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What song was number one when The Beatles released ‘Love Me Do’ in 1962?
On 5 October 1962, The Beatles released their debut single "Love Me Do", which entered the UK charts at a modest number 17, while Elvis Presley's "She's Not You" sat at number one. The article marks the coincidence that the single reached shops the same day Sean Connery's first James Bond film, "Dr No", opened in London, noting that both would go on to define British popular culture despite unremarkable beginnings. It also situates the release against a turbulent backdrop, with Marilyn Monroe's recent death, Algerian independence, John Glenn's orbit of Earth, and the looming Cuban Missile Crisis all overshadowing the song's low-key arrival.
The piece recounts the single's chaotic production: producer George Martin initially favoured another song, "How Do You Do It?", before EMI pushed for an original Lennon-McCartney composition instead. Martin switched lead vocals to Paul McCartney after John Lennon struggled with the title line, with Lennon instead playing a harmonica he had stolen from a shop in Arnhem. The drum part was recorded three times with different musicians (Pete Best, Ringo Starr and session player Andy White), and Martin's decision to sideline Starr on one take was later described by Starr as "devastating".
In short
- "Love Me Do" debuted at UK number 17 on 5 October 1962
- Elvis Presley's "She's Not You" was number one that day
- The single shared its release date with the first James Bond film, "Dr No"
Explained simply
The Beatles were a four-piece band from Liverpool: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and drummer Ringo Starr. Before they became internationally famous, they had built a following through live performances, and their first single introduced Lennon and McCartney’s songwriting to record buyers.
Their record company, EMI, wanted an original song for the release, while producer George Martin helped shape how it was recorded. The Beatles’ early records were made as the British pop charts were dominated by established stars such as Elvis Presley. The song’s release alongside the arrival of the first James Bond film links two beginnings that later became landmarks in British popular culture.