"LOVE ME DO (/ P.S. I LOVE YOU)" "The Beatles 100 Masterpieces" No. 27 (V-1)
Released on October 5, 1962
This is the Beatles' first single.
This is where their rapid advance begins, but if you judge them solely by this one record, they actually don't sound much like a rock band.
(This is because, at this point in time, this was the only record in the world released under the name The Beatles.)
Both the A and B sides are mid-tempo, sweet love songs.
The A-side doesn't even have an electric guitar. There is no electric solo or riff; instead, the riff and solo are played on John's harmonica.
The B-side is also quite sweet.
Before this, they wore leather jackets and had pompadours. Then, with the advice of their manager-to-be, Brian Epstein, they transformed into a style featuring suits and mushroom haircuts.
If they had debuted with covers of this type of song, the gap from their previous image might have made them very difficult to accept.
I think it was necessary for them to be originals. I feel glad that they were able to go with their own songs rather than something they were forced to wear.
However, I don't see any particular records indicating that they were actively performing original songs since their amateur days. While I'm sure there were various reasons, it is amazing that they were suddenly able to create such cool songs, and ones that were properly kept to the two-minute range at that.
There is no jacket photo. It seems it was normal not to have a photo attached at the time, but this might have been an advantage as it allowed them to avoid having to directly announce that their looks had changed.
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Now, the fact that this song is included on the CD "Beatles 1" means it reached number one, but this did not happen in the UK. (It was a smash hit, of course, even if it didn't reach number one.)
Later, a single with this same coupling was released in the US, and that one reached number one.
Released in the US on April 27, 1964
Triggered by the massive hit of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" released by Capitol in the US at the end of the previous year, the singles that Vee-Jay, Swan, and Tollie had released using tracks from around the debut album also caught fire and became huge hits. With this momentum, each company continued to churn out new singles. This is one of those, from Tollie.
(The famous "top 5 are all Beatles" feat only included two from Capitol; the rest were from Vee-Jay, Swan, and Tollie.)
The US version has a jacket, but it's an illustration rather than a photo. Still, it might actually be quite cool.
Because of this, it is included in "Beatles 1". However, its inclusion as the first track is chronologically different from when it hit number one; it seems it recorded number one on May 30th. (According to the Beatles 1 booklet.) That is after "Can't Buy Me Love".
But of course, as a CD, it feels more natural to have this song at the beginning.
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It is also well known that a version where Ringo is not playing the drums became widespread at the time.
Compared to the Ringo version, which has a stronger rock feel, I feel that Andy White's drumming makes the entire sound groove in a friendly way. He created this atmosphere without changing the number of strokes or the like from Ringo, and Ringo was also allowed to participate (on tambourine).
In my opinion, the biggest highlight of the Andy version is the cymbal "crash!" right after John's harmonica solo. That refreshing, expansive sound seems to draw out the sustain of Paul's bass, and I think it gives the song its most significant impact.
I think Andy was skilled at creating a "recorded sound" and a "sound that plays well on the radio." He was truly a craftsman. The version that reached number one in the US is also this one.
Also, the B-side, "P.S. I Love You," was recorded on the same day as this session with Andy, so I can imagine George Martin thinking that if they were going to use this coupling, he wanted to go with Andy.
I think Ringo's drumming on "How Do You Do It," which they recorded on the day Ringo played drums for "Love Me Do," is cool.
In current releases, such as the 2023 remixed Red Album, it has been replaced with the Ringo version.
In any case, the brilliance of having a recording at the time of their debut that was good enough to later reach number one in the US. It is the best possible start for a self-contained band.