Exceptionally desirable Parlophone UK first pressing of the band’s debut single, ‘Love Me Do / P.S. I Love You,’ signed on the label in black ballpoint by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. This first pressing has the ‘Type 1’ label with “Made in Gt. Britain” below the Parlophone logo and has a “ZT” tax code and matrix number of “7XCE 17144-1N.” Mounted against white cloth and framed to an overall size of 10.75 x 10.75. In fine condition, with a few slight scuffs to vinyl and trivial brushing to ink in Harrison’s signature. Accompanied by a letter of provenance from the original recipient, in part: “The copy of ‘Love Me Do’ was signed in my presence by the Beatles in the ‘White House’ pub in the interval of a ‘Beatles’ performance at the ‘Litherland Town Hall.’” Perhaps most interesting about this single is the rarity of the music itself—only the first UK pressings used the ‘Love Me Do’ track recorded in studio with Ringo Starr as the drummer. Dissatisfied with Ringo’s work, producer George Martin hired Andy White as a session drummer and had them record a second version. All future British pressings of the single, the American release, and their Please Please Me debut album used the track featuring White on the drums; the version of the song on this 45 has only been sporadically re-released on compilation albums of rare or unusual Beatles recordings. A truly excellent piece representing the earliest days of the band. Pre-certified REAL.
