Editing George Martin (section)

====Early music records====
As head of Parlophone, Martin recorded classical and Baroque music, [[original cast recording]]s, [[jazz]], and regional music from around Britain and Ireland.{{sfn|Martin|1995|p=63}}{{sfn|Martin|1995|pp=84–85}}{{sfn|Lewisohn|2013|p=259}} He signed singer [[Dick James]], later the music publisher for the Beatles and [[Elton John]], to a recording contract, and reached no. 14 with James's theme from ''[[The Adventures of Robin Hood (TV series)|The Adventures of Robin Hood]]''.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=40}}

Martin became the first British A&R man to capitalize on the 1956 [[skiffle]] boom when he signed [[the Vipers Skiffle Group]] after seeing them in London's [[2i's Coffee Bar]].{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=54}} They reached no. 10 on the [[UK Singles Chart]] in 1957 with "Don't You Rock Me Daddy-O", though their success faded with the end of the skiffle boom.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=54}} In 1957, Martin signed [[Jim Dale]], hoping the singer would prove Parlophone's answer to British [[rock and roll]] star [[Tommy Steele]].{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=55}} Dale achieved success as a [[teen idol]], reaching no. 2 on the chart with "Be My Girl". After recording an album, ''[[Jim!]]'', in 1958, Dale cut his music career short to pursue his original profession as a comedian, frustrating Martin.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=55}}<ref name="IGN">{{cite web |last1=P. |first1=Ken |title=An Interview with Jim Dale |website=IGN |date=16 June 2003 |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/06/16/an-interview-with-jim-dale |access-date=10 July 2022}}</ref>

Martin courted controversy in summer 1960, when he produced a cover of the teen novelty song "[[Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini]]" and released it mere days after the release of the record in the UK, opening him to public accusations of piracy. Martin's version, recorded by 18-year-old Paul Hanford, failed to chart in Britain—though it performed well in several other countries and reached no. 1 in Mexico.{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=55}}

Martin produced two singles for Paul Gadd in 1961. Later better known as [[Gary Glitter]], at this time Gadd used the name "Paul Raven". Neither single was commercially successful.

Martin's first British no. 1 came in May 1961, with [[the Temperance Seven]]'s "[[You're Driving Me Crazy]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=60}} Also that year, Martin produced [[Humphrey Lyttelton]]'s version of "Saturday Jump", which became the theme tune of the influential [[BBC Radio]] programme, ''[[Saturday Club (BBC Radio)|Saturday Club]]'', and scored a success at no. 14 in the charts with [[Charlie Drake]]'s novelty record, "[[My Boomerang Won't Come Back]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=49}}

In early 1962, Martin collaborated with [[Maddalena Fagandini]], then working at the [[BBC Radiophonic Workshop]], to create two electronic singles, "Time Beat" and "Waltz in Orbit", which were released as records by the pseudonymous Ray Cathode.<ref name=Cathode>{{cite web |title=George Martin Early Electronic Recordings to Be Reissued |date=9 March 2021 |website=bestclassicbands.com |url=https://bestclassicbands.com/george-martin-electronic-recordings-reissued-ray-cathode-3-9-21/ |access-date=10 March 2021}}</ref> Martin also earned praise from EMI chairman Sir [[Joseph Lockwood]] for his top-10 1962 hit with [[Bernard Cribbins]], "[[The Hole in the Ground]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=67}} He earned another top-10 hit with Cribbins that year, with "[[Right Said Fred (song)|Right Said Fred]]".{{sfn|Womack|2017|p=98}} Though Martin wanted to add [[rock and roll]] to Parlophone's repertoire, he struggled to find a "fireproof" [[hit record|hit-making]] pop artist or group.{{sfn|Miles|1997|pp=330–331}}

In August 1964, Martin oversaw [[Judy Garland]]'s final studio recording session, with two songs from the ''[[Maggie May (musical)|Maggie May]]'' musical.{{sfn|Womack|2017|pp=222–223}}