Behka’s Breakfast with The Beatles Recap: Week of November 3

On this week's edition of BWTB, we're continuing our look through their first album.Last week we went over the first couple of singles and tracks from their first album, Please Please Me. We're continuing on with more from that record!

On Monday, I played "Anna (Go To Him)"

"Anna (Go to Him)", or simply "Anna", is a song written and originally recorded by Arthur Alexander. His version was released as a single by Dot Records on September 17, 1962. A personal favorite of John Lennon, it became part of the Beatles' early repertoire. Consequently, it is the first song released by the group which specifically names a girl.

On Tuesday, I played "Chains".

"Chains" is a song composed by the Brill Building husband-and-wife songwriting team Gerry Goffin and Carole King and originally recorded (but not released by) The Everly Brothers. In 1962 it was a hit for Little Eva’s backing singers, The Cookies. The single by the Cookies was a popular cover song for Liverpool bands after its release in November 1962, and was included briefly in the Beatles' live sets. George Harrison sings the lead vocal on the Beatles' version; and, as the fourth track from the group's first album, it represents the first time many fans heard Harrison singing lead on a commercially released song.

On Wednesday, I played "Boys".

"Boys" is a song by Luther Dixon and Wes Farrell, originally performed by The Shirelles and released as the B-side of their "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" single in November 1960. The Beatles' version was recorded in a single take, and is Ringo Starr's first recorded lead vocals with the Beatles. The Beatles did not concern themselves about possible homosexual undertones that go with singing a song about boys, although they altered the gender pronouns employed on the Shirelles' version (e.g. "My girl says when I kiss her lips..."). "Boys" had always been the Beatles' 'drummer' song during their Cavern days - Pete Best sang it then. "Boys" was their main 'drummer' song until 1964. Coincidentally, Ringo also sang this for his solo spot with the band he was in before The Beatles,  Rory Storm and the Hurricanes.

On Thursday, I played "Ask Me Why".

Written in early 1962, "Ask Me Why" is principally a John Lennon composition,  but was credited to Paul McCartney and John Lennon, as were all other Lennon–McCartney originals on the first pressings of Please Please Me album. The song emulates in style that of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, by whom Lennon was influenced, and draws its opening guitar phrase from the Miracles’ "What’s So Good About Goodbye".

On Friday, I played "Please Please Me".

"Please Please Me" is a song and the second single released by English rock group the Beatles in the United Kingdom, and the first to be issued in the United States. It was originally a John Lennon composition, although its ultimate form was significantly influenced by George Martin. George Martin has stated that the original version of this song was "rather dreary", was too slow and consequently had little prospect of being the big hit the band were looking for. Lennon first conceived "Please Please Me" as a bluesy, slow tempo song.

Originally it was vocally sparse, did not contain any harmonies or responses, nor did it have the scaled harmonica intro.

That's it for this week's recap. We'll start up again on Monday at 6:00 a.m. with track nine from Please Please Me.

Pleasingly yours,
Behka