The Cavern
Rock & Words
WITH THE BEATLES (The Beatles, 1963)
Artist: The Beatles (A)
Date of Recordinge: 18 Jul – 23 Oct -1963
Release Date: November 22nd, 1963. UK
Record Label: Parlophone/Capitol
Producter: George Martin
Rating: 8
Era: Rock & Roll II, Early Sixties (1960-1966)
Subgenre: British Invasion
Best Song: All My Loving or Money (That's What I Want)
Canciones: 1) It Won't Be Long; 2) All I've Gotta Do; 3) All My Loving; 4) Don't Bother Me; 5) Little Child; 6) Till There Was You; 7) Please Mr Postman; 8) Roll Over Beethoven; 9) Hold Me Tight; 10) You Really Got A Hold On Me; 11) I Wanna Be Your Man; 12) Devil In Her Heart; 13) Not A Second Time; 14) Money (That's What I Want).
I've always considered *With The Beatles* the evil twin of *Please Please Me*. And if we delve deeper into this comparison, I'd have to add that it's also a slightly smarter sibling, even if *Please Please Me* is prettier. Both albums are very rhythmic and have a strong rock and roll foundation. They still show a bit of the band's immaturity compared to the rest of their discography, but for 1963, both records represent a lifeline for rock, which was drowning in corporate waters at the time. In short, *With The Beatles* was a much more thoughtful album, recorded at a more leisurely pace, which leads to a careful selection of songs and better production. For this reason, the Beatles show us much more rock and roll here than on its predecessor, with a bit more energy (although never with the savagery of the Stones or the Animals), and some slightly darker and more pessimistic touches. This is even noticeable on the album covers. Here the band members look serious and sullen in a black and white photo (a tribute to their Hamburg days and their friend Astrid Kirchner), while on Please Please Me they appear smiling in spectacular technicolor. Musically, they also sound slightly darker, both in some of the lyrics and in the minor keys that predominate on the album. It's not that we're going to hear the beginnings of gothic music, not by a long shot.
On the other hand, Paul's love ballads were a must. Although McCartney's material is rarely saccharine, "All My Loving" and "Hold Me Tight" are frankly some of the cheesiest things Paul has ever sung, even though the arrangements are excellent; and it must be said that John gives him a run for his money with "Little Child," the worst song on the album. With The Beatles represents the group's consolidation as a phenomenon to watch. Many bands had a relatively successful album and ended up succumbing to pressure, riding on their coattails and releasing a forgettable second LP. Not the Beatles. On the contrary, they managed to take a step forward, indulging themselves by filling the LP with rock and roll tunes to their liking, and Lennon even indulges himself by singing something ironically charged for the first time, even if it wasn't his own composition. With The Beatles also opened the doors to the USA for them. Well, it was actually the single "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," but when they landed on this side of the Atlantic, the LP was fresh off the press and became a massive hit in America, unleashing Beatlemania outside of England. And speaking of singles, the guys had the luxury, unlike any other band, of not including their already successful singles on their LPs. When everyone would have expected to hear "She Loves You," "From Me To You," or the aforementioned "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," they preferred not to repeat them and instead released new material. They said it was out of respect for the fans. The truth is, this was unprecedented, but even more so was the fact that the album had tremendous strength on its own, without needing these kinds of commercial tricks. This is perhaps the most rock & roll album in the entire Beatles catalog, strictly speaking, in terms of roots R&R. Later, they would delve deeper into folk and pop-rock, but here they seem to be thoroughly enjoying what they were doing, free from the pressures of their debut and before Beatlemania had spiraled out of control, turning them into the Fab Four. Let's get to the music, which is what's important.
The album opens with "It Won't Be Long", a very rhythmic rock and roll number by John that I think is more than suitable to kick things off. It's a truly complex and energetic song for its time. The intro is simply wonderful, with John singing the chorus and George and Paul doing the "yeah yeah yeah" in between. Harrison's little arrangement between verses is also exceptional. The song is full of hooks, and it must be said that they are very well executed. John gives a great performance on lead vocals, but it should also be noted that the complex choral arrangements give the song enormous solidity and a great flow, so that before you know it, the song is over.
Next up is "All I've Got To Do", another Lennon composition. This song also boasts excellent harmonies, blending slow, ballad-like tempos with rhythms that seem to accelerate thanks to John's phrasing. The album includes some Motown covers, but this one, despite being an original, has always struck me as sharing that sound. The song is lovely, with somewhat silly lyrics that nonetheless express confidence and avoid the saccharine sentimentality of McCartney. In my opinion, it lacks a solo or a bridge, and for that reason, it ends too quickly.
Next up is a classic: "All My Loving". Musically it's very well-constructed. George deserves credit here for his blistering guitar work and an exceptional, brief solo at the one-minute mark. The lyrics are the problem. Paul is already becoming typecast as the sentimental and saccharine singer. The lyrics are cloyingly sweet, but musically George manages to do more than salvage them. On the other hand, the vocal melody and the voice itself sound great without needing so much backing vocals. This song was one of those they performed on their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The fourth track is George's debut as a songwriter, "Don't Bother Me". Not bad at all. The song is dark and melodic, with a medium tempo. The guitar work isn't particularly noteworthy, except for the short solo, which isn't anything special either, but rather the bittersweet feeling it leaves. George sounds downcast and genuinely in a bad mood. The song is full of minor keys and creates a perfect atmosphere for the pessimistic lyrics. I know it's been said many times, but it's impossible not to point out that the title of George's first song, the "Silent Beatle's" first, is "Don't Bother Me," something he seems to be saying throughout the rest of his time with the band.
Unfortunately, we hit a rough patch with "Little Child". This John Lennon track (have you noticed that's five original songs in a row?) is a simple, cheap, danceable rock and roll number. It has no noteworthy changes, a generic structure, the vocals sound effortless, and the lyrics are not just corny but idiotic: "Little Child Won't You Dance With Me / I'm So Sad and Lonely / Baby Take a Chance With Me." Let's be honest, it's some of the worst Lennon ever wrote. The only redeeming feature is perhaps the harmonica, which I assume John himself plays. That, and the fact that it's long enough to make us bang our heads against the wall.
Next up is "Till There Was You", the first cover. It had to be sung by Paul. This song is by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. Yep, it's cheesy. But it's also beautiful. George delivers one of his most polished and delicate acoustic guitar performances here, giving it a bolero feel and a guitar solo that rivals any decent trio (there was even a false rumor that George didn't play the solo). Paul's voice is a perfect fit, and you could almost swear it's one of his own compositions because of the passion with which he sings it. The song is lovely, but this time it's well-constructed and, in my opinion, far surpasses the original.
Next up is another Motown cover. "Please Mr. Postman" is a very curious song, somewhere between a rhythmic ballad and rock and roll. It was originally by the Marvelettes, so it sounds quite odd in John's version, with him waiting for his sweetheart's mail. Although the lyrics hardly suit John, the performance is very convincing, and Lennon gives the impression of being truly desperate, practically clinging to the postman, begging for the famous letters on the verge of hysteria. The intro is charming, with Ringo's drumming and backing vocals providing great support. I particularly love that "uhhhhh…" that Paul lets out at 2:20, right in the middle of the coda. Musically, there's nothing impressive added, and the song doesn't really demand much from them in terms of performance, but all the credit goes to the vocals. It's not a great song, but I don't know why, it's one of my favorites on the album.
Next up is "Roll Over Beethoven", a Chuck Berry cover. For this song, we should build Harrison a pedestal, put him there, stand up, and give him a hug. The song completely surpasses the original, with greater ferocity and polish. The arrangements are more refined, starting with the sublime intro. Vocally, it's not impressive, but the guitar work is excellent from beginning to end, especially the lead guitar, where he once again surpasses the master, Berry. This was undoubtedly one of his self-indulgent tracks and, in a way, a thank you to the fans at the Cavern Club, where it was undoubtedly played countless nights. Ahhh… I almost forgot about Ringo. We haven't mentioned him much because he always more than adequately fulfills his role, but in this little rock and roll number, he also delivers a standout performance, driving the rhythms with the cymbals, adding fills during the changes, and sounding like a true legend.
"Hold Me Tight" is Paul's other composition. Very bland. What else can I say? The harmony is bad and repetitive, it sounds very unimaginative, and despite being very short, it gets tiresome. The least bad thing is the apparent change at the one-minute mark, which is an illusion created by the silence of the guitars. Oh, and the backing vocals.
The tenth song is "You Really Got a Hold On Me", another Smokey Robinson cover. John again takes the lead vocals, but this time they practically own the song. The melody is good and the tempo is moderately slow, but with numerous hooks that hold your attention, like the great piano intro or the "Hold Me, Hold Me, Hold MEEEEE" at 1:30. The backing vocals are also noteworthy. Hmm… Have you noticed that John is almost always better covered in this aspect? I suppose Paul is a better backing vocalist than him, at least on this album.
We return to the originals with "I Wanna Be Your Man". Well, it's a self-cover, since it was originally written for the Rolling Stones. This time, Ringo—yes, you read that right, Ringo—is the one singing it. He's not THAT bad. The song isn't very demanding, and I don't know why people say he sang out of tune; I mean, he always gives the impression of being off-key, but strictly speaking, he never misses a note. The problem is when we listen to the Stones' version; we find that this innocent song was remade with a trillion extra attitude and a certain malevolence that borders on the sexual. But Ringo isn't Jagger, so let's just say he makes a great effort, and it shows. Besides, he plays the cymbals very well.
"Devil in Her Heart" is another cover, sung by George. He seems a bit less creative here, resulting in a rather bland ballad, although Harrison has strong backing vocals this time. Musically, I don't like it; I find it very weak and repetitive, though not offensive to the ears. However, the lyrics are somewhat interesting because of their somber tone and theme. Yes, I know it's a metaphor, but the idea of someone having the devil in their heart in 1963 wasn't an everyday occurrence; it's a shame it wasn't original...
Well, "Not a Second Time" is the 13th track, also by John. I find it just as weak as the previous one, though it's not bad either. There's some great piano work here that serves as a prelude to what's to come. The harmonies are slightly better, but by this point in the album they already sound like a formula that's constantly being repeated. In any case, "Not a Second Time" has never been one of those tracks that can't be left out of compilations.
Now comes the main course. If the best part of Please Please Me came at the end with "Twist & Shout", on this album the closing track has the same fury and energy, with the added bonus of John's tremendous sarcasm and cynicism. "Money (That's What I Want)" isn't an original song by the band, but I'm sure John thoroughly enjoyed singing it, as it perfectly suits his mocking and sharp wit. The main piano riff is simple yet brilliant, guiding the rest of the instruments throughout the song. Ringo also shines, making the track sound furious and dizzying. John's voice is at its peak—angry, shouted, raspy—as perfect as on "Twist & Shout," and the backing vocals are just as precise. It seems to me that the Beatles here become four heads thinking as one, achieving a level of performance perfection they haven't yet reached on all their songs. They'll refine it over time, but these are undoubtedly the kinds of songs I enjoy most on these two rockier albums.
With the Beatles is a step forward for the Liverpool quartet, both because of the relative ease with which it was recorded and the selection of tracks, and because of the slight musical, vocal, and compositional evolution, not to mention the worldwide impact it had. It's not surprising that it comes across as somewhat somber, considering that the main focus is on John and George, and that this is the album with McCartney's most understated contribution in the entire Beatles discography. I maintain that I see the first two Beatles albums as twins, although I still think people unfairly pay more attention to Please Please Me than to this one.
By Corvan
Nov/13/2008
