Initial 16: P.S. I Love You

Doubling our pleasure – not only do I provide a sixth look at the initial “P,” our song is also our Friday Flipside selection. Recorded in September 1962, The Beatles’ “P.S. I Love You” was one of the few Beatles’ singles not produced by George Martin. That honor went to EMI producer Ron Richards who was in the studio on the days the band cut the tracks. Norman “Hurricane” Smith was the engineer. 

Written by Paul McCartney in Germany during 1961, this love song became one of their better known tunes during the band’s Cavern Club days. When the session was scheduled, Pete Best was still in the band; however, George Martin booked Andy White to play drums on the session.

Martin felt that Best did not have the drumming prowess for the tune and did not know that the band had already replaced him. Ringo, however, appears on the recording playing maracas, but is not seated on the drum throne. The song was the “B” side to “Love me Do.”

Vee Jay Records, which had The Beatles’ early recordings on license from EMI for the US market, released the single on their Tollie subsidiary in April 1964. It was their second of two singles issued on that label and was a double sided hit. “Love Me Do” took the number one slot and “P.S. I Love You” charted at #10. I do not believe that “P.S. I Love You” charted anywhere but in the US.