The Beatles: Please Please Me (1963) Song Ranking

Rating: 7.5/10

Over 50 years ago, The Beatles made history with their debut album, Please Please Me. While this album was by no means their masterpiece, it’s undeniable that their debut record was excellent, and a great start for the band.

In this post, I’ll be ranking all of the songs on The Beatles’ debut album, Please Please Me, from worst to best, based on my personal enjoyment and appreciation for them. I know that a lot of the songs are covers, but for the sake of not being redundant (and because I’m too lazy to look up which ones are covers), I’m not going to bring it up a lot. (And just saying, this album was so easy to listen to, because, in true early-60s form, all of the songs are 2.5 minutes.)

14. Chains (Track 4)

Okay, let me start by saying that I like all the songs on this album. In fact, even this one is very fun for me to listen to. I also feel bad ranking it as the worst because it was co-written by Carole King, and I really like her as an artist. The harmonies are beautiful, but overall this song is just a bit too campy for me.

13. Boys (Track 5)

Again, it makes me sad to rank this so low, because Ringo really doesn’t get enough love. His vocals here are great and very fitting for the song, but unfortunately it’s just not the type of song that I really love. It’s a little generic and simple (I still like it though).

12. There’s a Place (Track 13)

The penultimate track, while still good, is somewhat forgettable to me. I will say that the harmonies are absolutely lovely, as they always are when it comes to The Beatles.

11. Baby It’s You (Track 10)

I happen to like the sha-la-la-la-las. And while this song isn’t super memorable when examining the album as a whole, it’s a rather nice song on it’s own.

10. P.S. I Love You (Track 9)

This song is very sweet and simple, but it’s not really a stand-out track of the album.

9. Love Me Do (Track 8)

I know, I know. This was The Beatles’ first hit, so it’s a pretty big milestone in their career, but it’s just not my favorite. That’s not to say I don’t like it, though, because I do, but it doesn’t have much replay-value for me. However, it is very fun and upbeat, which I appreciate.

8. Please Please Me (Track 7)

Okay, it’s not intentional that this ranking has been going in a sequential order for the past few songs. The titular track of the album does a good job of representing the overall sound, and I really like the vocals and music, but it’s not my absolute favorite to listen to.

7. A Taste of Honey (Track 12)

The main reason I like this song is because it’s pretty unique. No other song on the album really sounds like it, and while I think that could potentially be a bad thing, I think it goes over smoothly in this song. I also like some of the melodic moments in the song, so that helps.

6. Misery (Track 2)

I don’t think this song is one of the more popular ones off the album, but I happen to really enjoy it. I like the backing instrumental a lot, and I really like the melodies and vocals. I’m also a fan of the crooning towards the end, I think it adds a lot to the song, however brief it may occur for.

5. Ask Me Why (Track 6)

This song marks the point on this list where all the songs from here on out are my favorites from the album. I think this song is absolutely delightful, from the harmonies to the melody, not to mention the instrumental. The lyrics are also very sweet and vulnerable, which I really love. Overall, a fantastic song. “Now you’re mine, my happiness still makes me cry. And in time, you’ll understand the reason why, if I cry, it’s not because I’m sad, but you’re the only love that I’ve ever had. I can’t believe it’s happened to me. I can’t conceive of any more misery.”

4. Do You Want to Know a Secret (Track 11)

The first time I listened to this song, I found it off-putting because the intro kind of weirded me out. However, as soon as the guitar chords kicked in and the first verse started, I was hooked. It’s not really a surprise that I liked this song, as I tend to really enjoy the songs where George is the lead vocalist. His voice is awesome in this track, and it adds a very nice flirtatiousness and passion to it. The way he sings the lyric just before the chorus (“the words you long to heeeeeeaaaar”), and the chorus itself, is great.

3. Twist and Shout (Track 14)

Yet another great song in terms of vocals, albeit in a very different fashion. John’s vocals are so raw and rough, but they’re still so fun to listen to. They really make the song. This track is probably the most famous off of the album (perhaps because of Ferris Bueller?) and it’s a great representation of the quality of the album. The first time I heard this song was in kindergarten, where my teacher played it for us as our main freeze-dance song. Because of that, this song will always have nostalgic value for me. This song is so good that even kindergartners can’t help but jam out to it.

2. Anna (Go to Him) (Track 3)

Okay, I’ll admit that I’m a bit biased towards this track because my name is Anna, but whatever. It’s still an awesome song. This is one of the more emotionally vulnerable songs on the album, and I think it’s done very well. It manages to convey the pain of the situation, while not being too melodramatic about it. The song describes a girl named Anna leaving John for another man who she thinks loves her more. John, while devastated by this, decides to let her. I think his vocals are really impressive, (especially considering that he was apparently sick on the day of recording) and they really make the song for me. My favorite part is when he sings “All of my life, I’ve been searching for a girl to love me like I love you. Oh now, but every girl I’ve ever had, breaks my heart and leaves me sad.” Since this song was a cover, it’s unlikely that he’s been in the situation that it depicts, but he sings it as if he has. This song is on my Beatles playlist, if that provides any sort of image of how much I like it.

1. I Saw Her Standing There (Track 1)

From what I’ve read, this is actually the most popular song off the album (in terms of how well-loved it is by the fans, not by how well-known it is) which, while initially surprising to me, actually makes a lot of sense. The opening “1, 2, 3, 4” is an iconic opening line to the opening song of the opening album for the most influential band in history. This song is so catchy and fun to listen/dance/sing to, and it was on my playlist for a while before I fully listened to the album. Paul’s vocals are, as usual, fantastic, and you can really hear the fun they had while recording this song. The guitar, bass, drums, and handclaps are also very impressive, and the way they come together to make this epic song is truly great.