[4] It is a John Lennon composition (credited to McCartney–Lennon),[5][6][7] although its ultimate form was significantly influenced by producer George Martin.

The Beatles had accomplished a modest debut success with "Love Me Do", but outside of Liverpool and Hamburg they were still practically unknown.

Part of the problem was that the group were committed to begin what was to be their final Hamburg season just as "Love Me Do" entered the British charts and so were unable to actively promote it on their home soil.

George Martin has stated that the original version of this song was "rather dreary", was too slow and consequently had little prospect of being the big hit the band were looking for.

'", a previously taped Mitch Murray song that Martin insisted the Beatles record which he had seriously considered as an alternative debut single instead of "Love Me Do".

Ringo Starr commented: "I remember us all being ready to stand up for the principle of, 'We have written these songs and we want to do them'".

Some of the stuff we've written in the past has been a bit way-out, but we aimed this one straight at the hit parade ... We almost abandoned it as the B-side of 'Love Me Do'.

Each drummer gets an individual sound, first of all by the way they tune the drums and then by the way they play the drums.White, however, was not at the studio for the final recording on 26 November and was only hired for the 11 September session.

As recorded on 26 November, Lennon's harmonica playing features prominently and, similar to other early Beatles' compositions such as "Love Me Do" and "From Me to You", opens the song.

[19] Where "Love Me Do" had been arguably parochial, relying to a large extent on their existing home fans for support.

[20] "Please Please Me" would be groundbreaking, especially as the Beatles were now back in the UK and able to appear on influential national television shows such as Thank Your Lucky Stars.

[21] By the time it was brought back into the studio on 26 November 1962, its arrangement had been radically altered, and it took 18 takes to record what George Martin immediately predicted would be their first major hit.

This stereo version has Lennon fluffing the final verse, causing him to sing 'come on' with a slight chuckle in his voice.

According to Ray Coleman's biography, Brian Epstein: The Man Who Made the Beatles, Epstein had been dissatisfied with EMI's promotional efforts for "Love Me Do" (published by EMI's subsidiary Ardmore & Beechwood) and asked George Martin if he could suggest a publisher who would push the single more effectively.

Arriving at James' office 20 minutes early, he apologised to the receptionist and said he was happy to wait until the appointed time.

James phoned Philip Jones, producer of ITV television show Thank Your Lucky Stars, played the song for him over the telephone, and gained the Beatles a slot on the next edition of the programme.

On 19 January[23] much of the population was snowed-in at home watching the Beatles perform the song on the Saturday night TV show, Thank Your Lucky Stars.

The first tour was as a support band for Helen Shapiro in February, for Tommy Roe and Chris Montez in March, and for Roy Orbison in May.

During breaks in the touring schedule, the Beatles performed the song on a number of BBC national radio programmes.

[26] It was told to find an American outlet for the record as quickly as possible, in order to appease Martin and Beatles manager Brian Epstein.

[26] Finally, Vee-Jay, which had released the top-five hit "I Remember You" by Frank Ifield in 1962 (another record that Capitol had turned down), was offered the right to issue "Please Please Me" in the States, and chose to do so.

[26] The exact date of the US issue was lost for decades, but research published in 2004 showed that the single, "Please Please Me"/"Ask Me Why", was released by Vee-Jay on 7 February 1963.

I was the music director at the time and listened to his story about a group, and looked at pictures in teen magazines he brought back from England.

[31] Today, copies of Vee-Jay 498—whether with the incorrect or correct spelling of the Beatles on the label—are valuable collector's items.

In the wake of the rush-release of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" in the United States, Vee-Jay reissued "Please Please Me" on or about 3 January 1964, the day that film footage of the Beatles appeared on a prime time episode of The Jack Paar Program on NBC Television.

[35] Playing it safe, the label chose to put "From Me to You" on the B-side, as Del Shannon's version had been a minor hit in 1963.

3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the week ending 14 March 1964, trailing only "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You".