I just love the boys' cover of You Really Got a Hold on Me. The vocals are fantastic. Oh, the early Beatles. Nostalgic, romantic, makes me long for what seems like a simpler time.
I don't know why they never liked "Hold Me Tight" -- I think it's great. Especially the bridge/middle eight, when the key changes and Paul sings "Don't know..." etc. I love that part!!
I would guess it's because the guitars and voices are out of tune for most of the song. But it doesn't matter -- the energy with which they approach the song is so infectious you can overlook it.
I feel the SAME way @michaelt6218. It's one of my favorites on the album. I LOVE Paul's voice, and like you when he sings "You DON'T KNOW...." especially the SECOND time he sings it, so much passion in his voice there! Nothing sounds out of tune to me here, and I HAVE hears singers who do sing out of tune, and notice it right away. Oh well.
I love all of these songs. My favorite would be " You Really Got a Hold on Me." This is a great cover by the Beatles. As you noticed, the beginning with the piano, which always draws my attention. The message the song is saying has probably been something many people have gone through in their lives, including myself. The song has my complete attention, and I love the ending with the drums.
Definitely, You Really Got a Hold on Me is the best of the three. I have always enjoyed each and every Beatles song because I was age 9 when I first started listening to them so, to me, they were all new, bright, and always just the best!❤🎉
Maybe they dislike it, because the melody is chaotic and disjointed and the lyrics are sophomoric and uninspired and it is the worst song they ever put out.
"You've Really Got A Hold On Me" is definitely the pick of these 3 songs, and like you, it's one of my favourite Beatles songs ! .. I also agree about Paul's vocals on "Hold Me Tight" .. He may be very slightly out of key in parts, but it doesn't detract from the song at all, IMHO .. And he is very smooth going down from the high Oohs at the chorus ends to the low start of the bridges .. Good song !
Luke, this is wonderful! I am so impressed that you have taken this journey through the most amazing musical odyssey that ever happened. What a wonderful world in which treasures like these just keep on making us feel comforted and cared for. I don’t know why they would have disliked “Hold Me Tight”! Its great. I will never understand how John Lennon could have disliked his voice 🤷🏻♀️. The third song is great as well. How could they go wrong with a Smokey Robinson song? Trifecta Luke! Thanks. 🌺✌️
I often listen to this version of You've Really Got a Hold on Me. I can never listen to it only once. I have to repeat it 2 or 3 times. I even watched your reaction of this song 3 times.
You've Really Got A Hold On Me is just so mind-blowing. They take a really slow tempo and just make it non-stop fascinating and engaging. Everything about it is just so hip and cool and they add their own touch to it for sure, those Harmony Arrangements and the way they are balanced almost starts to feel like a Gregorian chant and then when it hits the turnaround, now John starts bluesing it down a little bit on the intervals and it just screams back into pop mainstream and blues also. It's just so good.
I really love the covers the Beatles did of other people's songs. Of course, anything by Chuck Berry is going to be fun, but they did great work with Motown hits. Their version of You Really Got a Hold on Me stands up very well against Smokey Robinson's, which is saying a lot. It would have been nice if they had continued to throw in a cover or two on later albums, but with all of the incredible original music they were producing, there really wasn't much room.
I like all three songs and they appear in the album from the most contagious melody to the softest. First one great cover with a very powerful voice from young George, second also catchy rhythm, great voice and harmonies, and the third with that mix of voices from John and George is gorgeous, and don't get me wrong I also love Paul's voice and when he sings together with John is marvelous, but this is a real treat listening those two voices that to me have a secret delicacy when singing soft songs. About Ringo's drumming, yes these three are great, just wait until you hear 'Come Together' you will be speachless.
Doesn't get much better than Beatles on a Friday! As someone who grew up on the original Capitol stereo mixes, these newer versions are slightly wonky, especially that opening to "Roll Over Beethoven". Those handclaps weren't nearly so loud. And yeah, the handclaps sort of replace the harmonica as the signature element in these songs from later in '63. I've always liked "Hold Me Tight". That chugging rhythm with Ringo's newly invented splashy cymbal work create a huge background for the vocals. Yeah, Paul's a bit off-key, but IMO it just adds to the sincerity and -- dare I say -- eroticism of the lyric. John's vocal on "You Really Got a Hold on Me" is awesome. It's right up his alley, and sort of predates things like "I Want You (She's So Heavy)".
George learned to play guitar by playing until his fingers bleed! Classic rock song, but they did make it their own. John once said, "If you gave Rock & Roll another name, it would be Chuck Berry." I ❤ the next too. "Hold Me Tight" is very "early Beatles" sounding. "You really got a hold on me" is a great version of a classic Smokey Robinson song.
Luke, as usual, another great reaction. Three great songs. Please continue on your journey. I think you are the person that has done the best job reacting to The Beatles music. Thank you so much.
George actually had more of the spiritual songs, later on, anyway. Early on he was quite the rocker- as much as John. Paul, too. They rocked on in the early days. And the Beatle's scream!
I love Really Got a Hold on Me too. Kinda the start of a string of John "heartbreak-wanting- someone- desperate love" songs . George and John's voices mix so well..in fact all 3 of their voices do, as you will see in a couple up coming songs. I love their covers. Im a big fan of the Beatles for Sale album. Oh , and i appreciate the research you do before listening to the songs. Helps to understand it better with a bit of context 👍
I am a big fan of the "BEATLES FOR SALE" album TOO, which so many other fans and reactors seem to diss, and think it's something to "not bother with" which just FLOORED me when they said that! To me, it's another great album from them!
In the USA we heard this excessive reverb added by Capital Reocords on these records, I'm so used to that it's hard to hear them without it. Smoetimes in concert they added accents after each line in the third verse, She winks like glow worm, dance like a spinning top" right after the accents were on beat 1,2 3, [4 no accent] twice. Same on the next line.
Have had Canadian Capitol copies of the Beethoven 45 since I was little in the sixties-always a fav of mine(72133 number with Mr.Postman on the B-side-also issued as a coupling in Finland on Parlophone and Norway on Odeon)
The Parlophone Aussie 45 paired Beethoven with Hold Me Tight.The mixes on With The Beatles Mono are true mono,as opposed to the Meet The Beatles mixes,which were all folddowns from Stereo.
I LOVE ALL three of these songs, just makes me close my eyes and listen and go back to that 16 year old girl that I was when I bought the album back when it was released. "Hold Me Tight" I LOVE Paul's voice on it and the "chugging" guitars that reminds me of a train, especially when it slows down at the end, like a train stopping. The movie "ACROSS THE UNIVERSE" really covered "Hold Me Tight" in a fantastic way, towards the beginning of the movie ( A movie I think you should watch, LUKE!) The Beatles ALWAYS did GREAT COVERS and I felt they were even better than the originals, even though they DID stick true to the original versions, but in their own unique way. "You Really Got a Hold on Me" ALWAYS had a "hold on ME"
Yeah that does surprise me that they didn't like it because it's one of those that when I hear it I remember it quite finally and not only that, it's catchy enough it'll still just pop into my head once in a great while. I'll have to think for a second and go now wait a minute which one is that? But then when I hear it I go, yeah man, this is actually a really good song.
I think "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" is the Beatles best cover (better than Twist and Shout IMO). It's also the only Beatle song I can think of that had co-lead singers and Paul McCartney wasn't one of them. If there's another, somebody can correct me.
Poor George is, as usual, picking up the crumbs that Paul, John and George Martin allowed him by giving him this Chuck Berry classic. And, as always, George is great on vocals and excellent on lead guitar with Roll Over Beethoven. John's funky and spicy guitar boogie is very cool, and, as you highlighted, Ringo's drums are fantastic here. Personally, I think Paul's bass could have been better. I agree that small "errors" (unintentional notes?) often give a recording distinctive and attractive character, even if the end product is not what the artist was seeking. The first and third recordings in this set again show how the Beatles put their own unmistakable mark on their covers. When John and Paul sing in unison it's stunning. Thoughtful review, as always.
George's voice was usually "double-tracked" back in those days to thicken it out. That popular production technique was used on some of their other songs as well, (George himself mentioned "This Boy" as one) though its use with George was the most obvious. Even at his best George had a distinctively thin voice. Phil Spector thickened it up with his wall of sound production in George's early solo days.
I was 7 years old when this album was released. My two older sisters played it incessantly. Every word, note and musical gesture is imprinted in my mind! Great stuff.
The Chuck Berry song is my favorite of the three here. It always reminds me of Superman 2, where it was used, I think, when Clark was on the train, going back to Smallville. It was released in Europe 4 days before John was shot dead. Smokey sang U Really Got a Hold of Me on Sesame Street, hugging a big letter U through the whole song.
How many musical groups could write their own songs, lyrics, play the instruments, including live, cover other songs and then break into three part harmony if needed. And look good doing it.
It's a shame there are so few songs that feature just John and George. I can think of only two -- this one and She Said She Said. Devil in her Heart? No, Paul's on that too.
First, I'm an old dude. I remember when the Beatles were all still alive and playing together. Anyway, I just left another "reaction" video. That was a reaction to of The Who in concert. I've got to say that these "reaction" videos puzzle me, an old dude. It seems that the idea is nothing more than watching an average stranger reacting to music. These "reaction" videos seem to be fairly popular, yet I don't see the attraction. But it does give me an idea. I could do a reaction video to a reaction video. It gets too complicated to explain it other than to say there would be my picture-in-picture video showing the original picture-in-picture video. And of course that video would be showing a music video. I would be analyzing or rather, reacting, to the reaction.
Hold me tight is actually a gradual ritardando.🤔😲 It starts energetically but slows down towards the end. For years I’ve been waiting to ask Paul if it’s on purpose or is it just Ringo getting tired and Paul getting bored pumping those continuous eighth notes without any break? On the other hand it’s quite understandable getting tired of holding so tight continuously for a longer period and the slowing tempo is natural way to express that…🤔 Can anyone get Paul’s comments on this…🙄
I just love the boys' cover of You Really Got a Hold on Me. The vocals are fantastic. Oh, the early Beatles. Nostalgic, romantic, makes me long for what seems like a simpler time.
I totally agree with you. Those raw, early, discovery days were so exciting. My favorite time!
@@TangoEliott Mine TOO!
It blows my mind that John disliked his own voice. It blows my mind, body, and soul that these four were in the same band. What a gift from God.
It blows my mind too. John's voice is my favorite in the world, and the last voice I want to hear when I Pass.
I don't know why they never liked "Hold Me Tight" -- I think it's great. Especially the bridge/middle eight, when the key changes and Paul sings "Don't know..." etc. I love that part!!
I would guess it's because the guitars and voices are out of tune for most of the song. But it doesn't matter -- the energy with which they approach the song is so infectious you can overlook it.
Oh, and it's also one of those extremely rare moments where Ringo drags the tempo in some spots, in defiance of his human metronome status.
I feel the SAME way @michaelt6218. It's one of my favorites on the album. I LOVE Paul's voice, and like you when he sings "You DON'T KNOW...." especially the SECOND time he sings it, so much passion in his voice there! Nothing sounds out of tune to me here, and I HAVE hears singers who do sing out of tune, and notice it right away. Oh well.
I love all of these songs. My favorite would be " You Really Got a Hold on Me." This is a great cover by the Beatles. As you noticed, the beginning with the piano, which always draws my attention. The message the song is saying has probably been something many people have gone through in their lives, including myself. The song has my complete attention, and I love the ending with the drums.
That's George Martin playing the piano. So good!!
Definitely, You Really Got a Hold on Me is the best of the three. I have always enjoyed each and every Beatles song because I was age 9 when I first started listening to them so, to me, they were all new, bright, and always just the best!❤🎉
I never understood why they didn't like "hold me tight". I love it.
Same with me, I LOVE "Hold Me Tight" as well!
Maybe they dislike it, because the melody is chaotic and disjointed and the lyrics are sophomoric and uninspired and it is the worst song they ever put out.
I love them all, but if I had to choose, I'd go with You've Really Got a Hold on Me. It's just so bluesy and John's voice is top notch.
"You've Really Got A Hold On Me" is definitely the pick of these 3 songs, and like you, it's one of my favourite Beatles songs ! .. I also agree about Paul's vocals on "Hold Me Tight" .. He may be very slightly out of key in parts, but it doesn't detract from the song at all, IMHO .. And he is very smooth going down from the high Oohs at the chorus ends to the low start of the bridges .. Good song !
Luke, this is wonderful! I am so impressed that you have taken this journey through the most amazing musical odyssey that ever happened. What a wonderful world in which treasures like these just keep on making us feel comforted and cared for. I don’t know why they would have disliked “Hold Me Tight”! Its great. I will never understand how John Lennon could have disliked his voice 🤷🏻♀️. The third song is great as well. How could they go wrong with a Smokey Robinson song? Trifecta Luke! Thanks. 🌺✌️
You really got a hold on me as well... xD
I often listen to this version of You've Really Got a Hold on Me. I can never listen to it only once. I have to repeat it 2 or 3 times. I even watched your reaction of this song 3 times.
I can’t hear you’ve really got a hold on me and not sing along. Always loved it.
You've Really Got A Hold On Me is just so mind-blowing. They take a really slow tempo and just make it non-stop fascinating and engaging. Everything about it is just so hip and cool and they add their own touch to it for sure, those Harmony Arrangements and the way they are balanced almost starts to feel like a Gregorian chant and then when it hits the turnaround, now John starts bluesing it down a little bit on the intervals and it just screams back into pop mainstream and blues also. It's just so good.
I really love the covers the Beatles did of other people's songs. Of course, anything by Chuck Berry is going to be fun, but they did great work with Motown hits. Their version of You Really Got a Hold on Me stands up very well against Smokey Robinson's, which is saying a lot. It would have been nice if they had continued to throw in a cover or two on later albums, but with all of the incredible original music they were producing, there really wasn't much room.
The backing on Hold Me Tight chugs along like a train, always liked that.Good song.
I like all three songs and they appear in the album from the most contagious melody to the softest. First one great cover with a very powerful voice from young George, second also catchy rhythm, great voice and harmonies, and the third with that mix of voices from John and George is gorgeous, and don't get me wrong I also love Paul's voice and when he sings together with John is marvelous, but this is a real treat listening those two voices that to me have a secret delicacy when singing soft songs. About Ringo's drumming, yes these three are great, just wait until you hear 'Come Together' you will be speachless.
Perfection. THIS album “Second Album)” was my introduction to rock
Doesn't get much better than Beatles on a Friday! As someone who grew up on the original Capitol stereo mixes, these newer versions are slightly wonky, especially that opening to "Roll Over Beethoven". Those handclaps weren't nearly so loud. And yeah, the handclaps sort of replace the harmonica as the signature element in these songs from later in '63. I've always liked "Hold Me Tight". That chugging rhythm with Ringo's newly invented splashy cymbal work create a huge background for the vocals. Yeah, Paul's a bit off-key, but IMO it just adds to the sincerity and -- dare I say -- eroticism of the lyric. John's vocal on "You Really Got a Hold on Me" is awesome. It's right up his alley, and sort of predates things like "I Want You (She's So Heavy)".
Yeah '...Hold On Me' always sounded a bit White Albumy to me
George learned to play guitar by playing until his fingers bleed! Classic rock song, but they did make it their own. John once said, "If you gave Rock & Roll another name, it would be Chuck Berry." I ❤ the next too. "Hold Me Tight" is very "early Beatles" sounding. "You really got a hold on me" is a great version of a classic Smokey Robinson song.
Luke, as usual, another great reaction. Three great songs. Please continue on your journey. I think you are the person that has done the best job reacting to The Beatles music. Thank you so much.
I agree with you 100 % LUKE is the BEST!
After this album the evolution it's just amazing
I completely agree with you. Great.
Hold Me Tight was one of my favorites❤😊
Beatles are fantastic 🪲🪲🪲🪲🎉🚀🍎🍏
They are good eh. Glad you are on this journey as I did.
George actually had more of the spiritual songs, later on, anyway. Early on he was quite the rocker- as much as John. Paul, too. They rocked on in the early days. And the Beatle's scream!
But George had a mysterious feel to his rock songs, whereas John was more straight rock.
Although 'A Day in the Life' was pretty darned mysterious, a John and Paul song.
I love Really Got a Hold on Me too. Kinda the start of a string of John "heartbreak-wanting- someone- desperate love" songs . George and John's voices mix so well..in fact all 3 of their voices do, as you will see in a couple up coming songs. I love their covers. Im a big fan of the Beatles for Sale album. Oh , and i appreciate the research you do before listening to the songs. Helps to understand it better with a bit of context 👍
I am a big fan of the "BEATLES FOR SALE" album TOO, which so many other fans and reactors seem to diss, and think it's something to "not bother with" which just FLOORED me when they said that! To me, it's another great album from them!
In the USA we heard this excessive reverb added by Capital Reocords on these records, I'm so used to that it's hard to hear them without it. Smoetimes in concert they added accents after each line in the third verse, She winks like glow worm, dance like a spinning top" right after the accents were on beat 1,2 3, [4 no accent] twice. Same on the next line.
Have had Canadian Capitol copies of the Beethoven 45 since I was little in the sixties-always a fav of mine(72133 number with Mr.Postman on the B-side-also issued as a coupling in Finland on Parlophone and Norway on Odeon)
The Parlophone Aussie 45 paired Beethoven with Hold Me Tight.The mixes on With The Beatles Mono are true mono,as opposed to the Meet The Beatles mixes,which were all folddowns from Stereo.
I LOVE ALL three of these songs, just makes me close my eyes and listen and go back to that 16 year old girl that I was when I bought the album back when it was released. "Hold Me Tight" I LOVE Paul's voice on it and the "chugging" guitars that reminds me of a train, especially when it slows down at the end, like a train stopping. The movie "ACROSS THE UNIVERSE" really covered "Hold Me Tight" in a fantastic way, towards the beginning of the movie ( A movie I think you should watch, LUKE!) The Beatles ALWAYS did GREAT COVERS and I felt they were even better than the originals, even though they DID stick true to the original versions, but in their own unique way. "You Really Got a Hold on Me" ALWAYS had a "hold on ME"
Good video 😊
Yeah that does surprise me that they didn't like it because it's one of those that when I hear it I remember it quite finally and not only that, it's catchy enough it'll still just pop into my head once in a great while. I'll have to think for a second and go now wait a minute which one is that? But then when I hear it I go, yeah man, this is actually a really good song.
I think "You've Really Got a Hold on Me" is the Beatles best cover (better than Twist and Shout IMO). It's also the only Beatle song I can think of that had co-lead singers and Paul McCartney wasn't one of them. If there's another, somebody can correct me.
John's voice in those early days... so distinctive.. and their harmonies 💕
You quite pinpointed it. Thanks!
I don't care, I love this song!
Check out ELO's version of "Roll Over Beethoven". Kinda profound!
❤️from 🇨🇦
Poor George is, as usual, picking up the crumbs that Paul, John and George Martin allowed him by giving him this Chuck Berry classic. And, as always, George is great on vocals and excellent on lead guitar with Roll Over Beethoven. John's funky and spicy guitar boogie is very cool, and, as you highlighted, Ringo's drums are fantastic here. Personally, I think Paul's bass could have been better. I agree that small "errors" (unintentional notes?) often give a recording distinctive and attractive character, even if the end product is not what the artist was seeking. The first and third recordings in this set again show how the Beatles put their own unmistakable mark on their covers. When John and Paul sing in unison it's stunning. Thoughtful review, as always.
"The Beatles" were big fans of Chuck Berry -- did many other of his songs. And Berry was teh most literate of 1950s rock and roll writers.
George's voice was usually "double-tracked" back in those days to thicken it out. That popular production technique was used on some of their other songs as well, (George himself mentioned "This Boy" as one) though its use with George was the most obvious. Even at his best George had a distinctively thin voice. Phil Spector thickened it up with his wall of sound production in George's early solo days.
The real Paul: Master of the hook.
I was 7 years old when this album was released. My two older sisters played it incessantly. Every word, note and musical gesture is imprinted in my mind! Great stuff.
I love all 3. Prob fave of the 3 is Really Got a Hold On U.
Check out the movie ACROSS THE UNIVERSE
The Chuck Berry song is my favorite of the three here. It always reminds me of Superman 2, where it was used, I think, when Clark was on the train, going back to Smallville. It was released in Europe 4 days before John was shot dead. Smokey sang U Really Got a Hold of Me on Sesame Street, hugging a big letter U through the whole song.
Smokey would have enjoyed this methinks. Good one Luke.
Hold me Tight was unpopular? I always like the rawness of Paul's voice here. And the Ringo beat.
So did I, and ALL my friends and I LOVED "Hold Me Tight" when the album came out back then. We played that track OVER and OVER and OVER again!
How many musical groups could write their own songs, lyrics, play the instruments, including live, cover other songs and then break into three part harmony if needed. And look good doing it.
All 3 songs great remakes
You should be listening in MONO
George Martin played the piano on You Really Got A Hold On Me.
Ringo's other name is Rock 'n Roll.
I believe those vocal harmonies consist of John and Paul...
It's a shame there are so few songs that feature just John and George. I can think of only two -- this one and She Said She Said. Devil in her Heart? No, Paul's on that too.
Harrison singing a rock 'n' roll track, was more of an exception.
First, I'm an old dude. I remember when the Beatles were all still alive and playing together. Anyway, I just left another "reaction" video. That was a reaction to of The Who in concert. I've got to say that these "reaction" videos puzzle me, an old dude. It seems that the idea is nothing more than watching an average stranger reacting to music. These "reaction" videos seem to be fairly popular, yet I don't see the attraction. But it does give me an idea. I could do a reaction video to a reaction video. It gets too complicated to explain it other than to say there would be my picture-in-picture video showing the original picture-in-picture video. And of course that video would be showing a music video. I would be analyzing or rather, reacting, to the reaction.
Well, you didn't have to watch them, but you did. 🙂
I think you're on to something.
Just another British boy band from England.
Hold me tight is actually a gradual ritardando.🤔😲 It starts energetically but slows down towards the end.
For years I’ve been waiting to ask Paul if it’s on purpose or is it just Ringo getting tired and Paul getting bored pumping those continuous eighth notes without any break? On the other hand it’s quite understandable getting tired of holding so tight continuously for a longer period and the slowing tempo is natural way to express that…🤔
Can anyone get Paul’s comments on this…🙄