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by: Andy Roman (revolver@bright.net)
There's A Place (takes 1-13)
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(This is the Beatles' first-ever recording session dedicated to album work. The recording of There's A Place marks the first song recorded at this first album session. Of course, their entire debut album would be completed on this day, save for a few touch-up overdubs added by George Martin. Their first four Parlophone titles, already released on singles, would also be included in the package.)
The Beatles' young bassist, Paul McCartney, lets out a cough as the session tape begins. Quickly, a count-in kicks off the bands first album session. The song's distinctive harmonica introduction is not in place yet, instead picked out on guitar by 19 year old George Harrison, the band's lead guitarist. Also missing is the famed guitar pluck at the song's very beginning, one not dissimilar to the start of the group's latest single, Please Please Me.
Understandibly, the voices from bassist Paul and the band's rhythm guitar player John Lennon (who also plays harmonica) are a bit shaky. Confidence is yet to come, but this first take, a complete one, is not the one.
This second attempt of an original Lennon and McCartney song is, too, complete. Again, George plays the intro on guitar, and as in the previous take, inserts little phrases in between lines.
At the end of the first stanza, as John sings the solo line "When I'm alone. . ." Paul appears to be adding a back-up "ooh." Whether this was intentionally done or spur of the moment is unclear. It is never heard again.
The overall performance is, again, not quite there yet, with an unsurety still popping up in places. Note that the opening guitar pluck is in place this time.
From the get-go, the timing is off on take three. The song quickly breaks down. An announcement from above: "Again. ."
The Beatles run through another complete take, this time sounding closer to the final product. The performance is tighter. However, John Lennon perhaps puts too much "punch" in the singing of the line "When I'm alone. . ."
The session tape catches George Harrison partially running through the opening phrase of the band's newest record Please Please Me as John discusses the timing of the opening lines with Paul McCartney.
John: "Do that bit you do. . ." (sings the
word "There")
Paul: "You ready?"
John: (again, singing the word "There") "If you
go (sings it again), It works better if you do it on the beat somehow,
you know."
McCartney gives a quick count-in, but
immediately interrupts the take himself, "Start it again. . ."
John: "Why? Why?"
Paul: "It
was bad, that beginning. . ."
This sixth take is a complete one. Overall, it is a very good performance, but apparently to those involved, not quite right yet.
This go makes it through the end of the first verse, and then no more. George Martin was obviously dissatisfied: "From the top. . ."
Paul, perhaps getting a bit frustrated (or maybe still a bit nervous?) delivers a more spirited count-in which comes immediately after the break down of the previous take.
Ringo Starr, the group's drummer and newest member (also the oldest of the four boys) gives a slightly out-of-time, almost hectic filler coming into the middle eight, after the line "Like I love only you. . ."
Take eight is complete.
Paul's intro into the ninth attempt is an extended one, "One. .two. .. One, Two, Three, Four. ."
This take is also a complete run-through, but there are some minor problems. Paul's voice seems to wobble a bit on the harmony of the line ". .The things you said. ." before the middle-eight. Also off is the harmony on the word "love" in the line "Like I love only you" also just before the middle-eight. George Harrison also hits a bad chord during the third stanza after the singing of "When I feel low. . ."
Another extended count-in takes The Beatles into what is, for the most part, the commercially released version of There's A Place.
An attempt of the harmonica overdub onto take ten.
This second attempt at the overdub is aborted.
This is the final overdub.
Later on February 11,
1963 
Behind The Scenes.
