Hello Little Girl

“Hello Little Girl” is a song by The Beatles which is also on their 1995 album, “Anthology 1”. The song was also part of their Decca audition tape.

Anthology 1 Album (1995)

Track Source

Anthology 1

Hello Little Girl

Written by John Lennon in 1957, this became his first composition, but credit goes to the songwriting partnership of Lennon-McCartney. The Beatles recorded “Hello Little Girl” on New Year’s Day in 1962 as part of their Decca audition tape. However, as we know, Decca rejected the band. Indeed, they signed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes instead.

“That was actually my first song. [Singing] ‘When I see you every day I say mmm hmm, hello little girl.’ I remember some Thirties or Forties song which was [singing] ‘You’re delightful, you’re delicious and da da da. Isn’t it a pity that you are such a scatterbrain.’ [Laughing] That always fascinated me for some reason or another. It’s also connected to my mother. It’s all very Freudian. She used to sing that one. So I made Hello Little Girl out of it.”

John Lennon
All We Are Saying, David Sheff

Of course, being a John Lennon number, they would sing this often in the late 1950s. This was when the band had the name of “The Quarrymen”, long before Ringo Starr came into the band.

Hello Little Girl – The Fourmost

In 1963, the Merseybeat was in full swing and The Beatles were progressing fast so they had no time for this song any more. They stopped singing it at their gigs as well, so two other Merseyside groups recorded it at the Abbey Road Studios. The producer for both was George Martin, of course.

Gerry & The Pacemakers recorded their version after The Fourmost. After listening to both demos, they chose The Fourmost’s version for the single release. As a result, they got to number 9 in the charts.

“Unfortunately the words aren’t too wonderful. They’re a bit average, but the Fourmost were eager to have a hit and they were very good friends of ours. They were more of a comedy group, a really very funny cabaret act, and when it came to making a record and being serious on a TV show, they always laughed and giggled – they were always having such a laugh, it was very difficult for them. They just weren’t the kind of guys who were going to get a major hit. I tried a few times.”

Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles

Meanwhile, Gerry & The Pacemakers recorded a Mitch Murray’s song, “I Like It” which got to number one in the charts. This was the follow up to another of Murray’s compositions, “How Do You Do It” which also got to number one.

Recording Studio

The Beatles didn’t record this at the EMI Studios but their failed Decca audition version is now available on their 1995 album, “Anthology 1”. However, there is a bootleg available from a 1960 home demo featuring Stuart Sutcliffe on bass. But, the quality is not as good as their Decca version.