I wish I had better ears, Who -- or a better memory. I seem to recall that on the Ringo version, Paul's voice audibly cracks on the chorus. But maybe that was the Andy White version. And I can't tell if there's a tambourine on this or not.
You really should chase it down, Who. Pete Best, God bless him, couldn't even keep time, much less maintain the same style, for the two minutes necessary to record "Love Me Do."
First - Pete Best was awful. He was, at that time, barely a competent cover-band drummer, which is MUCH different than being a studio drummer for original songs. He was all over the place. He goes from straight rock beat to rhumba/salsa to country western all in the space of about ten measures on the first recording of "Love Me Do" - also his playing was muddy on the various covers they recorded at the same sessions. He played the snare in the middle of the drum as opposed to hitting the rim and head - the latter is a much cripser sound
Second - on the second version of "Love Me Do" with Ringo playing drums - Ringo does drag a bit in spots (plays too slow) - not badly mind you but enough to drive a record producer nuts even in those days. Whether it was nerves, etc, because of being the new guy in a proper studio with a proper producer, fatigue, etc - who knows - whatever it was, he more than got it taken care of by the "Please Please Me" session. His drumming was great on that single and throughout the rest of The Beatles' career (I contend Ringo is the most under-rated drummer of the rock era)
Finally - Ringo did indeed play tambourine on the final version of "Love Me Do" while Andy White played drums. Its clear as day on the remastered versions. He plays on the 2/4 beat with White's snare drum. It even sounds like a tambourine with a drum head (as opposed to one without or one on the hi-hat of a drum kit).
Uncle Tom, thanks so much for this. Like you, I've loved Ringo's drumming from the get-go and no doubt like you stuck up for his work in the face of much post-Beatles hipster poseur mockery. (Oh the courage i showed, thank you very much :-) !)
But the fact is Ringo is never boring, always recognizable & always right THERE -- and the big thing for me too is that there is a warmth to his sound that is seldom matched. When he comes in on -- oh, say, Day Tripper, for example -- it always feels like meeting up with an old best friend.
But yeah he could do the crisp super active sound too -- Bobby Elliott, Mick Avory on She's Got Everything: meet Ringo.
Knew of course about Ringo's hurt feelings re Love Me Do -- hello Vertical Man! -- but I had no idea what he actually sounded like. Kudos to George Martin for hanging tough on those crucial early sessions and all hail Ringo for a brilliant career. If he does another All Starr tour before going belly up, ignore the critics and go, even if he is playing at your local casino -- it's the biggest blast you can get for your musical buck. I saw Ringo at the Minnesota State Fair for like $35 or something & still remember the exact set list, pretty much ...
But is that Ringo we hear? Turns out that like much of life, that depends, your honor!
ReplyDeleteI wish I had better ears, Who -- or a better memory. I seem to recall that on the Ringo version, Paul's voice audibly cracks on the chorus. But maybe that was the Andy White version. And I can't tell if there's a tambourine on this or not.
ReplyDeleteBut hey, at least it's not the Pete Best version!
Thanks Myth & true confession: I swear I didn't even know there was a Pete Best version but as always, you’re right!
ReplyDeleteYou really should chase it down, Who. Pete Best, God bless him, couldn't even keep time, much less maintain the same style, for the two minutes necessary to record "Love Me Do."
ReplyDeletemy kind of topic -
ReplyDeleteFirst - Pete Best was awful. He was, at that time, barely a competent cover-band drummer, which is MUCH different than being a studio drummer for original songs. He was all over the place. He goes from straight rock beat to rhumba/salsa to country western all in the space of about ten measures on the first recording of "Love Me Do" - also his playing was muddy on the various covers they recorded at the same sessions. He played the snare in the middle of the drum as opposed to hitting the rim and head - the latter is a much cripser sound
Second - on the second version of "Love Me Do" with Ringo playing drums - Ringo does drag a bit in spots (plays too slow) - not badly mind you but enough to drive a record producer nuts even in those days. Whether it was nerves, etc, because of being the new guy in a proper studio with a proper producer, fatigue, etc - who knows - whatever it was, he more than got it taken care of by the "Please Please Me" session. His drumming was great on that single and throughout the rest of The Beatles' career (I contend Ringo is the most under-rated drummer of the rock era)
Finally - Ringo did indeed play tambourine on the final version of "Love Me Do" while Andy White played drums. Its clear as day on the remastered versions. He plays on the 2/4 beat with White's snare drum. It even sounds like a tambourine with a drum head (as opposed to one without or one on the hi-hat of a drum kit).
Uncle Tom, thanks so much for this. Like you, I've loved Ringo's drumming from the get-go and no doubt like you stuck up for his work in the face of much post-Beatles hipster poseur mockery. (Oh the courage i showed, thank you very much :-) !)
ReplyDeleteBut the fact is Ringo is never boring, always recognizable & always right THERE -- and the big thing for me too is that there is a warmth to his sound that is seldom matched. When he comes in on -- oh, say, Day Tripper, for example -- it always feels like meeting up with an old best friend.
But yeah he could do the crisp super active sound too -- Bobby Elliott, Mick Avory on She's Got Everything: meet Ringo.
Knew of course about Ringo's hurt feelings re Love Me Do -- hello Vertical Man! -- but I had no idea what he actually sounded like. Kudos to George Martin for hanging tough on those crucial early sessions and all hail Ringo for a brilliant career. If he does another All Starr tour before going belly up, ignore the critics and go, even if he is playing at your local casino -- it's the biggest blast you can get for your musical buck. I saw Ringo at the Minnesota State Fair for like $35 or something & still remember the exact set list, pretty much ...