In 1960 the Beatles were playing in Hamburg, Germany where they met a young singer and guitarist named Tony Sheridan. They hit it off and by their second trip to Germany in 1961 they ended up playing with him quite often with either the Beatles backing Tony, or Tony sitting in with the Beatles.German producer Bert Kaempfert of Polydor, took in one of their shows and suggested they record together. He signed both acts the same night at his kitchen table. The Beatles at the time were John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best.
The Beatles recorded 7 songs during this time and were paid in advance for another session that took place in 1962. At this later session they recorded the backup tracks for “Sweet Georgia Brown” and “Swanee River” on which Sheridan was able to record his parts the next day. It seems that the recording of “Swanee River” was never released and is now lost.
Of the songs that the Beatles had recorded in Hamburg, two were Beatles songs, “Ain’t She Sweet” and and the instrumental, “Cry for a Shadow”. Polydor Records expected that Sheridan would be the next big star and so they made the mistake of letting the Beatles get away. They went back to Liverpool, picked up Brian Epstein as manager, replaced Pete Best with Ringo Starr and the rest is history.
There have been other versions of the Tony Sheridan songs recorded and there has been some confusion over which tracks the Beatles did or didn’t play on. The Beatles with Tony Sheridan: First Recordings 50th Anniversary Edition contains all of the tracks that the Beatles played on in those sessions except for the missing “Swanee River”. This album contains the stereo and mono versions of these songs as well as the U.S. Versions which had some guitar and vocal overdubs to make them sound edgier.
Being able to hear what the Beatles sounded like before they found 'their sound' makes this album an important piece of rock and roll history. The Beatles with Tony Sheridan: First Recordings 50th Anniversary Edition is a must for any Beatles fan.
5/5 Stars
Key
Tracks: Ain’t She Sweet, Cry For A Shadow
Kirk Bullough
Disc:
1
01.
Ain’t She Sweet (U.S. version) – The Beatles
02.
My Bonnie - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
03.
The Saints (When the Saints Go Marching In) - Tony Sheridan And The
Beatles
04.
Cry for a Shadow - The Beatles
05.
Why - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
06.
If You Love Me, Baby (Take Out Some Insurance on Me, Baby) (U.S. version) -
Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
07.
Nobody’s Child (U.S. version) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
08.
Sweet Georgia Brown (New lyrics) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
09.
Ain’t She Sweet - The Beatles
10.
My Bonnie (English intro) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
11.
If You Love Me, Baby (Take Out Some Insurance on Me, Baby) - Tony Sheridan
And The Beatles
12.
Nobody’s Child - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
13.
Sweet Georgia Brown (U.S. version) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
14.
My Bonnie (German intro) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
15.
The Saints (Medley version) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
16.
Cry for a Shadow (Medley version 1) - The Beatles
17.
Sweet Georgia Brown - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
18.
My Bonnie (Medley version) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
19.
Cry for a Shadow (Medley version 2) - The Beatles
|
Disc:
2
01.
Ain’t She Sweet - The Beatles
02.
My Bonnie - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
03.
When the Saints Go Marching In - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
04.
Cry for a Shadow - The Beatles
05.
Why - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
06.
Sweet Georgia Brown (New lyrics) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
07.
My Bonnie (English intro) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
08.
If You Love Me, Baby (Take Out Some Insurance on Me, Baby) - Tony Sheridan
And The Beatles
09.
Nobody’s Child - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
10.
My Bonnie (German intro) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
11.
The Saints (Medley version) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
12.
Cry for a Shadow (Medley version 1) - The Beatles
13.
Sweet Georgia Brown - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
14.
My Bonnie (Medley version) - Tony Sheridan And The Beatles
15.
Cry for a Shadow (Medley version 2) - The Beatles
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|
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Artists: The
Beatles with Tony Sheridan
Title: The Beatles with Tony Sheridan: First Recordings 50th Anniversary Edition
Genre: Rock
Label: Polydor
Records
Website: http://www.thebeatles.com/
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