Komm, gib mir deine Hand / Sie liebt dich

The lyrics were translated to German language by Camillo Felgen, a Luxembourger singer, lyricist and television/radio presenter,[4] upon request by EMI's German producer Otto Demler.[5] Demler also asked Felgen to fly to Paris, where the Beatles were on tour, to work on the translations, and to teach them phonetically the new lyrics of their songs during a recording session.[4] Felgen used "Jean Nicolas" as alias for his songwriting credit—his full name was Camillo Jean Nicolas Felgen.[4] Two other non-Beatles are credited, one "Lee Montague" on "Sie liebt dich", and a "Heinz Hellmer" on "Komm, gib mir deine Hand". Felgen explained that these two had originally been commissioned to translate the lyrics, but the day before the recording, the Beatles, in particular John Lennon, refused to sing the lyrics suggested by Montague and Hellmer, which is why Felgen was called in by Demler.[6] Sources suggest that "Heinz Hellmer" was a pseudonym used by Monique Falk[7], a prolific Schlager music lyricist in the 1960s. Lee Montague is the pen-name of Lawrence “Larry” M. Yaskiel, a Londoner who worked as a Sunday-school teacher and encyclopedia salesman before becoming involved in pop music in Germany in the 1960s, working first for Deutsche Vogue, then for various production companies, and for A&M Records, before retiring to the Canary Islands.[8]

The German sub-label of EMI, Odeon Records, persuaded George Martin and Brian Epstein, insisting that the Beatles "should record their biggest songs in German so that they could sell more records there."[9] Martin agreed to the proposal, and persuaded the Beatles to comply.[1]

In their only post-Parlophone-signing recording session outside the United Kingdom, the Beatles recorded Paul McCartney's new song "Can't Buy Me Love", and the German versions of "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You", "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" and "Sie liebt dich", respectively, on 29 January 1964 at EMI's Pathé Marconi Studios in Paris.[9][10] The band was in France for a 19-day series of concerts at the Olympia Theatre.[1] The recording session was scheduled for 27 January, but the Beatles were reluctant to attend it.[10]

"Komm, gib mir deine Hand" was the first song to be recorded. The Beatles recorded eleven German vocal takes, so they were mixed with the original instrumental.[1] The handclaps were overdubbed.[1][10][11] For "Sie liebt dich" The Beatles recorded their German vocals in thirteen takes.[10] "Sie liebt dich" kept the "Yeah, yeah, yeah" refrain from the original.[11]

The stereo mixes of "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" and "Sie liebt dich" were mixed by George Martin on 13 March 1964 at Abbey Road Studios, while the Beatles were filming A Hard Day's Night. Copies of the mixes were sent to West Germany and the United States.[12]

Martin later said of the songs: "They were right, actually, it wasn't necessary for them to record in German, but they weren't graceless; they did a good job."[13]

Felgen later commented on how "four boys from Great Britain recorded in France under the guidance of an Austrian producer two songs written in German by a writer from Luxembourg".[14]

Parlophone released "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" b/w "Sie liebt dich" by "Die Beatles" (A8117) as a single in Australia during the band's tour of that country, on 21 June 1964. It was the only Beatles single not to chart in that country.

"Sie liebt dich" was released as a single in the United States on 21 May 1964, by Swan Records. The single also contained the original "She Loves You" B-side, "I'll Get You".[2] Swan Records had released "She Loves You" in September 1963, and claimed the rights to issue "Sie liebt dich" as well.[2] The single peaked at number 97 in the Billboard Hot 100, its only week on the chart (it did bubble under at number 101 for one week, the week before it charted).[3] "Komm, gib mir deine Hand" was released by Capitol Records as a track on the American Beatles album Something New on 20 July 1964.[4]

Komm, gib mir deine Hand[1]

• George Harrison – vocals, lead guitar, handclaps
• John Lennon – vocals, rhythm guitar, handclaps
• Paul McCartney – vocals, bass, handclaps
• Ringo Starr – drums, handclaps
• George Martin – producer
• Otto Demmler - producer
• Norman Smith – engineer
• Jacques Esmenjaud - engineer

Sie liebt dich[11]

• George Harrison – vocals, lead guitar
• John Lennon – vocals, rhythm guitar
• Paul McCartney – vocals, bass
• Ringo Starr – drums
• George Martin – producer
• Otto Demmler - producer
• Norman Smith – engineer
• Jacques Esmenjaud - engineer