Studio Album · No. 2
With the Beatles Songwriting Credits by The Beatles
Produced by George Martin · Engineered by Norman Smith (recording, mixing)
Holds writing credit on 8 of 14 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 8 / 14 documented
Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether The Beatles carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
With the Beatles features 8 original compositions, 7 Lennon-McCartney tracks and "Don't Bother Me" by George Harrison, his first original contribution to a Beatles record. The remaining 6 tracks are covers drawn from rock and roll and Motown R&B repertoire. Norman Smith engineered and George Martin produced, with sessions spanning July-October 1963. Lennon-McCartney wrote all originals; there were no Lennon-Harrison or McCartney-Harrison co-writes at this stage.
With the Beatles is the second studio album by The Beatles, released in November 1963 on Parlophone, arriving the same month as John F. Kennedy's assassination and during the absolute peak of early British Beatlemania, and produced by George Martin. The album continues the Lennon-McCartney-led formula of the debut, mixing eight original compositions with six covers of American R&B and Motown material including 'Money (That's What I Want)' (Berry Gordy/Janie Bradford) and 'Please Mister Postman' (William Garrett/Robert Bateman). George Harrison's debut as a Beatles composer appears here with 'Don't Bother Me', the first album track not written by Lennon or McCartney, a modest but historically significant milestone in the band's creative hierarchy. With the Beatles sold over 500,000 advance copies in the UK, a then-unprecedented figure, and was followed within months by Meet the Beatles!, which introduced the band to North America. The cover-to-original ratio would continue shifting decisively in Lennon and McCartney's favor over the next two years as their confidence as songwriters outpaced the need to rely on outside material.
Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
It Won't Be Long
|
John LennonPaul McCartney | John LennonPaul McCartney | George Martin | John Lennon (Lead Vocals) |
| 2 |
All I've Got to Do
|
John LennonPaul McCartney | John LennonPaul McCartney | George Martin | John Lennon (Lead Vocals) |
| 3 |
All My Loving
|
John LennonPaul McCartney | John LennonPaul McCartney | George Martin | Paul McCartney (Lead Vocals) |
| 4 |
Don't Bother Me
|
George Harrison | George Harrison | George Martin | George Harrison (Lead Vocals) |
| 5 |
Little Child
|
John LennonPaul McCartney | John LennonPaul McCartney | George Martin | John Lennon (Lead Vocals)Paul McCartney (Harmony Vocals) |
| 6 |
Till There Was You
|
Meredith Willson | Meredith Willson | George Martin | Paul McCartney (Lead Vocals) |
| 7 |
Please Mister Postman
|
Georgia DobbinsWilliam GarrettFreddie GormanBrian HollandRobert Bateman | Georgia DobbinsWilliam GarrettFreddie GormanBrian HollandRobert Bateman | George Martin | John Lennon (Lead Vocals) |
| 8 |
Roll Over Beethoven
|
Chuck Berry | Chuck Berry | George Martin | George Harrison (Lead Vocals) |
| 9 |
Hold Me Tight
|
John LennonPaul McCartney | John LennonPaul McCartney | George Martin | Paul McCartney (Lead Vocals) |
| 10 |
You Really Got a Hold on Me
|
Smokey Robinson | Smokey Robinson | George Martin | John Lennon (Lead Vocals)George Harrison (Harmony Vocals) |
| 11 |
I Wanna Be Your Man
|
John LennonPaul McCartney | John LennonPaul McCartney | George Martin | Ringo Starr (Lead Vocals) |
| 12 |
Devil in Her Heart
|
Richard Drapkin | Richard Drapkin | George Martin | George Harrison (Lead Vocals) |
| 13 |
Not a Second Time
|
John LennonPaul McCartney | John LennonPaul McCartney | George Martin | John Lennon (Lead Vocals) |
| 14 |
Money (That's What I Want)
|
Berry GordyJanie Bradford | Berry GordyJanie Bradford | George Martin | John Lennon (Lead Vocals) |