The Beatles are properly introduced to American audiences with a repackage of their debut album.
Kronomyth 2.5: Haven’t we met before?
Introducing… The Beatles is a repackage of the fab four’s debut album, Please Please Me, now released in the United States (for the first time) on Vee-Jay Records. The original pressings featured Love Me Do and P.S. I Love, but licensing conflicts with those songs forced Vee-Jay to re-issue the album with two different tracks in their place, Ask Me Why and Please, Please Me. The original version is something of a collectible these days, although it’s not likely to break the bank. (Unless you only have $50 in your bank account, and the Lord knows I know what that’s like.)
I couldn’t tell you what the difference in sound quality is between the UK and US vinyl pressings. I don’t have either original elpee version and don’t much care. I’m sure there’s an interesting discussion around it on Steve Hoffman Music Forums, in case you’re so inclined. (It’s an incline that leads down to a dangerously deep rabbit hole, so be careful.)
Since the track order is identical to Please Please Me, there’s nothing to add here in terms of an actual review. What I said about Please Please Me stands. Even the outfits that The Beatles are wearing on the cover are the same as on Please Please Me. I suppose I could spin something out of Paul McCartney sitting on the floor.
Original elpee version
A1. I Saw Her Standing There
A2. Misery
A3. Anna (Arthur Alexander)
A4. Chains (Gerry Goffin/Carole King)
A5. Boys (Luther Dixon/Wes Farrell)
A6. Love Me Do
B1. P.S. I Love You
B2. Baby It’s You (Mack David/Barney Williams/Burt Bacharach)
B3. Do You Want to Know a Secret?
B4. A Taste of Honey (Bobby Scott/Ric Marlow)
B5. There’s a Place
B6. Twist and Shout (Bert Russell/Phil Medley)
Re-issued elpee version (February 1964)
A1. I Saw Her Standing There
A2. Misery
A3. Anna
A4. Chains
A5. Boys
A6. Ask Me Why
B1. Please, Please Me
B2. Baby It’s You
B3. Do You Want to Know a Secret?
B4. A Taste of Honey
B5. There’s a Place
B6. Twist and Shout
Songs written by Paul McCartney/John Lennon unless noted.
The Players
George Harrison, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr. Produced by George Martin.
The Plastic
Released on elpee on January 10, 1964 in the US (Vee Jay, VJLP 1062). Re-issued on edited mono and stereo elpee in February 1964 in the US (Vee Jay, VJLP/SR 1062) with 2 different tracks. Reached #2 on the US charts.
