"Meet the Beatles" seems an ideal choice for our first classic album review. My introduction to rock n roll could not have been better if it had been hand-picked by God. Sure, everyone knows who the Beatles are, and everyone loves Sgt. Pepper and the White Album and Revolver. I love all of those albums too. But, MTB never fails to evoke an onrush of nostalgia that makes my big toe shoot right up in my shoe. Everything about this record is so polished. From the dark Bauhaus-ian cover shot to the four young toughs pictured on the back in their matching razor-sharp suits and square-toed, black leather, mod-kicker boots. These are not sensible shoes.
Knowing all of the history that we do, when we look at them now, we know that even though the oldest was only 23 at the time, The Beatles were already seasoned veterans, with years of relentless performing under their belts - at Liverpool's Cavern, and in der Kaiserkeller of Hamburg Germany. They had taught themselves chords and vocal harmony and here was their first album, comprised of 91.6% original material -- they were already accomplished songwriters (the exception being Meredith Wilson's "'Til There was You" - a great vehicle for the smooth croonings of young McCartney)!
Mostly, though, when I listen to this record, the one word that comes to mind is - Testosterone. The vocals are powerful - occasionally breaking into full-on banshee screams. Even the slow numbers seem to have a metronomic tightness and full force vocalization. For me the standout track is I Saw Her Standing There -- it just plain ROCKS! "One Two Three FOW-ER! Play that bass line at that tempo while singing those vocals - go ahead, I dare you. And the harmonies - on this track and the hit single I Wanna Hold Your Hand - nothing in pop music had ever sounded like that. Open fourths and fifths below the main melody - Mean. Exciting. Stimulating. Scores of teenage girls were impregnated just by listening to the thing. Seriously - look it up on Wikipedia.
Also featured is the Ringo-sung, head-pummeling I Wanna Be Your Man, which the lads had earlier given to the Rolling Stones for one of their first singles. The legend is that the two groups were hanging out and the Stones began talking about how they needed a single and they really weren't songwriters yet. So John and Paul sat down on the spot and whipped this little ditty out for Mick and the boys. If you can find the Stones' version, it's worth a listen for a piece of rock n roll history.
A big tip of my hat goes to the Smithereens who put out an album a few years back, entitled "Meet the Smithereens," wherein they cover the entire MTB album track by track. Obviously, MTB had the same effect on them that it did on me, and that makes us related somehow. They do a damn fine job with it too. Some of the fast rockin' tunes lack the same punch and tightness, but overall the Smithereens do a stand-up performance here. Plus, you gotta remember, the members of the Smithereens were probably all over twice as old as the Beatles were when they made the original - so give the old geezers a break!
Kids - do yourselves a favor - if you're not intimately familiar with this album, then go buy a copy today and give it a spin. It'll only take 26 minutes of your time and you won't be sorry. Get a CD or a set of mp3's if you must, but if you can find a vinyl recording in your mom's (or your grandmom's) record collection, then that is definitely the way to go. I can't explain this, but it just isn't the same without audible pops, crackles, and hiss. For maximum pleasure, play it as loud as possible and sing along at the top of your lungs. Maybe even give a banshee scream now and then.
Meet the Beatles
Released: January 1964
Track Listing:
Side One
1. I Want to Hold Your Hand
2. I Saw Her Standing There
3. This Boy
4. It Won't Be Long
5. All I've Got to Do
6. All my Loving
Side Two
1. Don't Bother Me
2. Little Child
3. Till There was You
4. Hold me Tight
5. I Wanna Be Your Man
6. Not a Second Time
This review is dedicated to the memory of my mother who passed away a few years ago. I miss her terribly and thank her for having hung on to a few old records from her youth. Peace.
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