Once upon a time the BBC was a young institution in a world long before Beatles, when broadcasting Uncles and Aunties and chaps with names like Commander Stephen King-Hall (‘be good but not so frightfully good’) and L. du Garde Peach guided our attitudes and provided some of our music for us. I remember those days.
If we wanted any rough old stuff like jazz or blues we mostly had to get records or listen to records at friends’ houses. This was the world in which the Beatles were children, in what Kevin Howlett rightly calls ‘wireless innocence’.
In the early 60’s there was an overlap between ‘wireless’ and ‘radio’ in that when the Beatles were making their first broadcasts, Uncle Mac was still playing records for children though by now he was quite a grouch about the way things were going; the modern world was not much for him. But things had to loosen up, lighten up, and instead of admonitory uncles, the Higher Power sent us the breezy boys-next-door.
The strength of the BBC was that it was able to manage change and their welcome to the Beatles was magnanimous and the Beatles’ willingness to put a girdle round the earth to get on the air was almost selfless. They worked like dogs – once recording eighteen songs in one day (16 July 1963).
At first, knowing the value of radio they were glad and proud to use it. In the end, they did it as a duty but nonetheless, long after grabbing world fame, they continued to talk to Britain with a good spirit for, I presume, scale fees.
This collection is of a distant era; when London was six/eight hours from Liverpool, when London was The Big Time and almost still ‘The Big Smoke’. Trains were still steam. There was no take-away save fish and chips. No ‘Sun’. The rudest thing in newsprint was ‘Reveille’. Television was black and white; there were two channels.
It was a time when a pop singer played ballrooms, clubs, Odeons and Gaumonts, with about five others on the bill, maybe comics, ballad singers not quite trapeze artists but close… Some ‘teen idols’ were deplored – still are – but not then the Beatles, not after they became our cheeky chappies, our Elvis, took up residence on the front page, and in the zeitgeist of age, helped establish the booming creative potential of provincial England.
The Beatles gave us a continuing soundtrack of unparalleled charm and reassurance. As long as they kept on delivering fresh songs along with the morning milk, everything was right in our optimistic world. Quite quickly, the Beatles became an institution all of their own, with all sorts of attendants – fanatics and detractors, revisionists and archivists, accountants and lawyers, scribes and Pharisees.
That the Beatles were woven into the fabric of British life was due in large part to the regularity of their attention to good habits – the Christmas messages to fans, the package tours, the visits home to Liverpool families, an honest paying of all the expected dues and in no small measure to the BBC, who provided that unparalleled broadcasting expertise to keep the nation in touch with ‘the boys’ through fifty two broadcasts. Radio allowed them to ‘be themselves’ and that was always enough for the Beatles and for their followers.
Tempting to say those were the days, but of course as we live now, these are the days yet truly, those were happy days and no-one who sat by those transistors or by older receivers and heard that unmistakable friendly music will ever forget how good it felt. If you weren’t there, then welcome now and if you haven’t yet heard this music, please do so and know life is indeed still good.
Derek Taylor
September 1994
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The Beatles’ Radio Sessions 1962–65
Between March 1962 and June 1965, the Beatles were featured performers in fifty-two BBC radio programmes and sang eighty-eight different songs – an amazing thirty-six never issued on disc. Luckily for the world, the legacy from that time is this collection of aural snapshots of a group that had served its musical apprenticeship and was now irresistible and all-conquering.
The Beatles’ frequent access to the BBC’s studios and airwaves was the consequence of an age of wireless innocence that has long gone. Although millions were hungry for rock ‘n’ roll, on the radio it was severely rationed. When you tuned in during the day, there was only the choice of the BBC’s three national networks and, of those, only the Light Programme might occasionally allow Elvis or Buddy Holly into your house. No local radio. No commercial radio. The only alternative was a crackling, phasing Radio Luxembourg beamed across Europe at night. When the Light did feature pop, because of Musicians Union restrictions, records were frequently sidelined by emasculated renditions of hits from genial but completely wrongfooted dance orchestras.
Every cloud has a silver lining and this one had two. First, the constant demand for music specially recorded for broadcast led to a vigilant search for new talent. Secondly, with no competition, BBC radio programmes were guaranteed huge audiences. The Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein understood these factors and sent an application for a radio audition to the BBC’s Manchester outpost in January 1962.
Producer Pete Pilbeam was auditioning groups for the weekly pop show Teenager’s Turn (Here We Go) and remembers, ‘There was masses of rubbish…but they impressed me at the time. I wrote on their audition report, “an unusual group. Not as ‘Rocky’ as most, more country and western with a tendency to play music”. Now that was, in those days, high praise because a hell of a lot of noise came out of most three guitars and drums groups’. They passed the audition.
Despite Peter’s note on his report about the singers – ‘John Lennon: yes; Paul McCartney: no’ – both were featured on their BBC debut in front of an audience at the Manchester Playhouse on 7 March 1962. John sang ‘Memphis, Tennessee’ and ‘Please Mr. Postman’, while Paul did Roy Orbison’s hit ‘Dream Baby’. This radio breakthrough came seven months before ‘Love Me Do’, their first single on Parlophone, was released. Pete Best was still in the group and for this auspicious event they consented to wear suits on stage for the first time. Sadly, no quality recording exists of this or their other three broadcasts of 1962.
But their progress that year was fairly minor compared to their appearance on 26 January 1963, shortly after the release of their second single ‘Please Please Me’, on the BBC’s premiere pop show Saturday Club. Form ten o’clock to noon every Saturday, the nation heard their ‘old mate’ Brian Matthew present everybody from Terry Lightfoot and his New Orleans Jazzmen (for New Orleans read Potters Bar!) to Eddie Cochran. The audience figures were enormous with around ten million people listening at any point during the show and at least double that number, when the General Overseas Service transmitted the last half hour to the world.
The Beatles were featured ten times on the programme and quickly established a rapport with both Brian Matthew and producer Bernie Andrews, who supervised the music sessions. In the time it might take a band of the nineties to perfect a snare drum sound, five numbers were recorded in three and a half hours. With no multi-track tape machines available in the BBC, the Beatles were captured ‘live’, in mono, with little studio trickery in sight or earshot.
The Beatles’ stock rose further when ‘Please Please Me’ and ‘From Me To You’ hit number one in February and May. Consequently, they were guests on a myriad of BBC pop shows: The Talent Spot, Easy Beat, Swinging Sound ‘63, Side By Side, Steppin’ Out and, of course, Saturday Club. But the most obvious signal of recognition from the BBC was the invitation for the Beatles to host their own radio series during the summer of 1963. Tuesday evening became an essential date with the radio – ‘It’s five o’clock, we’re ready to pop. It’s the Pop Go The Beatles spot!’, as presenter Rodney Burke put it.
They were joined by a guest and a jolly BBC announcer encouraging their humor to shine between the songs and producer Terry Henebery remembers this zaniness not being confined to the recorded speech links. ‘They’d come to the studio and horse about. You had to crack the whip and get on the loudspeaker talk-back key quite a lot and say ‘Come on, chaps!’. They’d be lying all over the floor, giggling. And I can remember afternoons down at the BBC Paris Cinema Studio, where you were just looking at the clock, throwing your hands up in horror and thinking will they ever settle down? I mean, people would go and get locked in the toilets and fool about. But you were, at the end of the day, getting some nice material out of them’.
For some groups, a series that demanded five new recordings every week might have been daunting; but it allowed the Beatles the freedom to air their influences and try out some new favourites. They performed fifty-six different songs and twenty-five of those had not and would not be released on any of their records.
The choice of material in these and other programmes clearly reveals the artists who had inspired the group. Chuck Berry heads the list with nine BBC cover versions, all – except ‘Roll Over Beethoven’ – belted out by John. The lead vocal on six Carl Perkins and four Elvis Presley songs is shared out between all the Beatles, while the four Little Richard rockers could only be the elusive property of Paul and his throat-tearing whoops and hollers. They were also admirers of the Brill Building songwriting teams – Leiber-Stoller and Goffin-King each receive three covers. ‘We want to be the Goffin and King of England!’, Lennon-McCartney once proclaimed. In gentler Beatle moments at the BBC, Paul sang ‘A Taste Of Honey’ and ‘Till There Was You’ several times, but his most unusual ballad was ‘The Honeymoon Song’. John’s equally strange side step was Ann Margret’s ‘I Just Don’t Understand’ – a real gem. Indeed, the Beatles were adept at digging out unusual material – often trumping rival Liverpool groups by learning the B-side of a particularly sought after American record.
When Pop Go The Beatles finished its run, they were once more at the top of the charts with ‘She Loves You’. From that point on, things went crazy and pretty much stayed that way. Their unassailable popularity was reflected by the press who applied the epithet Beatlemania to the hysteria that surrounded their every move. In February 1964, the States surrendered to the magic and Brian Epstein’s bold boast that his group would be ‘bigger than Elvis’ proved to be true.
Having ‘hit the business jackpot’, as Brian Matthew expressed it in Saturday Club, the number of times the Beatles came to the BBC was markedly reduced. From their first broadcast of 1963 to the last Pop Go The Beatles in September they had played on thirty-four programmes; from October 1963 to June 1965, there were just fifteen specially recorded sessions. Having once been prepared to rush from anywhere in the country for a radio show, global success now made them less available. Their management operation, NEMS Enterprises, was swamped with requests for the Beatles and frustrated BBC executives held delicate and frustrating negotiations to try to lure them back into a studio. In the pre-fax era, desperate telegrams were sent to Brian Epstein with messages such as ‘Please phone me as soon as you have 45 seconds’!
Eventually, Epstein agreed that the Beatles would make a reasonable amount of appearances on Saturday Club and some special programmes for public holidays. The first of these, broadcast on ‘Boxing Day’ 26 December 1963, was called From Us To You and featured an unlikely collaboration with the presenter Rolf Harris on the Australian entertainer’s novelty hit ‘Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport’! Three more From Us To You programmes followed in 1964 on Easter, Whitsun and August ‘Bank Holidays’ plus two visits to a new late night pop show set up by the Saturday Club team of Brian Matthew and Bernie Andrews called Top Gear. The solitary performance of 1965 was on the ‘Whit Monday’ show ‘The Beatles Invite You To Take A Ticket To Ride’.
Despite a BBC memo reporting Epstein’s ‘firm promise’ of more holiday specials, that show was their fifty-second – and last – radio performance. A shame, of course, but understandable. By now, they had no real need of this particular radio exposure and, anyway, their last BBC session had not been easy. Now used to more advanced recording techniques at EMI, they found BBC engineers still limited to mono tape machines and battling against the clock. Besides, what was the point of struggling to recapture what was already on record?
But most sessions at the BBC had been exciting and fun. They were obviously fond of announcers Brian Matthew and Alan Freeman, and particularly chummy with producer Bernie Andrews. George, in particular, liked to pop around to Bernie’s flat for egg and chips and when John talked to the BBC in 1980, his first question to the team had been ‘How’s Bernie’? The British Broadcasting Corporation must have seemed an awesome institution back in 1962, but within months the Beatles were confidently rocking the Light Programme and sending it up with alluring charm. If it jarred a little to be sharing an edition of Pop Go The Beatles with the sugary Bachelors, then a romp through Cavern favourite ‘Clarabella’ would soon make amends.
This album contains fifty-six BBC session songs. Digitally remastered and compiled by George Martin, it is an essential addition to the Beatles catalogue.
Kevin Howlett
Senior Producer
BBC Radio 1FM
September 1994
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Disc 1
1 Beatle Greetings (Speech)
Introductions during a BBC magazine programme called ‘The Public Ear’ broadcast on 3 November 1963. Presenter Tony Hall pointed out that the Beatles ‘didn’t just happen overnight’ and mapped out the group’s progress from their earliest days in Liverpool. Their contribution was recorded on 9 October 1963.
2 From Us To You Previously unreleased variation
(Lennon-McCartney)
Rec: 28 February 1964 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Producer: Bryant Marriott
The signature tune and title of four programmes broadcast on public holidays. This adaptation of their third single was heard on the three 1964 shows broadcast on Easter, Whitsun and August Bank Holidays.
3 Riding On A Bus (Speech)
Brian Matthew Interview from Top Gear
Rec: 17 November 1964 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 26 November 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
Brian Matthew interviewed the group more than anyone during these years and received a surprisingly serious reply to his question.
4 I Got A Woman Previously unreleased song
(Charles)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 13 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
The song was an American R&B hit for Ray Charles in 1955 and included on the first Elvis Presley UK album called Rock ‘n’ Roll No. 1.
5 Too Much Monkey Business Previously unreleased song
(Berry)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 3 September 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 10 September 1963
Producer: Ian Grant
This is the fourth BBC performance of Chuck Berry’s 1956 recording and had been in the Beatles repertoire since 1960.
6 Keep Your Hands Off My Baby
Previously unreleased song
(Goffin-King)
Saturday Club
Rec: 22 January 1963 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 26 January 1963
Producer: Bernie Andrews
For their Saturday Club debut they included a current Little Eva hit written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King as the follow-up to their big success with her, ‘The Loco-motion’.
7 I’ll Be On My Way Previously unreleased song
(Lennon-McCartney)
Side By Side
Rec: 4 April 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 24 June 1963
Producer: Bryant Marriott
The only recording by the Beatles of this Lennon-McCartney original, which had been given to Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas for the B-side of their debut single.
8 Young Blood Previously unreleased song
(Leiber-Stoller-Pomus)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 1 June 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 11 June 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
This song was on the B-side of the Coasters’ ‘Searchin’’ – a big American hit in 1957. The Beatles also recorded ‘Young Blood’ at their audition for Decca Records on New Year’s Day 1962.
9 A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues Previously unreleased song
(Thompson)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 1 August 1963 Playhouse Theatre, Manchester
Trans: 27 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
Rhythm and Blues singer Arthur Alexander, who was a particular favourite of John’s, first released this in March 1962 on the B-side of another British beat boom staple ‘You Better Move On’. The Beatles performed it on three occasions for the BBC; this was the last.
10 Sure To Fall (In Love With You)
Previously unreleased song
(Perkins-Claunch-Cantrell)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 1 June 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 18 June 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
The first of four times the group recorded this Carl Perkins favourite.
11 Some Other Guy Previously unreleased song
(Leiber-Stoller-Barrett)
Easy Beat
Rec: 19 June 1963 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 23 June 1963
Producer: Ron Belchier
Recorded in front of a live audience
‘Some Other Guy’ was first recorded in 1962 by Richie Barrett. Not much of a hit anywhere, but a Liverpool anthem as almost every Mersey group tackled it.
12 Thank You Girl
(Lennon-McCartney)
Easy Beat
Rec: 19 June 1963 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 23 June 1963
Producer: Ron Belchier
Recorded in front of a live audience
‘Thank You Girl’ was the B-side of their third single ‘From Me To You’.
13 Sha la la la la! (Speech)
14 Baby It’s You
(David-Bacharach-Williams)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 1 June 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 11 June 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
Lee Peters presented the first batch of four Pop Go The Beatles programmes and the group were tickled by his relentless corny links.
‘Baby It’s You’ – an American Top Ten hit for the Shirelles in summer 1962 – was included on the first album Please Please Me. The BBC version has a cute ending rather than the familiar fade.
15 That’s All Right (Mama)
Previously unreleased song
(Crudup)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 2 July 1963 Maida Vale Studios, London
Trans: 16 July 1963
Written by Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup, it was Elvis Presley’s first American single and sung by Paul as early as the skiffle days of the Quarrymen.
16 Carol Previously unreleased song
(Berry)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 2 July 1963 Maida Vale Studios, London
Trans: 16 July 1963
A Chuck Berry hit from 1958, which the Rolling Stones included on their first album in June 1964.
17 Soldier Of Love Previously unreleased song
(Cason-Moon)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 2 July 1963 Maida Vale Studios, London
Trans: 16 July 1963
John sang Arthur Alexander’s ‘Anna’ on the first Beatles album and here he covers another record by the singer; a track which could have enhanced any of the group’s early discs.
18 A Little Rhyme (Speech)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 2 July 1963 Maida Vale Studios, London
Trans: 16 July 1963
During their radio series the group read out listeners’ letters requesting songs and dedications. Rodney Burke introduced the show from the fifth edition to the last of the fifteen.
19 Clarabella Previously unreleased song
(Pingatore)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 2 July 1963 Maida Vale Studios, London
Trans: 16 July 1963
In the Beatles’ set list since 1960, this obscure favourite of Paul’s was originally recorded in 1956 by the Jodimars – refugees from Bill Haley’s Comets.
20 I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)
Previously unreleased song
(Thomas-Biggs)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 6 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
‘I’m Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You)’ like the other two Elvis covers on this disc, was released in the UK on Rock ‘n’ Roll No. 1.
21 Crying, Waiting, Hoping
Previously unreleased song
(Holly)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 6 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
‘Crying, Waiting, Hoping’ was recorded by Buddy Holly in his New York apartment just weeks before his death in February 1959. The song was featured in the Beatles audition for Decca Records.
22 Dear Wack! (Speech)
Brian Matthew encouraged John and conducting the band!
23 You Really Got A Hold On Me
(Robinson)
Saturday Club
Rec: 30 July 1963 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 24 August 1963
Producer: Bernie Andrews
One of four BBC performances recorded in summer 1963 of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles’ hit. The Beatles released their EMI version on With The Beatles in November.
24 To Know Her Is To Love Her
Previously unreleased song
(Spector)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 6 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
The Teddy Bears’ American number one was the first success for Phil Spector in 1958.
25 A Taste Of Honey
(Marlow-Scott)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 23 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
The Lenny Welch recording of this popular standard had inspired the Beatles version for the ‘Please Please Me’ LP.
26 Long Tall Sally
(Johnson-Penniman-Blackwell)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 13 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
The second of four BBC versions of the Little Richard rocker – all broadcast before the song’s release on the Beatles EP called ‘Long Tall Sally’ in June 1964.
27 I Saw Her Standing There
(Lennon-McCartney)
Easy Beat
Rec: 16 October 1963 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 20 October 1963
Producer: Ron Belchier
For their second appearance on Easy Beat, they selected the song that kick started their debut album.
28 The Honeymoon Song Previously unreleased song
(Theodorakis-Sansom)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 6 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
The theme tune from the film ‘Honeymoon’ written by Greek composer Theodorakis. A vocal version was released in June 1959 by Marino Marini and his Quartet.
29 Johnny B Goode Previously unreleased song
(Berry)
Saturday Club
Rec: 7 January 1964 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 15 February 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
Not a British hit for Chuck Berry in 1958, but a song that was hammered out by almost every British beat group of the sixties and one of the most frequently performed tunes on Saturday Club.
30 Memphis, Tennessee Previously unreleased song
(Berry)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 30 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
Five BBC versions of the song were recorded, including one for their first broadcast on March 1962.
31 Lucille Previously unreleased song
(Collins-Penniman)
Saturday Club
Rec: 7 September 1963 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 5 October 1963
Producer: Bernie Andrews
The second time they recorded Little Richard’s song for the BBC was for the fifth birthday edition of Saturday Club. Brian Matthew’s nod to the Everlys was because the brothers were fellow guests that day and had also scored a hit with ‘Lucille’.
32 Can’t Buy Me Love
(Lennon-McCartney)
‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ was the current single.
33 From Fluff To You (Speech)
34 Till There Was You
(Wilson)
From Us To You
Rec: 28 February 1964 Piccadilly Theatre, London
Trans: 30 March 1964
Producer: Bryant Marriott
A song from the musical ‘The Music Man’, popularised by Peggy Lee.
Australian born broadcaster Alan ‘Fluff’ Freeman presented two From Us To You specials and his quirky sense of fun clicked with the Beatles. While Paul picks out a few heroes, John attempts to draw Fluff’s attention to his book ‘In His Own Write’ published a week earlier.
Publishers:
Track 25 Ambassador Music Ltd.
Track 28 Boosey & Hawkes Music Pub. Ltd./SDRM/Copyright Control
Track 24 Bourne Music Ltd.
Track 4 Campbell Connelley Co. Ltd.
Track 15 Carlin Music Corp.
Tracks 8, 17, 19, 20 Copyright Control
Tracks 5, 16, 29, 30 Jewel Music Pub. Ltd.
Track 23 Jobete Music (UK) Ltd.
Track 10 Knox Music/Carlin Music Corp.
Track 14 Ludix Music/Carlin Music Corp.
Track 9 Marquis Music Ltd.
Track 31 MCA Music Ltd.
Track 34 MPL Communications Ltd.
Tracks 2, 7, 12, 27, 32 Northern Songs Ltd.
Tracks 21, 26 Peermusic (UK) Ltd.
Track 6 Screen Gems/EMI
Track 11 Trio Music Co. Ltd.
_________________________________________________
Disc 2
1 Crinsk Dee Night (Speech)
2 A Hard Day’s Night
(Lennon-McCartney)
3 Have A Banana! (Speech)
Top Gear
Rec: 14 July 1964 Broadcasting House, London
Trans: 16 July 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
Top Gear was a new late night pop show set up by the Saturday Club team of Brian Matthew and producer Bernie Andrews, who launched the programme with the Beatles as their guests. ‘Pity we had to sink it the first week!’, George joked.
With the first Beatles movie about to open, the title song was on its way to number one. The piano solo from the record was rather obviously cut into the session tape as no-one could reproduce what George Martin had played on the single. Bernie remembers that they were expecting George Martin to arrive, but he never made it.
4 I Wanna Be Your Man
(Lennon-McCartney)
From Us To You
Rec: 28 February 1964 Piccadilly Theatre, London
Trans: 30 March 1964
Producer: Bryant Marriott
‘I Wanna Be Your Man’ was the first Top 20 hit by the Rolling Stones, a gift from John and Paul.
5 Just A Rumour (Speech)
From Us To You
Rec: 28 February 1964 Piccadilly Theatre, London
Trans: 30 March 1964
Producer: Bryant Marriott
More From Us To You banter between Alan Freeman and George.
6 Roll Over Beethoven
(Berry)
From Us To You
Rec: 28 February 1964 Piccadilly Theatre, London
Trans: 30 March 1964
Producer: Bryant Marriott
7 All My Loving
(Lennon-McCartney)
From Us To You
Rec: 28 February 1964 Piccadilly Theatre, London
Trans: 30 March 1964
Producer: Bryant Marriott
The above three songs were from With The Beatles released a few weeks before Christmas 1963 and still at number one when this programme was broadcast on Easter Monday.
8 Things We Said Today
(Lennon-McCartney)
Top Gear
Rec: 14 July 1964 Broadcasting House, London
Trans: 16 July 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
The ubiquitous Brian Matthew presented a show distributed on LP disc to overseas listeners by the BBC’s Transcription Service called Top Of The Pops. It featured recent BBC session material and his voiceover is taken from that programme. ‘Things We Said Today’ was not in the film but included on Side 2 of the UK soundtrack album.
9 She’s A Woman
(Lennon-McCartney)
Top Gear
Rec: 17 November 1964 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 26 November 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
The flipside of their Christmas 1964 single ‘I Feel Fine’. During Top Gear, John and Paul described how they completed writing ‘She’s A Woman’ on the morning of the EMI session. John explained they had ‘about one verse and we had to finish it off rather quickly’.
10 Sweet Little Sixteen Previously unreleased song
(Berry)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 23 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ was Chuck Berry’s first British Top 20 hit in June 1958.
11 1822! (Speech)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 23 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
12 Lonesome Tears In My Eyes
Previously unreleased song
(J. and D. Burnette-Burlison-Mortimer)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 23 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
To set the record straight, ‘Lonesome Tears In My Eyes’ was released by Johnny Burnette and his Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio (including his brother Dorsey) in March 1957.
13 Nothin’ Shakin’ Previously unreleased song
(Fontaine-Calacral-Lampert-Gluck)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 23 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
George’s affection for rockabilly led him to this number by Eddie Fontaine, whose biggest impact came with his performance in the movie ‘The Girl Can’t Help It’.
14 The Hippy Hippy Shake Previously unreleased song
(Romero)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 30 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
Originally recorded by Chan Romero in 1959, it was another Mersey anthem that gave the Swinging Blue Jeans a British number two hit in January 1964.
15 Glad All Over Previously unreleased song
(Bennett-Tepper-Schroeder)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 20 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
One of two recordings made for the BBC of this 1957 Carl Perkins track sung by George.
16 I Just Don’t Understand Previously unreleased song
(Wilkin-Westberry)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 20 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
Swedish born movie starlet Ann Margret (Olson) had an American Top 20 hit with this in August 1961.
17 So How Come (No One Loves Me)
Previously unreleased song
(Bryant)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 23 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
A track from A Date With The Everly Brothers, a Top Three album in 1961.
18 I Feel Fine
(Lennon-McCartney)
Top Gear
Rec: 17 November 1964 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 26 November 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
The complete BBC session tape of ‘I Feel Fine’ reveals that the distinctive feedback opening took quite a few attempts to get right and that riff was pretty tricky too!
19 I’m A Loser
(Lennon-McCartney)
Top Gear
Rec: 17 November 1964 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 26 November 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
On Top Gear they played both sides of their single and four tracks from ‘Beatles For Sale’, including ‘I’m A Loser’. That was also featured in their last session when John changed ‘Beneath this smile I’m wearing a frown’ to the rather less dramatic ‘Beneath this wig, I am wearing a tie’!
20 Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby
(Perkins)
Saturday Club
Rec: 25 November 1964 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 26 December 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
Although a track on the fourth album Beatles For Sale, ‘Everybody’s Trying To Be My Baby’ had been played on Pop Go The Beatles as early as June 1963 and in their repertoire some years before that.
21 Rock And Roll Music
(Berry)
Saturday Club
Rec: 25 November 1964 Playhouse Theatre, London
Trans: 26 December 1964
Producer: Bernie Andrews
‘Rock And Roll Music’ was Chuck Berry’s third American Top Ten hit in November 1957.
22 Ticket To Ride
(Lennon-McCartney)
The Beatles Invite You To Take A Ticket To Ride
Rec: 26 May 1965 Piccadilly Theatre, London
Trans: 6 June 1965
Producer: Keith Bateson
‘Ticket To Ride’ was their most recent single and included in their forthcoming movie ‘Help!’.
23 Dizzy Miss Lizzy
(Williams)
The Beatles Invite You To Take A Ticket To Ride
Rec: 26 May 1965 Piccadilly Theatre, London
Trans: 6 June 1965
Producer: Keith Bateson
‘Dizzy Miss Lizzy’ was one of three Larry Williams songs the Beatles covered on record. Their last BBC performance was produced by Keith Bateson, who had balanced the sound on many of their Pop Go The Beatles and From Us To You sessions.
24 Medley: Kansas City / Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!
(Leiber-Stoller) / (Penniman)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 6 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
An early BBC recording of a medley devised by Little Richard and eventually included on ‘Beatles For Sale’ at the end of the following year.
25 Set Fire To That Lot (Speech)
Rodney Burke picking on Ringo (at least he didn’t throw him a banana!).
26 Matchbox
(Perkins)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 30 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
Ringo takes his turn at a Carl Perkins number first released in 1957.
27 I Forgot To Remember To Forget
Previously unreleased song
(Kesler-Feathers)
From Us To You
Rec: 1 May 1964 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 18 May 1964
Producer: Bryant Marriott
During the second From Us To You that Alan Freeman presented, the Beatles slipped in this Elvis cover.
28 Love These Goon Shows! (Speech)
29 I Got To Find My Baby Previously unreleased song
(Berry)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 1 June 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 11 June 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
John singing and playing ‘the harp’ on a Chuck Berry release from 1960.
30 Ooh! My Soul Previously unreleased song
(Penniman)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 1 August 1963 Playhouse Theatre, Manchester
Trans: 27 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
‘Ooh! My Soul’ was a Top 40 US hit for Little Richard in the summer of 1958.
31 Ooh! My Arms (Speech)
32 Don’t Ever Change Previously unreleased song
(Goffin-King)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 1 August 1963 Playhouse Theatre, Manchester
Trans: 27 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
‘Don’t Ever Change’ was a Top 5 hit in the UK for the Crickets, the group who had backed Buddy Holly on most of his hits before his tragic death in February 1959.
33 Slow Down
(Williams)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 16 July 1963 BBC Paris Theatre, London
Trans: 20 August 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
The only BBC recording of a Larry Williams B-side that was broadcast almost a year before its inclusion on the Beatles’ EP ‘Long Tall Sally’.
34 Honey Don’t Previously unreleased song
(Perkins)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 1 August 1963 Playhouse Theatre, Manchester
Trans: 3 September 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
Although this is Ringo’s vocal outing on Beatles For Sale, John had always sung this Carl Perkins song live. By the time of the next BBC version in May 1964, John had handed over to Ringo making this earlier recording a lucky capture on tape of the way it used to be.
35 Love Me Do
(Lennon-McCartney)
Pop Go The Beatles
Rec: 10 July 1963 Aeolian Hall Studios, London
Trans: 23 July 1963
Producer: Terry Henebery
They performed their first Parlophone single nine times at the BBC; this version was from an edition of Pop Go The Beatles when the presenter’s opening statement ‘I’m Rodney Burke’ was met with John’s quip ‘That’s your fault’.
Publishers:
Track 14 Ardmore & Beechwood/EMI
Track 23 ATV Music
Tracks 26, 27 Carlin Music Corp.
Tracks 12, 17, 29, 30 Copyright Control
Track 24 EMI Music/ATV Music
Tracks 6, 10, 13, 21 Jewel Music Pub. Co.
Tracks 20, 34 Knox Music/Carlin Music Corp.
Track 15 MCA Music Ltd./Carlin Music Corp.
Track 35 MPL Communications Ltd.
Tracks 2, 4, 7-9, 18, 19, 22 Northern Songs Ltd.
Track 16 Peermusic (UK) Ltd.
Track 32 Screen Gems/EMI
Track 33 Tro-Essex
_________________________________________________
Executive Producer: George Martin
Sleevenotes: Kevin Howlett
Introduction: Derek Taylor
Thanks to: Margaret Ashworth, Allan Rouse, Peter Mew, Giles Martin, Derek Taylor and Kevin Howlett.
Photographs reproduced by kind permission of Apple Corps Ltd., BBC and LFI.
Design: Richard Ward/The Team
These recordings have been re-mastered to ensure the highest possible sound quality. However, some tracks included for their historic significance, do not represent the usual fidelity of studio recordings.
MONO
Released by arrangement with BBC Enterprises Ltd.
BBC is a trademark of the British Broadcasting Corporation and is used under license. (P) 1994 The copyright in these sound recordings is owned by the BBC under exclusive license to EMI Records Ltd. Digital re-masters (P) 1994 EMI Records Ltd. © 1994 Apple Corps Ltd. under exclusive license to EMI Records Ltd. Manufactured by Capitol Records, Inc., 1750 Vine Street, Hollywood, California 90028. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized Duplication is a Violation of Applicable Laws. Printed in U.S.A.
CDP 7243 8 31796 2 6
Made in Holland
BIEM/STEMRA
LC 0299
All rights of the producer and the owner of the recorded work reserved. Unauthorised copying, hiring, renting, public performance and broadcasting of this record prohibited.
