3. Anna

See I find Lennon's vocals better than just "ok" on this. He feigns anguish admirably on the chorus. Maybe I've just had a spft spot for it forever, but I still enjoy this song a good bit. Love the rough-but-right backing harmonies. You can hear Paul and George hunting around for the notes, scooping into them a little, then settling right in. That shit's deceptively hard, especially the long held notes. Nowhere to hide. And my favorite part of this track: "UuuuAAAAAA-ha-na" vocals in the background... always loved that lazy delivery.

4. Chains

This gets closer to disposable pop to me. Lovey dovey lyrics, dopey delivery, sloppy harmonies. This stuff crops up elsewhere to some degree but here for some reason it stands out on this one for me in a bad way. Favorite part of this track: the blaring harmonica intro, I guess. Love the reverb on it, love the way it grabs your attention.

5. Boys

Agreed - the fun they're having is evident. Those punchy staccato bass notes carry it for me. It's the formula the Strokes have aped so well - every single instrument on 16th notes nearly 100% of the time. Drums, guitars, and bass all nailing jumping 16ths in exact time. Ringo vocals are ok for me, not killer. Favorite part: the audible WAAA HOO in the background at 0:33.

6. Ask Me Why

Konsty nailed it. Carried far beyond where it should've gone by the excellent vocals. Having a deep bench pays off. By one metric it's a throw-away period piece homage to doo wop, etc, but by another it shows off their ability to play "them 50 cent chords" as someone once put it. Much more than standrad 12 bar blues going on here. It's a subtle point but a lot of people can't pull that stuff off.

7. Please Please Me

As with much of this album, even with fluffy subject material it becomes impossible to ignore the masive latent talent in this band. If you really sit and stare at those harmonies and splits, there's some respectably complex thinking going on there. I can only imagine seeing them pull it off live in person back then. Fuck, I probably would thrown my underwear at them. Shiny teeny pop on the surface, played and arranged with such unusual craft that it totally undermines the superficial point. Favorite part: the drum fills. I never say that about Ringo, it feels like, but yeah, great taste here on the stops.

8. Love Me Do

It doesn't get much simpler than this. Man, is this sterile compared to the rest. They're clearly great singers here, but this is Kindergarten compared to what comes before and after. Not something I ever find myself hankering to hear, for sure.

9. P.S. I Love You

It's so funny to watch the same group on one album jump across the Line, back and forth, between being edgy loud Cavern Club music and being sweet little boy / sunday best cute. Finding themselves, I guess, or perhaps pleasing several masters. Still it's pleasant and well performed. Favorite part: the backing vocal arrangements on the verses. "TREASURE these few WORDS til we're TOGETHER" with just those words backed. Sounds like they're waltzing.

im not really getting a hardon over the cultural implications of this first iteration, nor over what George Harrison must've had for lunch between sessions, but what is striking is actually hearing the vocals in my right ear only and the rhythm only in the left (or vice versa) conjoined in the middle with a heaping dose of that sweet, sweet plate 'verb.

some of you beatles junkies (im looking at you phil) may be rolling your eyes at this realization, but hearing the Fab Four solely on compressed oldies stations for nigh on 33 years diminishes the 2-track effect greatly. (note: i'm listening to this on a pair of sennheiser eh-150 studio cans)

(and I've got the Mono version of this album, fwiw)

10. Baby It's You

Ehhh. Sweet, pleasant, great Lennon vocals - when he reaches up and shoves it hard, he's in a different league. That was his shit. Very good at a lot of things, but that sound he could make, that raw-yet-on-target edge he got, that shit was special. You get a hint of it here. "Don' Want Nobody, Nobodyyy" ..which is obviously my favorite bit of this track. Hints of Lennon's velvet buzzsaw.

11. Do You want To Know A Secret

I like Harrison's vocals on this. They're cruder than Paul and John of course, but I like the rough edges. Subject material here is forgettable, but give the guy credit.

12. A Taste Of Honey

Even as a kid listening to this, I remember being all with the headphones on. The difference between this and most of the rest of the album is so jarring. On the Minus side, it's shlocky and sappy, ie Paul tipping his hand of Things To Come. On the Plus side, that fucking chorus... The first line, it still gives me goosebumps somehow. Just the line "I will return," the reverb on it, shit that sounds incredible. Kudos again to Sir George. That sound makes this worth it, if barely.

I just threw this on the stereo, I've got the actual box set so no MP3s of FLAC. First off, I can't remember the last time I've actually sat down and listened to Please Please Me, it's been a very, very long time. The sound really is very impressive, really warm. I'm about a third of the way through at this point, and it's funny to hear this with the foreknowledge of What Is To Come. As impressive as some of their early compositions are, they're still just simple pop songs, lovely and pleasant. Less than five years from now, they're gonna deliver 'A Day in the Life'. That's what I find so remarkable right now.

I fucking love the title track.

i really fucking hate a taste of honey

yeah thats some real peter paul and mary shite right there

I always forget about this song, it's pure Mr. Sandman but I love it nevertheless.

And the one-take 'Twist and Shout' is still amazing, even after hearing it roughly 200 billion times. Sounded fantastic as well.

that was the last one they did in the session, right? i've heard it was intentional so that lennon's vocals pretty much sounded thrashed.

<--- beatles newby

yeah i think they had to hurry up to record an album because please please me (song) was doign so well, so they recorded the full album in a day, and yeah twist and shout was the last one that day so by that time his vocal cords were meat

It's between this box set and an xbox 360 for my gift to myself this year...I'm torn.

13. There Is A Place

Finally we get something in The Middle. Not a rocker, and not a throwaway pop song/cover, but something poppy with some nooks and or crannies. More good use of the harmonica as a signal. Favorite Part: the high harmonies. Right on pitch without sounding strained.

14. Twist And Shout

It's all been said. Blew the doors off, for sure. Why must I picture Matthew Broderick, goddamit. Favorite Part: the "Heeeeeey" as the last cymbal hits. They're done and probably happy about it.

Just starting this right now.

Also...


I'm so glad I don't have those kind of reference points.

Listened to this in the car on the way to work this a.m. Only made it through "Boys," so I'll wait til I finish up the rest this afternoon/evening. Overall though I will say it's somewhat refreshing (if that's even the right word) to hear such young, eager musicians. I'm not sure I've heard anything in this day and age that sounds quite as authentic as what these guys were trying to do at the time.