General Article name: With the Beatles
Genre: Pop englischsprachig Product type: LP (Vinyl) Label: EMI UK Number of tracks: 14 Duration: 32:47 Tracklist LP - 1 1. The Beatles - It Won't Be Long 2:11 2. The Beatles - All I've Got to Do 2:02 3. The Beatles - All My Loving 2:06 4. The Beatles - Don't Bother Me 2:27 5. The Beatles - Little Child 1:45 6. The Beatles - Till There Was You 2:12 7. The Beatles - Please Mister Postman 2:33 8. The Beatles - Roll Over Beethoven 2:44 9. The Beatles - Hold Me Tight 2:30 10. The Beatles - You Really Got a Hold On Me 3:00 11. The Beatles - I Wanna Be Your Man 1:58 12. The Beatles - Devil In Her Heart 2:24 13. The Beatles - Not a Second Time 2:06 14. The Beatles - Money (That's What I Want) 2:49   Description Description

With the Beatles is a sequel of the highest order -- one that betters the original by developing its own tone and adding depth. While it may share several similarities with its predecessor -- there is an equal ratio of covers-to-originals, a familiar blend of girl group, Motown, R&B, pop, and rock, and a show tune that interrupts the flow of the album -- With the Beatles is a better record that not only rocks harder, it's considerably more sophisticated. They could deliver rock & roll straight ("I Wanna Be Your Man") or twist it around with a little Latin lilt ("Little Child," one of their most underrated early rockers); Lennon and McCartney wrote sweet ballads (the achingly gorgeous "All I've Got to Do") and sprightly pop/rockers ("All My Loving") with equal aplomb; and the propulsive rockers ("It Won't Be Long") were as richly melodic as slower songs ("Not a Second Time"). Even George Harrison's first recorded song, "Don't Bother Me," is a standout, with its wonderfully foreboding minor-key melody. Since the Beatles covered so much ground with their originals, their covers pale slightly in comparison, particularly since they rely on familiar hits (only "Devil in Her Heart" qualifies as a forgotten gem). But for every "Roll Over Beethoven," a surprisingly stiff reading of the Chuck Berry standard, there is a sublime moment, such as Lennon's soaring interpretation of "You Really Got a Hold on Me," and the group always turns in thoroughly enjoyable performances. Still, the heart of With the Beatles lies not in the covers, but the originals, where it was clear that, even at this early stage, the Beatles were rapidly maturing and changing, turning into expert craftsmen and musical innovators. [A remastered version was reissued on 180-gram vinyl in 2012.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Contributors Artist: The Beatles Artist: BEATLES THE Record Label: EMI Catalogue Record Label: Capitol Guest Artist: George Martin