What song was rejected by The Beatles, but Gerry & The Pacemakers made it a #1 UK hit?

Was it "How Do You Do It"?

That song was written in 1961 by Mitch Murray for Adam Faith who was the only real star Parlophone Records had at the time, but his producer John Barry turned it down.

He passed it on to another Parlophone producer, George Martin, who asked the Beatles to have a go at it, which they did,on 4th September 1962.

Eventually, it came down to a choice between "Love Me Do", "How Do You Do It" and "Please Please Me".

The Beatles did not really turn down the song. Actually John Lennon quite liked "How Do You Do It" thinking it very Buddy Holly-ish, but Paul was not happy, saying that he had told everybody in Liverpool that their first record would be one of their own songs.

However, the Beatles were unknowns at the time, so they returned to Liverpool, leaving the decision to George Martin and Parlophone.

He discounted "Please Please Me" as he did not like the version done that day, and after listening to "Love Me Do" and "How Do You Do It" several times, he picked "Love Me Do", partly because he thought the harmonica intro was very catchy and reminiscent of a current hit of the time - "Hey Baby" by Bruce Channel - and partly because it reminded him of an act he used to produce in the 1950's - Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee.

In fact, the Beatles version of "How Do You Do It" is not bad, but I think the piano on Gerry Marsden's version is what really made it a hit.

When Mitch demoed it, the piano part was written to be played by pizzicatto strings (Adam Faith's trademark), but when Gerry Marsden heard the rough demo, he just copied the piano arrangement as it stood.

By the way, Mitch Murray went on to write quite literally dozens of hits, including "I Like It", which became Gerry & The Pacemaker's second single and also topped the UK Chart, "You Were Made For Me" and "I’m Telling You Now" for Freddie and the Dreamers, "Even The Bad Times Are Good" (The Tremeloes), "The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde" (Georgie Fame), "Goodbye Sam, Hello Samantha" (Cliff Richard), "Ragamuffin Man" (Manfred Mann), "Hitchin’ a Ride" (Vanity Fare), and "Avenues And Alleyways", "Las Vegas", and "I Did What I Did for Maria" for Tony Christie.

He also wrote two songs listed on this forum as being amongst the dumbest songs ever - namely "The Night Chicago Died" and "Billy Don't Be A Hero"!

On a different subject - a few weeks ago I asked (and then of course forgot to answer!) - "who was the lead singer of the Crickets, who was killed in an aircrash in Texas?"

The answer was David Box, who - like the original lead singer with the Crickets, Buddy Holly - died in an air crash (David in 1964).

Obviously being lead singer with the Crickets was a somewhat risky business back then!

David was quite a fine singer, and his sister has a nice site dedicated to him at

/www.davidbox.net

• RE: TRIVIA + Gerry & The Pacemakers - I'm The One - 1964 - John 02/21/2008 18:12:11 EST (1)