Session with Tony Sheridan

From Beatles Bible:

The Beatles had recorded a number of songs with Tony Sheridan in Hamburg on 22-24 June 1961. Nearly a year later they taped two more songs with the singer.

The session came about due to a contract The Beatles had signed with Bert Kaempfert, who had produced the 1961 recordings. When Brian Epstein began managing the group and started looking for a record deal, he discovered that they were still technically under contract with Kaempfert.

Epstein and Kaempfert agreed that The Beatles would be released from their obligation if they recorded one more session with Sheridan when they next returned to Hamburg. It took place on this day at the city’s Studio Rahlstedt, situated at Gebäude M1, Rahlau 128, Hamburg-Tonndorf.

The songs were Swanee River and Sweet Georgia Brown, the latter arranged by Paul McCartney. Performing with The Beatles was pianist Roy Young, who had been informally accompanying with the group at the Star-Club.

Tony Sheridan, however, didn’t make it to the session. He overdubbed his vocals onto Sweet Georgia Brown on 7 June 1962, and it was released on a German EP, Ya Ya, later that year. […]

Session activities

1. Sweet Georgia Brown

   Written by Ben Bernie, Maceo Pinkard, Kenneth Casey

   Recording

   AlbumOfficially released on Ya Ya

2. Swanee River

   Written by Stephen Foster

   Recording

   Unreleased track

Staff

Musicians

Production staff

Going further

• http://www.columbia.edu/~brennan/beatles/hamburg.html