Paul McCartney Finally Recovered The Beatles' First Recording 20 Years Later

The Beatles' First-Ever Recording: A Rare Treasure

The Beatles' first-ever recording is one of the most valuable pieces of music history, yet it took Paul McCartney 20 years to get it back. This rare disc features a cover of Buddy Holly's "That'll Be the Day," a song that was a favorite among the Fab Four, and an original track titled "In Spite of All the Danger." It captures the early days of The Beatles as The Quarrymen, highlighting their admiration for their musical influences and their growing talent as songwriters.

In the summer of 1958, four years before they became The Beatles, The Quarrymen—comprising McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, drummer Colin Hanton, and McCartney's schoolmate, pianist John "Duff" Lowe—were eager to make their first-ever recording. At the time, recording on shellac cost just five pounds, and the band pooled their money to visit a small studio in Kensington, Liverpool, owned by Percy Phillips.

The studio turned out to be a modest room with only a microphone. After waiting their turn, the group recorded once, with "That'll Be the Day" as the A-side and "In Spite of All the Danger" as the B-side. Although McCartney and Lennon had written only a few songs at the time, they admitted that their work wasn't particularly impressive. However, "In Spite of All the Danger" stood out as one of their stronger efforts, even though it wasn't a true Lennon-McCartney collaboration.

This was actually the first original song recorded by The Beatles, and it remains the only official release featuring a McCartney-Harrison songwriting partnership. McCartney explained in his book The Lyrics: 1956 to the Present that they weren't fully aware of how to handle writing credits at the time. He noted that George Harrison created the solo, but some parts came from Lennon. This was the first song they ever recorded, the first to bear their names, and the first official recording of what would later become The Beatles.

Some people believe "In Spite of All the Danger" reflects Lennon's inner turmoil, which would soon intensify after his mother, Julia, died just days after the band recorded the track. McCartney acknowledged that many of their early songs were thought to come from him, even though some were collaborations or started with Lennon.

The Beatles' first recording holds immense value because they were given only one copy to share among themselves. Each member took turns keeping the record for a week. McCartney recalled that they played it for relatives and friends, excited to hear themselves on a record for the first time.

While McCartney, Lennon, Harrison, and Hanton each had the disc for their allotted time, Lowe kept it for 23 years. McCartney said he and the others "more or less forgot about it" after they each had possession of the record. Without promoters or managers, there wasn't much else they could do with the recording; it remained a personal milestone for them and their families.

In 1981, McCartney reclaimed the disc and made several copies for his friends and family. He noted that the original is now nearly unplayable due to wear. "It's said to be one of the most valuable records in the world, but really, for me it's about the memories in those grooves," he said.

According to Mental Floss, Lowe eventually reached out to The Beatles to let them know he still had their first recording, but his call went unanswered. The publication also stated that McCartney had to buy the record from Lowe for an undisclosed sum. He pressed 50 additional copies for friends and family, giving them as Christmas gifts. He even gave copies to Harrison and Ringo Starr. This double-sided single is considered "the rarest record in the world," with an estimated value between $150,000 and $300,000.

Beatles fans have had access to the band's initial recordings since the 1990s, thanks to their release on The Beatles Anthology discs. As for the original copy, it remains with McCartney, likely stored in a private place where he can cherish its grooves during moments of nostalgia.