Anna (Go to Him)


"Anna ", or simply "Anna", is a song written and originally recorded by Arthur Alexander. His version was released as a single by Dot Records on September 17, 1962. A cover version was performed by the Beatles and included on their 1963 debut album Please Please Me.

Background

According to Richie Unterberger, music critic for AllMusic:
Critic Dave Marsh rates Alexander's "Anna " as one of the top 1001 singles of all time. He praises the "gently swinging rhythm," the tough, syncopated drumming, and Alexander's vocal, particularly at the beginning of the refrain, suggesting that John Lennon may have learned to sing ballads like "In My Life" by listening to Alexander's performance.
Despite the title, throughout the song the lyric is "go with him" rather than "go to him". The song plays a prominent role in the Married...with Children episode "Oldies But Young 'Uns". In the episode, the song becomes an earworm for Al, who desperately wants to know the title.

The Beatles' version

A personal favorite of John Lennon, it became part of the Beatles' early repertoire and was consequently recorded by them for their 1963 debut album, Please Please Me.
In the U.S., Vee Jay Records released it on Introducing... The Beatles and Capitol Records re-released it on The Early Beatles. Vee Jay also released "Anna " on the EP Souvenir of Their Visit: The Beatles in the US.

Recording

The band recorded the song on February 11, 1963, in three takes; Take 3 was the master. It was remixed on February 25. George Harrison played the distinctive phrase on guitar; Floyd Cramer played it on piano for the original.
They recorded "Anna " on June 17, 1963, for the BBC radio show Pop Go the Beatles. The show was broadcast on June 25. They recorded it once again on August 1, 1963, for the show broadcast on August 27.

Reception

Unterberger praised the Beatles' version in his review:
Music critic Ian MacDonald had a different view of Lennon's vocal delivery, saying it sounded like "a passionate youth grappling with a man's song". As noted in many references including Mark Lewisohn's The Beatles Recording Sessions, Lennon had a bad cold on the day of recording which had an adverse effect on his voice.

Personnel

From Ian MacDonald:
Engineered by Norman Smith