With The Beatles - Beatles (The) > Reviews > I'm with them too

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Not applicable
Value for Money

Advantages:	the beatles
Disadvantages:	none

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Hi:

This album was released in 1963 (22 of november), just like their first one, "Please plase me", a few months before. Like in this one, there are six songs not writen by any beatle member, but in "With the Beatles" you will find the first Harrison's song (he would create his own little company for his songs, called "Harrisongs", in 1967). Also, in this album there are two real Lennon-McCartney songs, instead of the only one released in their first album.

"With the Beatles" would reach number one in the charts easily (in GB, at least), and it's an album very similar to their first one, very simple. It would be the first album to sell more than a million copies in the U.K.

The photograph on the cover was made by Robert Freeman, and on it you will see the four members of the band in a black and white picture, with a black background and their simple faces half shaded. It was a very weird cover by that time (remember, 41 years ago....). In the picture, there are three beatles (Lennon, Harrison and McCartney, in this order) in a line, and Ringo is at the bottom of the picture. That's beacuse it was difficult to get the four of them in a line, so they decided to get Ringo at the bottom because of two reasons: he was the last to join the group, and he was the shortest one. In the photograph they are really serious, and that became a problem, the producers wanted a smiling pic.....George Martin would help them to get the picture like that at the end, and that's how it is.

Now, like I said in my first beatles album review, the songs writen by Lennon or McCartney were signed by both of them (Lennon-McCartney), but, all of them but two, were writen just by one. I'll try and tell you who was it in each.

The songs are the following:

1. It won't be long:

Lovely opening track, composed and sung by John Lennon. It's a fast rock, with bridge not that fast, but as lovely as the rest of the song (including, this bridge, very nice second voices). They probably realised people liked their "Yeah!"'s, so there are plenty of them in this opening Lennon's track.

Rate: 10/10

2. All I've got to do:

Slower love song writen again by Lennon, who'd also sung it, with a faster bridge acompanied once again by second voices well sung by McCartney and Harrison. Fantastic Lennon's voice for a love song, maybe a bit strange, too nasal (not as nasal as Ringo's, of course).

Rate: 9/10

3. All my loving:

McCartney composed and sung this one, who would became one the most famous from the album, with a lot of cover versions done in this 40 years since. One of this cover veersion, by the way, is this spanish gipsy one that I hate.... It looks a simple song, but is not, with a fast played rythmic acoustic guitar, and with a well played bass, also too fast.

Rate: 8/10

4. Don't bother me:

This is the first song composed by Harrison that would apear in any Beatles album. He's also the one who sung it. Very very weird the bass played by Paul. The song, a good one, but not into the best Harrison's songs.

Rate: 7/10

5. Little child:

This is one of this real Lennon-McCartney collaboration. The song was writen by both of them, and both of them sung it. Is a very good one, really fast, with a wonderful harmonica played by Lennon, and, for me, one of the best from this album.

Rate: 9/10

6. Till there was you:

McCartney sung this song composed by some Wilson. A very slow one, and a proof that shows every one that Paul McCartney is a very good singer. Interesting the guitar lines played by Harrison, and the solo too. It's an old classic from the 50's.

Rate: 8/10

7. Please Mr. Postman:

A very famous song in the 50's, composed by Holland / Bateman / Garrett / Dobbins / Gorman (too many people for just one song, isn't it?), is very well covered by the beatles, with Lennon singing it, and McCarteney and Harrison playing lovely second voices.

Rate: 8/10

8. Roll over Beethoven:

One of the clasic rockers from the 50's, Chuck Berry, wrote this song that the beatles covered for their second album. Is a clasic song composed by a clasic rock star that the Bealtles liked always a lot. As almos always, Harrison would sung it (Harrison would sung almost every Berry's cover version the Beatles would made).

Rate: 7/10

9. Hold me tight:

McCartney composed and sung this song. Very "pop" song, with a lot of shouts by Paul himself and Lennon and Harrison in harmony. I like it, one of my favourites, thought not many people think is a good one....

Rate: 9/10

10. You've Really Got a Hold On Me:

I'd say this is one the best song from this album, thought is not composed by any of them. So, this means this is probably the best covere version the Beatles have ever made. The composer was Robinson, a clasic musician and one of Lennon's idol in the 50's. Just a fantastic song, strangely sung by Lennon and Harrison, with McCartney in harmony. They used to sing this one in their concerts, and Lennon used to make mistakes with the lirics....(nobody would realised, with so many peo`ple shouting and fainting around)

Rate: 10/10

11. I wanna be your man:

This is the second real Lennon-McCartney song from the album, sung by Ringo. Is a fast rock, but the thing is that this song would be the one that would help the Rolling Stones to became a famous band, with Mick Jagger singing it in this "Stones" way....

Rate: 7/10

12. Devil in her heart:

Song composed by Drapkin and sung by Harriosn (wow, three songs sung by Harrison in the same album....). A slow nice one, this kind of song in wich Lennon and McCartney ask questions and Harrison answer to them in a harmony way....

Rate: 7/10

13. Not a second time:

Another Lennon's song (composed and sung by him), short and nice, with an interesting fade out ending with Lennon shouting. There's nothing special to say about this one...

Rate: 8/10

14. Money (That's what I want):

After the succed of "Twist and shout" in their first album, they tried to finished this album with a similar song. Money, composed by Bradford / Gordy and sung by Lennon, is not "twist and shout", but is also a very good rock and roll one, with Lennon shouting like he did recording "Twist and shout" a few months before.

Rate: 9/10

Well, this is the album, a short one (just 32 minutes and a few seconds), I'd say better than their first one, but not as good as their third one would be (that's my next opinion). The musicians, the same, of course:

-John Lennon: Rhythm Guitar, lead vocals, vocals and harmonica.
-Paul McCartney: Bass guitar, lead vocals and vocals.
-George Harrison: Lead guitar, lead vocals and vocals
-Ringo Starr: Drums and lead vocals.
-George Martin: Fifth beatle, and producer....

You must have this album in your collection (you must all of them...you must have a Beatle collection, as a matter of fact).

Ciao!

BLUESY