1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die - #35. The Beatles - With The Beatles (1963)

The Beatles - With The Beatles (1963)
Label - Parlophone
Producer – George Martin
Art Direction – Robert Freeman
Nationality - UK
Running Time – 33:24

Track Listing (standout tracks in bold)
1. It Won't Be Long
2. All I've Got To Do
3. All My Loving
4. Don't Bother Me
5. Little Child
6. Till There Was You
7. Please Mr Postman
8. Roll Over Beethoven
9. Hold Me Tight
10. You've Really Got A Hold On Me
11. I Wanna Be Your Man
12. Devil In Her Heart
13. Not A Second Time
14. Money

What can be said about the Beatles that has never been written before. Simply put – the greatest rock and roll group in history. Ever. Period.
I could select each track as a standout – as they are all just fantastic. There is an equal ratio of covers-to-originals, a familiar blend of girl group, Motown, R&B, pop, and rock, and a show tune thrown in for good measure. The Beatles could do it all. Straight ahead rock and roll, ("I Wanna Be Your Man") or twist it around with a little Latin lilt ("Little Child," easily one of their most underrated early rockers). John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote great ballads ("All I've Got to Do") and classic pop/rockers ("All My Loving"). Then there are the driving rockers ("It Won't Be Long") and melodic slower slower songs ("Not a Second Time"). Even George Harrison’s first song recorded ("Don't Bother Me”) is a standout!
The covers only pale slightly in comparison, (although "Devil in Her Heart" qualifies as a forgotten gem). With John’s vocals on "You Really Got a Hold on Me," this track is always an enjoyable performances.
It was clear that this record was head and shoulders above the music that was being released around the same time. The Beatles were rapidly turning into the icons they would become and the standard by which to measure all others from this point forward.
Highly recommended.