Radcliffe Wrote:
I Saw Her Standing There
Right off the bat, this remaster is slaying me. This is one of those songs that I'd heard throughout my early life, mostly this version but often in versions by lesser bands taking the piss (the Tubes) or by older artists grasping futilely at hip (variety show hacks*). It's a song that sound to me like it's always existed, for at least as long as single cell organisms, and up until this reissue I'm not even sure if I knew it was written by Lennon/McCartney or thought it was a Chuck Berry song.
In other words, a PERFECT song to start these remasters with. This is like hearing it for the first time. I can actually hear the separation of instruments. And because of that, if I squint, I can also hear the pill-popping, badass kuchenfarters that rocked the Kaiserkeller mit der zingen und der geetarstrummen. It's somewhat neutered and cleaned up by the studio, but there's a rhythm machine at work here. Paul pumps, Ringo smacks, John chugs, and even George's solo is more rhythm than flash. There's a distinct touch of gravel in Paul's vocal, and the scream before the guitar solo clinches it. Bedrock.
Misery
I gotta run to catch up. This sounds like an apology or reassurance to all the parents out there for skirting the danger zone on the previous track. Cute and hairless and slight. The harmonies carry it.
Anna
Nice cover of an Arthur Alexander tune, and another one seemingly aimed at an older crowd. John's voice is in fine form.
Boys
Huh, I'd only previously heard the Tammy St. John version of this song (it's on my "Don't Call Me Honey" mix, if you haven't heard it). Tammy's version is better. It feels weird and vaguely homoerotic to switch genders like this but, hey, it's Ringo. Chances are good that Ringo really did like to talk about boys. Great harmony vox declaring the possible meaning of life in the line "bop shoo wop bop bop shoo wop". Paul's bass is absolutely hyperactive.
Please Please Me
Oh shit, a neck-snapping upgrade. Love that chopping rhythm guitar - never heard that before. Ditto the layers of harmonies. This really ties together the band's reach for palatable singles with their background as a hardass club band. Pretty amazing.
Love Me Do
And this is all about grasping for palatable singles. Hooks all over the fugger, but toothless and sweet and simple. Still, those John and Paul vocals work a particular magic.
Baby It's You
Damn, this is good. And John knows it. I can hear those vocal chords start to shred.
Do You Want To Know A Secret
Threatens to pick up at the bridge. Doesn't. More formula.
Twist And Shout
This comes as no surprise, but it must've come as an electric shock in '63. No more Mister Nice Guy. Lennon's voice is so raw, so urgent, that all the disc's previous reassurance to the parents of the nations' teen girls was immediately tossed out the window. Under the matching suits, these testicles had hair on 'em. The remastering on this is excellent.
Overall - There's too much energy on this album to deny them. They're young, brash, and true rock'n' roll believers. This overcomes some middling covers that they probably could have filled with their own material instead.
I Saw Here Standing There & Please Please Me
I love songs that suggest sex but are not explicit. It's much more subversive that way. Please Please Me remind me of the Everly Brothers but with more hooks. Also, Harrison has a pretty sweet guitar lick, which is kind of a twist on call and response with John's "c'mons." These are two of my favorite songs from the Beatles early period.
Misery is one of the weaker songs ever written by the Beatles, and is fairly forgetable.
Anna and Boys are great covers. John nails the vocals on Anna, and makes it one of the better covers. And I sort of disagree with you on Boys. The gender bending is kind of shocking for the early 60s, and it turns a fairly harmless song into something pretty dirty. And the rythmn section plays along to the dirty feel of it.
Love Me Do is saved by an absolutely fantastic harmonica. I guess this is a hold over from the Beatles days as a skiffle group. W/o the harmonica, the song is pretty uninteresting. W/ the harmonica it's both catchy and something in line w/ their caveran days as you alluded to.
Baby It's You - You pretty much nailed it. John is really on fire vocally and this songs seems like it's HIS song not a cover. When I think of this song, I think of John not the Shirelles. When he hits the notes "Can't help myself...", I swear I'm listening to Ben E. King.
Do You Want to Know a Secret - I love this song. Even though I feel like it's really representative of the worst side of Macca. Later, he'll annoy the shit out of me with similar ballads like this. But there's something naive to this that let's it work for me.
Twist and Shout - I really believe this is the greatest vocal performance in the history of rock'n'roll. It sounds so wild and raw that to me it will always be dangerous, and there's nothing Matthew Broderick can do about it. It's down right Jerry Lee in its confidence and sexuality. Ringo's drumming also really adds a punch to John's vocals. Not sure anyone has ever improved on the formula for this song.
