This has to be the most in depth, and enjoyable analysis on Please Please Me that I’ve ever seen. I’ve always wondered why the song Please Please Me sounded so different in stereo, and now I know! Your knowledge of Beatles records and EMI is of my highest praise!
Quite a lot of the albums differ from stereo to mono in small but noticeable ways because the mono versions were not simply stereo recordings re-combined. They were separate mixes. Might be a good subject for a video Andrew!
To me the Please Please Me album is one I like to listen to in context. You’re not listening to a mega-famous band, you’re listening to a club band who had just recently returned from a stint in Hamburg and a couple of days later were playing in the Cavern. It has a great energy I don’t think they ever captured again on record.
A thought occurred to me as I listened to this album after watching this. Sometimes luck played a huge roll in their success. Consider if you will ...what if John hadn't had a cold that day. Not only would the whole album felt a bit different, but we would have missed out on the treasure that is 'Twist and Shout'. They probably would still have recorded it that day, but in my opinion if his voice had been it's normal clean self the song wouldn't have had that wonderful edge that it has. John said later that he 'couldn't sing the damn thing' but thats exactly what makes it so special. If he hadn't been sick we would not have one of their most popular songs!
I think he would have nailed it the same way. Check them out live in Sweden for the Drop In TV show. That is the best Lennon Twist and Shout rendition I've heard, or at least, the closest to the studio recording. I guess what could have made it so special in the studio is the tape distortion, which I believe is what made it sound so different. But I'd love to hear the author of this video commenting on this, cause I'm not totally sure this was the one element that made it sound like that.
This is probably in my top three of my favorite Beatles albums. Having grown up as a teenager in the 1970s, I was only ever exposed to the stereo mix. As not only a Beatles fan, but also a budding musician, my buddies and I used to make use of the primitive stereo mix, by turning down the vocal channel to listen to and learn the instrumentation, but then I think we learned a whole lot about vocal harmonies by turning down the instrumentation side to listen to the isolated vocals. The raw energy of the performances on this album made it much more worth than whatever it cost EMI to record this album. Even with the flubbed vocals on the title track, where they obviously sing two completely different lines in the last verse, This album is worth a thousand times more than it's weight in gold.
As a teenager, nerd, and a massive Beatles fan, I’ve thought of taking please please me and using the same AI de-mixing tools Peter Jackson used, and applying it to the album to create a proper stereo mix, by isolating each instrument. I’ve already experimented with this on Twist and Shout with great results.
Please can I hear your remix of Twist and Shout? I don't know maybe use Google drive and only make that 1 track sharable and put a link here. I don't know if you know you can do that but you can just choose 1 track or 1 folder and make it available to whoever you provide the link too, and it doesn't even show or allow ANY other track or content available to the link other than what you have clicked on. Anyway, you know how we Beatles fans always wanna hear new stuff.
For me, Please Please Me is just so full of energy and effervescence that its hard not to like it. Although its far from being one of the Beatles most creative albums it is perhaps, in my opinion, the most fun to listen to. It's 32 minutes of toe-tapping, air-drumming, head-bopping, pop magic. And in that way its easy to see why the album was a game changer and the start of something really special. As a band the Beatles are tight and efficient in their playing. You can tell they have logged some hours playing together and that these songs are not the first time they been played. I don't think you can go wrong either in mono or stereo for this album. This was never meant to be an audiophile experience or something to be taken too seriously. As long as it gets you smiling you know its accomplished its goal. A true Beatles classic and a sleeper pick for sure.
Each of the Beatles albums offers something different. I often find myself choosing Please Please Me when deciding what Beatles album to listen to. I love the energy and the 'fresh' sound.
I do think the early albums are getting somewhat overlooked as the years pass by. Understandable considering the giant leaps the band made in such a short time. The early ones are just as good but in a different way. Would love to see a 60th anniversary of both 63 LPs. Great video Andrew, fascinating and informative details as always! Sundays are always better with Parlogram!
I just turned 12 in December 1963 and during that month my best friend Nic (12) acquired a copy of Introducing The Beatles on the Vee Jay label. He purchased the LP based solely on hearing I Want To Hold Your Hand radio air play. As for realizing there was a Parlophone/EMI company that started The Beatles rigamarole, we had no idea and truthfully couldn't care less. For we had a copy of Introducing The Beatles and were tuning into the two local radio stations in Salt Lake City that began airing tracks from the album. That was our reality. It would be decades later when we realized that everything began at Abbey Road.
We are so lucky to have had Sir George Martin at the helm of The Beatles’ recordings. The quality in sound over most rock ‘n’ roll bands who were popular at the time is night and day. I mean, just listen to the old Rolling Stones records from the same time. The Beatles early records sound just as new today and must’ve sounded extraordinary then.
“The Rutles recorded their first album in one day…the second took even longer…” Kidding aside, once again a great presentation, always look forward to your videos Sunday mornings (across the pond)..
Fabulous work Andrew. Love all of your offerings. Early Beatles, for me, just kill it. Still exciting to this day. Only early Elvis can come close to the earth-shattering impact of this music.
So many fond memories of listening to this on my mono player in the day. In my opinion, the early 80's Dutch stereo is my favorite. It's the one with the dead wax ending in 2Y/3Y. The earlier Dutch 1Y sounds like the earlier German/British copies. Number 2 is the A2 German pressing. Number 3 is the mono. The cleanist copy you can find. The 2014 Mono Box set is a must for any Beatles collection. I can only suggest to set the timing and integrate the overdubs better when Giles does his Peter Jackson magic. For now the Dutch sound engineers win the trophy for me. Andrew, thanks again for the information. I always learn a golden nugget of information from you.
Do I prefer the stereo or the mono version? Yes. 🙂 Love your presentations. Thank you for all the work, and your genuine appreciation of all things Beatle.
Nice job explaining the basis of how the album was recorded, Andrew. If I may add a couple additional things. The start of the session had John's rhythm guitar routed to track 2 with the vocals. The entirety of There's a Place and take 1 of I Saw Her Standing There was recorded like this. Starting with take 2 of ISHST and for the rest of that song, the guitars had their routings swapped with George's lead guitar now on track 2 and John's 325 on track 1. After the lunch break and for the rest of the session both guitars would be routed to track 1 with the rest of the instruments. Boys is also cool because of the way the drums were mixed. Because the drum overhead mic also picked up Ringo's vocals, it was routed to track 2. But the microphone in front of the bass drum and the underside of the snare was still routed to track 1, so you get a sort of stereo drum track, albeit a subtle one. It should also be mentioned that the engineers deliberately chose not to minimize the amount of microphone leakage in an attempt to better convey the "live album in the studio" feel of the album.
"the engineers deliberately chose not to minimize the amount of microphone leakage in an attempt to better convey the "live album in the studio" feel of the album " -> or "HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BLEED"
@@audiosurge6405 I love microphone leakage in old songs because it can reveal more insight into how everything was recorded. And it sounds better that way. haha
@@RingoStarr39 Oh yes! So do I. Reading George Martin's book "All You Need Is Ears" from the late 70s, one thing stuck with me, talking about the advent of new tech he said 'who in the world could need 32 tracks (tape) to record music??' Oh boy!! Fast forward today and it's 64 tracks.... just on the snare ;)
Andrew you are the GOAT when it comes to The Beatles. Best TH-cam channel on them by far! I prefer the 2014 mono because of the quality of the vinyl and the 1973 German stereo, which I picked up on your recommendation a couple of years ago.
That was brilliant. So now we know when George Martin first used tape speed manipulation to record a piano riff and it was on 'Misery' !!?? Have you ever noticed how on the second bridge of Anna, George Harrison's vocal "Ahh' drops to the minor 3rd even though the guitars do not.(During ''Breaks my heart and leaves me sad') When ever we perform that song we play the minor guitar chord behind it be cause it actually is a very effective note. Even if George never meant to sing it in the first place. Loving this deep dive. Keep up the fine work Andrew. We Beatles fans are forever in your debt. Adieu, RNB
The story of the Please Please Me stereo mix is fascinating, I always wondered why the whole song suddenly becomes way out of sync at the end lol. If they remix the album I honestly wouldn't mind if they left the weird syncing in, at this point its a quirk/happy accident I'm used to and have just accepted as part of the song!
Another wonderful video, thank you. I was reared on my late fathers original LP’s. The ‘Early Beatles’ have always been closest to my heart. I do hope that, one day, Giles Martin will lavish their 1962-‘64 output with the ‘deluxe treatment’ I feel that ‘Beatlemania’ is a little under appreciated by those who weren’t there, generally
Excellent presentation! I love this album, and actually prefer it over the one that followed (I know, sacrilege). Growing up with the American versions of everything up to Sgt. Pepper’s, I was knocked-out by the 2009 reissues. Clearly, the British versions are the way these albums were meant to be heard!
This is just so splendid. Great detail and depth. In the UK, so much detail was given to the mono mixes, and it took us all years to appreciate it. By the time the worldwide recording industry would've been set up to just fold the stereo mixes over...mono albums weren't being pressed anymore. It's been awhile, I'll have to track down a dedicated mono mix of the original PLEASE PLEASE ME album.
I have loved these recordings as Introducing The Beatles and The Early Beatles, with a few changes made. I only remember the stereo versions being on vinyl. I still have my original cd's of the first 4 from 1988 that are mono. I always enjoyed the odd stereo mixes for what they were, as they allowed me to hear vocals and instruments mixed separately. I do believe a good mono mix can be much more powerful - my favorite example is Cream's debut Fresh Cream, which is a lot heavier in mono. I bet Giles will have much to do to make the remixes more clear. It will sound unbelievable when he has finished his work on these early albums.
I'm from New Zealand. This needs the Peter Jackson treatment. I change my my mind on my favorite Beatles lp. Please please me UK 4n1 my favorite pressing. Surely if in the 60s Beatles put out 2 lps per year we could get 2 boxsets. With the Beatles, AHDN, Beatles for sale, yellow submarine are the weak lps but still they have 2 or 3 great songs. Although I want to have rubber soul boxset next, it would be better to have a 60th anniversary please please me 3lp boxset. Your channel is awesome, I wish I could work along side you as a Geoff Emerick.
I bought the CD in the mid-nineties, and for a long time it was my favourite Beatles album until I fell in love with Abbey Road. For an album that was recorded so long ago on such primitive equipment, it still sounds great. I don't know about any other versions or mixes, but that CD to me is a masterpiece. It's only now watching your videos that I've seen that so many versions of their records are available.
There are good mixes of some of these early songs on the now tricky to find MFP "Rock & Roll" compilations. So I made up my own CD of the album, mixing that source with either stereo, mono, single or E.P. versions of the other songs - whichever sounded best. Plus, of course, I have reinstated the original Ringo take of "Love Me Do" taken from the Past Masters album. Yes, a true nerd! 😄
@@johndowling5850 Cheers! I understand that George Martin did do some remixing for those two albums. "I Saw Her" comes out very well despite some drop out in bass at the start (presumably because a vital tape was missing?).
It was recorded to be listened to in mono. This is the version i like most. However, the german Please Please me with less reverb than the UK (and all the other ?) versions is also enjoyable. May favorite pressing is the 2014 mono - i simply had not the chance to get any better mono versions. The digital version from the 80ies is sourced from the CD master and it definitely has phase problems - it sounds not good. When i heard those songs as a kid, i always thought, "OK, this is how it supposed to sound" but never thought of the significant technical challenges they had back in those days. I listen to the mono Please Please me (The Single reissue at the time) and was aware that something was different. But i never spent a second thought on why this might have been. Thanks again for that wonderful video. I learned a lot of new things from it even after more than 46 years of listening to The Beatles. ❤
Thanks so much for this detailed explanation of the stereo mix and Abbey Road's tape machines, Andrew. Despite having heard the song "Please Please Me" for what must 50+ years, I'd somehow never noticed the out-of-sync playback overdub at the end of the stereo version until listening to Giles Martin's recent mixes for the 'Red' compilation album, where the error leapt out at me. It was hard to believe that such a terrible-sounding thing existed on an official Beatles recording at all, much less going all the way back to the original 1963 mix, but you've set me straight. And I have to concede that perhaps George Martin and the other studio personnel were right-in all these years I'd never noticed the error, so perhaps the flawed mix was indeed good enough.
Nice thorough job at these sessions. Dr. Ebbetts (A Bootlegger) mixed the recordings where he centered the vocals. I Prefer the mono mix of this album. “Hold Me Tight” Take 6 (2:26) and take 9 (2:29) on tape E48878 and the bad news is the tape is missing. “Boy’s” on Rockband is fifteen seconds shorter. Billy J. Kramer, I Believe he resides in New York, said he has, or had, a demo of John recording “Do You Want to Know A Secret”. John apologized saying that this is the quietist room he could find and then flushes the toilet. When Billy recorded “Do You Want To Know A Secret” on March 14, 1963. Take 14, mono mix, was released on “Mersey and the Beat” in Holland. Take 21, stereo mix was released on The Best of Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas (CD) Imperial CDP 7 96055-2. On Dec. 8, 1962, there is a photograph of the Beatles & Mike McCartney (McGear) recording an Acetate at the Cavern Club. I wonder if this acetate is the one that features “I Saw Her Standing There”, “One After 909” and “Catswalk”?
My theory is George Martin just assumed the stereo versions were simple dubs of the 2-track tape sans final FX and EQ. Therefore he believed all his life he never did any mixing work post original recording. The stereo mixes are NOT simple dubs of the 2-track session tapes even though the 2-tracks have the majority of the FX already built in. The stereo mixes have an additional layer of EQ and compression and in some cases an extra layer of reverb.
I’ve actually been in a please please me is my fav mood lately (though it changes like the weather which album is my fav) so this is perfect thanks Andrew
As a first generation Beatles fan, I would like to thank you for all the informative videos you have produced. You do a wonderful job relaying all the history, and recording details beautifully. Please keep up the amazing job and I look forward to your next post.
In the US, we have mono versions of I saw Her Standing There on VJ Records where the complete number introduction was cut down to just 4, and when they reformatted the songs for Capitol Records, reset the complete intro for both stereo and mono versions of the album The Early Beatles. Introducing The Beatles if you can find a stereo version that is original and not a bootleg copy, pretty much sounds the same as the mono version with a little difference to hearing it in stereo over mono. This album also has a crude sound that holds it's place on original sound. Too bad at the time, we weren't able to get imported copies in the US like we do today. If we had imported copies, they were because someone went over and bought one to have over here, or a distributor found a way to get several copies shipped over for special sales. It wasn't until the Beatles Anthology series we actually got a first hand sound of reissued original albums.
One of the best videos you’ve ever done, and that is saying something. Incredibly and richly informative. Bravo. And for what it’s worth, I prefer the mono version of this classic album.
The wonderful thing about this album is the sheer energy that leaps out. The first album by The Rolling Stones has exactly the same nervous adrenalin rush of a band excited about cutting a debut LP and it could be argued that neither band ever captured that raw energy again despite producing better records. Which without stating the obvious makes sense given they soon got used to the process. The mono mix has the better balance of course but what I love about the stereo mix - primitive as it is - Is that every time a vocal drops out all the instruments leak into the other channel and it sounds like you're sitting right next to Ringo. However, I do think the 2009 stereo remaster toned the leakage down a bit. I had the stereo mix on various bootlegs before it was officially released and I swear it was much more noticeable and therefore more exciting. Of course, the title track is a disaster in stereo, although it's fun to hear the slight chuckle in John's voice on that mix after he mangles a line, which isn't present on the mono mix.
This video was Fab and all the other pimply hyperboles....I've been trying to work out which version(s) have the lyric fluff in what I think is the last verse (IWhy knowdo youI never even try girl) unless it's the second verse...Sounds like even with working within the confines of EMI corporate/engineering policy, they managed to innovate a few working solutions - not exactly Joe Meek, but certainly got it done! Great video as always and look forward to more on this fine LP (and love the veiled nudge nudge wink wink hints to Apple about a deluxe version of this!!!! :-D )
Most of this I knew but the tape machines were new as well as how the stereo versions were mixed. I always thought the stereo version sounded odd but I knew the harmonica at the end was way out of synch. As always great stuff Andrew.
What a wonderful video. Some much information plainly explained. Now I know what happened to the stereo version of Please Please Me. I thought they re-recorded it but no it's all bits of tape joined together, how fascinating! Thank you
My first audition of please please me was in stereo. And the master came from the capitol's release. For sentimental issue, I prefer the stereo version. Great video, Andrew. I hope Giles Martin watch this and consider take your advice.
I grew up with the Capitol version, "The Early Beatles" and Misery wasn't on that one. I didn't hear that song until a friend of mine got his hands on the Vee-Jay album, "Introducing the Beatles." I remember thinking that piano bit George Martin slipped in there sounded forced and you know what, I haven't changed my mind about that. Over time I have come to like that tune more than I did then I did when I first heard it. From what I understand, the John and Paul wrote that song for Helen Shapiro but her manager never passed it along, thinking it wasn't right for her. She said later she would have liked to record it. Anyway, I like the energy on this album a lot. You can tell the Beatles were into it and to record what they did to the level they did in the amount of time they did it remains a tribute to their ability to knock tunes out. They were tight and it shows on this album. Later albums may be more innovative but in my opinion they don't have the raw energy this one does. That count in is the perfect jumping off point for the band that changed the world...1,2,3,4! There will never be another Beatles. Some things, God only does once.
Great video Andrew! Very in depth research, with some info I didn't know, like how the Please Please Me stereo mix was put together. I much prefer the mono mix. I bought my mono LP in the early 1980s (no Angus McBean front credit) and has -1N and -2N matrix numbers. My stereo LP is a mid 1970s Japanese version with the flag OBI.
The outtakes of “Misery” appear in twin-track stereo on the iTunes album. It’s not the full session but whatever is on that album is definitely in stereo
Perfect as usual. 😎 My favour " Please,Please me," version is the one i got. Have 1989. cassette mono version,former Yugoslavia,stereo vinyl fomer Yugoslavia pressing,and mono U.K.CD version.
Best experience of listening to this LP is the way I used to listen to it in 1963 when I was 13 - on a teenager's record player on the floor, almost full volume (parents out of the house!), bass and treble on max. And that's how I still prefer to hear it today, despite having several different versions and a sophisticated hi-fi system!
Thank you Andrew for solving the mystery of the "intruding noise" in the dying seconds of Please Please Me - the Harmonica riff was recorded on the mono tape and was faded in on the twin track on the stereo twin track! I thought it was some fault of the master tape which was never gonna be fixed but asked myself why the mono mix has none of that. That being said, despite what George Martin, The Beatles and many prefer, I still listen to the Stereo version because I can analyze what's going on. But that's just me.
As always , a fascinating and knowledgeable video. I don’t know where you get your information or your video inserts but it all goes to make a stunning video. Congratulations Andrew, and thank you for your hard work compiling such professional and creative videos. Thank you Andrew, all the best Mick
It's the little details like the visual of the lozenges John was using for his throat that take these videos over the top in the detail department. Love it! Mono version all the way!
Another goody, Andrew. Full of interesting information. I prefer the mono version of the album. It's full of excitement and energy and rocks. I don't think the early albums get the credit they deserve. Their genius didn't just start with Rubber Soul.
I absolutely love this channel, and this is the best breakdown of the Beatles' debut album I have seen or heard. I love the vinyl albums and have been collecting them since 1979. This channel is a gem for people who love this timeless music and the stories behind them. Thank you Andrew, maybe you'll get to review a future 'demix' of Please, Please Me, that would be brilliant!
I've learned so much...thank you !! I'm a second generation Beatle fan and it amazes me how much info is still available on the greatest band EVER !!...
I dream for the day when Apple finally release all of the Beatles albums (in matching same-size volumes) with outtakes and a 5.1 mix, plus your (excellent) documentaries on the blu ray. 👏🏼👏🏼
Great details! Explains a lot the clumsy sloppy ending of the Please Please Me track in stereo. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find many different pressings of Please Please Me, but some UK ones showed up in really great condition. Thanks for the video!
Wow I never knew Please Please me was edited like that! I've always wondered why the ending sounded like they put reverb on it. I thought it was just something they decided to do, but now when I listen, it's just the other track. Wow! I can also hear it now where they edited the other takes. I never knew that! I also hear some other things that made The Beatles so natural. John sings "Why do I" while Paul harmonizes, "Why do you" at one minute and twenty seven seconds of the song.
This is pretty close to my conclusion about why the stereo PPM has that hilarious gaffe in the last verse. It’s there for lack of alternative takes! But that the stereo is a edit of 3 separate takes, I had no idea! Isn’t it amazing: as much as we think we know about this band, there’s ALWAYS so much more! Thank you, Andrew, as always!
Fascinating, it's amazing how Heath Robinson the recording and mixing process was back then, even when compared to a couple of years later. And an amazing journey for George M to be recording comedy and "weird" music, to recording Twist and Shout after 10pm!
My parents were playing card with friends in the sixties one night. I watched The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan TV Show with their daughter in her bedroom. I was a few years younger than she and had not heard of The Beatles before...
The Please Please Me stereo mix was fascinating. I thought a bit of serendipity for the last harmonica part which gave the vocals a bit of echo as well. I always thought it was done on purpose as I've heard that kind of delay done to vocals on many records since.
Informative video! I've often wished someone had been filming the Beatles in the studio during their first two years. It would have been fascinating to watch Hard Day's Night and Rubber Soul being created.
Nice Video Andrew! I like the album in stereo and mono so if they do a box we will get one in stereo and the other in mono 2 other cd of outtakes. I think they have this down now. It’s the same as the other sets. Love the early Beatles!! By for now🎸🎸🎸
This has to be the most in depth, and enjoyable analysis on Please Please Me that I’ve ever seen. I’ve always wondered why the song Please Please Me sounded so different in stereo, and now I know! Your knowledge of Beatles records and EMI is of my highest praise!
Thank you, Alex. Much appreciated!
Quite a lot of the albums differ from stereo to mono in small but noticeable ways because the mono versions were not simply stereo recordings re-combined. They were separate mixes. Might be a good subject for a video Andrew!
Listen to the mono mix carefully. There are dropouts that are actually splices.
Andrew never disappoints.
Amen! 😊
To me the Please Please Me album is one I like to listen to in context. You’re not listening to a mega-famous band, you’re listening to a club band who had just recently returned from a stint in Hamburg and a couple of days later were playing in the Cavern. It has a great energy I don’t think they ever captured again on record.
Excellent point, Clive.
I agree on that . The Beatles for sale has that kind of energy too
As a kid, There's a Place was a favourite. Still love it.
Ditto.
A thought occurred to me as I listened to this album after watching this. Sometimes luck played a huge roll in their success. Consider if you will ...what if John hadn't had a cold that day. Not only would the whole album felt a bit different, but we would have missed out on the treasure that is 'Twist and Shout'. They probably would still have recorded it that day, but in my opinion if his voice had been it's normal clean self the song wouldn't have had that wonderful edge that it has. John said later that he 'couldn't sing the damn thing' but thats exactly what makes it so special. If he hadn't been sick we would not have one of their most popular songs!
I think he would have nailed it the same way. Check them out live in Sweden for the Drop In TV show. That is the best Lennon Twist and Shout rendition I've heard, or at least, the closest to the studio recording. I guess what could have made it so special in the studio is the tape distortion, which I believe is what made it sound so different. But I'd love to hear the author of this video commenting on this, cause I'm not totally sure this was the one element that made it sound like that.
This is probably in my top three of my favorite Beatles albums. Having grown up as a teenager in the 1970s, I was only ever exposed to the stereo mix. As not only a Beatles fan, but also a budding musician, my buddies and I used to make use of the primitive stereo mix, by turning down the vocal channel to listen to and learn the instrumentation, but then I think we learned a whole lot about vocal harmonies by turning down the instrumentation side to listen to the isolated vocals. The raw energy of the performances on this album made it much more worth than whatever it cost EMI to record this album. Even with the flubbed vocals on the title track, where they obviously sing two completely different lines in the last verse, This album is worth a thousand times more than it's weight in gold.
Oh yeah, my mates and I learned our parts very accurately by listening to one speaker at a time.
As a teenager, nerd, and a massive Beatles fan, I’ve thought of taking please please me and using the same AI de-mixing tools Peter Jackson used, and applying it to the album to create a proper stereo mix, by isolating each instrument. I’ve already experimented with this on Twist and Shout with great results.
Amazing stuff - would love to hear a sample of your efforts if that's all possible (you know how massive Beatles fans are!).
what are you using? right now im using demcus V4
Please can I hear your remix of Twist and Shout? I don't know maybe use Google drive and only make that 1 track sharable and put a link here. I don't know if you know you can do that but you can just choose 1 track or 1 folder and make it available to whoever you provide the link too, and it doesn't even show or allow ANY other track or content available to the link other than what you have clicked on. Anyway, you know how we Beatles fans always wanna hear new stuff.
Possibly the most important & influential lp in the history of popular music and definitely a personal favourite. This record smokes!!
"The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963" which contains outtakes from February 11 is still available on iTunes and has been for years.
For me, Please Please Me is just so full of energy and effervescence that its hard not to like it. Although its far from being one of the Beatles most creative albums it is perhaps, in my opinion, the most fun to listen to. It's 32 minutes of toe-tapping, air-drumming, head-bopping, pop magic. And in that way its easy to see why the album was a game changer and the start of something really special. As a band the Beatles are tight and efficient in their playing. You can tell they have logged some hours playing together and that these songs are not the first time they been played. I don't think you can go wrong either in mono or stereo for this album. This was never meant to be an audiophile experience or something to be taken too seriously. As long as it gets you smiling you know its accomplished its goal. A true Beatles classic and a sleeper pick for sure.
The remixed version of Please Please Me and all the tracks on the new Red Album are fantastic The Fan Four have never sounded better!
Each of the Beatles albums offers something different. I often find myself choosing Please Please Me when deciding what Beatles album to listen to. I love the energy and the 'fresh' sound.
Even though I'm only 10 seconds into it. I know this is gonna be top shelf.
This album shines in mono for sure.
I do think the early albums are getting somewhat overlooked as the years pass by. Understandable considering the giant leaps the band made in such a short time. The early ones are just as good but in a different way. Would love to see a 60th anniversary of both 63 LPs.
Great video Andrew, fascinating and informative details as always! Sundays are always better with Parlogram!
Most people don't realize just how hard these bands worked at their craft.
I just turned 12 in December 1963 and during that month my best friend Nic (12) acquired a copy of Introducing The Beatles on the Vee Jay label. He purchased the LP based solely on hearing I Want To Hold Your Hand radio air play. As for realizing there was a Parlophone/EMI company that started The Beatles rigamarole, we had no idea and truthfully couldn't care less. For we had a copy of Introducing The Beatles and were tuning into the two local radio stations in Salt Lake City that began airing tracks from the album. That was our reality. It would be decades later when we realized that everything began at Abbey Road.
First of all, this was the best video on this LP I have ever seen. As for which version I prefer, it's the mono 1987 CD.
We are so lucky to have had Sir George Martin at the helm of The Beatles’ recordings. The quality in sound over most rock ‘n’ roll bands who were popular at the time is night and day. I mean, just listen to the old Rolling Stones records from the same time. The Beatles early records sound just as new today and must’ve sounded extraordinary then.
“The Rutles recorded their first album in one day…the second took even longer…”
Kidding aside, once again a great presentation, always look forward to your videos Sunday mornings (across the pond)..
Fabulous work Andrew. Love all of your offerings. Early Beatles, for me, just kill it. Still exciting to this day. Only early Elvis can come close to the earth-shattering impact of this music.
So many fond memories of listening to this on my mono player in the day.
In my opinion, the early 80's Dutch stereo is my favorite. It's the one with the dead wax ending in 2Y/3Y. The earlier Dutch 1Y sounds like the earlier German/British copies.
Number 2 is the A2 German pressing.
Number 3 is the mono. The cleanist copy you can find. The 2014 Mono Box set is a must for any Beatles collection.
I can only suggest to set the timing and integrate the overdubs better when Giles does his Peter Jackson magic.
For now the Dutch sound engineers win the trophy for me.
Andrew, thanks again for the information. I always learn a golden nugget of information from you.
Good choices, Paul. I'll be talking about sound quality/pressings more in the next video.
I have the German issue too. I believe the German's didn't use reverb which is on the British version.
@@Parlogram Thank you😊
Do I prefer the stereo or the mono version?
Yes. 🙂
Love your presentations. Thank you for all the work, and your genuine appreciation of all things Beatle.
Thank you for watching, Chris.
Well done Andy! Great explanation. It,s got to be the most interesting documentary, I,ve witnessed for many years. Thanks!
Thank you, David.
And here I am Just like I said NOW let’s watch this banger of a vid 😊
Nice job explaining the basis of how the album was recorded, Andrew. If I may add a couple additional things.
The start of the session had John's rhythm guitar routed to track 2 with the vocals. The entirety of There's a Place and take 1 of I Saw Her Standing There was recorded like this. Starting with take 2 of ISHST and for the rest of that song, the guitars had their routings swapped with George's lead guitar now on track 2 and John's 325 on track 1. After the lunch break and for the rest of the session both guitars would be routed to track 1 with the rest of the instruments.
Boys is also cool because of the way the drums were mixed. Because the drum overhead mic also picked up Ringo's vocals, it was routed to track 2. But the microphone in front of the bass drum and the underside of the snare was still routed to track 1, so you get a sort of stereo drum track, albeit a subtle one.
It should also be mentioned that the engineers deliberately chose not to minimize the amount of microphone leakage in an attempt to better convey the "live album in the studio" feel of the album.
Thanks for the extra info.
"the engineers deliberately chose not to minimize the amount of microphone leakage in an attempt to better convey the "live album in the studio" feel of the album " -> or "HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BLEED"
@@audiosurge6405 I love microphone leakage in old songs because it can reveal more insight into how everything was recorded. And it sounds better that way. haha
@@RingoStarr39 Oh yes! So do I. Reading George Martin's book "All You Need Is Ears" from the late 70s, one thing stuck with me, talking about the advent of new tech he said 'who in the world could need 32 tracks (tape) to record music??' Oh boy!! Fast forward today and it's 64 tracks.... just on the snare ;)
@@audiosurge6405 64 'takes' and its just the snare. That is how Steely Dan did it
Andrew you are the GOAT when it comes to The Beatles. Best TH-cam channel on them by far! I prefer the 2014 mono because of the quality of the vinyl and the 1973 German stereo, which I picked up on your recommendation a couple of years ago.
Thank you, Derrick. I'll be discussing sound quality next week.
The Long John and The Silver Beatles Show❤❤❤❤
Didn’t realize the Beatles Bootleg album was available on iTunes. Thanks so much!
That was brilliant. So now we know when George Martin first used tape speed manipulation to record a piano riff and it was on 'Misery' !!?? Have you ever noticed how on the second bridge of Anna, George Harrison's vocal "Ahh' drops to the minor 3rd even though the guitars do not.(During ''Breaks my heart and leaves me sad') When ever we perform that song we play the minor guitar chord behind it be cause it actually is a very effective note. Even if George never meant to sing it in the first place. Loving this deep dive. Keep up the fine work Andrew. We Beatles fans are forever in your debt. Adieu, RNB
The story of the Please Please Me stereo mix is fascinating, I always wondered why the whole song suddenly becomes way out of sync at the end lol. If they remix the album I honestly wouldn't mind if they left the weird syncing in, at this point its a quirk/happy accident I'm used to and have just accepted as part of the song!
Another wonderful video, thank you. I was reared on my late fathers original LP’s. The ‘Early Beatles’ have always been closest to my heart. I do hope that, one day, Giles Martin will lavish their 1962-‘64 output with the ‘deluxe treatment’ I feel that ‘Beatlemania’ is a little under appreciated by those who weren’t there, generally
Thanks again for watching, Alex!
Excellent presentation! I love this album, and actually prefer it over the one that followed (I know, sacrilege). Growing up with the American versions of everything up to Sgt. Pepper’s, I was knocked-out by the 2009 reissues. Clearly, the British versions are the way these albums were meant to be heard!
Thanks John. Glad you enjoyed it!
thx for giving me new content for Beatles lost media in terms of the lost outtakes.
Fascinating! My go to version of this album is from my cherished Beatles In Mono cd box.
This is just so splendid. Great detail and depth. In the UK, so much detail was given to the mono mixes, and it took us all years to appreciate it. By the time the worldwide recording industry would've been set up to just fold the stereo mixes over...mono albums weren't being pressed anymore. It's been awhile, I'll have to track down a dedicated mono mix of the original PLEASE PLEASE ME album.
Also: kudos for continuing to include Sam Okell in comments about future remixes; many who cover the Beatles only mention Giles.
I have loved these recordings as Introducing The Beatles and The Early Beatles, with a few changes made. I only remember the stereo versions being on vinyl. I still have my original cd's of the first 4 from 1988 that are mono. I always enjoyed the odd stereo mixes for what they were, as they allowed me to hear vocals and instruments mixed separately. I do believe a good mono mix can be much more powerful - my favorite example is Cream's debut Fresh Cream, which is a lot heavier in mono. I bet Giles will have much to do to make the remixes more clear. It will sound unbelievable when he has finished his work on these early albums.
I'm from New Zealand. This needs the Peter Jackson treatment. I change my my mind on my favorite Beatles lp. Please please me UK 4n1 my favorite pressing. Surely if in the 60s Beatles put out 2 lps per year we could get 2 boxsets. With the Beatles, AHDN, Beatles for sale, yellow submarine are the weak lps but still they have 2 or 3 great songs. Although I want to have rubber soul boxset next, it would be better to have a 60th anniversary please please me 3lp boxset. Your channel is awesome, I wish I could work along side you as a Geoff Emerick.
You always have 'new' info to those of us who thought we knew 'everything' about The Beatles and their recordings, so cheers for that! Great channel.
Thank you, Sir.
I bought the CD in the mid-nineties, and for a long time it was my favourite Beatles album until I fell in love with Abbey Road. For an album that was recorded so long ago on such primitive equipment, it still sounds great. I don't know about any other versions or mixes, but that CD to me is a masterpiece. It's only now watching your videos that I've seen that so many versions of their records are available.
Yes, that original late 80s mono CD is very well done.
There are good mixes of some of these early songs on the now tricky to find MFP "Rock & Roll" compilations. So I made up my own CD of the album, mixing that source with either stereo, mono, single or E.P. versions of the other songs - whichever sounded best. Plus, of course, I have reinstated the original Ringo take of "Love Me Do" taken from the Past Masters album. Yes, a true nerd! 😄
@Brian Parker I will have to dig out my copy of Rock & Roll. I hadn't thought of that as a source of PPM tracks. Thanks for that comment, Brian.
@@johndowling5850 Cheers! I understand that George Martin did do some remixing for those two albums. "I Saw Her" comes out very well despite some drop out in bass at the start (presumably because a vital tape was missing?).
What I love most about PPM, it's the closest to The Cavern performances. Would love to have seen a few of those...
Great story again. Tx! Can't wait for next week's story. I prefer the album in Mono btw.
Great job as always. Even as a little kid I noticed the edit on A Taste of Honey…
It was recorded to be listened to in mono. This is the version i like most. However, the german Please Please me with less reverb than the UK (and all the other ?) versions is also enjoyable. May favorite pressing is the 2014 mono - i simply had not the chance to get any better mono versions. The digital version from the 80ies is sourced from the CD master and it definitely has phase problems - it sounds not good. When i heard those songs as a kid, i always thought, "OK, this is how it supposed to sound" but never thought of the significant technical challenges they had back in those days. I listen to the mono Please Please me (The Single reissue at the time) and was aware that something was different. But i never spent a second thought on why this might have been. Thanks again for that wonderful video. I learned a lot of new things from it even after more than 46 years of listening to The Beatles. ❤
Thanks so much for this detailed explanation of the stereo mix and Abbey Road's tape machines, Andrew. Despite having heard the song "Please Please Me" for what must 50+ years, I'd somehow never noticed the out-of-sync playback overdub at the end of the stereo version until listening to Giles Martin's recent mixes for the 'Red' compilation album, where the error leapt out at me. It was hard to believe that such a terrible-sounding thing existed on an official Beatles recording at all, much less going all the way back to the original 1963 mix, but you've set me straight. And I have to concede that perhaps George Martin and the other studio personnel were right-in all these years I'd never noticed the error, so perhaps the flawed mix was indeed good enough.
Very interesting, Andrew. A real pleasure. Thanks a lot
Many thanks again, Dmitry!
All that info and insight and you manage to include a photo of Harry H Corbett? Bravo Andrew!
Thanks Ian. Glad you enjoyed it!
Nice thorough job at these sessions. Dr. Ebbetts (A Bootlegger) mixed the recordings where he centered the vocals. I Prefer the mono mix of this album.
“Hold Me Tight” Take 6 (2:26) and take 9 (2:29) on tape E48878 and the bad news is the tape is missing. “Boy’s” on Rockband is fifteen seconds shorter.
Billy J. Kramer, I Believe he resides in New York, said he has, or had, a demo of John recording “Do You Want to Know A Secret”. John apologized saying that this is the quietist room he could find and then flushes the toilet.
When Billy recorded “Do You Want To Know A Secret” on March 14, 1963. Take 14, mono mix, was released on “Mersey and the Beat” in Holland. Take 21, stereo mix was released on The Best of Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas (CD) Imperial CDP 7 96055-2.
On Dec. 8, 1962, there is a photograph of the Beatles & Mike McCartney (McGear) recording an Acetate at the Cavern Club. I wonder if this acetate is the one that features “I Saw Her Standing There”, “One After 909” and “Catswalk”?
The legend of Twist and Shout
My theory is George Martin just assumed the stereo versions were simple dubs of the 2-track tape sans final FX and EQ. Therefore he believed all his life he never did any mixing work post original recording. The stereo mixes are NOT simple dubs of the 2-track session tapes even though the 2-tracks have the majority of the FX already built in. The stereo mixes have an additional layer of EQ and compression and in some cases an extra layer of reverb.
I’ve actually been in a please please me is my fav mood lately (though it changes like the weather which album is my fav) so this is perfect thanks Andrew
As a first generation Beatles fan, I would like to thank you for all the informative videos you have produced. You do a wonderful job relaying all the history, and recording details beautifully. Please keep up the amazing job and I look forward to your next post.
Thank you, Dan. Much appreciated!
In the US, we have mono versions of I saw Her Standing There on VJ Records where the complete number introduction was cut down to just 4, and when they reformatted the songs for Capitol Records, reset the complete intro for both stereo and mono versions of the album The Early Beatles. Introducing The Beatles if you can find a stereo version that is original and not a bootleg copy, pretty much sounds the same as the mono version with a little difference to hearing it in stereo over mono. This album also has a crude sound that holds it's place on original sound. Too bad at the time, we weren't able to get imported copies in the US like we do today. If we had imported copies, they were because someone went over and bought one to have over here, or a distributor found a way to get several copies shipped over for special sales. It wasn't until the Beatles Anthology series we actually got a first hand sound of reissued original albums.
I Saw Her Standing There wasn't on The Early Beatles...
One of the best videos you’ve ever done, and that is saying something. Incredibly and richly informative. Bravo.
And for what it’s worth, I prefer the mono version of this classic album.
Thanks David. Glad you enjoyed it!
The wonderful thing about this album is the sheer energy that leaps out. The first album by The Rolling Stones has exactly the same nervous adrenalin rush of a band excited about cutting a debut LP and it could be argued that neither band ever captured that raw energy again despite producing better records. Which without stating the obvious makes sense given they soon got used to the process.
The mono mix has the better balance of course but what I love about the stereo mix - primitive as it is - Is that every time a vocal drops out all the instruments leak into the other channel and it sounds like you're sitting right next to Ringo. However, I do think the 2009 stereo remaster toned the leakage down a bit. I had the stereo mix on various bootlegs before it was officially released and I swear it was much more noticeable and therefore more exciting.
Of course, the title track is a disaster in stereo, although it's fun to hear the slight chuckle in John's voice on that mix after he mangles a line, which isn't present on the mono mix.
This video was Fab and all the other pimply hyperboles....I've been trying to work out which version(s) have the lyric fluff in what I think is the last verse (IWhy knowdo youI never even try girl) unless it's the second verse...Sounds like even with working within the confines of EMI corporate/engineering policy, they managed to innovate a few working solutions - not exactly Joe Meek, but certainly got it done! Great video as always and look forward to more on this fine LP (and love the veiled nudge nudge wink wink hints to Apple about a deluxe version of this!!!! :-D )
Most of this I knew but the tape machines were new as well as how the stereo versions were mixed. I always thought the stereo version sounded odd but I knew the harmonica at the end was way out of synch. As always great stuff Andrew.
What a wonderful video. Some much information plainly explained. Now I know what happened to the stereo version of Please Please Me. I thought they re-recorded it but no it's all bits of tape joined together, how fascinating! Thank you
Thanks for watching!
My first audition of please please me was in stereo. And the master came from the capitol's release. For sentimental issue, I prefer the stereo version. Great video, Andrew. I hope Giles Martin watch this and consider take your advice.
SPECTACULAR! 👏👏👏👏
I grew up with the Capitol version, "The Early Beatles" and Misery wasn't on that one. I didn't hear that song until a friend of mine got his hands on the Vee-Jay album, "Introducing the Beatles." I remember thinking that piano bit George Martin slipped in there sounded forced and you know what, I haven't changed my mind about that. Over time I have come to like that tune more than I did then I did when I first heard it. From what I understand, the John and Paul wrote that song for Helen Shapiro but her manager never passed it along, thinking it wasn't right for her. She said later she would have liked to record it. Anyway, I like the energy on this album a lot. You can tell the Beatles were into it and to record what they did to the level they did in the amount of time they did it remains a tribute to their ability to knock tunes out. They were tight and it shows on this album.
Later albums may be more innovative but in my opinion they don't have the raw energy this one does. That count in is the perfect jumping off point for the band that changed the world...1,2,3,4! There will never be another Beatles. Some things, God only does once.
Great video Andrew! Very in depth research, with some info I didn't know, like how the Please Please Me stereo mix was put together. I much prefer the mono mix. I bought my mono LP in the early 1980s (no Angus McBean front credit) and has -1N and -2N matrix numbers. My stereo LP is a mid 1970s Japanese version with the flag OBI.
The outtakes of “Misery” appear in twin-track stereo on the iTunes album. It’s not the full session but whatever is on that album is definitely in stereo
Amazing explanation for why there’s out of sync instruments at the end of please please me!!
Perfect as usual. 😎 My favour " Please,Please me," version is the one i got. Have 1989. cassette mono version,former Yugoslavia,stereo vinyl fomer Yugoslavia pressing,and mono U.K.CD version.
Best experience of listening to this LP is the way I used to listen to it in 1963 when I was 13 - on a teenager's record player on the floor, almost full volume (parents out of the house!), bass and treble on max. And that's how I still prefer to hear it today, despite having several different versions and a sophisticated hi-fi system!
Thank you Andrew for solving the mystery of the "intruding noise" in the dying seconds of Please Please Me - the Harmonica riff was recorded on the mono tape and was faded in on the twin track on the stereo twin track! I thought it was some fault of the master tape which was never gonna be fixed but asked myself why the mono mix has none of that.
That being said, despite what George Martin, The Beatles and many prefer, I still listen to the Stereo version because I can analyze what's going on. But that's just me.
You're welcome, Bryan!
Another highly entertaining episode.
GREAT VIDEO! So much info!! Do you think you might have a series of these for all the albums in the future?
Fantastic show 👏- well done, great research - ready for a TV show?
Thank you, Geoff. I'm ready ;)
As always , a fascinating and knowledgeable video. I don’t know where you get your information or your video inserts but it all goes to make a stunning video. Congratulations Andrew, and thank you for your hard work compiling such professional and creative videos. Thank you Andrew, all the best Mick
Thanks for that, Mick!
You blow my mind with the details of how they make this album 👏 !
As usual Andrew you kept the standards high in the video with your glorious details
Hey, I have to admit that you are the best with all these wonderful stories about Beatles and their work!
Thanks Romi. Glad you like them!
Where are the 3 surviving BTR machines? Really interesting video, thank you!
I love “There’s A Place”!
It's the little details like the visual of the lozenges John was using for his throat that take these videos over the top in the detail department. Love it! Mono version all the way!
Another goody, Andrew. Full of interesting information. I prefer the mono version of the album. It's full of excitement and energy and rocks. I don't think the early albums get the credit they deserve. Their genius didn't just start with Rubber Soul.
Thanks Robert. More to come on this album next week.
Enjoyed seeing the old tape machines!!!
This is the best information presentation piece on the Fabs ever on this platform......
Thanks Red!
I absolutely love this channel, and this is the best breakdown of the Beatles' debut album I have seen or heard. I love the vinyl albums and have been collecting them since 1979. This channel is a gem for people who love this timeless music and the stories behind them. Thank you Andrew, maybe you'll get to review a future 'demix' of Please, Please Me, that would be brilliant!
Thanks Paul!
I've learned so much...thank you !!
I'm a second generation Beatle fan
and it amazes me how much info is still
available on the greatest band
EVER !!...
I dream for the day when Apple finally release all of the Beatles albums (in matching same-size volumes) with outtakes and a 5.1 mix, plus your (excellent) documentaries on the blu ray. 👏🏼👏🏼
Fantastic analysis, Andrew.
Thank you kindly, Graham.
Thanks so much for this amazingly detailed insight Andrew. I’m probably a heretic but the 1987 mono CD is my ‘go to’ version!
Great details! Explains a lot the clumsy sloppy ending of the Please Please Me track in stereo. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find many different pressings of Please Please Me, but some UK ones showed up in really great condition. Thanks for the video!
Wow I never knew Please Please me was edited like that! I've always wondered why the ending sounded like they put reverb on it. I thought it was just something they decided to do, but now when I listen, it's just the other track. Wow! I can also hear it now where they edited the other takes. I never knew that! I also hear some other things that made The Beatles so natural. John sings "Why do I" while Paul harmonizes, "Why do you" at one minute and twenty seven seconds of the song.
This is pretty close to my conclusion about why the stereo PPM has that hilarious gaffe in the last verse. It’s there for lack of alternative takes! But that the stereo is a edit of 3 separate takes, I had no idea!
Isn’t it amazing: as much as we think we know about this band, there’s ALWAYS so much more! Thank you, Andrew, as always!
Fascinating, it's amazing how Heath Robinson the recording and mixing process was back then, even when compared to a couple of years later. And an amazing journey for George M to be recording comedy and "weird" music, to recording Twist and Shout after 10pm!
My parents were playing card with friends in the sixties one night. I watched The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan TV Show with their daughter in her bedroom. I was a few years younger than she and had not heard of The Beatles before...
Great times, Steve!
The Please Please Me stereo mix was fascinating. I thought a bit of serendipity for the last harmonica part which gave the vocals a bit of echo as well. I always thought it was done on purpose as I've heard that kind of delay done to vocals on many records since.
You keep bringing out some great videos.....brilliant!
The mono mix is my favorite hands down!
Really high tech for back in the day! Thank you Andrew, now I want to go play it, with new perspective 🎶
My pleasure, Michael. Enjoy!
This is my favorite Beatles album, and I prefer the stereo mix.
Informative video! I've often wished someone had been filming the Beatles in the studio during their first two years. It would have been fascinating to watch Hard Day's Night and Rubber Soul being created.
Another fine video. Thank you for the interesting info that I didn't know with respect to the recording and mixing.
Thanks for watching!
Nice Video Andrew! I like the album in stereo and mono so if they do a box we will get one in stereo and the other in mono 2 other cd of outtakes. I think they have this down now. It’s the same as the other sets. Love the early Beatles!! By for now🎸🎸🎸
Brilliant as usual Andrew, really enjoyed that 👌
Thanks Jamie 👍