Please Please Me - Back To Basics

The Beatles
 
Please Please Me - Back To Basics - Artwork Please Please Me - Back To Basics - Artwork 2
Please Please Me - Back To Basics - Front Artwork Please Please Me - Back To Basics - Back Artwork

Label Helter Skelter
Catalogue No. HSR 01/02
Release Date 21st February 2011
Total Time Disc 1 - 59:20
Disc 2 - 61:46
Comments:
(from the release notes)
All available studio sessions and rare mixes from the Please Please Me album - pitch, phase, level and error corrected.
All tracks are taken from the best possible sources, with detailed info on remastering.

Included for the first time the very rare '1,2,3,4!' Mix (Non-Sessions Mix) of 'Besame Mucho' - this was mixed for the unreleased "Sessions" album in 1984, before being butchered at EMI for the final release. This version has the proper 'non-looped' ending.

Some parts of this release have been treated with minor hiss reduction.
This has been done at very low level and only on certain frequencies using 'Algorithmix' Industry Standard Software to ensure that the original audio was not compromised. Nothing has been lost (the Helter Skelter policy) during this process - only minor hiss removed for better listenability on studio chat.
No noise reduction has been applied to any music elements.

ALL HELTER SKELTER ALBUMS ARE NON-PROFIT PRODUCTIONS FOR FANS, MADE BY FANS - DO NOT BUY OR SELL THIS ALBUM

JPGR Comments :
This double CD set was made available for free as a download.
The downloads arrived as lossless FLACs and include full artwork and recording notes.

The amount of times I've thought about collecting together the available takes for an album and sequencing them properly together and now I don't have to as Helter Skelter has done it for me. And very good it is too.
Everyone would do it differently I'm sure, but for me I would have left out the alternate later mixes such as Rockband. I'd have arranged all session takes then the final mix version and of course, being as one presses one's own finished disc this is exactly what you can easily do.


C.D. One

Note: The track timings include the studio chat and the Control Room's Take calls.

No Tracklisting Information Time
Tracks 1-12 all from session of Monday 11th February 1963
1 I Saw Her Standing There   Take 1 (Stereo)
At this initial stage the track is known as "Seventeen"
Control Room call, "Seventeen - Take 1"
3:00
2 I Saw Her Standing There Take 2 (Stereo)
Paul says, "Ok, go on"
Control Room call, "Take 2"
3:03
3 I Saw Her Standing There Take 3 (Stereo)
Control Room call, "This is an Edit Piece - Take 3"
A run through of the final bars
0:32
4 I Saw Her Standing There Take 4 (Stereo)
Control Room call, "Another Edit Piece and it will be Take 4"
A run through of guitar solo section
0:44
5 I Saw Her Standing There Take 5 (Stereo)
Control Room call, "Another Edit Piece, or rather, the same Edit Piece, Take 5"
Another run through of guitar solo section
0:54
6 I Saw Her Standing There Take 6 (Stereo)
Control Room call, "A complete one, Take 6"
Paul asks, "Where's the tempo ?", reply, "It's a full one", "of course, oh".
This take breaks down as Paul says, "Too fast"
"You had the wrong words"
"Yeah, but it's too fast anyway"
1:16
7 I Saw Her Standing There Take 7 (Stereo)
Control Room call, "Take 7"
Paul interupts the opening chords, "It's too fast", "and again, I'm sorry, you know"
0:17
8 I Saw Her Standing There Take 8 (Stereo)
Control Room call, "Take 8"
This take breaks down quickly again, Paul asks, "What happened ?"
0:24
9 I Saw Her Standing There Take 9 (Stereo)
Control Room call, "Take 9"
This take would be used in the final mix with Take 12's added handclaps.
2:49
10 I Saw Her Standing There Take 10 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Seventeen Track 2 Take 10"
You can hear take 9 start as they attempt some overdubs on the second track
2:58
11 I Saw Her Standing There Take 11 (Mono)
Paul, "Echoed claps, have yer ?"
Control Room call, "Seventeen Track 2 Take 11"
An attempt to add some handclap overdubs but it quickly breaks down
0:31
12 I Saw Her Standing There Take 12 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Take 12"
Clapping and laughter, then a pause before a perfect run through adding handclaps to Take 9
3:02
13 I Saw Her Standing There Take 9 Mono remix
Remixed version for Anthology 1 without the handclaps
2:50
14 I Saw Her Standing There U.S. Stereo mix by George Martin for Rock 'n' Roll Music in 1976.
This mix includes the handclaps.
The left and right channels are reversed and are brought slightly more central.
2:50
15 I Saw Her Standing There 2009 RockBand Stereo Remix (with handclaps) 2:51
Tracks 16-24 all from session of 11th February 1963
16 Misery Take 1 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Misery - Take 1"
1:54
17 Misery Take 2 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Take 2"
Breaks down after 30 seconds, George Martin says, "George has changed guitars, hasn't he ?"
All, "No !", George adds, "I probably changed the tone"
"A little less volume George".
1:07
18 Misery Take 3 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Take 3"
Breaks down after 13 seconds
0:17
19 Misery Take 4 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Take 4", Paul, "Shall we go ?", but then breaks down after 32 seconds
0:43
20 Misery Take 5 (Mono)
Control Room call, "5", again breaks down after 32 seconds
0:35
21 Misery Take 6 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Take 6"
Paul practices a line, "I won't see her no more"
2:08
22 Misery Take 7 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Take, er, 7"
1:53
23 Misery Take 8 (Mono)
Control Room call, "Take 8"
"Come in on the first note", "he's not coming in"
Take 8 lasts 0:23 then breaksdown, "you sung the wrong words"
Final "best" take was take 11 not available here -
to this, overdubbed piano was added by George Martin to finalise on take 16.
1:53
24 Misery Take 16 RM1 U.S. Mono Mix
(lifted from Every Little Thing)
1:46
25 Misery U.S. stereo mix for "Rarities" 1:46
26 Boys U.S. Stereo mix by George Martin for Rock 'n' Roll Music in 1976 2:22
27 Boys RockBand Mono mix with count-in start 2:12
Tracks 28-30 all from session of 11th September 1962
28 Please Please Me Mono mix from Anthology 1 - no harmonica 1:57
29 Please Please Me U.K. standard single mix with harmonica 2:00
30 Please Please Me Stereo mix of Takes 16-18 (with harmonica)
The Stereo take - WITH a clear mistake in the lyrics
In the final verse John sings "I know I never even try girl" instead of
"I know you never even try girl" ... and then chuckles briefly on the next "Come on".
Remixed by Capitol in 1965 for "The Early Beatles"
1:57
Track 31 from session of 6th June 1962
31 Love Me Do Mono with Pete Best on drums from Anthology 1
A markedly lacklustre performance all round from 6th June 1962
2:30
Track 32 from session of 4th September 1962
32 Love Me Do Mono single version with Ringo on drums
The 4th September 1962 recording without tambourine.
2:24
33 Love Me Do Stereo mix for TV Anthology 2:21


C.D. Two

Note: The track timings include the studio chat and the Control Room's Take calls.

No Tracklisting Information Time
Tracks 1 & 2 from session of 11th February 1963
1 Do You Want To Know A Secret   Take 7 (Mono)
As last note fades (1:58), one of the lads says, "I can't get off that"
Paul, "The doo-dah" "what's happening"
Control Room call, "Do You Want To Know A Secret Track 2 Take 8"
John, "shall we just do iton the 2nd verse like we said ?"
2:36
2 Do You Want To Know A Secret Take 8 (Mono)
Control Room, "Oh yes, Track 2 Take 8"
Overdub of harmony vocal and drum taps onto Take 6
2:03
3 Do You Want To Know A Secret RockBand Stereo mix
Starts with 1-2-3-4 and has no backing vocal on 1st verse
1:59
Tracks 4-18 all from session of 11th February 1963
4 A Taste Of Honey Take 6 (Mono)
Control Room, "A Taste Of Honey Track 2 Take 6"
2:09
5 A Taste Of Honey Take 7 (Mono)
Overdub of double-track vocal onto Take 5.
Control Room, "A Taste Of Honey Track 2 Take 7"
2:10
6 There's A Place Take 1 (Stereo)
Paul, "S'alright, 2-3-4"
2:04
7 There's A Place Take 2 (Stereo)
Control Room, "2", Paul faintly, "1-2-3"
2:00
8 There's A Place Take 3 (Stereo)
Control Room, "Take 3"
Intro interrupted after 7 seconds by control room, "Again"
0:13
9 There's A Place Take 4 (Stereo)
Control Room, "Take 4", Paul, "2-3-4"
1:54
10 There's A Place Take 5 (Stereo)
Control Room, "Take 5"
Paul and John briefly discuss how to phrase opening "There"
The Take breaks down after 5 seconds anyway
0:24
11 There's A Place Take 6 (Stereo)
Control Room, "6"
1:52
12 There's A Place Take 7 (Stereo)
Control Room, "7, Take 7", Paul, "1-2-3"
Breaks down after 33 seconds, Control "And again from the top"
0:41
13 There's A Place Take 8 (Stereo)
Control Room, "Take 8"
1:55
14 There's A Place Take 9 (Stereo)
Control Room, "9", Paul, "1-2 ... 1-2"
2:01
15 There's A Place Take 10 (Stereo)
Control Room, "10", Paul seems to say to himself, "Take 50", then "1-2, 1"
1:57
16 There's A Place Take 11 (Mono)
Control Room, "There's A Place Track 2 Take 11"
Overdub of harmonica onto Take 10.
2:03
17 There's A Place Take 12 (Mono)
Control Room, "This is Track 2 Take 12" which breaks down after 5 seconds.
Control, "Take 13"
0:14
18 There's A Place Take 13 (Mono)
The final take to be mixed for the album
2:00
19 There's A Place Stereo mix for U.S. Rarities album 1:48
20 Twist And Shout Stereo remix for Rock 'n' Roll Music (1976) 2:32
21 Twist And Shout Stereo
1986 remix made for the film (or promotion of) Ferris Bueller's Day Off
This has the left instrumental track relatively louder.
2:34
22 Twist And Shout Stereo Anthology TV Mix 2:32
23 Twist And Shout Stereo RockBand mix
"Ok, 1-2-3"
2:35
24 Besame Mucho Mono "1,2,3,4" mix with alternate ending 2:35
25 Besame Mucho Mono "Sessions" Mix - released on Anthology 1 2:35
26 Besame Mucho Mono
Bonus remastered EQ'd version
2:35
Track 27 from session of 4th September 1962
27 How Do You Do It Take 2 (Mono) 1:56
28 How Do You Do It Take 2 (Mono) - Early Sessions mix in 1984 2:06
29 How Do You Do It Take 2 (Mono) - 1985 "Sessions" mix, released on Anthology 1 2:06
30 How Do You Do It Take 2 (Mono)
Bonus remastered EQ'd version
1:56
31 Ask Me Why Mono Single mix (from Take 6) 2.24


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