When the John Lennon song 'Please Please
Me,' shot to number one in the UK singles' charts, the rush to follow-up
with an album was on. The record was produced in one night; a feat
made possible by the long and demanding sets the band had played in
Hamburg. Despite its reliance on 'covers' the album sounds fresh even
today. Producer George Martin had witnessed the unbridled enthusiasm
and brimming confidence the Beatles demonstrated in performance and
so the recording session was set up to resemble a regular gig as much
as possible. John shouted himself hoarse and was lucky to get through
the session that produced four hit singles in the UK and the most
famous single-take in rock, 'Twist and Shout'.
