The Beatles (No. 1)

Track list

Side 1

1. I Saw Her Standing There

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   2:55 • Studio version • A

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Handclaps, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums, Handclaps John Lennon : Backing vocals, Handclaps, Rhythm guitar George Harrison : Handclaps, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer A.B. Lincoln : Second engineer

   Session Recording: Feb 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Feb 25, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

2. Misery

   Written by Lennon - McCartney

   1:47 • Studio version • A • Mono

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Lead guitar George Martin : Piano, Producer Geoff Emerick : Second engineer Norman Smith : Recording engineer Stuart Eltham : Recording engineer A.B. Lincoln : Second engineer

   Session Recording: Feb 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Feb 20, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

   Session Recording: Feb 25, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

3. Anna (Go to Him)

   Written by Arthur Alexander

   2:54 • Studio version • A

   Paul McCartney : Backing vocals, Bass Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Acoustic rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Backing vocals, Lead guitar George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer A.B. Lincoln : Second engineer

   Session Recording: Feb 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Feb 25, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

4. Chains

   Written by Gerry Goffin, Carole King

   2:23 • Studio version • A

   Paul McCartney : Bass, Vocals Ringo Starr : Drums John Lennon : Harmonica, Rhythm guitar, Vocals George Harrison : Lead guitar, Vocals George Martin : Producer Norman Smith : Recording engineer A.B. Lincoln : Second engineer

   Session Recording: Feb 11, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road

   Session Mixing: Feb 25, 1963 • Studio EMI Studios, Studio One, Abbey Road

From Wikipedia:

The Beatles (No. 1) is an EP released by The Beatles in the United Kingdom on 1 November 1963. It is the Beatles third British EP and was only released in mono; its catalogue number is Parlophone GEP 8883. Containing songs from Please Please Me, the cover was taken in the same photoshoot as the Please Please Me and 1962-1966 covers. It was also released in Argentina and New Zealand.

All songs originally released on the Please Please Me LP.

Sleeve notes:

Each time I settle down to pen a set of paragraphs for the sleeve of another new Beatle release, I am able to recall fresh sets of honours and triumphs which have come the way of this fabulous foursome in the brief ‘tween-discs spell.

Every Beatle-cut disc adds to the outfit’s greatness by topping the charts. The Please, Please Me LP turned out to be the fastest-selling album ever issued on any of the E.M.I. group of labels. Within weeks of its release the Twist and Shout EP topped the extended play charts, outsold almost every contemporary pop single in earshot and notched up sales in excess of a quarter of a million.

The release of this latest batch of constantly requested stage-show favourites in EP form coincides with the first anniversary of The Beatles’ arrival on the pop scene. They seem to have achieved so much during this first stand-out year that, short of getting themselves a Fan Club branch on the moon* or something equally incredible, I doubt if there are many more strengths for them to go on from or to!

I SAW HER STANDING THERE is already a pretty permanent fixture of The Beatles’ self-penned repertoire. It has a strong tune, a solid beat and one of the most effective sets of lyrics produced to date by the Lennon/McCartney team.

MISERY is a second vehicle for the voices of John and Paul. Their joint delivery is so accurate that it comes over on record almost like a self-duet performance. It tells a delicate lost-love story sadly and hauntingly.

ANNA brings out a curiously satisfying quality of plaintive rawness in John’s voice. The number is one of his personal favourites.

CHAINS is (or are!) used to bind together the voices of George, John and Paul in a hard-hitting finale to this pungent little programme.

TONY BARROW