This has to be the most in depth, and enjoyable analysis on Please Please Me that I’ve ever seen. I’ve always wondered why the song Please Please Me sounded so different in stereo, and now I know! Your knowledge of Beatles records and EMI is of my highest praise!
Quite a lot of the albums differ from stereo to mono in small but noticeable ways because the mono versions were not simply stereo recordings re-combined. They were separate mixes. Might be a good subject for a video Andrew!
To me the Please Please Me album is one I like to listen to in context. You’re not listening to a mega-famous band, you’re listening to a club band who had just recently returned from a stint in Hamburg and a couple of days later were playing in the Cavern. It has a great energy I don’t think they ever captured again on record.
This is probably in my top three of my favorite Beatles albums. Having grown up as a teenager in the 1970s, I was only ever exposed to the stereo mix. As not only a Beatles fan, but also a budding musician, my buddies and I used to make use of the primitive stereo mix, by turning down the vocal channel to listen to and learn the instrumentation, but then I think we learned a whole lot about vocal harmonies by turning down the instrumentation side to listen to the isolated vocals. The raw energy of the performances on this album made it much more worth than whatever it cost EMI to record this album. Even with the flubbed vocals on the title track, where they obviously sing two completely different lines in the last verse, This album is worth a thousand times more than it's weight in gold.
Each of the Beatles albums offers something different. I often find myself choosing Please Please Me when deciding what Beatles album to listen to. I love the energy and the 'fresh' sound.
A thought occurred to me as I listened to this album after watching this. Sometimes luck played a huge roll in their success. Consider if you will ...what if John hadn't had a cold that day. Not only would the whole album felt a bit different, but we would have missed out on the treasure that is 'Twist and Shout'. They probably would still have recorded it that day, but in my opinion if his voice had been it's normal clean self the song wouldn't have had that wonderful edge that it has. John said later that he 'couldn't sing the damn thing' but thats exactly what makes it so special. If he hadn't been sick we would not have one of their most popular songs!
I think he would have nailed it the same way. Check them out live in Sweden for the Drop In TV show. That is the best Lennon Twist and Shout rendition I've heard, or at least, the closest to the studio recording. I guess what could have made it so special in the studio is the tape distortion, which I believe is what made it sound so different. But I'd love to hear the author of this video commenting on this, cause I'm not totally sure this was the one element that made it sound like that.
I do think the early albums are getting somewhat overlooked as the years pass by. Understandable considering the giant leaps the band made in such a short time. The early ones are just as good but in a different way. Would love to see a 60th anniversary of both 63 LPs. Great video Andrew, fascinating and informative details as always! Sundays are always better with Parlogram!
For me, Please Please Me is just so full of energy and effervescence that its hard not to like it. Although its far from being one of the Beatles most creative albums it is perhaps, in my opinion, the most fun to listen to. It's 32 minutes of toe-tapping, air-drumming, head-bopping, pop magic. And in that way its easy to see why the album was a game changer and the start of something really special. As a band the Beatles are tight and efficient in their playing. You can tell they have logged some hours playing together and that these songs are not the first time they been played. I don't think you can go wrong either in mono or stereo for this album. This was never meant to be an audiophile experience or something to be taken too seriously. As long as it gets you smiling you know its accomplished its goal. A true Beatles classic and a sleeper pick for sure.
Fabulous work Andrew. Love all of your offerings. Early Beatles, for me, just kill it. Still exciting to this day. Only early Elvis can come close to the earth-shattering impact of this music.
“The Rutles recorded their first album in one day…the second took even longer…” Kidding aside, once again a great presentation, always look forward to your videos Sunday mornings (across the pond)..
Andrew you are the GOAT when it comes to The Beatles. Best RUclips channel on them by far! I prefer the 2014 mono because of the quality of the vinyl and the 1973 German stereo, which I picked up on your recommendation a couple of years ago.
Nice job explaining the basis of how the album was recorded, Andrew. If I may add a couple additional things. The start of the session had John's rhythm guitar routed to track 2 with the vocals. The entirety of There's a Place and take 1 of I Saw Her Standing There was recorded like this. Starting with take 2 of ISHST and for the rest of that song, the guitars had their routings swapped with George's lead guitar now on track 2 and John's 325 on track 1. After the lunch break and for the rest of the session both guitars would be routed to track 1 with the rest of the instruments. Boys is also cool because of the way the drums were mixed. Because the drum overhead mic also picked up Ringo's vocals, it was routed to track 2. But the microphone in front of the bass drum and the underside of the snare was still routed to track 1, so you get a sort of stereo drum track, albeit a subtle one. It should also be mentioned that the engineers deliberately chose not to minimize the amount of microphone leakage in an attempt to better convey the "live album in the studio" feel of the album.
"the engineers deliberately chose not to minimize the amount of microphone leakage in an attempt to better convey the "live album in the studio" feel of the album " -> or "HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BLEED"
@@audiosurge6405 I love microphone leakage in old songs because it can reveal more insight into how everything was recorded. And it sounds better that way. haha
@@RingoStarr39 Oh yes! So do I. Reading George Martin's book "All You Need Is Ears" from the late 70s, one thing stuck with me, talking about the advent of new tech he said 'who in the world could need 32 tracks (tape) to record music??' Oh boy!! Fast forward today and it's 64 tracks.... just on the snare ;)
Another wonderful video, thank you. I was reared on my late fathers original LP’s. The ‘Early Beatles’ have always been closest to my heart. I do hope that, one day, Giles Martin will lavish their 1962-‘64 output with the ‘deluxe treatment’ I feel that ‘Beatlemania’ is a little under appreciated by those who weren’t there, generally
Do I prefer the stereo or the mono version? Yes. 🙂 Love your presentations. Thank you for all the work, and your genuine appreciation of all things Beatle.
So many fond memories of listening to this on my mono player in the day. In my opinion, the early 80's Dutch stereo is my favorite. It's the one with the dead wax ending in 2Y/3Y. The earlier Dutch 1Y sounds like the earlier German/British copies. Number 2 is the A2 German pressing. Number 3 is the mono. The cleanist copy you can find. The 2014 Mono Box set is a must for any Beatles collection. I can only suggest to set the timing and integrate the overdubs better when Giles does his Peter Jackson magic. For now the Dutch sound engineers win the trophy for me. Andrew, thanks again for the information. I always learn a golden nugget of information from you.
I dream for the day when Apple finally release all of the Beatles albums (in matching same-size volumes) with outtakes and a 5.1 mix, plus your (excellent) documentaries on the blu ray. 👏🏼👏🏼
This is just so splendid. Great detail and depth. In the UK, so much detail was given to the mono mixes, and it took us all years to appreciate it. By the time the worldwide recording industry would've been set up to just fold the stereo mixes over...mono albums weren't being pressed anymore. It's been awhile, I'll have to track down a dedicated mono mix of the original PLEASE PLEASE ME album.
I bought the CD in the mid-nineties, and for a long time it was my favourite Beatles album until I fell in love with Abbey Road. For an album that was recorded so long ago on such primitive equipment, it still sounds great. I don't know about any other versions or mixes, but that CD to me is a masterpiece. It's only now watching your videos that I've seen that so many versions of their records are available.
That was brilliant. So now we know when George Martin first used tape speed manipulation to record a piano riff and it was on 'Misery' !!?? Have you ever noticed how on the second bridge of Anna, George Harrison's vocal "Ahh' drops to the minor 3rd even though the guitars do not.(During ''Breaks my heart and leaves me sad') When ever we perform that song we play the minor guitar chord behind it be cause it actually is a very effective note. Even if George never meant to sing it in the first place. Loving this deep dive. Keep up the fine work Andrew. We Beatles fans are forever in your debt. Adieu, RNB
As a first generation Beatles fan, I would like to thank you for all the informative videos you have produced. You do a wonderful job relaying all the history, and recording details beautifully. Please keep up the amazing job and I look forward to your next post.
Thank you Sir for another excellent content. Another addition deep dive info from our favorite band and one of my favorite music decade, the 1960s. As an 80s kid, I think the 1960s music scene is more vibrant than the 80s, 70s and maybe even the 1950s. They experienced the peak of Mono LP era and the rise of Stereo versions of LP records. That is like me experiencing the rise of the CD replacing cassette tapes and in turn being replaced by Music File formats like mp3. Hopefully future generations would still be interested in The Beatles Music on the 100th Anniversary of Please Please Me by March 2063.
One of the best videos you’ve ever done, and that is saying something. Incredibly and richly informative. Bravo. And for what it’s worth, I prefer the mono version of this classic album.
Nice thorough job at these sessions. Dr. Ebbetts (A Bootlegger) mixed the recordings where he centered the vocals. I Prefer the mono mix of this album. “Hold Me Tight” Take 6 (2:26) and take 9 (2:29) on tape E48878 and the bad news is the tape is missing. “Boy’s” on Rockband is fifteen seconds shorter. Billy J. Kramer, I Believe he resides in New York, said he has, or had, a demo of John recording “Do You Want to Know A Secret”. John apologized saying that this is the quietist room he could find and then flushes the toilet. When Billy recorded “Do You Want To Know A Secret” on March 14, 1963. Take 14, mono mix, was released on “Mersey and the Beat” in Holland. Take 21, stereo mix was released on The Best of Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas (CD) Imperial CDP 7 96055-2. On Dec. 8, 1962, there is a photograph of the Beatles & Mike McCartney (McGear) recording an Acetate at the Cavern Club. I wonder if this acetate is the one that features “I Saw Her Standing There”, “One After 909” and “Catswalk”?
What a wonderful video. Some much information plainly explained. Now I know what happened to the stereo version of Please Please Me. I thought they re-recorded it but no it's all bits of tape joined together, how fascinating! Thank you
I’ve actually been in a please please me is my fav mood lately (though it changes like the weather which album is my fav) so this is perfect thanks Andrew
I've learned so much...thank you !! I'm a second generation Beatle fan and it amazes me how much info is still available on the greatest band EVER !!...
Hi there, I just love you're videos. So many facts and in depth research. When is you're first book available? Thank you very much. Keep up the good work. Cheers Fred from The Netherlands.
This is pretty close to my conclusion about why the stereo PPM has that hilarious gaffe in the last verse. It’s there for lack of alternative takes! But that the stereo is a edit of 3 separate takes, I had no idea! Isn’t it amazing: as much as we think we know about this band, there’s ALWAYS so much more! Thank you, Andrew, as always!
Most of this I knew but the tape machines were new as well as how the stereo versions were mixed. I always thought the stereo version sounded odd but I knew the harmonica at the end was way out of synch. As always great stuff Andrew.
It's the little details like the visual of the lozenges John was using for his throat that take these videos over the top in the detail department. Love it! Mono version all the way!
As always , a fascinating and knowledgeable video. I don’t know where you get your information or your video inserts but it all goes to make a stunning video. Congratulations Andrew, and thank you for your hard work compiling such professional and creative videos. Thank you Andrew, all the best Mick
It was recorded to be listened to in mono. This is the version i like most. However, the german Please Please me with less reverb than the UK (and all the other ?) versions is also enjoyable. May favorite pressing is the 2014 mono - i simply had not the chance to get any better mono versions. The digital version from the 80ies is sourced from the CD master and it definitely has phase problems - it sounds not good. When i heard those songs as a kid, i always thought, "OK, this is how it supposed to sound" but never thought of the significant technical challenges they had back in those days. I listen to the mono Please Please me (The Single reissue at the time) and was aware that something was different. But i never spent a second thought on why this might have been. Thanks again for that wonderful video. I learned a lot of new things from it even after more than 46 years of listening to The Beatles. ❤
I'm from New Zealand. This needs the Peter Jackson treatment. I change my my mind on my favorite Beatles lp. Please please me UK 4n1 my favorite pressing. Surely if in the 60s Beatles put out 2 lps per year we could get 2 boxsets. With the Beatles, AHDN, Beatles for sale, yellow submarine are the weak lps but still they have 2 or 3 great songs. Although I want to have rubber soul boxset next, it would be better to have a 60th anniversary please please me 3lp boxset. Your channel is awesome, I wish I could work along side you as a Geoff Emerick.
Thanks so much for this detailed explanation of the stereo mix and Abbey Road's tape machines, Andrew. Despite having heard the song "Please Please Me" for what must 50+ years, I'd somehow never noticed the out-of-sync playback overdub at the end of the stereo version until listening to Giles Martin's recent mixes for the 'Red' compilation album, where the error leapt out at me. It was hard to believe that such a terrible-sounding thing existed on an official Beatles recording at all, much less going all the way back to the original 1963 mix, but you've set me straight. And I have to concede that perhaps George Martin and the other studio personnel were right-in all these years I'd never noticed the error, so perhaps the flawed mix was indeed good enough.
Thank you Andrew for solving the mystery of the "intruding noise" in the dying seconds of Please Please Me - the Harmonica riff was recorded on the mono tape and was faded in on the twin track on the stereo twin track! I thought it was some fault of the master tape which was never gonna be fixed but asked myself why the mono mix has none of that. That being said, despite what George Martin, The Beatles and many prefer, I still listen to the Stereo version because I can analyze what's going on. But that's just me.
5:45 - In the Anthology, take 9 was fixed, because in the original sessions, there is an error in the bass, which does not appear in the mix for the Anthology single
I absolutely love this channel, and this is the best breakdown of the Beatles' debut album I have seen or heard. I love the vinyl albums and have been collecting them since 1979. This channel is a gem for people who love this timeless music and the stories behind them. Thank you Andrew, maybe you'll get to review a future 'demix' of Please, Please Me, that would be brilliant!
My first audition of please please me was in stereo. And the master came from the capitol's release. For sentimental issue, I prefer the stereo version. Great video, Andrew. I hope Giles Martin watch this and consider take your advice.
Another fantastic in depth video. Thanks Andrew. I love the handwritten comments on the back of one of your copies where they state that A Taste of Honey was “terrible”😂. I love my 3rd mono UK pressing from late 63/64. It just sounds sublime.
This is my new fav RUclips channel and the only one I feel compelled to comment on. Thank you for putting these awesome videos together. I love these deep dives and finding new things out, especially when you thought you knew everything 😂
Great details! Explains a lot the clumsy sloppy ending of the Please Please Me track in stereo. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find many different pressings of Please Please Me, but some UK ones showed up in really great condition. Thanks for the video!
Informative video! I've often wished someone had been filming the Beatles in the studio during their first two years. It would have been fascinating to watch Hard Day's Night and Rubber Soul being created.
Best pressing I've heard of PPM is the MoFi. I went into it with low expectations - there are, after all, some Beatles MoFi pressings that are very subpar - but it sounds spectacular. Great video as always, Andrew!
I have loved these recordings as Introducing The Beatles and The Early Beatles, with a few changes made. I only remember the stereo versions being on vinyl. I still have my original cd's of the first 4 from 1988 that are mono. I always enjoyed the odd stereo mixes for what they were, as they allowed me to hear vocals and instruments mixed separately. I do believe a good mono mix can be much more powerful - my favorite example is Cream's debut Fresh Cream, which is a lot heavier in mono. I bet Giles will have much to do to make the remixes more clear. It will sound unbelievable when he has finished his work on these early albums.
Hello Andrew! Thanks for this video which is a testament of how cool and knowledgeable you are. Debunking myths left and right! I am millennial who first heard it in stereo but I do own the mono cd and I like it more. This album is so good, no skips at all ❤
Great deep dive into this one Andrew. I never knew how the first album was recorded apart from an interview with George Martin in the early 80’s stating that when they recorded Please Please Me there was no mixing in those day just direct stereo. Thanks so much for the in depth explanation.
Great video Andrew! My vote is for the stereo. I think it sounds great on headphones because of the extra ambience the stereo gives. Love the raw sound mostly free of overdubs. But the title track on stereo really does sound messy with those sync issues! That’s where headphones don’t help! My favourite track nowadays is “There’s a Place”, love the high harmony on that.
This was even more in depth than I have ever heard. Also, like someone else had said in an earlier comment, thanks for the explanation of why the song Please Please Me sounds so different in stereo. Actually, I first heard the song that way and it didn't occur to me that it was so different from the mono version, but having taken another listen to the song it makes sense, especially with the ending. Keep up the great work. I am looking forward to if or when, the Please Please Me album and any others from 1965 earlier will get the remix treatment and I'm sure it will sound bigger than ever.
The original single mix of "Please Please Me/Ask Me Why" is a different mix to the later release. Dr. Ebbetts had the single in his UK singles collection. It is different than the mono version of "Please Please Me" album and CD collection.
Perfect as usual. 😎 My favour " Please,Please me," version is the one i got. Have 1989. cassette mono version,former Yugoslavia,stereo vinyl fomer Yugoslavia pressing,and mono U.K.CD version.
Great video Andrew...I have an early mono pressing that sounds really great, also have a 70s German stereo pressing that is very nice. I also enjoy the 2012 stereo pressing
Fantastic as always,, look forward to next week's episode. I finally acquired the 1970's German "die beatles" vinyl on your recommendation and it sounds fantastic.
Excellent presentation! I love this album, and actually prefer it over the one that followed (I know, sacrilege). Growing up with the American versions of everything up to Sgt. Pepper’s, I was knocked-out by the 2009 reissues. Clearly, the British versions are the way these albums were meant to be heard!
So that's why there's that wonky "echo" at the end of the stereo mix of the title track. Crazy how they weren't even working with four-track on this one. Amazing the album sounds as good as it does. Like you said, they had no idea at the time that people would be scrutinizing every note for the next 60 years!
Fascinating, it's amazing how Heath Robinson the recording and mixing process was back then, even when compared to a couple of years later. And an amazing journey for George M to be recording comedy and "weird" music, to recording Twist and Shout after 10pm!
Great video Andrew! Very in depth research, with some info I didn't know, like how the Please Please Me stereo mix was put together. I much prefer the mono mix. I bought my mono LP in the early 1980s (no Angus McBean front credit) and has -1N and -2N matrix numbers. My stereo LP is a mid 1970s Japanese version with the flag OBI.
Fascinating video. I like the first press mono best and the German 1973 stereo mix. Looking forward to seeing the next video in this series. Great insight Andrew.
Hello, Andrew. My favorite version of Please Please Me is the first one I heard in mono -a 1982 red vinyl Japanese pressing. Not your first choice, I know, but hearing the album in mono was a revelation for me. The way Paul's voice pops on 1-2-3-FAH!!! I'd like to pick up a 1970's or earlier mono(as advised by you) to compare. Enjoyed the entire video as always; very interesting. Thank you.
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
This has to be the most in depth, and enjoyable analysis on Please Please Me that I’ve ever seen. I’ve always wondered why the song Please Please Me sounded so different in stereo, and now I know! Your knowledge of Beatles records and EMI is of my highest praise!
Thank you, Alex. Much appreciated!
Quite a lot of the albums differ from stereo to mono in small but noticeable ways because the mono versions were not simply stereo recordings re-combined. They were separate mixes. Might be a good subject for a video Andrew!
Listen to the mono mix carefully. There are dropouts that are actually splices.
Andrew never disappoints.
Amen! 😊
To me the Please Please Me album is one I like to listen to in context. You’re not listening to a mega-famous band, you’re listening to a club band who had just recently returned from a stint in Hamburg and a couple of days later were playing in the Cavern. It has a great energy I don’t think they ever captured again on record.
Excellent point, Clive.
I agree on that . The Beatles for sale has that kind of energy too
Possibly the most important & influential lp in the history of popular music and definitely a personal favourite. This record smokes!!
As a kid, There's a Place was a favourite. Still love it.
Ditto.
This is probably in my top three of my favorite Beatles albums. Having grown up as a teenager in the 1970s, I was only ever exposed to the stereo mix. As not only a Beatles fan, but also a budding musician, my buddies and I used to make use of the primitive stereo mix, by turning down the vocal channel to listen to and learn the instrumentation, but then I think we learned a whole lot about vocal harmonies by turning down the instrumentation side to listen to the isolated vocals. The raw energy of the performances on this album made it much more worth than whatever it cost EMI to record this album. Even with the flubbed vocals on the title track, where they obviously sing two completely different lines in the last verse, This album is worth a thousand times more than it's weight in gold.
Oh yeah, my mates and I learned our parts very accurately by listening to one speaker at a time.
Each of the Beatles albums offers something different. I often find myself choosing Please Please Me when deciding what Beatles album to listen to. I love the energy and the 'fresh' sound.
A thought occurred to me as I listened to this album after watching this. Sometimes luck played a huge roll in their success. Consider if you will ...what if John hadn't had a cold that day. Not only would the whole album felt a bit different, but we would have missed out on the treasure that is 'Twist and Shout'. They probably would still have recorded it that day, but in my opinion if his voice had been it's normal clean self the song wouldn't have had that wonderful edge that it has. John said later that he 'couldn't sing the damn thing' but thats exactly what makes it so special. If he hadn't been sick we would not have one of their most popular songs!
I think he would have nailed it the same way. Check them out live in Sweden for the Drop In TV show. That is the best Lennon Twist and Shout rendition I've heard, or at least, the closest to the studio recording. I guess what could have made it so special in the studio is the tape distortion, which I believe is what made it sound so different. But I'd love to hear the author of this video commenting on this, cause I'm not totally sure this was the one element that made it sound like that.
First of all, this was the best video on this LP I have ever seen. As for which version I prefer, it's the mono 1987 CD.
I do think the early albums are getting somewhat overlooked as the years pass by. Understandable considering the giant leaps the band made in such a short time. The early ones are just as good but in a different way. Would love to see a 60th anniversary of both 63 LPs.
Great video Andrew, fascinating and informative details as always! Sundays are always better with Parlogram!
In Stereo Mix of Please, Please Me - in the 1:28 John singing : "I know I never even try, Girl" and Paul singing :"I know You never even try, Girl"
For me, Please Please Me is just so full of energy and effervescence that its hard not to like it. Although its far from being one of the Beatles most creative albums it is perhaps, in my opinion, the most fun to listen to. It's 32 minutes of toe-tapping, air-drumming, head-bopping, pop magic. And in that way its easy to see why the album was a game changer and the start of something really special. As a band the Beatles are tight and efficient in their playing. You can tell they have logged some hours playing together and that these songs are not the first time they been played. I don't think you can go wrong either in mono or stereo for this album. This was never meant to be an audiophile experience or something to be taken too seriously. As long as it gets you smiling you know its accomplished its goal. A true Beatles classic and a sleeper pick for sure.
Fabulous work Andrew. Love all of your offerings. Early Beatles, for me, just kill it. Still exciting to this day. Only early Elvis can come close to the earth-shattering impact of this music.
“The Rutles recorded their first album in one day…the second took even longer…”
Kidding aside, once again a great presentation, always look forward to your videos Sunday mornings (across the pond)..
Well done Andy! Great explanation. It,s got to be the most interesting documentary, I,ve witnessed for many years. Thanks!
Thank you, David.
Andrew you are the GOAT when it comes to The Beatles. Best RUclips channel on them by far! I prefer the 2014 mono because of the quality of the vinyl and the 1973 German stereo, which I picked up on your recommendation a couple of years ago.
Thank you, Derrick. I'll be discussing sound quality next week.
Nice job explaining the basis of how the album was recorded, Andrew. If I may add a couple additional things.
The start of the session had John's rhythm guitar routed to track 2 with the vocals. The entirety of There's a Place and take 1 of I Saw Her Standing There was recorded like this. Starting with take 2 of ISHST and for the rest of that song, the guitars had their routings swapped with George's lead guitar now on track 2 and John's 325 on track 1. After the lunch break and for the rest of the session both guitars would be routed to track 1 with the rest of the instruments.
Boys is also cool because of the way the drums were mixed. Because the drum overhead mic also picked up Ringo's vocals, it was routed to track 2. But the microphone in front of the bass drum and the underside of the snare was still routed to track 1, so you get a sort of stereo drum track, albeit a subtle one.
It should also be mentioned that the engineers deliberately chose not to minimize the amount of microphone leakage in an attempt to better convey the "live album in the studio" feel of the album.
Thanks for the extra info.
"the engineers deliberately chose not to minimize the amount of microphone leakage in an attempt to better convey the "live album in the studio" feel of the album " -> or "HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BLEED"
@@audiosurge6405 I love microphone leakage in old songs because it can reveal more insight into how everything was recorded. And it sounds better that way. haha
@@RingoStarr39 Oh yes! So do I. Reading George Martin's book "All You Need Is Ears" from the late 70s, one thing stuck with me, talking about the advent of new tech he said 'who in the world could need 32 tracks (tape) to record music??' Oh boy!! Fast forward today and it's 64 tracks.... just on the snare ;)
@@audiosurge6405 64 'takes' and its just the snare. That is how Steely Dan did it
The remixed version of Please Please Me and all the tracks on the new Red Album are fantastic The Fan Four have never sounded better!
Another wonderful video, thank you. I was reared on my late fathers original LP’s. The ‘Early Beatles’ have always been closest to my heart. I do hope that, one day, Giles Martin will lavish their 1962-‘64 output with the ‘deluxe treatment’ I feel that ‘Beatlemania’ is a little under appreciated by those who weren’t there, generally
Thanks again for watching, Alex!
Do I prefer the stereo or the mono version?
Yes. 🙂
Love your presentations. Thank you for all the work, and your genuine appreciation of all things Beatle.
Thank you for watching, Chris.
So many fond memories of listening to this on my mono player in the day.
In my opinion, the early 80's Dutch stereo is my favorite. It's the one with the dead wax ending in 2Y/3Y. The earlier Dutch 1Y sounds like the earlier German/British copies.
Number 2 is the A2 German pressing.
Number 3 is the mono. The cleanist copy you can find. The 2014 Mono Box set is a must for any Beatles collection.
I can only suggest to set the timing and integrate the overdubs better when Giles does his Peter Jackson magic.
For now the Dutch sound engineers win the trophy for me.
Andrew, thanks again for the information. I always learn a golden nugget of information from you.
Good choices, Paul. I'll be talking about sound quality/pressings more in the next video.
I have the German issue too. I believe the German's didn't use reverb which is on the British version.
@@Parlogram Thank you😊
thx for giving me new content for Beatles lost media in terms of the lost outtakes.
I dream for the day when Apple finally release all of the Beatles albums (in matching same-size volumes) with outtakes and a 5.1 mix, plus your (excellent) documentaries on the blu ray. 👏🏼👏🏼
Where are the 3 surviving BTR machines? Really interesting video, thank you!
This is just so splendid. Great detail and depth. In the UK, so much detail was given to the mono mixes, and it took us all years to appreciate it. By the time the worldwide recording industry would've been set up to just fold the stereo mixes over...mono albums weren't being pressed anymore. It's been awhile, I'll have to track down a dedicated mono mix of the original PLEASE PLEASE ME album.
I bought the CD in the mid-nineties, and for a long time it was my favourite Beatles album until I fell in love with Abbey Road. For an album that was recorded so long ago on such primitive equipment, it still sounds great. I don't know about any other versions or mixes, but that CD to me is a masterpiece. It's only now watching your videos that I've seen that so many versions of their records are available.
Yes, that original late 80s mono CD is very well done.
You always have 'new' info to those of us who thought we knew 'everything' about The Beatles and their recordings, so cheers for that! Great channel.
Thank you, Sir.
That was brilliant. So now we know when George Martin first used tape speed manipulation to record a piano riff and it was on 'Misery' !!?? Have you ever noticed how on the second bridge of Anna, George Harrison's vocal "Ahh' drops to the minor 3rd even though the guitars do not.(During ''Breaks my heart and leaves me sad') When ever we perform that song we play the minor guitar chord behind it be cause it actually is a very effective note. Even if George never meant to sing it in the first place. Loving this deep dive. Keep up the fine work Andrew. We Beatles fans are forever in your debt. Adieu, RNB
Fascinating! My go to version of this album is from my cherished Beatles In Mono cd box.
You blow my mind with the details of how they make this album 👏 !
As a first generation Beatles fan, I would like to thank you for all the informative videos you have produced. You do a wonderful job relaying all the history, and recording details beautifully. Please keep up the amazing job and I look forward to your next post.
Thank you, Dan. Much appreciated!
Thank you Sir for another excellent content. Another addition deep dive info from our favorite band and one of my favorite music decade, the 1960s. As an 80s kid, I think the 1960s music scene is more vibrant than the 80s, 70s and maybe even the 1950s. They experienced the peak of Mono LP era and the rise of Stereo versions of LP records. That is like me experiencing the rise of the CD replacing cassette tapes and in turn being replaced by Music File formats like mp3. Hopefully future generations would still be interested in The Beatles Music on the 100th Anniversary of Please Please Me by March 2063.
One of the best videos you’ve ever done, and that is saying something. Incredibly and richly informative. Bravo.
And for what it’s worth, I prefer the mono version of this classic album.
Thanks David. Glad you enjoyed it!
Even though I'm only 10 seconds into it. I know this is gonna be top shelf.
Nice thorough job at these sessions. Dr. Ebbetts (A Bootlegger) mixed the recordings where he centered the vocals. I Prefer the mono mix of this album.
“Hold Me Tight” Take 6 (2:26) and take 9 (2:29) on tape E48878 and the bad news is the tape is missing. “Boy’s” on Rockband is fifteen seconds shorter.
Billy J. Kramer, I Believe he resides in New York, said he has, or had, a demo of John recording “Do You Want to Know A Secret”. John apologized saying that this is the quietist room he could find and then flushes the toilet.
When Billy recorded “Do You Want To Know A Secret” on March 14, 1963. Take 14, mono mix, was released on “Mersey and the Beat” in Holland. Take 21, stereo mix was released on The Best of Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas (CD) Imperial CDP 7 96055-2.
On Dec. 8, 1962, there is a photograph of the Beatles & Mike McCartney (McGear) recording an Acetate at the Cavern Club. I wonder if this acetate is the one that features “I Saw Her Standing There”, “One After 909” and “Catswalk”?
Very interesting, Andrew. A real pleasure. Thanks a lot
Many thanks again, Dmitry!
Also: kudos for continuing to include Sam Okell in comments about future remixes; many who cover the Beatles only mention Giles.
What a wonderful video. Some much information plainly explained. Now I know what happened to the stereo version of Please Please Me. I thought they re-recorded it but no it's all bits of tape joined together, how fascinating! Thank you
Thanks for watching!
I’ve actually been in a please please me is my fav mood lately (though it changes like the weather which album is my fav) so this is perfect thanks Andrew
I've learned so much...thank you !!
I'm a second generation Beatle fan
and it amazes me how much info is still
available on the greatest band
EVER !!...
"The Beatles Bootleg Recordings 1963" which contains outtakes from February 11 is still available on iTunes and has been for years.
Hi there, I just love you're videos. So many facts and in depth research. When is you're first book available?
Thank you very much. Keep up the good work. Cheers Fred from The Netherlands.
Thanks Fred. Glad you like them!
This is pretty close to my conclusion about why the stereo PPM has that hilarious gaffe in the last verse. It’s there for lack of alternative takes! But that the stereo is a edit of 3 separate takes, I had no idea!
Isn’t it amazing: as much as we think we know about this band, there’s ALWAYS so much more! Thank you, Andrew, as always!
Most of this I knew but the tape machines were new as well as how the stereo versions were mixed. I always thought the stereo version sounded odd but I knew the harmonica at the end was way out of synch. As always great stuff Andrew.
Most people don't realize just how hard these bands worked at their craft.
Hey, I have to admit that you are the best with all these wonderful stories about Beatles and their work!
Thanks Romi. Glad you like them!
This is the best information presentation piece on the Fabs ever on this platform......
Thanks Red!
Another highly entertaining episode.
Fantastic analysis, Andrew.
Thank you kindly, Graham.
All that info and insight and you manage to include a photo of Harry H Corbett? Bravo Andrew!
Thanks Ian. Glad you enjoyed it!
As usual Andrew you kept the standards high in the video with your glorious details
SPECTACULAR! 👏👏👏👏
Didn’t realize the Beatles Bootleg album was available on iTunes. Thanks so much!
It's the little details like the visual of the lozenges John was using for his throat that take these videos over the top in the detail department. Love it! Mono version all the way!
As always , a fascinating and knowledgeable video. I don’t know where you get your information or your video inserts but it all goes to make a stunning video. Congratulations Andrew, and thank you for your hard work compiling such professional and creative videos. Thank you Andrew, all the best Mick
Thanks for that, Mick!
It was recorded to be listened to in mono. This is the version i like most. However, the german Please Please me with less reverb than the UK (and all the other ?) versions is also enjoyable. May favorite pressing is the 2014 mono - i simply had not the chance to get any better mono versions. The digital version from the 80ies is sourced from the CD master and it definitely has phase problems - it sounds not good. When i heard those songs as a kid, i always thought, "OK, this is how it supposed to sound" but never thought of the significant technical challenges they had back in those days. I listen to the mono Please Please me (The Single reissue at the time) and was aware that something was different. But i never spent a second thought on why this might have been. Thanks again for that wonderful video. I learned a lot of new things from it even after more than 46 years of listening to The Beatles. ❤
You keep bringing out some great videos.....brilliant!
I'm from New Zealand. This needs the Peter Jackson treatment. I change my my mind on my favorite Beatles lp. Please please me UK 4n1 my favorite pressing. Surely if in the 60s Beatles put out 2 lps per year we could get 2 boxsets. With the Beatles, AHDN, Beatles for sale, yellow submarine are the weak lps but still they have 2 or 3 great songs. Although I want to have rubber soul boxset next, it would be better to have a 60th anniversary please please me 3lp boxset. Your channel is awesome, I wish I could work along side you as a Geoff Emerick.
Thanks so much for this detailed explanation of the stereo mix and Abbey Road's tape machines, Andrew. Despite having heard the song "Please Please Me" for what must 50+ years, I'd somehow never noticed the out-of-sync playback overdub at the end of the stereo version until listening to Giles Martin's recent mixes for the 'Red' compilation album, where the error leapt out at me. It was hard to believe that such a terrible-sounding thing existed on an official Beatles recording at all, much less going all the way back to the original 1963 mix, but you've set me straight. And I have to concede that perhaps George Martin and the other studio personnel were right-in all these years I'd never noticed the error, so perhaps the flawed mix was indeed good enough.
Thank you Andrew for solving the mystery of the "intruding noise" in the dying seconds of Please Please Me - the Harmonica riff was recorded on the mono tape and was faded in on the twin track on the stereo twin track! I thought it was some fault of the master tape which was never gonna be fixed but asked myself why the mono mix has none of that.
That being said, despite what George Martin, The Beatles and many prefer, I still listen to the Stereo version because I can analyze what's going on. But that's just me.
You're welcome, Bryan!
A fascinating deep dive into how the Please Please Me album was recorded and mixed, Andrew! Your knowledge astounds me! Another very impressive video!
5:45 - In the Anthology, take 9 was fixed, because in the original sessions, there is an error in the bass, which does not appear in the mix for the Anthology single
I absolutely love this channel, and this is the best breakdown of the Beatles' debut album I have seen or heard. I love the vinyl albums and have been collecting them since 1979. This channel is a gem for people who love this timeless music and the stories behind them. Thank you Andrew, maybe you'll get to review a future 'demix' of Please, Please Me, that would be brilliant!
Thanks Paul!
Great information as always 👍
Precious information which is extremely appreciated!
Our pleasure, Sergio!
Another fine video. Thank you for the interesting info that I didn't know with respect to the recording and mixing.
Thanks for watching!
And here I am Just like I said NOW let’s watch this banger of a vid 😊
My first audition of please please me was in stereo. And the master came from the capitol's release. For sentimental issue, I prefer the stereo version. Great video, Andrew. I hope Giles Martin watch this and consider take your advice.
Amazing explanation for why there’s out of sync instruments at the end of please please me!!
Another fantastic in depth video. Thanks Andrew. I love the handwritten comments on the back of one of your copies where they state that A Taste of Honey was “terrible”😂. I love my 3rd mono UK pressing from late 63/64. It just sounds sublime.
My pleasure, John. Glad you enjoyed it!
Great job as always. Even as a little kid I noticed the edit on A Taste of Honey…
Great story again. Tx! Can't wait for next week's story. I prefer the album in Mono btw.
This is my new fav RUclips channel and the only one I feel compelled to comment on. Thank you for putting these awesome videos together. I love these deep dives and finding new things out, especially when you thought you knew everything 😂
Thanks Ash. Much appreciated!
Great details! Explains a lot the clumsy sloppy ending of the Please Please Me track in stereo. Unfortunately I haven't been able to find many different pressings of Please Please Me, but some UK ones showed up in really great condition. Thanks for the video!
Best video I've even seen on the making of the album. Thank you for such a great research in putting this together!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent breakdown of the PPM album.
Brilliant as usual Andrew, really enjoyed that 👌
Thanks Jamie 👍
Fascinating, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it, Thomas!
Informative video! I've often wished someone had been filming the Beatles in the studio during their first two years. It would have been fascinating to watch Hard Day's Night and Rubber Soul being created.
Best pressing I've heard of PPM is the MoFi. I went into it with low expectations - there are, after all, some Beatles MoFi pressings that are very subpar - but it sounds spectacular. Great video as always, Andrew!
Thanks Matt. I'll be covering sound quality next week.
I have loved these recordings as Introducing The Beatles and The Early Beatles, with a few changes made. I only remember the stereo versions being on vinyl. I still have my original cd's of the first 4 from 1988 that are mono. I always enjoyed the odd stereo mixes for what they were, as they allowed me to hear vocals and instruments mixed separately. I do believe a good mono mix can be much more powerful - my favorite example is Cream's debut Fresh Cream, which is a lot heavier in mono. I bet Giles will have much to do to make the remixes more clear. It will sound unbelievable when he has finished his work on these early albums.
Really high tech for back in the day! Thank you Andrew, now I want to go play it, with new perspective 🎶
My pleasure, Michael. Enjoy!
Super episode Andrew. I always learn something from your videos. I love small details and you alwyays deliver. Thanks. :- )
My pleasure, Mr Joe!
Hello Andrew! Thanks for this video which is a testament of how cool and knowledgeable you are. Debunking myths left and right!
I am millennial who first heard it in stereo but I do own the mono cd and I like it more.
This album is so good, no skips at all ❤
Great deep dive into this one Andrew. I never knew how the first album was recorded apart from an interview with George Martin in the early 80’s stating that when they recorded Please Please Me there was no mixing in those day just direct stereo. Thanks so much for the in depth explanation.
Glad you enjoyed it, Bill!
Great video Andrew! My vote is for the stereo. I think it sounds great on headphones because of the extra ambience the stereo gives. Love the raw sound mostly free of overdubs. But the title track on stereo really does sound messy with those sync issues! That’s where headphones don’t help! My favourite track nowadays is “There’s a Place”, love the high harmony on that.
This was even more in depth than I have ever heard. Also, like someone else had said in an earlier comment, thanks for the explanation of why the song Please Please Me sounds so different in stereo. Actually, I first heard the song that way and it didn't occur to me that it was so different from the mono version, but having taken another listen to the song it makes sense, especially with the ending.
Keep up the great work. I am looking forward to if or when, the Please Please Me album and any others from 1965 earlier will get the remix treatment and I'm sure it will sound bigger than ever.
I hope so too, Gord!
The original single mix of "Please Please Me/Ask Me Why" is a different mix to the later release. Dr. Ebbetts had the single in his UK singles collection. It is different than the mono version of "Please Please Me" album and CD collection.
This is outstanding Andrew . The most info I’ve ever heard on Please Please Me - it’s much appreciated 😊👍
Thank you, Stuart. Glad you enjoyed it!
Perfect as usual. 😎 My favour " Please,Please me," version is the one i got. Have 1989. cassette mono version,former Yugoslavia,stereo vinyl fomer Yugoslavia pressing,and mono U.K.CD version.
GREAT VIDEO! So much info!! Do you think you might have a series of these for all the albums in the future?
Thanks
Thank you so much!
Great video Andrew...I have an early mono pressing that sounds really great, also have a 70s German stereo pressing that is very nice. I also enjoy the 2012 stereo pressing
Fantastic as always,, look forward to next week's episode. I finally acquired the 1970's German "die beatles" vinyl on your recommendation and it sounds fantastic.
Excellent presentation! I love this album, and actually prefer it over the one that followed (I know, sacrilege). Growing up with the American versions of everything up to Sgt. Pepper’s, I was knocked-out by the 2009 reissues. Clearly, the British versions are the way these albums were meant to be heard!
Thanks John. Glad you enjoyed it!
So that's why there's that wonky "echo" at the end of the stereo mix of the title track. Crazy how they weren't even working with four-track on this one. Amazing the album sounds as good as it does. Like you said, they had no idea at the time that people would be scrutinizing every note for the next 60 years!
Fantastic show 👏- well done, great research - ready for a TV show?
Thank you, Geoff. I'm ready ;)
Fascinating, it's amazing how Heath Robinson the recording and mixing process was back then, even when compared to a couple of years later. And an amazing journey for George M to be recording comedy and "weird" music, to recording Twist and Shout after 10pm!
Great video Andrew! Very in depth research, with some info I didn't know, like how the Please Please Me stereo mix was put together. I much prefer the mono mix. I bought my mono LP in the early 1980s (no Angus McBean front credit) and has -1N and -2N matrix numbers. My stereo LP is a mid 1970s Japanese version with the flag OBI.
Thanks so much for this amazingly detailed insight Andrew. I’m probably a heretic but the 1987 mono CD is my ‘go to’ version!
Fascinating video. I like the first press mono best and the German 1973 stereo mix. Looking forward to seeing the next video in this series. Great insight Andrew.
Hello, Andrew. My favorite version of Please Please Me is the first one I heard in mono
-a 1982 red vinyl Japanese pressing. Not your first choice, I know, but hearing the album in mono was a revelation for me. The way Paul's voice pops on 1-2-3-FAH!!! I'd like to pick up a 1970's or earlier mono(as advised by you) to compare.
Enjoyed the entire video as always; very interesting. Thank you.
Thanks for watching, Richard. Glad you enjoyed it.