According to the Please Please Me Songfacts, the first time the Beatles played t… Read Full Bio ↴According to the Please Please Me Songfacts, the first time the Beatles played this to their producer George Martin, he wasn't very impressed. He recalled to Music Week: "I listened to it and I said: 'Do you know that's too bloody boring for words? It's a dirge. At twice the speed it might sound reasonable.' They took me at my word. I was joking and they came back and played it to me sped up and put a harmonica on it, and it became their first big hit."

Please Please Me
The Beatles Lyrics

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Last night I said these words to my girl
I know you never even try, girl
Come on (come on), come on (come on)
Come on (come on), come on (come on)
Please, please me, whoa yeah, like I please you

You don't need me to show the way, love
Why do I always have to say, love

Come on (come on), come on (come on)
Come on (come on), come on (come on)
Please, please me, whoa yeah, like I please you

I don't want to sound complaining
But you know there's always rain in my heart (in my heart)
I do all the pleasing with you
It's so hard to reason with you
whoa yeah, why do you make me blue?

Last night I said these words to my girl
I know you never even try, girl
Come on (come on), come on (come on)
Come on (come on), come on (come on)
Please, please me, whoa yeah, like I please you

(Please me) whoa yeah, like I please you
(Please me) whoa yeah, like I please you

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Beatles' song "Please Please Me" are about a man trying to please his girl who seems always dissatisfied with him. The singer in the song pleads with his girl to reciprocate his love by giving him the same affection he gives to her. He is perplexed as to why he always has to be the one to initiate their loving gestures, and he wonders why it is so hard to reason with her. He concludes that he is willing to do anything to keep her happy, and all he asks in return is for her to show him the same attention.

The song's lyrics are full of an almost desperate longing for validation through love. The singer seems to be putting all his cards on the table and pleading with his girl to reciprocate his love. The song's structure is quite catchy, with repetitive lines that build to a catchy chorus. It is a typical love song of the early 60s, and its upbeat tempo and catchy lyrics helped it become one of The Beatles' early hits.

Line by Line Meaning

Last night I said these words to my girl
I recently told my girlfriend something important

I know you never even try, girl
You don't put in effort to please me

Come on (come on), come on (come on)
I'm coaxing you to do something

Please, please me, whoa yeah, like I please you
Do something that makes me happy, like I do for you

You don't need me to show the way, love
You don't require my guidance or help

Why do I always have to say, love
Why is it always up to me to initiate?

I don't want to sound complaining
I don't want to come across negative

But you know there's always rain in my heart (in my heart)
I'm often sorrowful

I do all the pleasing with you
I try very hard to satisfy you

It's so hard to reason with you
It's challenging to have a logical conversation with you

whoa yeah, why do you make me blue?
Why do you make me sad?