For 2019, I’ve added back some weekend features to Lyriquediscorde. One of these features hasn’t been around here for a long time but is definitely overdue a return. Breakfast with the Beatles. A Sunday morning moment to listen to a Beatles song while having your coffee, reading the newspaper, having the breakfast you prefer on Sundays, or whatever routine you enjoy on the seventh day of the week.

I’ve had different routines on Sundays, some which involved breakfast, some that involved exercise, some that involved mini-road trips, and some that involved newspapers and coffee. Nowadays its the return of newspapers and coffee, usually accompanied by a bagel. Music, too. Always music.

For the return of Breakfast with the Beatles let’s start with their cover of “Baby It’s You”, from the 1963 album, Please Please Me.

“Baby It’s You” by The Beatles
from the album, Please Please Me (1963)
Breakfast with the Beatles

“Baby It’s You” was originally written by Burt Bacharach and Luther Dixon (music) and Mack David (lyrics). It was originally recorded by The Shirelles.

“Baby It’s You” by The Shirelles

The Beatles performed “Baby It’s You” as part of their stage act from 1961-1963, and eventually recorded it in February 1963 for their debut album, Please Please Me, along with another cover by The Shirelles, “Boys”. (from Wikipedia)

The Beatles’ version differs to the Shirelles’ by repeating the second verse instead of the first.

George Martin produced The Beatles cover of “Baby It’s You”, and Norman Smith was the engineer. It was the 10th song recorded during a marathon session on February 11, 1963, where the band recorded the bulk of the album, Please Please Me.

The song as it appears on Please Please Me was recorded in just three takes, with John Lennon taking the lead.

“Baby It’s You” (live at the BBC) by The Beatles

Are you familiar with The Beatles cover of “Baby It’s You”? What do you think of it? Do you prefer it to The Shirelles original cut of the song? How about the cover by Smith, which also charted well after its release?

“Baby It’s You” by Smith

Personally, its a tight tie for me between The Beatles version, and the version by Smith. On Sundays though, with that coffee and newspaper (and bagel), it’s The Beatles that are breaking the tie.