How To Enjoy the Beatles First Album

The first long-play album released in the U.S. in 1964 by the Beatles was Meet The Beatles.

The album's songs are among a group of the first professional recordings by the band that included their final selected drummer: Ringo Starr (Richard Starky). Ringo replaced previous drummer Pete Best, who was asked to leave the band in late 1962.  Another former band member, Stuwart Sutcliffe, died suddenly in 1962 from a brain tumor.  The band members, who launched the recording and touring career that followed and who remained the Beatles until they disbanded in 1970, were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr.

1. An album previous to Meet The Beatles was released earlier in 1963 in the UK; this album was titled Please Please Me. The two albums contained only one duplicate selection, "I Saw Her Standing There", despite both being first-releases for the two respective countries. Both albums became widely available in both countries and worldwide as the demand for their music increased. Meet The Beatles contains a mix of songs all written by the Beatles (Lennon, McCartney and Harrison) with the exception of one by a famous songwriter of musicals ("Till There Was You" by Merideth Willson). The album remained number one on the U.S. music charts for 11 weeks.
2. The Beatles became highly in-demand for further recordings and concerts following the release of their first two singles. These first records contained two songs per single record, totaling four songs. These first original released recordings included the titles - "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You" (first single) and "Please Please Me" and "Ask Me Why" (second single). The recording and release of their first albums for the U.S. and the UK followed these chart-topping singles.

   The Beatles transitioned over to studio-recordings after performing as a live band in Hamburg Germany in 1960 and at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England - their hometown - in 1961. They played in a style that was loud and very energetic for the that period and this energy can especially be heard in songs from their first U.S. album such as "I Saw Her Standing There", "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "All My Loving", all of which reached number-one on various music charts throughout the world. The album also contains soft tunes with the great signature harmonies and melodies the Beatles have always been known for.
3. Songs from Meet the Beatles:

   A-Side:
   
   I Want to Hold Your Hand
   I Saw Her Standing There
   This Boy
   It Won't Be Long
   All I've Got to Do
   All My Loving

   B-Side:

   Don't Bother Me
   Little Child
   Till There Was You
   Hold Me Tight
   I Wanna Be Your Man
   Not a Second Time

This album among others from the early career of the Beatles was highly influential in transitioning the 1950s be-bop style of rock and roll into the evolved style now known as rock music. The album provides a lot of enjoyment for those who love rock and roll oldies and classic rock.