Collaborations

Do You Want To Know A Secret   b/w   I'll Be On My Way

Billy J. Kramer with The Dakotas

I'll Be On My Way - Label
I'll Be On My Way - Label
The Beatles Contribution:  Composers
Label Parlophone
Catalogue No. R 5023
Release Date 26th April 1963
U.K. Singles Chart Detail :
Entry Date :2nd May 1963
Highest Position :2
Weeks in Chart :15
Detail :
Side A    Side B
DO YOU WANT TO KNOW A SECRET
(McCartney-Lennon)
BILLY J. KRAMER
with THE DAKOTAS
   I'LL BE ON MY WAY
(McCartney-Lennon)
BILLY J. KRAMER
with THE DAKOTAS

The first song given away by the Beatles found it's way on to the B-side of a cover version of one of their own compositions. In this case not surprising, as Billy J. Kramer was managed by Brian Epstein and produced by George Martin.
As with their first L.P. release Please Please Me, note that the composer credits are "McCartney-Lennon", this changed to "Lennon-McCartney" on subsequent Billy J. Kramer songs.

The only recording of "I'll Be On My Way" by The Beatles was for the B.B.C. programme "Side By Side" broadcast on 24th June 1963. Therefore it did eventually appear by them in 1994 on Live at the BBC.

The A-side, "Do You Want To Know A Secret" was offered to Billy J. Kramer BEFORE the Beatles had recorded it themselves, but was not actually recorded until 21st March 1963, AFTER the Beatles had recorded their original. It was also said to have been offered to Shane Fenton by Brian Epstein before Billy J.
The first takes were actually made a week before this final recording, but there had been a problem with the recording equipment and only the backing track had made it on to tape. The final vocals were completed on 21st March which was marked as take 20.
The B-side was recorded on the same day also at Abbey Road and completed in 38 takes.

This single reached number 2 in the hit parade, kept off the top spot by ... From Me To You.

Billy J. Kramer was born William Ashton on 19th August 1943 in Lancashire.

"I'll Be On My Way" is one of 20 songs that can be found on the essential E.M.I. album, The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away.


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