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Good for America

Ken Douglas | Landlocked in Reno | 03/22/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This record came out in November 1963 and because my dad was in the record business I got it just before Christmas and I was as blown away by it as I was with Please, Please Me. I had pretty much memorized ever line of every song on this record by the time the American version, "Meet the Beatles" came out late in January, 1964, which had a different running order and included the new number one song, "I Want to Hold Your Hand". which wasn't on this record. After I wore out my copy of this record, it would be the American version that I'd be playing for years to come and, of course, for years I've had "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in my iTunes playlist.



This record was huge, mega huge. By now the Beatles really had taken the world by storm and I'd been waiting for the release, knowing my dad would get it for me from England before it came out in America. But I had other stuff on my mind, as did the rest of the world, on that said day of Novermber 22, 1963 when this record came out, for that was the day President Kennedy was shot dead in Dallas.



This record helped me through the grieving as I'm sure it did for so many others, for in a time of horrible sadness, songs like, "All My Loving," "I Wanna Be Your Man," and "I Want to Hold Your" hand were playing on the radio, lifting our spirits. This record came out at exactly the right time. It was good for me, good for my friends, good for America. This is not only one of the best records to come out in 1963, it's one of the best records of all time."

The Beatles 2nd album. Historical yet uneven.

John Chiocchi | HOUSTON, TX, US | 04/17/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

""With the Beatles" is the second studio album from The Beatles. With 8 of the 14 songs written by the band, this is a mixture of 1950's style songs and songs that are reminiscent of the harmonizing girl groups that proceeded them. The George Harrison song, "Don't Bother Me" is enjoyable but not memorable. George would not write another song for two years after this. The songs "Little Child", "Hold Me Tight" and "I Wanna Be Your Man" are likable but a little immature in retrospect. "Not a Second Time" is one of the few bad songs they every did.



The remaining songs written by The Beatles from this album have the catchy youthful adolescent bounce and optimism which everyone loved so much. These upbeat songs really rang a bell with a grieving American public considering they were released in the months following the assassination of President Kennedy. Lastly, the song "Money" is one of the best cover songs The Beatles ever performed or recorded.



Even after all these years, the matching suits, the mop haircuts and the groundbreaking concept of naming four guys one thing has lost much of it's meaning. But the hook of The Beatles remains the same. Their music is bright and youthful but sung in sad minor keys. Their sad off-key vocalizing only adds to this. Optimistic yet sad and bright yet melancholy is forever the hook of the early music from The Beatles.



"With the Beatles" is recommended."