Beatles album of the week: With The Beatles

[AKA]

When one thinks of November 22, 1963, one's mind will often think of an awful day in American history. It was that Friday that the United States' young president was senselessly gunned down in Dallas.

Across the Atlantic Ocean that day, the Beatles, still virtually unknown in the United States (though not for long) released their second album, With The Beatles.

Like its predecessor, Please Please Me, With The Beatles contains fourteen tracks:

Side One:
It Won't Be Long (Lennon/McCartney)
All I've Got To Do (Lennon/McCartney)
All My Loving (Lennon/McCartney)
Don't Bother Me (Harrison)
Little Child (Lennon/McCartney)
'Til There Was You (Willson)
Please Mister Postman (Bateman/Dobbins/Garrett/Gorman/Holland)

Side Two:
Roll Over Beethoven (Berry)
Hold Me Tight (Lennon/McCartney)
You've Really Got A Hold On Me (Robinson)
I Wanna Be Your Man (Lennon/McCartney)
Devil In Her Heart (Drapkin)
Not A Second Time (Lennon/McCartney)
Money (That's What I Want) (Bradford/Gordy)

The album finds John Lennon and Paul McCartney still strongly flexing their creative muscle, while also performing a good number of cover tunes from their Hamburg and Cavern days. Worth pointing out is the songwriting debut of George Harrison ("Don't Bother Me"), who would prove to be a creative force to be reckoned with later in the decade.

I can limit my review to three words: "This album rocks." But Stephen Thomas Erlewine of the All Music Guide can sum it up much better:

With the Beatles is a sequel of the highest order — one that betters the original by developing its own tone and adding depth. While it may share several similarities with its predecessor — there is an equal ratio of covers-to-originals, a familiar blend of girl group, Motown, R&B, pop, and rock, and a show tune that interrupts the flow of the album — With the Beatles is a better record that not only rocks harder, it's considerably more sophisticated. They could deliver rock & roll straight ("I Wanna Be Your Man") or twist it around with a little Latin lilt ("Little Child," one of their most underrated early rockers); Lennon and McCartney wrote sweet ballads (the achingly gorgeous "All I've Got to Do") and sprightly pop/rockers ("All My Loving") with equal aplomb; and propulsive rockers ("It Won't Be Long") were as richly melodic as slower songs ("Not a Second Time"). Even George Harrison's first recorded song, "Don't Bother Me," is a standout, with its wonderfully foreboding minor-key melody. Since the Beatles covered so much ground with their originals, their covers pale slightly in comparison, particularly since they rely on familiar hits (only "Devil in Her Heart" qualifies as a forgotten gem). But for every "Roll Over Beethoven," a surprisingly stiff reading of the Chuck Berry standard, there is a sublime moment, such as Lennon's soaring interpretation of "You Really Got a Hold on Me," and the group always turns in thoroughly enjoyable performances. Still, the heart of With the Beatles lies not in the covers, but the originals, where it was clear that, even at this early stage, the Beatles were rapidly maturing and changing, turning into expert craftsmen and musical innovators.

See also:
Please Please Me (1963)
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Beatles For Sale (1964)
Help! (1965)
Past Masters Volume One (1988)
Rubber Soul (1965)
Revolver (1966)
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Magical Mystery Tour (1967)
Yellow Submarine (1969)
The Beatles (1968)
Let It Be (1970)
Past Masters Volume Two (1988)
Abbey Road (1969)

Beatle Facts

[Brian]

My favorite song from this album is "All My Loving." 2 minutes and 8 seconds of Beatle goodness. Short but awesome.

[Penny Lane]

As I have always been partial to George's songs I pick Don't Bother Me and Not A Second Time. But they are all awesome!

[Steve M.]

I voted for "Little Child," but I could just as easily have chosen "Money."

[dlemond]

"Not a Second Time"
with
"Little Child" a close second.

Another 2 favorites are:

"All I've Got To Do"
and
"Hold Me Tight"

[EricIdlefan]

All My Loving
I Want To Be Your Man
Don't Bother Me(Great song to characterize George!!)
Till There Was You
Roll Over Beethtoven
Hold Me Tight

[AKA]

Fact: before The Beatles recorded "I Wanna Be Your Man," they gave it to The Rolling Stones, who used it as their second single.

I Wanna Be Your Man
(Lennon/McCartney)
Lead vocals: Ringo

I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man

Love you like no other baby
Like no other can
Love you like no other baby
Like no other can

I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man

Tell me that you love me baby
Let me understand
Tell me that you love me baby
I wanna be your man

I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man

I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man

I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your lover baby
I wanna be your man

Love you like no other baby
Like no other can
Love you like no other baby
Like no other can

I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man
I wanna be your man

[Jrnygrl]

I like everything on this album, but picked "Don't Bother Me." George is really shining on this one.

[Steve M.]

Various With the Beatles covers:

"I Wanna Be Your Man" - the Rolling Stones

"Not a Second Time" - Robert Palmer (who inexplicably added a second verse!)

[crystals]

Roll Over Beethoven

[AKA]

Alternate versions of songs from With The Beatles:

Beatles:
"All My Loving"
-Stereo version with hi-hat count-off, 1963 - stereo version of Please Please Me (never issued on CD)
-Live; The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, 1964 - At The Hollywood Bowl (never issued on CD)
-Live; CBS Television Studios (present-day Ed Sullivan Theatre) in New York, 1964 - The Beatles Anthology 1
-Live; The Piccadilly Theatre in London, 1964 - Live At The BBC

"Till There Was You"
-Live; The Piccadilly Theatre in London, 1964 - Live At The BBC
-Live; Prince of Wales Theatre in London, 1963 - The Beatles Anthology 1

"Roll Over Beethoven"
-Live; The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, 1964 - At The Hollywood Bowl (never issued on CD)
-Live; The Piccadilly Theatre in London, 1964 - Live At The BBC
-Live; Karlaplansstudion in Stockholm, Sweden, 1963 - The Beatles Anthology 1

"You Really Got A Hold On Me"
-Live; The Playhouse Theatre in London, 1963 - Live At The BBC
-Live; Karlaplansstudion in Stockholm, Sweden, 1963 - The Beatles Anthology 1

"I Wanna Be Your Man"
-Live; IBC Studios in London, 1964 - The Beatles Anthology 1
-Live; The Piccadilly Theatre in London, 1964 - Live At The BBC

"Devil In Her Heart"
-Live; The BBC Paris Theatre, London, 1963 - Baby It's You (maxi-single)

"Money (That's What I Want)"
-Live; Karlaplansstudion in Stockholm, Sweden, 1963 - The Beatles Anthology 1

Solo:
"All My Loving"
-Live; New York, 1993 - Paul McCartney - Paul Is Live
-Live; venue unknown, 2002 - Paul McCartney - Back In The U.S., Back In The World

"Roll Over Beethoven"
-Live; Japan, 1991 - George Harrison - Live In Japan

"I Wanna Be Your Man"
-Live; Sydney, Australia, 1993 - Paul McCartney - Paul Is Live
-Live; venue and date unknown - Ringo Starr And His All-Starr Band - Anthology... So Far
-Live; Chicago, 2001 - King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Ringo And His New All-Starr Band

[jamier42]

1. All My Loving
2. Til There Was You
3. You've Really Got A Hold On Me

[laceyinthesky]

I chose "It Won't Be Long."

[MaryElizabeth]

Originally posted by laceyinthesky
I chose "It Won't Be Long."

Ditto.

[laceyinthesky]

This time I chose "Money (That's What I Want)."