A World Without Love (1964)

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• Peter And Gordon - A World Without Love (MP3)

By: Peter And Gordon.

Peter Asher (born June 22, 1944) and Gordon Waller (born June 4, 1945, died of a heart attack July 17, 2009 in Norwich, Connecticut) met while attending Westminster School in London, England.

Asher is the older brother of actress Jane Asher, who was Paul McCartney's girlfriend during the mid-1960s. Through this connection he and Waller were given Lennon/McCartney songs that were never recorded by the Beatles, most notably their first and biggest hit, "A World Without Love".

It was recorded on January 21, 1964 at Abbey Road Studios with an arrangement by Geoff Love and production by Norman Newell. It was completed in five takes.

It was the first British Invasion single to hit #1 in the US in 1964 other than releases by the Beatles. It was the biggest Lennon/McCartney hit that the Beatles never recorded.

Peter And Gordon also had hits with updates of oldies "True Love Ways" (Buddy Holly) and "To Know You Is to Love You" (a variation of the Teddy Bears' "To Know Her Is to Love Her",) a Top ten cover of Del Shannon's "I Go to Pieces", and the British novelty "Lady Godiva," which became their last big hit in late 1966.

After Peter And Gordon broke up in 1968, Asher became an enormously successful producer. He became the director of A&R at the Beatles' Apple Records (where he worked on James Taylor's first album). He relocated to Los Angeles during the 1970s, where he was one of the principal architects of California rock, producing hits by Taylor, Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt.

Chart position: #1 (US), #1 (UK).

It was preceded at #1 in the US by "Chapel Of Love" (Dixie Cups) and succeeded by "I Get Around" (Beach Boys).

The Top Ten Songs: June 27, 1964 (US Billboard Hot 100).

1. "A World Without Love" (Peter and Gordon)
2. "I Get Around" (Beach Boys)
3. "Chapel Of Love" (Dixie Cups)
4. "My Boy Lollipop" (Millie Small)
5. "People" (Barbra Streisand)
6. "Memphis" (Johnny Rivers)
7. "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" (Gerry and the Pacemakers)
8. "Love Me With All Your Heart" (Ray Charles Singers)
9. "Bad To Me" (Billy J. Kramer)
10. "Walk On By" (Dionne Warwick)
    

Written by: John Lennon (born John Winston Lennon, October 9, 1940, died December 8, 1980) and Paul McCartney (born June 18, 1942).

Lennon and McCartney are two of the most popular composers and singers of popular music and were the founding members of the Beatles.

McCartney is listed in the Guinness Book Of Records as the most successful composer in popular music history, with a record twenty-nine US number one singles (twenty of them with The Beatles, the rest with his group Wings and as a solo artist.) McCartney has written/co-written credit on over 50 top ten hits, more than any other songwriter.

"A World Without Love" was written mainly by McCartney, most it having been completed when he was just 16 years old.

Three other Peter And Gordon hit songs, "Nobody I Know", "I Don't Want to See You Again", and "Woman" were also written by McCartney (also credited to "Lennon/McCartney"). "Woman", in particular, was written by McCartney under the pseudonym Paul Ramon to see if it would still be a hit.

Download MP3s from Amazon.com:

• Peter And Gordon - A World Without Love (MP3)

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