The Beatles ‘Love Me Do’ 50-year anniversary single re-release has been recalled by EMI, after the record label pressed a version of the track without Ringo Starr on it.
The vinyl was being re-released to coincide with the anniversary of the Fab Four’s first single, but it was quickly taken off sale as they had mistakenly used the album version featuring Andy White on drums.
There are two versions of the single, one with Ringo drumming, which was recorded on September 4 1962 and used on the early version of the single, and one featuring Andy White, who was brought in by producer George Martin and can be heard on the ‘Please, Please Me’ album.
Richard Porter, of www.beatlesinlondon.com, has got hold of a copy of the now rare vinyl pressing and confirmed the song wasn’t the original 1962 Parlophone release of the single.
He said: “On playing the single, the mistake is obvious. The version on it is not the original single version, but the version with Andy White on drums and Ringo on tambourine. The version that should have been on it has Ringo on drums.”
EMI informed record dealers of the recall and told them that there were currently “no plans to make the correct version”. The label also said they were under strict instructions from The Beatles’ Apple label to destroy the vinyl.
by Wallace McTavish
