Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Hi everyone,

I was lurking around You Tube and came across this very early take of Love Me Do.
I've always heard Paul say he was nervous when he had to sing this song for obvious reasons. Its your first record! lol

I'm always amazed at how The Beatles' songs start out simple and after a couple of takes and constant polishing, they would sound amazing.

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This version is available on "Anthology 1" and features Pete Best on drums. I can hear an immediate development in this song as it goes from this version to Ringo's take on "Past Masters" (slightly better, but Paul sounded very nervous there) to Andy White's version (the Beatles already sounded like they knew what they were doing) to the "Live at the BBC" version (again with Ringo, but my favorite out of all of them). The Beatles abandoned performing the song live after the release of "I Want to Hold Your Hand".

"Love Me Do", while simple, features some really cool harmonica from John. The sound of a chromatic harmonica always makes me think of Stevie Wonder, but John makes it sound like a blues harp in "Love Me Do".

It's astonishing how awful Pete Best is on this take. He MUST have been nervous, because his timing, choice of "fills" and weak sound make his drumming on the Sheridan sessions look John Bonham-esque. It is no wonder George MArtin wanted him gone. He is completely incapable of keeping this song in time and the harmonica solo is a disaster. Amazing there is still question of why he was kicked out with stuff like this out on the Anthology....

yup, I agree completely..... I think the most important thing about this take is allowing us a glimpse into George Martin's thought process. Unfortunately for Pete (who I think was/is a much better drummer than this take shows) his weak performance came just at the wrong time and Martin's decision to use a session drummer was the final straw for John, Paul, (and especially) George who had been unhappy with Pete for some time.

Many who have been in a band know the feeling when everyone is clicking and happy together .... except for one.

JakeK wrote: "Love Me Do", while simple, features some really cool harmonica from John. The sound of a chromatic harmonica always makes me think of Stevie Wonder, but John makes it sound like a blues harp in "Love Me Do".

Lennon played a diatonic harp, not a chromatic. You can hear it in the tone which is thinner than a chromatic and lacks the doubled reed. The chromatic sounds closer to an accordian in tone. Also, John's line is very similar to the line that Delbert McClinton played on Bruce Channel's "Hey Baby" in 1961, which was a huge hit. I played on the same bill with Delbert a few times back in the '90s and sat around drinking Heineken's after the show in the green room with him. He told me that he had showed Lennon the line from "Hey Baby" during Bruce's tour of England in 1961. That's why you're hearing a Bluesy feel -- it's Del's line paraphrased!

Lennon&on wrote:...his timing, choice of "fills" and weak sound make his drumming on the Sheridan sessions look John Bonham-esque.

Huh! What!? That's kinda' surreal...hearing the names Tony Sheridan & John Bonham mentioned in the same sentence!

Thanks for correcting me Jake. I forgot that it already was on Anthology!