“Soldier of Love” is a Beatles’ cover song which we find on their “Live At The BBC” album from 1994. Originally, this was a single release for Arthur Alexander in June, 1962, but it only reached 58 in the American charts.
In Detail
Album
Recorded: 2nd July, 1963
BBC Radio Show: Pop Go the Beatles
Broadcast Date: 16th July, 1963
Genre: Rhythm and blues
Track Duration: 1:59
Record Label: Apple Records
Songwriter: Buzz Cason, Tony Moon
Live At The BBC Album (1994)
Performers
John Lennon: vocals, also rhythm guitar
Paul McCartney: backing vocals, also bass guitar
George Harrison: backing vocals, also lead guitar
Ringo Starr: drums
Track Source
Soldier Of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)
Arthur Alexander’s single also had “Where Have You Been (All My Life)” on the B-side and The Beatles would sing both songs while playing in Hamburg, Germany. These songs were part of their live band repertoire which would also see Fab Four sing many more cover versions of songs by other artists too.
The Beatles sang two other Alexander’s recordings as well, “A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues” as well as “Anna (Go To Him)“. The latter being on The Beatles’ first album, “Please Please Me” from 1963, of course. So, the moptops obviously admired the singer.
“Anna by Arthur Alexander was on the [first] album, too. I remember having several records by him, and John sang three or four of his songs. Soldier Of Love was one; it appears on the BBC recordings.”
George Harrison
Anthology
Recording Studio
On the 2nd of July, 1963, The Beatles recorded “Soldier Of Love (Lay Down Your Arms)” at the BBC’s Maida Vale studios. This was the day after they recorded the massive hit single, “She Loves You” so they were in fine fettle.
They only recorded “Soldier Of Love” once and that was for the “Pop Go The Beatles” radio show which aired on the 16th of July, 1963. This is the version on their 1994 album, “Live At The BBC”.
