(thing) by Mercuryblues Fri Jan 24 2003 at 23:27:58

Here, I will focus on the instrumentation and other technical details of The Beatles' first album (Britsh Release):

Overall: Recorded all in one session on February 11, 1963 (Except for Love Me Do, P.S. I Love You, Please Please Me and Ask Me Why, which were already recorded as singles) in about 13 hours (sources vary wildly from 9 -16) at Abbey Road Studios. Rush-released on March 22, 1963

  1. I Saw Her Standing There...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road.
  2. Misery...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road
    • McCARTNEY: bass, lead vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar
    • STARR: drums
    • George Martin: piano
  3. Anna (Go to Him)...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road
    • McCARTNEY: bass, backing vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, backing vocal
    • STARR: drums
  4. Chains...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road
    • McCARTNEY: bass, harmony vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, harmonica, harmony vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, lead vocal
    • STARR: drums
  5. Boys...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road
    • McCARTNEY: bass, backing vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, backing vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, backing vocal
    • STARR: drums, lead vocal
  6. Ask Me Why...Recorded on November 26, 1962 at Abbey Road. Released as a single as the B-side to Please Please Me on January 11, 1963.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, harmony vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, harmony vocal
    • STARR: drums
  7. Please Please Me...Recorded on November 26, 1962 at Abbey Road. Released as a single on January 11, 1963
    • McCARTNEY: bass, harmony vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, harmonica, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, harmony vocal
    • STARR: drums
  8. Love Me Do...Version 1 recorded on September 4, 1962 at Abbey Road, and Version 2 recorded on September 11, 1962 at Abbey Road. Version 1 was released as a single on October 5, 1962, and Version 2 was put on the album and later pressings of the single.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, lead vocal
    • LENNON: harmonica, Rickenbacker Capri 325 guitar, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: acoustic guitar, harmony vocal
    • STARR: drums (Version 1), tambourine(Version 2)
    • Andy White: drums (Version 2)
  9. P.S. I Love You...Recorded on September 11, 1962 at Abbey Road. Released as a single October 5, 1962 as the B-side to Love Me Do.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, lead vocal
    • LENNON: acoustic guitar (electrified Gibson J-160E), lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar (electrified Gibson J-160-E)
    • STARR: maracas
    • Andy White: drums
  10. Baby It's You...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, backing vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, backing vocal
    • STARR: drums
    • George Martin: piano
  11. Do You Want to Know a Secret...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, backing vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, backing vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, lead vocal
    • STARR: drums
  12. A Taste of Honey...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road
    • McCARTNEY: bass, lead vocal (double-tracked)
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, harmony vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, harmony vocal
    • STARR: drums
  13. There's a Place...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road.
    • McCARTNEY: bass, harmony vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, harmonica, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar
    • STARR: drums
  14. Twist and Shout...Recorded on February 11, 1963 at Abbey Road:
    • McCARTNEY: bass, backing vocal
    • LENNON: rhythm guitar, lead vocal
    • HARRISON: lead guitar, backing vocal
    • STARR: drums

Other singles from this period:

My sources are Beatlesongs by William J. Dowlding (©1989) and The Beatles Anthology, by "The Beatles" (©2000).

I like it!