A BEATLES' HARD-DIE'S SITE


Beatles Official Releases Story - Please Please Me


Label: Parlophone
Catalogue No.'s: PMC 1202 (Mono); PCS 3042 (Stereo)
Matrix No.'s:
Mono: XEX 421-1N; XEX 422-1N
Stereo: YEX 94-1; YEX 95-1
Release dates:
22nd March 1963 (Mono ONLY)
26th April 1963 (Stereo version)
26th February 1987 (CD release)

Total time: 31:59

U.K. Album Chart Detail:
Entry Date: 6th April 1963
Highest Position: 1 ... for 30 weeks from 11th May 1963
Weeks in Chart : 70 + 4 from 7th March 1987 (CD release, reached no.32)

Detail :
The Beatles FIRST official L.P. release
For the only time, the mono version was issued 6 weeks before the stereo version.
This album contained the "A" and "B" sides of their first two singles, plus 10 new songs all recorded in one session at Abbey Road. The session cost just £400 and lasted 16 hours.
The album took exactly 6 months to pass the sales figure of 250,000, and went on to sell over half-a-million in the U.K.
with world sales of almost two million. It still holds the record for the longest continuous stay at number 1
The cover photo was taken at EMI's Manchester Sq. headquarters by Angus McBean, and the sleeve notes are by Tony Barrow.
Whilst trying to think of catchy names for their first album release, George Martin offered the title, "Off The Beatle Track", but this was bypassed. Mr. Martin clearly liked the name, and used it himself in 1964.
In America this album was released under the title, "Introducing The Beatles" on 22nd July 1963, but had two tracks missing.
"Please Please Me" and "Ask Me Why" were omitted ... but ... when the album was re-released on 27th January 1964 those tracks were included and "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You" were left off.
The album was also part of "The Beatles Collection" 13 album box set On 26th February 1987 this album had it's first release on C.D. which was published in Mono with a catalogue number of CDP 7 46435 2. And on the same day, the record shop H.M.V. produced a special 12" numbered 4 CD Box Set Comprising:
Please Please Me
With The Beatles
A Hard Days Night
Beatles For Sale
+ Bill Harry - "Book Of Beatle Lists"
This set had a catalogue number of BEA CD 25, and was in a limited edition of just 2,500 copies.
The C.D. was also part of "The Beatles Box" 15 C.D. box set.
The album was also available on 4" reel-to-reel tape:
1963 - Catalogue number TA-PMC 1202 (3¾ ips twin-track mono tape) - first edition (mono only) in a cardboard box.
1968 - Catalogue number TA-PMC 1202 (3¾ ips twin-track mono tape) - TD-PCS 3042 (3¾ ips 4-track stereo) these editions in a "jewel" box.

Prior to 1973:
The album was released on stereo cassette tape (1⅞ ips) - Catalogue number - TC-PCS 3042.
The album was also released on 8-track stereo continuous play cartridge (3¾ ips) - catalogue no. 8X-PCS 3042

In November 1987 the album was again released on cassette tape (mono only) - Catalogue number - TC-PMC 1202.

Mono/Stereo Differences:
The stereo version has John making a mistake in the words of the final verse, which causes him to chuckle in the final
chorus ... these are not heard in the mono version

Released Versions:

First pressings (1963)
The soon to be replaced gold lettering on black "Parlophone" label is by far the rarest, with the Mono version worth about
£250 and the stereo version five times that!
These first pressings had the six new McCartney/Lennon songs with a publishing credit of "Dick James Music Co.", and the
cover was a laminated sleeve with a polythene lined inner sleeve with an advert for "Emitex" cleaning cloths upon them.

Second Pressings (1963)
Exactly the same as the above, but the publishing credit had changed to "Northern Songs". These gold/black pressings are
equally as valuable as above. But after the changeover to the Northern Songs credit and before the lettering change as
identified in the next pressing, there were fewer of these pressed than the first pressing. Only 900 were issued.

Third Pressings (1963)
The gold lettering is now replaced with a more typical yellow block writing.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label starts with "The Parlophone Co. Ltd."
The label does not have "Recording first published 1963" or "Sold in the U.K..." statements.
The word "mono" (or stereo) on the front cover is larger than in later editions.

Fourth Pressings (1963)
The standard yellow block writing Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label starts with "The Parlophone Co. Ltd."
The label DOES have "Recording first published 1963", but NOT "Sold in the U.K..." statements.
The word "mono" (or stereo) on the front cover is larger than in later editions.

Fifth Pressings (1965)
The standard yellow block writing Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "The Gramophone Co. Ltd."
The label DOES have "Sold in the U.K..." statement.
The word "mono" (or stereo) on the front cover is smaller.

Sixth Pressings (1969)
The standard yellow block writing Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label starts with "The Gramophone Co. Ltd."
The label does NOT have "Sold in the U.K..." statement.
The word "mono" (or stereo) on the front cover is smaller.

Seventh Pressings (1969)
Now with a silver/black Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "EMI Records Ltd."
The label has one EMI boxed logo.

Eighth Pressings (1973) - Stereo version only
Silver/black Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "EMI Records Ltd."
The label has two EMI boxed logos

Ninth Pressings (1982) - Mono version only
Now with a yellow/black Parlophone label.
The "All rights of the manufacturer" message around the edge of the label now starts with "EMI Records Ltd."
This release is on a lightweight vinyl.

Tenth Pressings (1995) - Mono version only
Now with a Black and Silver Parlophone label.
The sleeve has a printed statement which reads:"This album has been Direct Metal Mastered From a Digitally Re-mastered Original Tape to give the best possible sound quality".
This release is on a lightweight vinyl.

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