The Beatles UK singles: A sides v B Sides

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by AFOS, Jul 31, 2013.

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  1. AFOS

    AFOS Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Brisbane,Australia
    The title says it all - in this thread we will go through The Beatles (UK) singles one by one & discuss which side you prefer/think is the better song etc. When the discussion for each single looks to be resolved I'll move onto the next one.

    Single #1 (not counting My Bonnie)

    Love Me do b/w P.S I Love You

    The B-side for me. I've always liked P.S I Love You since I heard it on my very first Beatles cassette "The Essential Beatles". And never really been a huge fan of Love Me Do.
     
  2. His Masters Vice

    His Masters Vice W.C. Fields Forever

    Yes, for my money P.S I Love You is a better song.
     
  3. ronbow

    ronbow Senior Member

    Location:
    St. Louis MO
    Yes, P.S. please. Love Me Do always seemed a bit leaden, certainly not as catchy.
     
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  4. blutiga

    blutiga Forum Resident

    Love Me Do. Middle eight does it for me. PS I Love You is too sugary and doesn't hold a candle to some of the 'deep album' tracks on PPM, ie Misery, There's A Place.
     
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  5. Big Pasi

    Big Pasi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vaasa, Finland
    For me P.S. I Love You is clearly the winner.
     
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  6. Arnold Grove

    Arnold Grove Senior Member

    Location:
    NYC
    It has always been interesting to me that these 2 songs, Love Me Do and P.S. I Love You, were the "best" of the bunch that George Martin decided to release as a 45 single. To me, both are somewhat underwhelming, and there were other songs that would have been better initial choices. If Love Me Do and P.S. I Love You were released by some other Liverpool band in 1962, those songs would have been long forgotten by now (or at least they would have been obscure curios of the early Mersey sound).

    Some better choices that were available at the time: I Saw Her Standing There, One After 909, and I'll Follow The Sun were already written and would have been much better possibilities. Please Please Me was likely in its early slow-version stage (even slow, it would have been a better choice), but it certainly could have been revamped into a faster version in September 1962 (when Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You were recorded). Even some of the Lennon/McCartney songs from the Decca audition, like Hello Little Girl and Like Dreamers Do, could have been used instead.

    Now that I think about it, the Beatles and Martin seem to have made a decision to showcase John's harmonica in their first single. Once they decided to use the harmonica, they got "locked" into Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You. Maybe they thought that was an innovative "new" sound that would capture the public's interest.

    Arnie
     
  7. TonyR

    TonyR Forum Resident

    Location:
    Atlanta GA
    I prefer PS I Love You as we'll. It's slightly more sophisticated then Love Me Do, which is charming but too simplistic for me. They were to do better with their next one.
     
  8. noahjld

    noahjld Der Wixxer

    Call me when you reach "We Can Work It Out/Day Tripper".
     
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  9. pjc1

    pjc1 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    I'll go with PS I Love You; it has a bit of a 'swing' to it that I enjoy. And Ringo on maracas, yes?? Love Me Do seems a bit stiff in comparison.
     
  10. MikeM

    MikeM Senior Member

    Location:
    Youngstown, Ohio
    "Love Me Do" has a certain simplistic charm, but there is clearly more depth to "P.S. I Love You."

    The latter's structure (i.e., intro that is never repeated) and chord pattern is really quite sophisticated for a 1962 rock 'n' roll song. Not that this in and of itself makes it great, but I do think the song hangs together both musically and lyrically as an affecting little number. Nicely sung by all, too.
     
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  11. theMess

    theMess Forum Resident

    Location:
    Kent, UK
    P.S. I Love You is IMO one of the most underrated early Beatles songs, and I think that it is a shame that Paul has never sung it properly (I hate his late 80's medley of the 2 songs). It is a very charming and pretty ballad, and shows of some clever songwriting craftsmanship, although I can see how it is a bit too romantic for some.
    Despite liking P.S, I have to say that I do prefer Love Me Do. It is a simple little song, but it is very infectious, and a great sing-a-long song, with fabulous harmonica parts and a great part for Paul to sing. It did what it was meant to do, it got the Fabs in the top 20 and got them some publicity. I feel that over the years it has been unfairly attacked, and George Martin hasn't helped by calling it rubbish repeatedly in various interviews.
    It is a great little pop song, a fabulous first single (especially backed with P.S) and it dis put them on the map in the UK. It may pale in comparison to their later work, but that does not stop it being a very catchy, slightly bluesy, great pop song.
     
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  12. Oatsdad

    Oatsdad Oat, Biscuits, Abbie & Mitzi: Best Dogs Ever

    Location:
    Alexandria VA
    Going with "LMD", but not a strong winner. Both songs are pleasant but that's about it...
     
  13. OldShiftyEyes

    OldShiftyEyes Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vermont
    Kind of a coin flip for me. But I give a slight edge to "Love Me Do."
     
  14. Jonno

    Jonno Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    'P.S. I Love You' is more of a period piece and sounds a little bit crusty now. 'Love Me Do' sounds more fresh and original, with very Beatle-y vocal harmonies and harmonica.
     
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  15. lennonfan1

    lennonfan1 Senior Member

    Location:
    baltimore maryland
    i still like the B side more.
     
  16. SammyJoe

    SammyJoe Up The Irons!

    Location:
    Finland
    Both are good but I like "Love Me Do" a bit more.
     
  17. slane

    slane Forum Resident

    Location:
    Merrie England
    The Andy White version is certainly stiff, but the original single with Ringo on drums is looser and more bluesy. I've really grown to like that version. I don't like Andy White's metronomic drumming on the remake or the B-side.
     
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  18. Digital-G

    Digital-G Senior Member

    Location:
    Dayton, OH
    P.S. I like you better.
     
  19. Adam9

    Adam9 Русский военный корабль, иди на хуй.

    Location:
    Toronto, Canada
    I've always preferred "P.S. I Love You" to the A-side. I always heard Paul's (underlined) singing on the last part: "As I write this letter, oh/Send my love to you, you know I want you to remember that I'll always be in love with you" as a big influence on Burton Cummings' singing.
     
  20. Chuckee

    Chuckee Forum Resident

    Location:
    Upstate, NY, USA
    Love Me Do!!!
     
  21. Vagabond

    Vagabond Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sussex, England
    Easily Love Me Do for me.

    I don't think either song shows much potential of their talents, but I feel LMD has a nicely crafted two-part harmony (I guess this is a sign of things to come), and the harp gives it a bit of soul. PS I Love You sounds even more dated to me then LMD.
     
  22. Rubber Soul

    Rubber Soul Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Rebecca, GA, USA
    :righton:
     
  23. Mikkel

    Mikkel Forum Resident

    Location:
    Germany
    Like both songs very much. If Doctor Who would ever take me to a ride with his Tardis I would ask him to travel to the recording session of those two songs ... :)
     
  24. ReadySteady

    ReadySteady Custom Title

    Paul's singing on the last part really elevates the song for me. This is an easy choice, seeing as how I don't like "Love Me Do" and can find no charm in it at all.
     
  25. Joe N

    Joe N Forum Resident

    I think both are decent but rather ordinary songs - I slightly prefer "Love Me Do' becuase of its playfullness. Of course there was much better to come very shortly...
     
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