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- Album This song officially appears on the Beatles For Sale (Mono) LP.
Related sessions
This song has been recorded during the following studio sessions
Oct 18, 1964
"Beatles for Sale" Session #10
Oct 26, 1964
"Beatles for Sale" Session #12
Nov 04, 1964
Other Buddy Holly songs interpreted by The Beatles
Officially appears on In Spite Of All The Danger / That'll Be The Day
Unreleased song
Officially appears on Holly Days
Officially appears on Maybe Baby - Original Soundtrack
Officially appears on Live At The BBC
Unreleased song
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Song facts
From The Beatles Bible:
Written and recorded by Buddy Holly in 1957, Words Of Love was the only of his songs to be recorded by The Beatles. A number of Buddy Holly’s songs had been performed live by The Beatles from their earliest days. These included That’ll Be The Day, Peggy Sue, Everyday, It’s So Easy, Maybe Baby, Think It Over, Raining In My Heart, and Crying, Waiting, Hoping. […] The group had performed Words Of Love between 1958 and 1962, with Lennon and Harrison singing. For the Beatles For Sale recording, however, Lennon and McCartney shared vocal duties. […]
From Wikipedia:
“Words of Love” is a song written by Buddy Holly and recorded by him on April 8, 1957. Holly harmonized for himself, by tape-recording each part and combining them. The song was not a notable hit for Holly, although it is regarded as one of his important recordings, and is available in most standard Holly collections.
A version by The Diamonds, released on May 20, 1957 on Mercury Records, reached number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100 in July, 1957. The Diamonds also performed the song live on the ABC television show Circus Time on June 27, 1957 and included the song on the 1962 Mercury LP album Pop Hits, MGW 12178.
A 1993 eponymous compilation album released by PolyGram in the UK reached no. 1 and was certified Gold.
The Beatles’ version
The song was also covered by The Beatles on the album Beatles for Sale. In the United States, it was on the album Beatles VI. It was also on Beatles for Sale No. 2, a 7″ extended play released in 1965 on Parlophone/EMI. The Beatles’ version was recorded on October 18, 1964. John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who were fans of Holly, harmonized on their version, holding to the vocal and instrumental sound of Holly’s original as well as they could. When they had played this song in their early days at the Cavern Club in 1961 and 1962, Lennon and George Harrison were the vocalists. Ringo Starr played a packing case on this song as well as drums, to achieve a similar sound to Holly’s “Everyday.”
A 1963 performance of “Words of Love” recorded for BBC broadcast is included on the 2013 compilation On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2. The recording also appeared on a 5 song promotional EP from the album.
From The Usenet Guide to Beatles Recording Variations:
- [a] mono 26 Oct 1964
UK: Parlophone PMC 1240 For Sale 1964.
US: Capitol T 2358 Beatles VI 1965.
CD: EMI CDP 7 46438 2 For Sale 1987.- [b] stereo 4 Nov 1964
UK: Parlophone PCS 3062 For Sale 1964.
US: Capitol ST 2358 Beatles VI 1965.Mono [a] is 9 seconds longer, longer fade.
Paul McCartney recorded a version in 1985 on acoustic guitar which was featured in the documentary The Real Buddy Holly Story.
Last updated on March 12, 2016
Lyrics
Hold me close and tell me how you feel
Tell me love is real
Mm, mm, mm, mm
Words of love you, whisper soft and true
Darling I love you
Mm, mm, mm, mm
Let me hear you say
The words I want to hear
Darling when you're near
Mm, mm, mm, mm
Words of love you, whisper soft and true
Darling I love you
Mm, mm, mm, mm
Mm, mm, mm
Mm, mm, mm, ah ah ah
Officially appears on
LP • Released in 1964
2:12 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 26, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
LP • Released in 1964
2:12 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Nov 04, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1965
2:10 • Studio version • A • Mono
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 26, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
EP • Released in 1965
2:16 • Studio version • A
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 26, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 1965
2:10 • Studio version • B • Stereo
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Nov 04, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2006
2:10 • Studio version • B2006 • Stereo • 2006 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Nov 04, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Official album • Released in 2006
2:10 • Studio version • A2006 • Mono • 2006 remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Ted Jensen :
- Remastering
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 26, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Beatles for Sale (Mono - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
2:12 • Studio version • A2009 • Mono • 2009 mono remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Paul Hicks :
- Remastering
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Sean Magee :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Oct 26, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
Beatles for Sale (Stereo - 2009 remaster)
Official album • Released in 2009
2:12 • Studio version • B2009 • Stereo • 2009 stereo remaster
- Paul McCartney :
- Bass, Vocals
- Ringo Starr :
- Drums, Percussion
- John Lennon :
- Rhythm guitar, Vocals
- George Harrison :
- Lead guitar, Vocals
- George Martin :
- Producer
- Norman Smith :
- Recording engineer
- Guy Massey :
- Remastering
- Steve Rooke :
- Remastering
- Allan Rouse :
- Project co-ordinator
- Session Recording:
- Oct 18, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
- Session Mixing:
- Nov 04, 1964
- Studio :
- EMI Studios, Studio Two, Abbey Road
On Air - Live at the BBC Volume 2
Official live • Released in 2013
1:56 • Live • L1 • "Words Of Love" was released in the UK on an album called "Buddy Holly" in July 1958. This BBC recording was broadcast fifteen months before the song’s inclusion on Beatles For Sale. John and Paul sang the two-part harmony which, through primitive but effective overdubbing, Buddy had sung with himself.
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Aug 20, 1963
Bootlegs
The Beatles At The Beeb - Volume 5
Unofficial live • Released in 2003
2:04 • Live
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Aug 20, 1963
Unofficial live • Released in 2013
3:40 • Live • Words Of Love (Ringo interview) (London 23Apr64)
Unofficial live • Released in 2015
1:59 • Live
Concert From "Pop Go The Beatles" in London, United Kingdom on Aug 20, 1963
Live performances
“Words of Love” has been played in 1 concerts.
Latest concerts where Words of Love has been played
Aug 20, 1963 • Part of BBC Sessions
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