littlenicola.com : and there's no time when I'm alone...

~ beatles ~*~ barbershop ~*~ blog ~*~ cats ~*~ friends ~*~ gromit ~*~ hanson ~*~ home ~*~ indigo ~*~ kith ~*~ music ~*~ now ~*~ silly ~*~ writings ~

Please Please Me

Released in the UK 22 March, 1963. Fans often look for the staircase where the cover photo was taken. They'll have to look pretty hard--it's inside the EMI House in Manchester Square. A similarly posed photo was taken in 1969 for what was to be the Get Back album, but instead was used as the cover to the "Red" album (1967-1970).

Song List
I Saw Her Standing There
Misery
Anna (Go To Him)
Chains
Boys
Ask Me Why
Please Please Me
Love Me Do
P.S I Love You
Baby It's You
Do You Want To Know A Secret
A Taste Of Honey
There's A Place
Twist And Shout

I Saw Her Standing There (Lennon/McCartney)--The original title of this song was "Seventeen".

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 !

Well, she was just 17,
You know what I mean,
And the way she looked was way beyond compare.
So how could I dance with another (wooh)
When I saw her standin' there.

Well, she looked at me,
And I, I could see
That before too long, I'd fall in love with her.
She wouldn't dance with another (wooh)
When I saw her standin' there.

Well, my heart went boom
When I crossed that room,
And I held her hand in mine.

Whoa, we danced through the night,
And we held each other tight,
And before too long, I fell in love with her.
Now I'll never dance with another (wooh)
Since I saw her standing there.

Well, my heart went boom
When I crossed that room,
And I held her hand in mine.

Whoa, we danced through the night,
And we held each other tight,
And before too long, I fell in love with her.
Now I'll never dance with another (wooh)
Since I saw her standing there.
Whoa, since I saw her standing there.
Yeah well, since I saw her standing there.

Misery (Lennon/McCartney)--Originally written for Helen Shapiro, who was a popular teenage singer in Britain in the early 1960's.

The world is treating me bad, misery.

I'm the kind of guy
Who never used to cry.
The world is treating me bad, misery.

I've lost her now for sure.
I won't see her no more.
It's gonna be a drag, misery.

I'll remember all the little things we've done.
Can't she see she'll always be the only one, lonely one?

Send her back to me,
'Cause everyone can see
Without her I will be in misery.

I'll remember all the little things we've done.
She'll remember and she'll miss her only one, lonely one.

Send her back to me,
'Cause everyone can see
Without her I will be in misery (oh oh oh),
In misery (ooh ee ooh ooh),
My misery (la la la la la la).

Anna (Go To Him) (Alexander)--The original version, recorded by songwriter Arthur Alexander, didn't crack the Top 40.

Anna,
You come and ask me, girl,
To set you free, girl.
You say he loves you more than me,
So I will set you free,
Go with him (Anna),
Go with him (Anna).

Anna,
Girl, before you go now,
I want you to know, now,
That I still love you so,
But if he loves you more,
Go with him (Anna) .

All of my life,
I've been searchin' for a girl
To love me like I love you.
Oh, now,
But every girl I've ever had
Breaks my heart and leaves me sad.
What am I, what am I supposed to do?

Anna,
Just one more thing, girl.
You give back your ring to me,
And I will set you free,
Go with him (Anna).

All of my life,
I've been searchin' for a girl
To love me like I love you.
But let me tell you now,
But every girl I've ever had
Breaks my heart and leaves my sad.
What am I, what am I supposed to do?

Anna,
Just one more thing, girl.
You give back your ring to me,
And I will set you free,
Go with him (Anna),
Go with him (Anna),
You can go with him, girl (Anna),
Go with him.

Chains (Goffin/King)--The original recording artist of this song was the Cookies, and this one did crack the Top 40; it peaked at no. 17.

Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains,
And they ain't the kind that you can see.
Woah, oh, these chains of love got a hold on me, yeah.

Chains, well, I can't break away from these chains.
Can't run around, 'cause I'm not free.
Whoa, oh, these chains of love won't let me be, yeah.

I wanna tell you, pretty baby,
I think you're fine.
I'd like to love you,
But, darlin', I'm imprisoned by these

Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains,
And they ain't the kind that you can see.
Woah, oh, these chains of love got a hold on me.

Please believe me when I tell you,
Your lips are sweet.
I'd like to kiss them,
But I can't break away from all of these

Chains, my baby's got me locked up in chains,
And they ain't the kind that you can see.
Whoa, oh, these chains of love got a hold on me, yeah.

Chains, chains of love.
Chains of love.
Chains of love.

Boys (Dixon/Farrell)--Part of the Beatles' live repertoire from 1961-64, original drummer Pete Best sang vocals on this song until he was booted in favor of Ringo Starr in August 1962.

I've been told, when a boy kiss a girl,
Take a trip around the world,
Hey, hey, (bop shoo-wop, a bop-bop-shoo-wop)
Hey, hey, (bop shoo-wop, a bop-bop-shoo-wop)
Hey, hey, (bop shoo-wop) yeah, she say ya do. (bop shoo-wop)

My girl says when I kiss her lips,
Gets a thrill through her fingertips,
Hey, hey, (bop shoo-wop, a bop-bop-shoo-wop)
Hey, hey, (bop shoo-wop, a bop-bop-shoo-wop)
Hey, hey, (bop shoo-wop) yeah, she say ya do. (bop shoo-wop)

Well, I talk about boys, (yeah yeah boys)
Don't ya know I mean boys, (yeah yeah boys)
Well, I talk about boys, now, (yeah yeah boys)
Aaahhh, boys, (yeah yeah boys)
Well, I talk about boys, now, (yeah yeah boys)
What a bundle of joy! (yeah yeah boys) (Alright, George!)

Ahh, I talk about boys, (yeah yeah boys)
Don't ya know I mean boys, (yeah yeah boys)
Well, I talk about boys, now, (yeah yeah boys)
Aaahhh, boys, (yeah yeah boys)
Well, I talk about boys, now, (yeah yeah boys)
What a bundle of joy! (yeah yeah boys)

Ask Me Why (Lennon/McCartney)--Capitol Records refused to release this song, but VeeJay, a smaller U.S. label, released it as the B-side to "Please Please Me".

I love you, 'cause you tell me things I want to know.
And it's true, that it really only goes to show,
That I know,
That I, I, I, I should never, never, never be blue.

Now you're mine, but my happiness still makes me cry.
And in time, you'll understand the reason why,
If I cry.
It's not because I'm sad,
But you're the only love that I've ever had.

I can't believe it's happened to me.
I can't conceive of any more misery.

Ask me why, I'll say I love you,
And I'm always thinking of you.

I love you, 'cause you tell me things I want to know.
And it's true that it really only goes to show,
That I know,
That I, I, I, I should never, never, never be blue.

Ask me why, I'll say I love you,
And I'm always thinking of you.

I can't believe it's happened to me.
I can't conceive of any more misery.

Ask me why, I'll say I love you,
And I'm always thinking of you.

Please Please Me (Lennon/McCartney)--This song started out as a slow, Orbisonesque (yes, I'm inventing words) tune, until producer George Martin made a few suggestions. After recording the changed version, Martin told them they'd recorded their first number one. He was right.

Last night I said these words to my girl,
I know you'll never even try, girl.
Come on (come on), come on (come on),
Come on (come on), come on (come on),
Please please me, whoa yeah, like I please you.

You don't need me to show the way, love.
Why do I always have to say love,
Come on (come on), come on (come on),
Come on (come on), come on (come on),
Please please me, whoa yeah, like I please you.

I don't wanna sound complainin',
But you know there's always rain in my heart (in my heart).
I do all the pleasin' with you, it's so hard to reason
With you, woah yeah, why do you make me blue?

Love Me Do (Lennon/McCartney)--It's rumoured that manager Brian Epstein purchased 10,000 copies of the Beatles' first UK single to help it's chart progress.

Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I'll always be true.
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.

Someone to love,
Somebody new.
Someone to love,
Someone like you.

Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I'll always be true.
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.

Love, love me do.
You know I love you,
I'll always be true.
So please, love me do.
Whoa, love me do.
Yeah, love me do.
Whoa, oh, love me do.

P.S. I Love You (Lennon/McCartney)--One of the songs performed at their audition for Parlophone Records.

As I write this letter,
Send my love to you,
Remember that I'll always
Be in love with you.

Treasure these few words 'till we're together,
Keep all my love forever.
P.S., I love you,
You, you, you.

I'll be coming home again to you, love.
Until the day I do, love,
P.S., I love you,
You, you, you.

As I write this letter,
Send my love to you,
Remember that I'll always
Be in love with you.

Treasure these few words 'till we're together,
Keep all my love forever.
P.S., I love you,
You, you, you.

As I write this letter, (Oh)
Send my love to you, (You know I want you to)
Remember that I'll always, (Yeah)
Be in love with you.

I'll be coming home again to you, love,
Until the day I do, love,
P.S., I love you,
You, you, you.
You, you, you.
I love you.

Baby It's You (David/Williams/Bacharach)--Originally recorded by the Shirelles.

Sha la la la la la la la,
Sha la la la la la la la,
Sha la la la la la la la,
Sha la la la la,

It's not the way you smile that touched my heart.
(sha la la la la)
It's not the way you kiss that tears me apart.

Oh, oh, many, many, many nights go by,
I sit alone at home and I cry over you.
What can I do?
Can't help myself,
'Cause baby, it's you. (sha la la la la la la la)
Baby, it's you. (sha la la la la la la la)

You should hear what they say about you. (cheat cheat)
They say, they say you never never never ever been true. (cheat cheat)

Oh oh, It doesn't matter what they say,
I know I'm gonna love you any old way.
What can I do? And it's true,
Don't want nobody, nobody,
'Cause baby, it's you. (sha la la la la la la)
Baby, it's you. (sha la la la la la la)

Oh oh, It doesn't matter what they say,
I know I'm gonna love you any old way.
What can I do? And it's true,
Don't want nobody, nobody,
Cause baby, it's you. (sha la la la la la la)
Baby, it's you. (sha la la la la la la)
Don't leave me all alone...

Do You Want To Know A Secret (Lennon/McCartney)--John Lennon got the idea for this song from a song in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs--a song called "Wishing Well".

You'll never know how much I really love you.
You'll never know how much I really care.

Listen,
Do you want to know a secret?
Do you promise not to tell? Woah, oh, oh,

Closer,
Let me whisper in your ear.
Say the words you long to hear,
I'm in love with you.

Listen (doo wah ooh)
, Do you want to know a secret? (doo wah ooh)
Do you promise not to tell? Woah oh, oh,

Closer (doo wah ooh),
Let me whisper in your ear (doo wah ooh),
Say the words you long to hear,
I'm in love with you.

I've known the secret for a week or two,
Nobody knows, just we two.

Listen (doo wah ooh)
, Do you want to know a secret? (doo wah ooh)
Do you promise not to tell? Woah oh, oh,

Closer (doo wah ooh),
Let me whisper in your ear (doo wah ooh),
Say the words you long to hear,
I'm in love with you.

A Taste Of Honey (Marlow/Scott)--Originally written for a play by the same name.

A taste of honey,
Tasting much sweeter than wine.

I dream of your first kiss, and then,
I feel upon my lips again,
A taste of honey,
Tasting much sweeter than wine.

I will return, yes I will return,
I'll come back for the honey and you.

Yours was the kiss that awoke my heart.
There lingers still, though we're far apart.
That taste of honey,
Tasting much sweeter than wine.

Oh I will return, yes I will return,
I'll come back (he'll come back) for the honey (for the honey) and you.

There's A Place (Lennon/McCartney)--Released by VeeJay in August 1964, but it didn't crack the Top 40.

There's a place,
Where I can go,
When I feel low,
When I feel blue.
And it's my mind,
And there's no time when I'm alone.

I think of you,
And things you do,
Go 'round my head.
The things you said,
Like I love only you.

In my mind there's no sorrow,
Don't you know that it's so.
There'll be no sad tomorrow,
Don't you know that it's so.

There's a place,
Where I can go,
When I feel low,
When I feel blue.
And it's my mind,
And there's no time when I'm alone.

There's a place.

Twist And Shout (Medley/Russell)--The last song recorded in their legendary marathon 2/11/63 recording session for the majority of Please Please Me, John Lennon could only handle one take of this song. You can hear how raw his throat was in the song. They tried a second take, but the first one was far better.

Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
C'mon c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)

Well, work it on out, honey. (work it on out)
You know you look so good. (look so good)
You know you got me goin', now, (got me goin')
Just like I knew you would. (like I knew you would)

Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
C'mon c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)

You know you twist your little girl, (twist, little girl)
You know you twist so fine. (twist so fine)
Come on and twist a little closer, now, (twist a little closer)
And let me know that you're mine. (let me know you're mine)

Ahh, Ahh, Ahh, Ahh, Ahh,
Well, shake it up, baby, now, (shake it up, baby)
Twist and shout. (twist and shout)
C'mon c'mon, c'mon, c'mon, baby, now, (come on baby)
Come on and work it on out. (work it on out)

Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)
Well, shake it, shake it, shake it, baby, now. (shake it up baby)
Ahh, Ahh, Ahh, Ahh.

Back to Lyrics Main