Recording, Recording, Recording Some More!!!

February 11, 1963

George Martin and the Beatles

A very long and very big day.  The Beatles leave the Shapiro tour to record for their first album.  It takes place in Abbey Road's Studio Two.  (Virtual tour. Use your arrow keys.)

Astonishingly, they knock out 10 new tracks for "Please Please Me" in three sessions,10am to 1pm, 2:30pm to 6:00 and 7:30pm to 10:45.  (I guess there is no expert there to tell them it is impossible.)  John Lennon is in the throes of a bad cold and is fed a constant stream of  hot tea and throat lozenges. It is on this day that they save the best for last, poor ailing John giving everything he has left to their rendition of the Isley Brothers' "Twist and Shout".  Everyone in the studio that day is smart enough to understand they will get only one take for that one!



Some favorite tracks:
  I Saw Her Standing There
  Please Please Me
  Baby It's You
  Do You Want to Know a Secret
  There's a Place
  Twist and Shout