The Making of 'Love Me Do' | The Please Please Me Sessions

Everything you need to know about The Beatles' "Love Me Do." |

If Besame Mucho failed to impress the Parlophone crew, the next track the Beatles recorded prompted engineer Norman Smith to send tape-operator Chris Neal to fetch George Martin. The reason is clear from the audition tape, issued on Anthology 1. Here, suddenly, was something utterly fresh and original the Beatles had written. Intrigued, George Martin supervised a take which caught the cold Northern breeze of a very unusual sound.

"Love Me Do" was the first song recorded and released by the Beatles, not including any recordings made with Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers.

In his book, Paul describes the 1958 writing session for the song: "'Love Me Do' was written in one of our sessions at 20 Forthlin Road; completely co-written. It might have been my original idea but some of them really were 50-50s, and I think that one was. 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."

#thebeatles #paulmccartney #johnlennon #georgeharrison #ringostarr #music #history #rocknroll #rock

[joeshmoe]

Even as a long time Beatles fan, I didn't have much interest in the Love Me Do story. I loved every second of this. I'm glad I watched this. Great Job!!!

[jeremiahhuckleberry]

Right. Since when is a platinum selling record, a No. 1 record, on both Billboard and Cashbox, not a hit, pray tell?

[AdullFiddler-eztm]

I liked P.S. I Love You better. And then Please Please Me was still better.

[stephenellis]

It’s remarkable that two of the world’s greatest composers lived a few streets away from each other!

[davidoran]

THEY were such a force in the world in my young years, they gave us so much and changed things forever.

[russellrapport]

When local musician Delbert McClinton was asked if he taught John Lennon how to play harmonica, he said he didn't know. "It was one of them Beatles."

[bobwilcox]

Love me do was a good and nice song. Especially the first song of the Beatles.

[BigBri]

I honestly think the version of "Love Me Do" with Ringo drumming is far inferior to the later version with him on tamborine and Andy White on drums. The drums plod, are barely audible, and Paul's grossly out-of-tune bass dominates the mix. Combined with the tepid singing, the whole thing sounds like a hangover.
On the other hand, the Andy White version is brisk, mixed well, and performed with polish. I especially like the embellished bass note that starts the song off: it really grabs your attention without you realizing it.

[mikenyny]

(Incidentally)... Being as their second single "Please Please Me" was mentioned, I am copy and pasting this from Goggle: "The single was released in the UK on 11 January 1963 and reached No. 1 on the New Musical Express and Melody Maker charts. However, it only reached No. 2 on the Record Retailer chart, which subsequently evolved into the UK Singles Chart. Because of this, it was not included on the Beatles' number ones compilation, 1."

[DarrylRuiz-sw]

While they dismissed his contribution later Martin.was the perfect man to guide the early Beatles.and it shows

[chrisclarke]

What's your opinion on Frank Zappa being a creative inspiration for Sgt Pepper. The story goes as Paul listened to 'Freak Out' and liked it enough to use as a basis for the song structure on 'Pepper'. When Zappa heard what they were doing he made his own cynical knockoff of 'Pepper' with 'We're Only in it for the Money' which was what Zappa's narrow minded view on the Beatles at the time was. Some songs feel like borderline spoofs of songs on Sgt Pepper while some are different enough to even compare. What do you think? Do you take much credence in the whole thing or do you think it was more of a Beach Boys/Beatles inspiration for the album.

[michaeldunne]

Reaching number 17 in the UK in November of 1962 doesn't sound like a bad debut for a single by a new music group (and young song writers). Funny to hear George point that placement out though (think Mark Lewisohn confirmed that charting), and say that the company [EMI] became a little more "friendly" afterwards.

Not sure about the charts then (NME was just started in 1952? Just ten years prior?), and if there was a bit of cynicism about padding or reputation of a particuar listing?

Not big on Wikipedia, but its accessible, and one entry noted: "However, until 15 February 1969, when the British Market Research Bureau chart was established, there was no universally accepted chart. Other charts existed and different artists may have placed at number one in charts by Record Mirror, Disc or Melody Maker. "

[mhpjii]

I am fascinated to learn at what point and why (!) George Martin understood that Lennon and McCartney were unusually gifted songwriters.

[royrice]

Next you will be telling us “I Want To Hold Your Hand” wasn’t a hit! 🤣🤣🤣

[raystaar]

Click bait. Love Me Do went to #1 on the US charts. That's a major hit, by any measure, even if it didn't do as well in other markets.

[jimbt]

Proof... George Martin couldn't pick the best of the bunch... love me do. Beatles are devine

[jessejordache]

The funny thing about Lewis Carroll is that _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ is a polemic against "modern" mathematics, meaning, basically, Calculus and all of its successors. It's popular because _nobody understands the point_ and it just seems like lovely surrealism. I can't decide if that makes him the best writer ever, or the worst.

[wongsoongcheng]

Thank God Pete Best is now receiving royalties for his efforts in Love Me Do.

[piotrq]

I think it will be fair to say that many Beatles fans have no idea that Lennon's involvement in the creation of this song was so influential. it's said to be a typical Paul song

[colliemac]

I was about 13 .. I went to a mates place we were both rockers, slick back hair, I visited him his hair was brushed forward, I wasn’t impressed, he put on Love Me Do, which I thought was a bit corny, compared to Chuck Berry & Elvis, stop start timing & singing didn’t do it for me, but I went home & couldn’t get the song out of my head lol.. then all you heard on the radio which mum had on all the time was Beatles, PS I Love you & I’ll Get you, I was done, I became a hard core Beatles fan for life.