Anna (Go to Him)

Infobox single
Name = Anna (Go to Him)
Artist = Arthur Alexander
Released = September 17 1962
track_no = 3
Genre = Soul
Length = 2:48
Writer = Arthur Alexander
Label = Dot RecordsInfobox Song
Name = Anna (Go to Him)
Artist = The Beatles
Album = Please Please Me
Released = March 22 1963 (mono)
April 26 1963 (stereo)
track_no = 3
Recorded = February 11 1963
Genre = Soul
Length = 2:54
Writer = Arthur Alexander
Label = Parlophone
Producer = George Martin
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = Please Please Me
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side one
# "I Saw Her Standing There"
# "Misery"
# "Anna (Go to Him)"
# "Chains"
# "Boys"
# "Ask Me Why"
# "Please Please Me";Side two
# "Love Me Do"
# "P.S. I Love You"
# "Baby It's You"
# "Do You Want to Know a Secret"
# "A Taste of Honey"
# "There's a Place"
# "Twist and Shout""Anna (Go to Him)" is a song written and originally performed by Arthur Alexander. His version was released as a single by Dot Records on September 17 1962. According to Richie Unterberger, music critic for Allmusic:

Despite the title, throughout the song the lyric is "go "with" him" rather than "go "to" him".

A 1991 episode of the US comedy "Married...with Children" entitled "Oldies but Young 'uns" was devoted to Al Bundy trying to remember the name of "Anna (Go to Him)", after hearing the song on the radio. The Arthur Alexander version of the song plays over the episode's closing titles, instead of the show's regular theme.

The Beatles version

A personal favorite of John Lennon's,cite book |first=Bill |last=Harry |authorlink=Bill Harry |title=The Beatles Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated |year=2000 |pages=28-29 |publisher=Virgin Publishing |location=London |isbn=0-7535-0481-2] it became part of the The Beatles' early repertoire and was consequently recorded by them for their 1963 debut album, "Please Please Me".cite book |first=Mark |last=Lewisohn |authorlink=Mark Lewisohn |title=The Beatles Recording Sessions |year=1988 |pages=200 |publisher=Harmony Books |location=New York |isbn=0-517-57066-1] In the U.S., Vee Jay Records released it on "Introducing... The Beatles" (July 22, 1963) and Capitol Records re-released it on "The Early Beatles" (March 22, 1965).cite book |first=Mark |last=Lewisohn |authorlink=Mark Lewisohn |title=The Beatles Recording Sessions |year=1988 |pages=201] Vee Jay also released "Anna (Go to Him)" on the EP "Souvenir of Their Visit: The Beatles" in the U.S.cite book |first=Craig |last=Cross |title=The Beatles: Day-by-Day, Song-by-Song, Record-by-Record |year=2005 |pages=544 |publisher=iUniverse, Inc. |location=Lincoln, NE |isbn=0-595-34663-4]

The Beatles recorded the song on February 11, 1963 in three takes; the master take was number 3. It was remixed on February 25.cite book |first=Mark |last=Lewisohn |authorlink=Mark Lewisohn |title=The Beatles Recording Sessions |year=1988 |pages=24, 26] George Harrison played the distinctive phrase on guitar; Floyd Cramer played it on piano for the original.cite book |first=Ian |last=MacDonald |authorlink=Ian MacDonald |title=Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties |year=2005 |pages=72-73 |edition=Second Revised Edition |publisher=Pimlico (Rand) |location=London |isbn=1-844-13828-3]

Unterberger praised the Beatles' version in his review, saying:

Music critic Ian MacDonald had a different view of Lennon's vocal, saying it sounded like "a passionate youth grappling with a man's song."

The Beatles recorded "Anna (Go to Him)" on June 17, 1963 for the BBC radio show "Pop Go the Beatles". The show was broadcast on 25 June. They recorded it once again on August 1, 1963 for the show broadcast on August 25.cite book |first=Bill |last=Harry |title=The Beatles Encyclopedia: Revised and Updated |year=2000 |pages=877-878]

As noted in many references including Mark Lewisohn's 'Beatles Recording Sessions', Lennon had a bad cold which accounts for his very rough, almost strange tone he demonstrates on all his vocals during this historic session, including the last song, Twist and Shout.

Credits

*John Lennon — lead vocal, acoustic rhythm guitar
*Paul McCartney — bass guitar, backing vocal
*George Harrison — lead guitar, backing vocal
*Ringo Starr — drums:Credits for studio album version per Ian MacDonald

Notes