"Sexual intercourse began
In nineteen sixty-three
(which was rather late for me) -
Between the end of the "Chatterley" ban
And the Beatles' first LP".
So wrote Phillip Larkin in 'Annus Mirabilis'. Yes, 1963 was a key year - I can't comment on 'sexual intercourse', but there's no doubt that, for me at least, this first appearance by The Beatles marks a watershed in UK number ones; a sloughing off the curates egg mish mash of what has come before (as far as our fair country is concerned anyway) and a two fingers up to America, a country that had previously provided the soundtrack to the modern phenomena of the teenager. This was the sound of Britain finally standing up for itself and walking proudly into the future on two legs - from here on in things would be different.
Different? Dammit The Beatles were different right from the start; 'From Me To You' doesn't actually appear on their first LP. In fact, compilations aside, it doesn't appear on any of their LPs, a bold move in an era when LP's were the hit single bolstered by whatever filler was knocking around in the cupboard. The times they were a' changing and for the better.
From the off, 'From Me To You' is the Mersey Sound writ large - the energy of skiffle, the melody of pop and that accented grit of the teenage working class creating a movement by themselves for themselves. This time, instead of a lone Gerry Marsden carrying the burden of the tune by himself, there's the complimentary duet of Lennon's abrasive scream tempered by McCartney's more melodic vocal with both delving into an unexpected falsetto on "if there's anything I can dOOOOOOO' (which allegedly caused Kenny Lynch to claim they sounded like a "bunch of fairies"). At a stroke it fills out what could have been a slight song, but more importantly there's a proper band feel this time, of four mates having a blast which makes it a far fuller and gutsier proposition than 'How Do You Do It?'
Yes there's a level of repetition, but there's alchemy at work here that disguises it - 'From Me To You' passes in a rush, never sitting still for all its five verses yet still managing to turn twice on a sixpence to shift key into two bridges in its less than two minutes running time. That it's catchy as a birdsong didn't hurt either and this is the first number one we've come across where I kind of wish I'd been born at an earlier date than I was (in 1945 say) so as to enjoy its impact all the more. I'm not suggesting that The Beatles left a scorched earth trail in their wake; time will show that the charts will still always have room for a big stringed ballad or a tin pan alley croon at the top, and good luck to them. But 'From Me To You' is the start of a highering of the bar and a re-writing of the rules so that such guests will be regarded more as gatecrashers to a party where the hosts have revoked their invitations and are patiently looking at the clock until they get the message and leave.
In nineteen sixty-three
(which was rather late for me) -
Between the end of the "Chatterley" ban
And the Beatles' first LP".
So wrote Phillip Larkin in 'Annus Mirabilis'. Yes, 1963 was a key year - I can't comment on 'sexual intercourse', but there's no doubt that, for me at least, this first appearance by The Beatles marks a watershed in UK number ones; a sloughing off the curates egg mish mash of what has come before (as far as our fair country is concerned anyway) and a two fingers up to America, a country that had previously provided the soundtrack to the modern phenomena of the teenager. This was the sound of Britain finally standing up for itself and walking proudly into the future on two legs - from here on in things would be different.
Different? Dammit The Beatles were different right from the start; 'From Me To You' doesn't actually appear on their first LP. In fact, compilations aside, it doesn't appear on any of their LPs, a bold move in an era when LP's were the hit single bolstered by whatever filler was knocking around in the cupboard. The times they were a' changing and for the better.
From the off, 'From Me To You' is the Mersey Sound writ large - the energy of skiffle, the melody of pop and that accented grit of the teenage working class creating a movement by themselves for themselves. This time, instead of a lone Gerry Marsden carrying the burden of the tune by himself, there's the complimentary duet of Lennon's abrasive scream tempered by McCartney's more melodic vocal with both delving into an unexpected falsetto on "if there's anything I can dOOOOOOO' (which allegedly caused Kenny Lynch to claim they sounded like a "bunch of fairies"). At a stroke it fills out what could have been a slight song, but more importantly there's a proper band feel this time, of four mates having a blast which makes it a far fuller and gutsier proposition than 'How Do You Do It?'
Yes there's a level of repetition, but there's alchemy at work here that disguises it - 'From Me To You' passes in a rush, never sitting still for all its five verses yet still managing to turn twice on a sixpence to shift key into two bridges in its less than two minutes running time. That it's catchy as a birdsong didn't hurt either and this is the first number one we've come across where I kind of wish I'd been born at an earlier date than I was (in 1945 say) so as to enjoy its impact all the more. I'm not suggesting that The Beatles left a scorched earth trail in their wake; time will show that the charts will still always have room for a big stringed ballad or a tin pan alley croon at the top, and good luck to them. But 'From Me To You' is the start of a highering of the bar and a re-writing of the rules so that such guests will be regarded more as gatecrashers to a party where the hosts have revoked their invitations and are patiently looking at the clock until they get the message and leave.
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