With the Beatles

Even at this early stage, George Harrison showed his great writing skills with the song "Don't Bother Me" which is a standout, with its wonderful 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. However, the cover of "Roll Over Beethoven" is an exception-it is truly wonderful.

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.

It won't be long, All I've got to do, Don't bother me, Little child, Hold me tight and Not a second time are all brilliant original songs, but how often do you hear these songs? Very rarely, except on this album. I've got a lot of Beatles tribute albums and I've heard a lot of other covers of Beatles songs and these songs are rare, to say the least.

There are two original songs that you are likely to have heard somewhere. All my loving was included in the Red album and has also been covered a few times. I wanna be your man was an early hit for the Rolling Stones - it was their second UK hit and just failed to make the UK top ten - an improvement on their previous record, which stalled outside the top twenty. Yes, the Beatles really did help the Stones on their way to superstardom.

The album includes three covers of Motown songs. At the time, Motown records did not chart in Britain - perhaps they weren't even given UK releases, so these and other covers helped to make Brits aware of their music. If it weren't for this Beatles album, a UK breakthrough by Motown might not have happened in 1964. Please Mr Postman was an American chart-topper for the Marvelettes, an outstanding Motown group. The song eventually reached number two in the UK charts via a cover by the Carpenters. I enjoy all three versions. The Marvelettes is the best, but not by much. You really got a hold on me was a huge American hit for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles. Money (sometimes titled Money that's what I want) was the very first American hit for Motown, way back in 1959. This song was eventually a top five UK hit for the Flying Lizards, a punk rock group. I can't stand their version but I've heard several other covers and I love them all.

Three other covers complete the album. Roll over Beethoven is one of Chuck Berry's classic songs. Devil in her heart is a gender-adjusted cover of Devil in his heart by the obscure girl group, the Donays. Till there was you is from the show The music man. It is not typical of this or any other Beatles album, being a ballad more typical of the thirties and forties (albeit updated for the sixties), but I love it.

This album, with some changes, became their American debut album. It was titled Meet the Beatles. Five songs were dropped and three others added. Several other Beatles albums were altered for the American market but all the CD releases are based on the UK versions.

On first listen, this album may appear ordinary compared to their later music, but don't be deceived. There's a lot of brilliant music here, especially for rock'n'roll fans.