Audio: 'P.S. I Love You (Remastered 2009)'

(Tuesday, September 11, 1962, 5:00 p.m.-6:45 p.m. BST) — The Beatles returned to EMI Studio 2 in London tonight to complete their first single, recording 10 takes of a second version of “P.S. I Love You,” 18 takes of a third version of “Love Me Do,” and a first version of “Please Please Me,” all original Lennon-McCartney compositions.

Audio: 'Love Me Do (Mono / Remastered)'

George Martin was concerned with the quality of Ringo Starr’s drumming on the Sept. 4, 1962, recording of “Love Me Do,” and so arranged for an experienced session drummer, Andy White, to play on this session.

Starr was relegated to playing the maracas on “P.S. I Love You” and tambourine on “Love Me Do.”

Audio: 'Please Please Me (Anthology 1 Version)'

White also played drums on “Please Please Me,” which The Beatles had rehearsed a Sept. 4, 1962, session, but producer George Martin disliked the slow tempo and Roy Orbison-style arrangement. The Beatles came up with a new arrangement, which was recorded on this day, but would be remade on Nov. 26, 1962.

After the session ended, the best takes were mixed into mono and EMI began pressing “Love Me Do” and “PS I Love You” as The Beatles’ debut single. Initial pressings featured Ringo Starr on drums from the Sept. 4, 1962, session, but when EMI came to release the 1963 EP The Beatles’ Hits, it was decided that the version featuring White was best and the master recording featuring Ringo’s drumming was destroyed.