P.S. I Love You (The Beatles song)

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"P.S. I Love You" is a song composed principally by Paul McCartney^[1] credited to McCartney-Lennon, which was first recorded by the The Beatles and released on 5 October 1962 as the B-side of their "Love Me Do" single. It is also included on their 1963 album Please Please Me.

[edit] Recording

The version featured on the single and album was recorded in ten takes on 11 September 1962 at Abbey Road Studios, London. Session drummer Andy White gave the recording a lightweight cha cha^[2] treatment, and consequently it misses the distinctive heavy drum beat that characterised most of their early music. Starr plays maracas.

Martin was not physically present at the session, which was run by Ron Richards in his absence. Richards told the group that the song could not be the A-side of their single, because of the earlier song of the same title, so it was relegated to the B-side^[3] (even though other titles have been used for multiple hit songs without legal difficulties).

The Beatles (with Ringo Starr playing drums) also recorded this song at the BBC on 25 October 1962, 27 November 1962, and 17 June 1963 for subsequent broadcast on the BBC radio programmes Here We Go, Talent Spot, and Pop Go the Beatles, respectively.

[edit] Inspiration

Written in 1961, while Paul McCartney was in Hamburg, this song is sometimes considered to be a dedication to his then-girlfriend Dot Rhone.^[4] However, McCartney denies this; he described "P.S. I Love You" as

John Lennon said about this song:^{[citation needed]}

("Soldier Boy" was a US #1 single for the Shirelles in 1962.)

With a pleasant sounding melody, the verse and chorus could be considered typical McCartney, and its lyrics were popular with female fans.^[6] The young Lennon and McCartney would often introduce what might be considered incongruous sounding jazz chords into their very early compositions (almost certainly McCartney's influence, as he was the more advanced musician at this early stage^[7]) as is the case here inserting C#7 (on "write") between the chords G and D in its opening chorus.

The Beatles admired Buddy Holly and the Crickets.^{[citation needed]} In addition to the literal content of the song lyrics, writer Jonathan Cott suggested that the "P.S." part of the song was also a subtle reference to "Peggy Sue", from the lyric "I love you, Peggy Sue".^[8]

[edit] Re-release

On its twentieth anniversary, Parlophone re-issued "P.S. I Love You" as a picture disc, and shortly afterwards as a 12-inch disc.

[edit] Credits

• Paul McCartney — bass, lead vocal
• John Lennon — acoustic guitar (electrified Gibson J-160E), lead vocal
• George Harrison — lead guitar (electrified Gibson J-160E)
• Andy White — drums
• Ringo Starr — maracas

[edit] Cover versions

"P.S. I Love You" has been covered by:

• Sonny Curtis in 1964
• the Italian singer Riki Maiocchi in 1965
• Peter Lipa on his 2003 album Beatles in Blue(s), which features unusual cover versions of sixteen Beatles songs

[edit] References

1. ^ Bill Harry The Ultimate Beatles Encyclopedia P.583
2. ^ Ian MacDonald Revolution in the Head P.54
3. ^ Mark Lewisohn, The Complete Beatles Recording Sessions (London: EMI/Hamlyn, 1988), 20.
4. ^ Ian MacDonald Revolution in the Head P.54
5. ^ Paul McCartney Many Years From Now P.37
6. ^ MacDonald, Ian (1998). Revolution in the Head, 54. 
7. ^ Paul McCartney & Barry Miles, Many Years From Now, p. 30
8. ^ (1976) The Rolling Stone Illustrated History of Rock and Roll. Rolling Stone Press Random House, 81. ISBN 0-394-73238-3. 

[edit] External links

• Alan W. Pollack's Notes on "P.S. I Love You"
• Listing for "P.S. I Love You" at Steve's Beatles Page
• Listing for "P.S. I Love You" at The Complete Guide to the Beatles' Instruments