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Beatles' epic album session recreated by stars Beverley Knight brings Beatles re-recording to a close
(about 9 hours later)
By Kev Geoghegan Entertainment reporter, BBC NewsBy Kev Geoghegan Entertainment reporter, BBC News
Musicians including Stereophonics and Mick Hucknall are recreating The Beatles' 10-hour recording session for their debut album Please Please Me. British soul singer Beverley Knight has brought an attempt to recreate The Beatles' epic 10-hour recording session of their album Please Please Me - to mark its 50th anniversary, to a close.
She performed the classic album's final song Twist And Shout, accompanied by a full choir of backing singers.
She told the BBC: "It's a huge, raucous song which everybody knows."
Other musicians who joined the recording at Abbey Road studios included Mick Hucknall and Joss Stone.
The Fab Four recorded almost all of the album in a day-long recording session 50 years ago, on 11 February 1963.The Fab Four recorded almost all of the album in a day-long recording session 50 years ago, on 11 February 1963.
By the end of the long day, Lennon - who had struggled with a cold - performed what is the now legendary cover version of the Isley Brother's track Twist And Shout.
Knight said: "You can hear after the first verse that he's done, he's spent but he's still giving it.
"I heard he ripped his shirt off cause he was so hot and was getting down and dirty and that's what you want, you can hear he's giving every last drop."
Stereophonics singer Kelly Jones - who sang I Saw Her Standing there - said the album "was the sound of a band capturing their raw energy".Stereophonics singer Kelly Jones - who sang I Saw Her Standing there - said the album "was the sound of a band capturing their raw energy".
The tracks are being broadcast live on Radio 2 over 12 hours. Earlier in the day, he had busked outside the studio with Radio 2 Breakfast presenter Chris Evans.
Chart topping newcomer Gabrielle Aplin was the first to arrive at the legendary Abbey Road studio, recording There's A Place - the song with which The Beatles' had started their historic recording session. The tracks were broadcast live on Radio 2 over 12 hours.
Radio 2 breakfast DJ Chris Evans and Welsh rockers the Stereophonics arrived in the same car minutes after her.
Evans then joined frontman Kelly Jones outside the studio for a short busking session.
The DJ was in fine voice, despite fluffing some lines in their cover of the single I Saw Her Standing There - a dry run for the morning's full recording, which would be accompanied by a string orchestra.
Soul singer Joss stone performed The Beatles' cover of A Taste of Honey, taken from the hit film.Soul singer Joss stone performed The Beatles' cover of A Taste of Honey, taken from the hit film.
Backed by a full string section, the 25-year-old took the lead in a jazzy version of the song.Backed by a full string section, the 25-year-old took the lead in a jazzy version of the song.
She admitted the record was new to her, adding: "I wasn't aware of the song actually, which is pretty bad. There are so many Beatles songs that I thought I would. She described her self as an "idiot" as she "wasn't aware of the song actually, which is pretty bad".
"What an idiot, but I'm glad it turned out alright." But she added: "I'm glad it turned out alright."
Lennon's sore throat Girl group sound
The sessions for Please Please Me saw The Beatles playing live renditions of the songs which had formed the core of their recent live shows. The tracks were recorded largely as they were performed, with few overdubs or layering of instruments - which became common features of their later work. Blur guitarist Graham Coxon performed the less well known track Baby It's You, written by Burt Bacharach, and stripped it back to the sound of the original version by girl group The Shirelles.
The final track to be committed to tape was Twist And Shout, which had been held back over fears that John Lennon's sore throat may not hold out if he performed it earlier in the day. He said: "I'm quite pleased to be doing that because it's not one that people immediately think about a Beatles song, so it's a sort of a soul song, which has its own challenges.
Lennon sang the huge hit topless but was unable to go for a second take, so the initial recording was used. "Although I'm not a soul singer, maybe I should have gargled some rice crispies to get a rough voice going, cause I'm not very gravelly."
Ian MacDonald, the late chronicler of Beatles recordings, wrote: "Trying for a second take, Lennon found he had nothing left and the session stopped there and then - but the atmosphere was still crackling.
"Nothing of that intensity had ever been recorded in a British pop studio."
Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds covered Do You Want To Know A Secret - which originally carried vocals from George Harrison - at the Radio 2 session.Ian Broudie of the Lightning Seeds covered Do You Want To Know A Secret - which originally carried vocals from George Harrison - at the Radio 2 session.
He said that while The Beatles' undoubtedly changed music, their debut was more of "a charming start".He said that while The Beatles' undoubtedly changed music, their debut was more of "a charming start".
"It was basically their live set. This is how they would have sounded at a live gig before they signed with George Martin. It's a great photo.""It was basically their live set. This is how they would have sounded at a live gig before they signed with George Martin. It's a great photo."
History Of the original recording, Mark Lewisohn, in his book The Complete Beatles Chronicle, wrote: "There can scarcely have been 585 more productive minutes in the history of recorded music."
Back in 1963, Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr already had four tracks they could put on the album - the singles Love Me Do and Please Please Me, plus the B-sides.
They needed 10 more to complete the album and were booked at Abbey Road amidst a hectic live schedule.
They had 30 gigs to perform in February including a tour with Helen Shapiro, plus a radio and TV show.
Lennon had a cold and was drinking tea, milk and smoking while sucking lozenges for his throat.
They started recording at 10am and their first song was There's A Place, which they managed in 13 takes.
Next was I Saw Her Standing There and several other followed in quick succession. Hold Me Tight also took 13 takes but it was dumped from the album, only to revived for their second album With The Beatles.
Although just two three-hour periods were booked for the recording, the band added a third which ended at 10.45pm.
Mark Lewisohn, in his book The Complete Beatles Chronicle, wrote: "There can scarcely have been 585 more productive minutes in the history of recorded music."
Broadcaster Stuart Maconie, who is hosting a BBC Four documentary about the Radio 2 recording, said it was hard to imagine the original sessions.Broadcaster Stuart Maconie, who is hosting a BBC Four documentary about the Radio 2 recording, said it was hard to imagine the original sessions.
"I got here this morning and what struck me was that there are so many people here - bands, crews, journalists - and how different it must have been that morning 50 years ago when the Beatles arrived in their van."I got here this morning and what struck me was that there are so many people here - bands, crews, journalists - and how different it must have been that morning 50 years ago when the Beatles arrived in their van.
"I'm fascinated whether they knew they were changing the history of the world. Did they have an inkling? I wonder if McCartney knew?""I'm fascinated whether they knew they were changing the history of the world. Did they have an inkling? I wonder if McCartney knew?"
Catch up with BBC Radio 2's 12 Hours to Please Me on the Radio 2 website. A film about the broadcast, Please Please Me - Re-making A Classic, is on BBC Four at 9:00pm on Friday, 15 February.Catch up with BBC Radio 2's 12 Hours to Please Me on the Radio 2 website. A film about the broadcast, Please Please Me - Re-making A Classic, is on BBC Four at 9:00pm on Friday, 15 February.