The Beatles' first song was a cover not an original

While The Beatles are renowned as prolific songwriters and innovative composers, their professional recording debut was not an original but a high-energy cover of 'Twist and Shout,' originally recorded by the Isley Brothers in 1962. Released in March 1963, this cover helped establish their reputation and commercial success. Early Beatles relied heavily on American rock and roll standard covers—Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Buddy Holly—providing revenue, performance experience, and material while developing original songwriting. As they gained success, they gradually shifted toward original compositions, with albums like 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'Help!' featuring increasingly original material. By 'Rubber Soul,' the album consisted primarily of Lennon-McCartney originals. This evolution reflects the band's artistic maturation and growing control over musical direction.