“On Air” sampler EP for BBC album

BBC sampler EP – vinyl version (front). Photo: © 2013 Apple Corps Ltd.

A 5 track promo sampler has been distributed to some radio stations to promote the upcoming Beatles album, “On Air – Live at the BBC Volume 2”. It contains these tracks:

1. Words of Love

Pop Go The Beatles

Trans: 20 August 1963

Rec: 16 July 1963

BBC Paris Theatre, London

Producer: Terry Henebery

‘Words Of Love’ was released in the UK on an album called Buddy Holly in July 1958. This BBC recording was broadcast fifteen months before the song’s inclusion on Beatles For Sale. John and Paul sang the two-part harmony which, through primitive but effective overdubbing, Buddy had sung with himself.

2. Please Mister Postman

Pop Go The Beatles

Trans: 30 July 1963

Rec: 10 July 1963

Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London

Producer: Terry Henebery

In December 1961, The Marvelettes’ record on the Tamla label was the first American pop number one for Berry Gordy’s Motown company. American hits issued on Tamla and Motown struggled to be heard on the BBC in the early sixties. When The Beatles became successful, they were tireless champions of the labels’ artists, particularly Marvin Gaye, The Miracles and Mary Wells.

3. I Saw Her Standing There

Saturday Club
Trans: 5 October 1963
Rec: 7 September 1963
BBC Playhouse Theatre, London
Producer: Bernie Andrews
The group performed this song eleven times in BBC studios. The recording in front of an audience for Easy Beat was included on the first collection of Live At The BBC. This version was taped for the fifth anniversary of Saturday Club.

4. Do You Want to Know a Secret?

Pop Go The Beatles

Trans: 30 July 1963

Rec: 10 July 1963

Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London

Producer: Terry Henebery

This is the last of six radio performances of a song from The Beatles’ debut album Please Please Me. At the time of the broadcast, ‘Do You Want To Know A Secret’ was at the top of the British EP chart as one of the four tracks on Twist And Shout. A version recorded by Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas reached number one in several British music papers’ charts in June. In America, as the A-side of a Beatles single on the Vee-Jay label, ‘Do You Want To Know A Secret’ peaked at number two behind Louis Armstrong’s ‘Hello, Dolly’ in May 1964.

5. Boys

Pop Go The Beatles

Trans: 25 June 1963

Rec: 17 June 1963

Studio Five, BBC Maida Vale, London

Producer: Terry Henebery

The Shirelles’ original was the flip-side of the biggest of their three British hits – ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’. The single topped the American charts – one of 22 pop hits scored by The Shirelles in the States. This Pop Go The Beatles recording was released in 1995 on an EP of four BBC performances called Baby It’s You. This is the same version as on the “Baby It’s You” 4 track EP from 1994.

BBC sampler EP – vinyl version (back). Photo: © 2013 Apple Corps Ltd.

The leading track, “Words of Love” was premiered, appropriately, on BBC Radio yesterday at Chris Evans’ Breakfast show. The song appears appx 1h 47 mins into the programme. The sampler EP has been manufactured both as a vinyl and a CD edition.