It Won't Be Long
With The Beatles is their first finest early work and possibly the best pure pop LP of all time. Of the R&B cover versions, we can treasure John Lennon's lustful reading of Smokey Robinson's "You Really Got A Hold On Me" and George Harrison's muddy Mersey vocals on Chuck Berry's "Roll Over Beethoven". But the eight original Beatles' songs - from "All My Loving" to "I Wanna Be Your Man" - were the true proof that a massive talent had arrived. (Endearingly, however, CD cannot disguise the ghastly hash that Paul McCartney makes of singing the low notes in the middle eight of "Hold Me Tight".) An intoxicating pleasure from end to end. With The Beatles will never be bettered. The noise of joy and the essence of a generation's most optimistic moment.
All I've Got To Do
All My Loving
Don't Bother Me
Little Child
'Til There Was You
Please Mr Postman
Roll Over Beethoven
Hold Me Tight
You Really Got A Hold On Me
I Wanna Be Your Man
(There's A) Devil In Her Heart
Not A Second Time
Money (That's What I Want)