Please see my introduction and explanation about this project here.
This album, their first, represents pretty much the band’s live set at the time. I have the Vee-Jay album Introducing The Beatles which has many of these songs as well and was an interesting artifact of the time. I do prefer this version, this album, as released and standardized with the 2009 box set release. Mostly recorded in one day there is an immediacy to this album (much like The Ramones debut) I really like. I almost wish some of their other albums were recorded with the same sense of urgency and immediacy.
Presented in order from least to most favorite, in a highly subjective (and subject to change) manner:
“A Taste of Honey”
A decent enough cover, but not the best
“Boys”
A fun little number for Ringo to sing
“There’s a Place”
Their first attempt at a more cereberal theme
“Anna (Go to Him)”
Parts of this song I really like, other parts are just… normal
“Baby It’s You”
I always find it interesting when they cover female vocal groups
“Misery”
Lamentation and regret
“Chains”
Another cover of a female vocal group
“Ask Me Why”
Much more musically interesting than you might realize
“Do You Want to Know a Secret?”
Kind of coy and playful
“Please Please Me”
Starting off with the pleading theme the band would use in many other songs
“P.S. I Love You”
Almost sounds like a Buddy Holly tune
“Love Me Do”
One of their best early songs
“Twist and Shout”
One of the greatest rock and roll songs ever
“I Saw Her Standing There”
I still sing this as a lullaby