I would argue Please Please Me was not the breakout song for the Beatles. The one that indicated they weren't one-hit wonders in the UK and had international pull, came a little later: I Want to Hold Your Hand.
axordil wrote:I would argue Please Please Me was not the breakout song for the Beatles. The one that indicated they weren't one-hit wonders in the UK and had international pull, came a little later: I Want to Hold Your Hand.
I *think* though, that "Please, Please Me was the one the got George Martin's attention and caused him to sign them initially...
It apparently was written as a ballad originally. Martin convinced them to speed it up and add the harmonica and the rhythmic accompaniment.
"Live! Live! Live! Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!" - Auntie Mame
I Want to Hold Your Hand was specifically targeted to be a number one US hit.
And Please Please Me came after Love Me Do which Martin had already recorded with them. In fact it was Martin that had Andy White play drums on it instead of Ringo.
I *think* though, that "Please, Please Me was the one the got George Martin's attention and caused him to sign them initially...
No, PPM wasn't written (or at least finished) at the time of the EMI audition in June. They rehearsed the early "Roy Orbison" version at the end of the "Love Me Do" recording session, but it didn't take its familiar form until the band went into the studio in November to record their second single (which Martin wanted to be the cheesy "How Do You Do It?", but the Boys were determined from the start only to release their own material as singles).