Long Tall Sally

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Side 1

Side 2

About

From Wikipedia:

Long Tall Sally by the Beatles was their fifth official EP release, and the first British EP that included songs not previously released on an album or single in the United Kingdom (two of the tracks had seen an American release earlier in the year on The Beatles’ Second Album, with the other two released on the North American album Something New). It was released by Parlophone in mono with the catalogue number GEP 8913 and released in the United Kingdom on 19 June 1964. It was also released in Spain and France. The four songs from this EP were remastered for compact disc by George Martin, and released in 1988 on the Past Masters, Volume One compilation.

“I Call Your Name” was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, a song they originally gave to Billy J. Kramer and his backing band The Dakotas. Kramer released it as the B-side to “Bad to Me“, a Lennon song that Kramer took to number 1. The remaining songs were covers.

The picture on the album cover was taken by the Swedish photographer Bosse Trenter in Stockholm on 25 October 1963.

Sleeve notes:

A new release by John, Paul, George and Ringo is more than just a disc… it is a national event. People old enough to know worse—and who often do—can be overheard saying: ‘It’s about time they did another one.’ And so it is and here it is and aren’t we all very proud of it? Paul McCartney sings Long Tall Sally and he has never done anything better. This was the hit of the Beatles’ Jack Good – Brian Epstein TV show, first featured by Paul on disc in an American album. It is wild and reckless but beautifully phrased and pure Beatle music, with George backing on lead guitar quite as well as in his notable Roll Over Beethoven. It wasn’t written by the Beatles—nor were Slow Down or Matchbox on Side Two—but John and Paul have an original in I Call Your Name, formerly done by Billy J. Kramer a few months ago. John sings this. Who else creates such a sound?

Carl Perkins wrote Matchbox for himself, but Ringo makes it his very own. He sings little, but well, which is better than rotten and often, and John precedes him with Slow Down, a moody rocker, note-perfect product of the Beatles’ early performances in Liverpool’s ‘Cavern’.

All four boys enhance their splendid name with this disc. It will sell in millions to the world. Dip in gold and give it to your grandchildren. Or just simply wear it out.

DEREK TAYLOR

Last updated on July 31, 2023