The Beatles Please Please Me First Press VG vinyl LP Album record UK PMC 1202

$

750

The Beatles Please Please Me  First Press VG vinyl LP Album record UK PMC 1202

The Beatles

Please Please Me

Incredibly Rare 1963 UK First Press

Very good condition

14-track Mono vinyl LP on the gold print Parlophone label with Dick James Music Co. publishing credits for Please Please Me, I saw her standing there, Misery, Do you want to know a secret, There’s a place, etc……

This legendary debut Beatles album was the released on Friday, March 22, 1963 on the Parlophone label. It topped the charts on May 11, 1963 where it stayed for 30 weeks until it was knocked off the number one spot by With The Beatles. Much of the album was recorded in just one day under the guidance of George Martin. Unusually the Mono Edition was issued six weeks before the Stereo copies. At the time of release of the album the design of the Parlophone label was in a transition period. The label was being changed from a black and gold design to a black and yellow design. Very few Mono copies of Please Please Me were issued with black and gold labels and have become highly sought after by Collectors and when found they are usually in average condition at the best due to the amount of parties they were taken to.

The Beatles First Official L.P. release. For the only time the Mono version was issued six weeks, before the Stereo version.

This album contained the A and B sides of their first two singles plus ten new songs all recorded in one incredible session at the Abbey Road. The session cost just 400 (UK dollars) and lasted sixteen hours.

The album took exactly six months to pass the sales figure of 250,000 and went on to sell over half a million in the UK with world sales of almost two million. It still holds the record for the longest continuous stay at Number One in the UK album charts.

The cover photo was taken at EMIs Manchester Square headquarters by Angus McBean and the sleeve notes are by Tony Barrow.

While trying to think of catchy names for their first album release George Martin offered the title Off The Beatle Track, but this was bypassed. Mr. Martin clearly like the name and used it himself in 1964.

What is the difference between Mono and Stereo label on the front record album?

Please Please Me – The Stereo version has John Lennon making a mistake in the words of the final verse which causes him to chuckle in the final chorus. This is not heard in Mono version. So the Mono version is the number one and more valuable than the Stereo version.

Condition:  Labels – The labels are in a fantastic condition. There is a just light wear around the spindle hole and a small label mark to the top clear of any text with no tears or writing on either side of the labels. The gold print is striking and clearly legible. This is the First Pressing with this label design. The First Pressing credits Dick James Music Co. for Please Please Me, I saw her standing there, Misery, Do you want to know a secret and There’s a place. The second pressing credits Northern Songs for I saw her standing there, Do you want to know a secret, There’s a place, Misery, but retains the Dick James Music Co. credit for Please Please Me.

The vinyl is in very good condition. There are several hairlines or light surface scuffs apparent on both sides with a raised hairline on side One which only results in a few soft pops and the wax still shines nicely. Due to the deep grooves and superior quality of British 1960’s vinyl pressings any wear is rendered purely cosmetic. 

As the music itself is not exclusive, this is less of an issue but the record plays cleanly with no other major pops or clicks. Some level of burring is occasionally evident in the more vibrant passages but there is no excessive distortion and surface noise is kept to a minimum.

The Matrix Numbers are XEX 421-1N on side One and XEX 422-1N on side Two.

The front of the laminated flipback picture sleeve is in decent condition with rich vibrant colours and no fading. It features a large Mono logo on the far right hand side of the sleeve. This particular example is carefully graded Very Good. There appears to have been a repair to the top flipback which is only really noticeable due to the first inch nearest to opening coming away slightly and what appears to be a little glue discolouration although the reverse still looks great with all the text clear and legible. There is no writing and the spine still looks superb.

All in all a nice Very Good copy and always extremely sought after enabling you to complete your collection at a very advantageous price.

Track listings: 

     Side One

     01.       I Saw Her Standing There

02.       Misery

03.       Anna (Go To Him)

04.       Chains

05.       Boys

06.       Ask Me Why

07.       Please Please Me

Side Two

08.       Love Me Do

09.       P.S. I Love You

10.       Baby It’s You

11.       Do You Want To Know A Secret

12.       A Taste Of Honey

13.       There’s A Place

14.       Twist And Shout

Format:  Vinyl LP

Record Label:  Parlophone

Catalogue No:  PMC 1202

Country:  United Kingdom

Year:  1963

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