Post by mrmustard on Jun 16, 2013 20:53:06 GMT
With three number one singles behind them (they where well stitched up on Please Please Me let's face it!) The Beatles release With The Beatles. Consider what they had achieved since the release of the Please Please Me album; the biggest selling single in the UK with She Loves You that remained until Paul McCartney released Mull Of Kintyre. Embarked on national and European tours. Beatlemania happened.
They had everything going for them. And it kept going. The release of With The Beatles demonstrated a confidence based on those achievements and With The Beatles was a platform for a worldwide phenomenon.
It Won't Be Long
Lennon begins his domination as main songwriter for the band in the early and mid years. So confident, so powerful, so good! What a great opener to their second album. Funny how Please Please Me opened with the lone voice of McCartney and With The Beatles opened with the lone voice of Lennon!
This track exudes confidence from everyone. Lennon produces a very enthusiastic and fully committed double tracked lead vocal. Great backing vocals from George and Paul especially during middle eight which are particularly imaginative, the style of which would become a Beatle trademark (oohs followed by something else). The call and answer 'yeahs!' are also very effective and give the song one of many hooks.
George's Gretcsh is prominent, confident and to the fore. It sounds like its got a track all of its own. My only real gripe with this track is that in the final mix of the song someone (presumably Norman Smith) is fiddling around with the level of the George's guitar throughout. It doesn't interfere with Lennon's vocal so why mess with it?
All I've Got To Do
From one great Lennon song to an even better one. Lennon forges ahead with another song which was basically 100% his. McCartney must have wondered what Lennon was on during 1963 and 1964 in order to churn out quality song after quality song and why he was slow to establish himself as the co-major songwriting force in the band.
A gem of a Lennon song, it's strength lying in the sublimeness of the song. Lennon's vocal covers his entire range he is capable of without screaming. Lennon's vocals are often sited as being monotone or without much variation in notes. Well this song blows that theory out the water. There is a wonderful richness to his voice in the verse and chorus with the middle eight sections slowly climbing to a cathartic climax to 'you just gotta call on me yeah'. In many ways reminiscent of his I'm So Tired Vocal.
Ringo deals with the rhythm changes smoothly without letting the song unnaturally speed up. Nice hi-hat work too!
Beautiful backing vocals from Paul and George that really support Lennon's vocal.
All My Loving
Clearly McCartney's best recorded song so far. Rather than the songwriter dominating the song like the first two songs on the album, this is a real group effort. Lennon's fast triplets on guitar now showcase him as more than just a back up rhythm guitarist. It demonstrates he is a very proficient guitarist indeed.
A glorious Chet Atkins inspired guitar solo from George on his Gretcsh. Played with such authority and perfection. This is a perfect example of how George would work on and perfect a guitar solo that fitted the song in hand. The solo is like a small guitar suite in itself. Clearly his best recorded work thus far.
McCartney plays a great walking bassline that locks in with Ringo's shuffle groove perfectly. Again, the change in rhythm from verse to chorus is so smooth and that is once again courtesy of Starr.
A great vocal from McCartney. A classic melody. Double tracked on the verses and solo on the chorus's. He harmonises with himself on the last verse to great effect. Clearly a favourite of McCartney's, it was a feature of The Beatles live set and continues to be with McCartney as a solo artist to this day.
Don't Bother Me
Bill Harry claims he was the inspiration behind this song, constantly badgering Harrison to write some songs. Well, if really true, he should feel very proud. Ok, so he co-wrote In Spite Of All The Danger with McCartney and Cry For A Shadow with Lennon but as a first solo song proper it's a triumph. Although Harrison himself never rated it. It's not as good as anything Lennon or McCartney had written and recorded thus far but they had been writing songs for a good few years now and got the crap amateur songs out of their systems. Harrison had not. So for a first recorded song it shows maturity, confidence and totally belies the fact he was new to this songwriting game. I'm pretty certain Lennon and McCartney did not produce anything close to this quality so early on in their songwriting efforts. It's interesting to note that it took Harrison two years to better Don't Bother Me with If I Needed Someone
Angular in construction with a definite eastern feel, the song is certainly different to what Lennon and McCartney were offering. (shades of Sheik of Araby possibly). George sings this well and his double tracked lead vocal is well up in the mix. George achieves a well suited guitar tone to the track. There's some lovely guitar riffs between vocal lines on the verses with a nice aggressive guitar solo that is well thought out and doesn't rely on rock 'n' roll, demonstrating the versatility of Harrison as guitar player. Ringo's drums and Paul's percussion really ram home the eastern feel of the song to great affect with Ringo demonstrating how at ease he is with various styles of songs.
Little Child
Lennon and McCartney didn't think much of this song, both stating negative comments about it. What the song lacks in sophistication it makes up for in sheer excitement. Lyrically, does it need to be anything better than it is? No.
Long assumed to be a John and Paul vocal duet, it's actually Lennon double tracking himself all the way through. Paul only sings 'oh yeah' right at the outro of the song. Lennon plays a raucous harmonica all the way through which is totally in keeping with the feel of the song. Who cares if he over-blows it out of tune now and again. That's the point!
Great bassline from McCartney that really drives the song. The piano which is also credited to McCartney, but sounds more like George Martin, has some really proficient playing which leads me to be think this isn't McCartney playing at it all. Not this early in their recording career. It's an integral part of the performance and pushes the song along. Far from being the best song on the album its a really enjoyable rocker all the same.
Til There Was You
I wonder how much in royalties Meredith Wilson made out of this? From the 1957 musical The Music Man, who would have thought this would have been an appropriate cover for a sweaty rock 'n' roll band playing grubby clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg? Well it was songs like this that showed the versatility of The Beatles, effortlessly switching from the likes of this to full on (you can't touch us!) rock 'n' roll. Its influences like this that McCartney carried with him throughout his career, that shaped The Beatles into something more that just a rock 'n' roll band.
A wonderfully stripped down acoustic interpretation. Paul's vocal soars beautifully over the top and you can just imagine how he use to sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the clubs in the early days.
George's guitar work, particularly the solo, was so good that it lead to a nasty rumour that it couldn't possibly be him playing it. Well if anyone is ever in any doubt it is George they only have to watch the Royal Variety Performance were George plays it note perfect until the end flurry which he cocks up a bit.
The only thing I'm not too keen on is Ringo's bongo work. He isn't that good a percussion player and its always wrong to assume that a good drummer will always make a good percussionist. It's simply not true. George plays the best tambourine out of The Beatles for instance. There are worse examples of Ringo's percussion playing on other albums that I will be delighted to point out.
Please Mr Postman
One of the few cover versions that The Beatles did that fails to improve on the original. I think this is largely due to production, which attempts to get the Americanised 'Wall of Sound' feel. It definitely seems with this song choice, and one or two others on the album, that there was already one eye on America.
Saying that, the song has a really great feel. Lennon's impassioned, double tracked vocal is exceptional and it's great the way he entwines his vocal around Paul and George's imaginative backing vocals (or vice versa). Clearly a lot of work went into the vocal arrangement on this and credit should be given for that.
Roll Over Beethoven
Then there were the covers that The Beatles really did make their own. This was the opening track on The Beatles Second Album in the States. It became that popular in the States that Capitol almost released it as a single until George Martin convinced them to release Can't Buy Me Love instead.
Again, I believe they had one eye on the America including this song but this works better Please Mr Postman in my view because of the production job on the PMM.
Harrison does a great Chuck Berry that for me is way better than any interpretation Keith Richard(s) ever made of him. Great intro and the purist rock 'n' roll guitar solo you are likely to hear. A really confident double tracked lead vocal from Harrison. Its surprising John and Paul don't do any backing vocals on this but it works fine without. Lennon chugs away on rhythm guitar covering the middle ground. McCartney's top notch Rock'n'roll bass playing locks in with Starr's kick drum like a well oiled machine. The ride cymbal is perhaps a bit to prominent in the mix and I'm not sure about the requirement for the handclaps. What the hell! One mans handclap is another mans gong!
This track demonstrates what a shit hot Rock'n'roll band The Beatles where.
Hold Me Tight
The idea was there but it doesn't come off. Instrumentally its all happening though. A big heavy guitar/bass riff underpins the song. Loads of bottom end that only came out of America at that point. It's by far the heaviest song The Beatles had put out to that point and really should have been one of the standout tracks in the album.
The problem lies in McCartney's vocal. Its melody doesn't sit right on top of the guitar riff which is quite angular but the vocal line attempts to be conventionally melodic. The vocal leaps up and down the musical scale leave McCartney uncertain of his pitching against the backdrop of the guitar riff and this creates an obvious discordance which is difficult on the ear.
I'm really surprised they, and definitely George Martin, let this go out.
It shows McCartney clearly struggling to keep up with Lennon's songwriting output as he needs to drag this rejected number off the Please Please Me sessions. It was worth persevering with it but perhaps it may have been worth holding over to the next album and perhaps McCartney would have had a better realisation of the song.
You've Really Got A Hold On Me
I like this cover a lot. It suits Lennon's vocal style perfectly with plenty of dynamics. Harrison sings the main harmony vocal in the verse presumably because by singing the lower harmony to Lennon it showcases Lennon's vocal more than if McCartney were to sing a higher harmony instead. Either way Harrison's and Lennon's voices work well together and makes for a pleasant listening experience as there are very few instances of this where just the two of them sing together.
It constantly amazes me how well they arranged covers to work so well with a two guitars, bass and drums line up. The very fact that they have such a limited line up and want to make it work for them is a real testament to them as musicians.
This track was re-attempted on newly introduced 4-track technology at Abbey Road. However it was abandoned leaving I Wanna Be Your Man, I Want To Hold Your Hand and This Boy the first songs released to utilise 4-tack technology.
I Wanna Be You're Man
The song Lennon and McCartney wrote for The Stones. Clearly John and Paul saw it as a bit of a throwaway. The Stones version was a bit downbeat and did nothing for their longevity although it was a successful hit for them.
As a vehicle for Ringo, it's not a patch on Boys. His vocal is written in a limited way so there was not many notes for him to sing. Given he sang Boys so well he could have handled something a little more challenging than this. Despite his double tracked vocal, it's still a fairly mundane vocal and derivative of some many things. The only time it gets good is the chorus when John and Paul are harmonising. It's also faded out too early. The song would have benefited from going round the 12 bar blues sequence like it obviously does but it was cut off early.
Although the song is pretty contrived it is, nonetheless, an upbeat, enthusiastic performance. I do enjoy hearing this covered by Beatle bands.
Devil In Her Heart
The worst song on the album. Lennon and McCartney are still democratic with Harrison up to this point in giving him three vocal spots on the album. This was about to change and he would struggle for presence on Beatles albums once Lennon and McCartney go into full on songwriting mode.
Not A Second Time
After a low patch on the album, things move up a notch with this song. It's totally original, new and is not pandering to any commercialism. However it's not without its faults. The first thirty seconds are disjointed. The piano solo is dire. I can't understand why it was deemed that an exact copy of the vocal melody on the piano would be deserving.
This is reminiscent of Hold Me Tight in the lead vocal and how Hold Me Tight should have been approached vocally to be successful. Lennon holds strong the double tracked lead vocal. Ringo puts in some very distinctive fills. It's all about the chord structure with this song though. It shows a new direction in songwriting. It's a signpost to future songs, albums and musical legacy. For that reason alone it can be seen as pivotal song on the album
Money
Barrett Strong's original was a good little song but The Beatles version absolutely blows it into obscurity. They had been performing this song for a long time so had really honed their own version. The Decca version was weak and wirey. What it missed was the production and piano playing of George Martin.
Even though it was an overdub some days after The Beatles recorded it, George Martins piano adds so much needed depth to the song. The production is amazing. No wall of sound bollocks here. The production exudes sheer power and is a testament to the production values at EMI, the training of the engineers, the quality of the studios mic's and George Martins clean (I'm not in this business to make a name for myself) production. Listening to early Stones records, Decca would have never achieved anything close to obtaining this quality of production if they had signed The Beatles. Thank goodness they didn't!
Everyone concerned puts in tremendous effort. Ringo kicks hell out of his Ludwig kit and really holds the track down keeping a perfect tempo that never runs away. The tempo is slower compared to the Decca version and this is important as it allows Lennon room to stretch out his vocal and again put down on to vinyl a vocal that no vocalist before, then, since, or could ever likely to, get near too.
This is a better vocal than Twist and Shout. Lennon is in full control here. No pressure of knowing this was the one and only attempt he was going get at putting the vocal down because his voice was shot. The Twist and Shout vocal was tremendous and captured something truly magical but the Money vocal shows Lennon in control of every note he holds or bends. He's singing more from his belly this time rather than wholly from his throat allowing for much more depth and power than the Twist and Shout vocal. The lyrics suit him perfectly and the ad libed 'I Wanna Be Free' is Lennon genuinely telling us what he believes.
Special attention needs to go to the best backing vocalists in the business, McCartney and Harrison. Their harmonised backing vocal adds real fervour to the track. In particular McCartney's backing vocal is sensational. Hearing McCartney in full throttle, right at the top of his range is something to behold. He puts every ounce of himself into, what is effectively, a Lennon showcase. The backing vocals here aren't just a nice accompaniment, they are an integral part of the performance, without which, and without the way they are sung, the song wouldn't be the triumph it is.
For me Lennon and McCartney are two of the best singers of all time whether that be rock or any other genre. To hear them signing together and to hear why I hold them in such high regard, can all be heard in this one song.
They had everything going for them. And it kept going. The release of With The Beatles demonstrated a confidence based on those achievements and With The Beatles was a platform for a worldwide phenomenon.
It Won't Be Long
Lennon begins his domination as main songwriter for the band in the early and mid years. So confident, so powerful, so good! What a great opener to their second album. Funny how Please Please Me opened with the lone voice of McCartney and With The Beatles opened with the lone voice of Lennon!
This track exudes confidence from everyone. Lennon produces a very enthusiastic and fully committed double tracked lead vocal. Great backing vocals from George and Paul especially during middle eight which are particularly imaginative, the style of which would become a Beatle trademark (oohs followed by something else). The call and answer 'yeahs!' are also very effective and give the song one of many hooks.
George's Gretcsh is prominent, confident and to the fore. It sounds like its got a track all of its own. My only real gripe with this track is that in the final mix of the song someone (presumably Norman Smith) is fiddling around with the level of the George's guitar throughout. It doesn't interfere with Lennon's vocal so why mess with it?
All I've Got To Do
From one great Lennon song to an even better one. Lennon forges ahead with another song which was basically 100% his. McCartney must have wondered what Lennon was on during 1963 and 1964 in order to churn out quality song after quality song and why he was slow to establish himself as the co-major songwriting force in the band.
A gem of a Lennon song, it's strength lying in the sublimeness of the song. Lennon's vocal covers his entire range he is capable of without screaming. Lennon's vocals are often sited as being monotone or without much variation in notes. Well this song blows that theory out the water. There is a wonderful richness to his voice in the verse and chorus with the middle eight sections slowly climbing to a cathartic climax to 'you just gotta call on me yeah'. In many ways reminiscent of his I'm So Tired Vocal.
Ringo deals with the rhythm changes smoothly without letting the song unnaturally speed up. Nice hi-hat work too!
Beautiful backing vocals from Paul and George that really support Lennon's vocal.
All My Loving
Clearly McCartney's best recorded song so far. Rather than the songwriter dominating the song like the first two songs on the album, this is a real group effort. Lennon's fast triplets on guitar now showcase him as more than just a back up rhythm guitarist. It demonstrates he is a very proficient guitarist indeed.
A glorious Chet Atkins inspired guitar solo from George on his Gretcsh. Played with such authority and perfection. This is a perfect example of how George would work on and perfect a guitar solo that fitted the song in hand. The solo is like a small guitar suite in itself. Clearly his best recorded work thus far.
McCartney plays a great walking bassline that locks in with Ringo's shuffle groove perfectly. Again, the change in rhythm from verse to chorus is so smooth and that is once again courtesy of Starr.
A great vocal from McCartney. A classic melody. Double tracked on the verses and solo on the chorus's. He harmonises with himself on the last verse to great effect. Clearly a favourite of McCartney's, it was a feature of The Beatles live set and continues to be with McCartney as a solo artist to this day.
Don't Bother Me
Bill Harry claims he was the inspiration behind this song, constantly badgering Harrison to write some songs. Well, if really true, he should feel very proud. Ok, so he co-wrote In Spite Of All The Danger with McCartney and Cry For A Shadow with Lennon but as a first solo song proper it's a triumph. Although Harrison himself never rated it. It's not as good as anything Lennon or McCartney had written and recorded thus far but they had been writing songs for a good few years now and got the crap amateur songs out of their systems. Harrison had not. So for a first recorded song it shows maturity, confidence and totally belies the fact he was new to this songwriting game. I'm pretty certain Lennon and McCartney did not produce anything close to this quality so early on in their songwriting efforts. It's interesting to note that it took Harrison two years to better Don't Bother Me with If I Needed Someone
Angular in construction with a definite eastern feel, the song is certainly different to what Lennon and McCartney were offering. (shades of Sheik of Araby possibly). George sings this well and his double tracked lead vocal is well up in the mix. George achieves a well suited guitar tone to the track. There's some lovely guitar riffs between vocal lines on the verses with a nice aggressive guitar solo that is well thought out and doesn't rely on rock 'n' roll, demonstrating the versatility of Harrison as guitar player. Ringo's drums and Paul's percussion really ram home the eastern feel of the song to great affect with Ringo demonstrating how at ease he is with various styles of songs.
Little Child
Lennon and McCartney didn't think much of this song, both stating negative comments about it. What the song lacks in sophistication it makes up for in sheer excitement. Lyrically, does it need to be anything better than it is? No.
Long assumed to be a John and Paul vocal duet, it's actually Lennon double tracking himself all the way through. Paul only sings 'oh yeah' right at the outro of the song. Lennon plays a raucous harmonica all the way through which is totally in keeping with the feel of the song. Who cares if he over-blows it out of tune now and again. That's the point!
Great bassline from McCartney that really drives the song. The piano which is also credited to McCartney, but sounds more like George Martin, has some really proficient playing which leads me to be think this isn't McCartney playing at it all. Not this early in their recording career. It's an integral part of the performance and pushes the song along. Far from being the best song on the album its a really enjoyable rocker all the same.
Til There Was You
I wonder how much in royalties Meredith Wilson made out of this? From the 1957 musical The Music Man, who would have thought this would have been an appropriate cover for a sweaty rock 'n' roll band playing grubby clubs in Liverpool and Hamburg? Well it was songs like this that showed the versatility of The Beatles, effortlessly switching from the likes of this to full on (you can't touch us!) rock 'n' roll. Its influences like this that McCartney carried with him throughout his career, that shaped The Beatles into something more that just a rock 'n' roll band.
A wonderfully stripped down acoustic interpretation. Paul's vocal soars beautifully over the top and you can just imagine how he use to sing Somewhere Over The Rainbow in the clubs in the early days.
George's guitar work, particularly the solo, was so good that it lead to a nasty rumour that it couldn't possibly be him playing it. Well if anyone is ever in any doubt it is George they only have to watch the Royal Variety Performance were George plays it note perfect until the end flurry which he cocks up a bit.
The only thing I'm not too keen on is Ringo's bongo work. He isn't that good a percussion player and its always wrong to assume that a good drummer will always make a good percussionist. It's simply not true. George plays the best tambourine out of The Beatles for instance. There are worse examples of Ringo's percussion playing on other albums that I will be delighted to point out.
Please Mr Postman
One of the few cover versions that The Beatles did that fails to improve on the original. I think this is largely due to production, which attempts to get the Americanised 'Wall of Sound' feel. It definitely seems with this song choice, and one or two others on the album, that there was already one eye on America.
Saying that, the song has a really great feel. Lennon's impassioned, double tracked vocal is exceptional and it's great the way he entwines his vocal around Paul and George's imaginative backing vocals (or vice versa). Clearly a lot of work went into the vocal arrangement on this and credit should be given for that.
Roll Over Beethoven
Then there were the covers that The Beatles really did make their own. This was the opening track on The Beatles Second Album in the States. It became that popular in the States that Capitol almost released it as a single until George Martin convinced them to release Can't Buy Me Love instead.
Again, I believe they had one eye on the America including this song but this works better Please Mr Postman in my view because of the production job on the PMM.
Harrison does a great Chuck Berry that for me is way better than any interpretation Keith Richard(s) ever made of him. Great intro and the purist rock 'n' roll guitar solo you are likely to hear. A really confident double tracked lead vocal from Harrison. Its surprising John and Paul don't do any backing vocals on this but it works fine without. Lennon chugs away on rhythm guitar covering the middle ground. McCartney's top notch Rock'n'roll bass playing locks in with Starr's kick drum like a well oiled machine. The ride cymbal is perhaps a bit to prominent in the mix and I'm not sure about the requirement for the handclaps. What the hell! One mans handclap is another mans gong!
This track demonstrates what a shit hot Rock'n'roll band The Beatles where.
Hold Me Tight
The idea was there but it doesn't come off. Instrumentally its all happening though. A big heavy guitar/bass riff underpins the song. Loads of bottom end that only came out of America at that point. It's by far the heaviest song The Beatles had put out to that point and really should have been one of the standout tracks in the album.
The problem lies in McCartney's vocal. Its melody doesn't sit right on top of the guitar riff which is quite angular but the vocal line attempts to be conventionally melodic. The vocal leaps up and down the musical scale leave McCartney uncertain of his pitching against the backdrop of the guitar riff and this creates an obvious discordance which is difficult on the ear.
I'm really surprised they, and definitely George Martin, let this go out.
It shows McCartney clearly struggling to keep up with Lennon's songwriting output as he needs to drag this rejected number off the Please Please Me sessions. It was worth persevering with it but perhaps it may have been worth holding over to the next album and perhaps McCartney would have had a better realisation of the song.
You've Really Got A Hold On Me
I like this cover a lot. It suits Lennon's vocal style perfectly with plenty of dynamics. Harrison sings the main harmony vocal in the verse presumably because by singing the lower harmony to Lennon it showcases Lennon's vocal more than if McCartney were to sing a higher harmony instead. Either way Harrison's and Lennon's voices work well together and makes for a pleasant listening experience as there are very few instances of this where just the two of them sing together.
It constantly amazes me how well they arranged covers to work so well with a two guitars, bass and drums line up. The very fact that they have such a limited line up and want to make it work for them is a real testament to them as musicians.
This track was re-attempted on newly introduced 4-track technology at Abbey Road. However it was abandoned leaving I Wanna Be Your Man, I Want To Hold Your Hand and This Boy the first songs released to utilise 4-tack technology.
I Wanna Be You're Man
The song Lennon and McCartney wrote for The Stones. Clearly John and Paul saw it as a bit of a throwaway. The Stones version was a bit downbeat and did nothing for their longevity although it was a successful hit for them.
As a vehicle for Ringo, it's not a patch on Boys. His vocal is written in a limited way so there was not many notes for him to sing. Given he sang Boys so well he could have handled something a little more challenging than this. Despite his double tracked vocal, it's still a fairly mundane vocal and derivative of some many things. The only time it gets good is the chorus when John and Paul are harmonising. It's also faded out too early. The song would have benefited from going round the 12 bar blues sequence like it obviously does but it was cut off early.
Although the song is pretty contrived it is, nonetheless, an upbeat, enthusiastic performance. I do enjoy hearing this covered by Beatle bands.
Devil In Her Heart
The worst song on the album. Lennon and McCartney are still democratic with Harrison up to this point in giving him three vocal spots on the album. This was about to change and he would struggle for presence on Beatles albums once Lennon and McCartney go into full on songwriting mode.
Not A Second Time
After a low patch on the album, things move up a notch with this song. It's totally original, new and is not pandering to any commercialism. However it's not without its faults. The first thirty seconds are disjointed. The piano solo is dire. I can't understand why it was deemed that an exact copy of the vocal melody on the piano would be deserving.
This is reminiscent of Hold Me Tight in the lead vocal and how Hold Me Tight should have been approached vocally to be successful. Lennon holds strong the double tracked lead vocal. Ringo puts in some very distinctive fills. It's all about the chord structure with this song though. It shows a new direction in songwriting. It's a signpost to future songs, albums and musical legacy. For that reason alone it can be seen as pivotal song on the album
Money
Barrett Strong's original was a good little song but The Beatles version absolutely blows it into obscurity. They had been performing this song for a long time so had really honed their own version. The Decca version was weak and wirey. What it missed was the production and piano playing of George Martin.
Even though it was an overdub some days after The Beatles recorded it, George Martins piano adds so much needed depth to the song. The production is amazing. No wall of sound bollocks here. The production exudes sheer power and is a testament to the production values at EMI, the training of the engineers, the quality of the studios mic's and George Martins clean (I'm not in this business to make a name for myself) production. Listening to early Stones records, Decca would have never achieved anything close to obtaining this quality of production if they had signed The Beatles. Thank goodness they didn't!
Everyone concerned puts in tremendous effort. Ringo kicks hell out of his Ludwig kit and really holds the track down keeping a perfect tempo that never runs away. The tempo is slower compared to the Decca version and this is important as it allows Lennon room to stretch out his vocal and again put down on to vinyl a vocal that no vocalist before, then, since, or could ever likely to, get near too.
This is a better vocal than Twist and Shout. Lennon is in full control here. No pressure of knowing this was the one and only attempt he was going get at putting the vocal down because his voice was shot. The Twist and Shout vocal was tremendous and captured something truly magical but the Money vocal shows Lennon in control of every note he holds or bends. He's singing more from his belly this time rather than wholly from his throat allowing for much more depth and power than the Twist and Shout vocal. The lyrics suit him perfectly and the ad libed 'I Wanna Be Free' is Lennon genuinely telling us what he believes.
Special attention needs to go to the best backing vocalists in the business, McCartney and Harrison. Their harmonised backing vocal adds real fervour to the track. In particular McCartney's backing vocal is sensational. Hearing McCartney in full throttle, right at the top of his range is something to behold. He puts every ounce of himself into, what is effectively, a Lennon showcase. The backing vocals here aren't just a nice accompaniment, they are an integral part of the performance, without which, and without the way they are sung, the song wouldn't be the triumph it is.
For me Lennon and McCartney are two of the best singers of all time whether that be rock or any other genre. To hear them signing together and to hear why I hold them in such high regard, can all be heard in this one song.