The Beatles recorded their first album in a 12-hour session

February 11, 2024

Please Please Me, The Beatles’ first album, was recorded during a 12-hour session on February 11, 1963.

The setting was EMI Studios in London, where John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr worked under the guidance of producer George Martin. Driven by a combination of youthful enthusiasm, raw talent, and a burning desire to make their mark, the Fab Four embarked on what would become a musical marathon. Initially, the band had booked out the studio for the whole day, though they added even more time in order to continue the recording session into the evening.

The lengthy recording session began at 10am, and was especially gruelling for John Lennon, who had a terrible cold. The band even rehearsed during their lunch break, meaning that by the end of the day, Lennon was truly struggling. He commented that the recording of the last song nearly killed him, and that it took his voice a very long time to recover. Despite this, the band were able to successfully record all 14 songs.

The day wrapped at 10:30pm, with ‘Twist and Shout’ being the last song that was recorded. But that wasn’t the end – the band still needed to listen to all the recordings back. Luckily, they were happy with the result of their efforts: their urgency and determination had paid off.

Please Please Me hit the shelves in March 1963, marking the beginning of a musical phenomenon.

If you’re a fan of The Beatles, you might like our limited edition Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite print.

Image credit: © UMG Archive via Abbey Road Studios.