Please Please Me (1963) — Full UK Tracklist in Order
Please Please Me (1963) — Full UK Tracklist in Order
Please Please Me is the debut studio album by The Beatles, released on 22 March 1963 by Parlophone Records. Produced by George Martin at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, the album was famously recorded largely in a single marathon session on 11 February 1963 — ten of the fourteen songs were recorded in roughly thirteen hours. It captures the raw energy of the band's Cavern Club and Hamburg live performances and remained at No.1 on the UK Albums Chart for 30 weeks. Explore the Early Beatles Era | The Beatles at the Cavern Club
Please Please Me – Album Facts
| Artist | The Beatles |
| Release Date | 22 March 1963 (UK) |
| Main Recording Date | 11 February 1963 (10 of 14 songs recorded in one day) |
| Studio | EMI Studios (Abbey Road), London |
| Producer | George Martin |
| Label | Parlophone |
| UK Chart Position | No.1 (30 weeks) |
| Notable Songs | I Saw Her Standing There, Please Please Me, Love Me Do, Twist And Shout |
Full UK Tracklist
Side One
- I Saw Her Standing There
- Misery
- Anna (Go To Him)
- Chains
- Boys
- Ask Me Why
- Please Please Me
Side Two
- Love Me Do
- P.S. I Love You
- Baby It's You
- Do You Want To Know A Secret
- A Taste Of Honey
- There's A Place
- Twist And Shout
Please Please Me – Full Song List
| Track | Song | Lead Vocal | Writer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | I Saw Her Standing There | Paul McCartney | Lennon–McCartney |
| 2 | Misery | John Lennon & Paul McCartney | Lennon–McCartney |
| 3 | Anna (Go To Him) | John Lennon | Arthur Alexander (cover) |
| 4 | Chains | George Harrison | Goffin–King (cover) |
| 5 | Boys | Ringo Starr | Dixon–Farrell (cover) |
| 6 | Ask Me Why | John Lennon | Lennon–McCartney |
| 7 | Please Please Me | John Lennon | Lennon–McCartney |
| 8 | Love Me Do | John Lennon & Paul McCartney | Lennon–McCartney |
| 9 | P.S. I Love You | Paul McCartney | Lennon–McCartney |
| 10 | Baby It's You | John Lennon | Bacharach–David–Williams (cover) |
| 11 | Do You Want To Know A Secret | George Harrison | Lennon–McCartney |
| 12 | A Taste Of Honey | Paul McCartney | Scott–Marlow (cover) |
| 13 | There's A Place | John Lennon | Lennon–McCartney |
| 14 | Twist And Shout | John Lennon | Medley–Berns (cover) |
Songwriting Breakdown
Lennon–McCartney originals (8): I Saw Her Standing There, Misery, Ask Me Why, Please Please Me, Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You, Do You Want To Know A Secret, There's A Place
Cover versions (6): Anna (Go To Him) (Arthur Alexander), Chains (Goffin–King), Boys (Dixon–Farrell), Baby It's You (Bacharach–David), A Taste Of Honey (Scott–Marlow), Twist And Shout (Medley–Berns)
Lead vocal highlights:
- John Lennon: Please Please Me, Ask Me Why, Anna, There's A Place, Twist And Shout, Baby It's You
- Paul McCartney: I Saw Her Standing There, P.S. I Love You, A Taste Of Honey
- George Harrison: Chains, Do You Want To Know A Secret
- Ringo Starr: Boys
The 11 February 1963 Session
The recording of Please Please Me on 11 February 1963 is one of the most celebrated single days in the history of popular music. George Martin booked Studio Two at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, from 10am to 10pm. The band had been touring relentlessly and arrived tired, but the session produced ten of the album's fourteen tracks in a single day.
The four songs recorded before 11 February were: Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You, Ask Me Why, and Please Please Me — all recorded in earlier sessions in 1962 and early 1963.
The session ended with Twist And Shout — saved deliberately for last because George Martin knew it would destroy Lennon's voice. Lennon recorded it in one take, his throat already raw from the day's work. A second take was attempted but unusable. The version on the album is the first take.
Key Songs: The Story Behind the Tracks
Twist And Shout
The most visceral performance on the album — and arguably in the entire Beatles catalogue. George Martin deliberately scheduled it last, knowing it would shred Lennon's voice. Lennon gargled milk and sucked Zubes throat sweets before the take. The result — recorded in one take at the end of a thirteen-hour session — is one of the most electrifying vocal performances in rock history. The song was written by Phil Medley and Bert Berns and originally recorded by the Top Notes in 1961.
I Saw Her Standing There
Written by McCartney with a contribution from Lennon on the middle eight, I Saw Her Standing There opens the album with one of the most famous count-ins in rock history: "One, two, three, FAH!" McCartney later said the opening bass riff was inspired by Chuck Berry's I'm Talking About You. The song sets the tone for the entire album — urgent, joyful, and completely alive.
Please Please Me
Originally written by Lennon as a slow Roy Orbison-style ballad, the song was transformed by George Martin's suggestion to speed it up and tighten the arrangement. When the band finished recording it on 26 November 1962, Martin told them over the studio intercom: "Gentlemen, you have just made your first number one." He was right — it reached No.1 on most UK charts in February 1963.
Love Me Do
The band's debut single, released on 5 October 1962, appears here in its album version. The harmonica riff — played by Lennon — was suggested by George Martin as a way to give the song a distinctive hook. The single version features session drummer Andy White rather than Ringo Starr; the album version has Ringo on drums.
Please Please Me – Recording Details
| Song | Recording Date | Studio | Producer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Love Me Do | 4 September / 26 November 1962 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| P.S. I Love You | 11 June 1962 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Ask Me Why | 26 November 1962 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Please Please Me | 26 November 1962 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| I Saw Her Standing There | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Misery | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Anna (Go To Him) | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Chains | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Boys | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Baby It's You | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Do You Want To Know A Secret | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| A Taste Of Honey | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| There's A Place | 11 February 1963 | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
| Twist And Shout | 11 February 1963 (one take) | EMI Studios, Abbey Road | George Martin |
Historical Notes
- Ten of the fourteen tracks were recorded in a single session on 11 February 1963 — one of the most celebrated recording days in music history.
- Twist And Shout was recorded in one take at the end of the session, with Lennon's voice already shredded from thirteen hours of recording.
- Please Please Me reached No.1 on the UK Albums Chart and remained there for 30 weeks — eventually replaced by With The Beatles.
- When the band finished recording Please Please Me (the song) on 26 November 1962, George Martin told them over the intercom: "Gentlemen, you have just made your first number one."
- The harmonica riff on Love Me Do was suggested by George Martin as a way to give the song a distinctive hook.
- The album version of Love Me Do features Ringo Starr on drums; the single version used session drummer Andy White.
- Chains was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King — one of the great Brill Building songwriting partnerships of the early 1960s.
Please Please Me – Chart Performance
Please Please Me reached No.1 on the UK Albums Chart and remained there for 30 weeks — eventually replaced by With The Beatles, making it the only time one Beatles album directly displaced another at the top of the chart.
The album helped launch The Beatles into nationwide fame during the early stages of Beatlemania and became one of the most important debut albums in British pop history.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Please Please Me released?
The album was released in the United Kingdom on 22 March 1963 by Parlophone Records, produced by George Martin.
How long did it take to record Please Please Me?
Most of the album was recorded in a single marathon session on 11 February 1963 at EMI Studios, Abbey Road — ten of the fourteen songs in roughly thirteen hours. The remaining four tracks had been recorded in earlier sessions in 1962.
Which song closed the album and why?
The album ends with Twist And Shout, deliberately scheduled last by George Martin because he knew it would destroy Lennon's voice. It was recorded in one take at the end of a thirteen-hour session. A second take was attempted but unusable.
What are the most famous songs from Please Please Me?
I Saw Her Standing There, Please Please Me, Love Me Do, and Twist And Shout are the best-known tracks. Twist And Shout in particular is considered one of the greatest vocal performances in rock history.
What did George Martin say after recording Please Please Me (the song)?
When the band finished recording Please Please Me on 26 November 1962, George Martin told them over the studio intercom: "Gentlemen, you have just made your first number one." The song reached No.1 in February 1963.
Explore More Beatles Albums
Next Album: With The Beatles (1963) →
View All Beatles Albums in Order
Return to The Beatles Knowledge Hub
Explore the Early Beatles Era | George Martin: The Beatles Producer | The Beatles at the Cavern Club
Shop: Please Please Me Collection | Early Beatles Era Collection