masters" album, so we don't have to worry 'bout that now.


    Hope this clears this up. Cheers, Bailes :)
     
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