Short answers, pulled from the story.
Love Me Do was released on the 5th of October 1962 in the United Kingdom on the Parlophone label. Its US commercial release came on the 27th of April 1964 via Vee-Jay Records on the Tollie label.
The first version was recorded on the 6th of June 1962 with Pete Best, who was deemed unsuitable for studio work by producer George Martin. A second version on the 4th of September 1962 featured Best's replacement Ringo Starr. A third version on the 11th of September 1962 used session drummer Andy White, with Starr relegated to tambourine, because Martin was still not satisfied with the drum sound.
The Andy White version includes a tambourine, played by Ringo Starr, while the Starr drumming version does not. The Starr version was pressed on the original red-label Parlophone single; later black-label pressings used the White version.
Love Me Do was written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, with McCartney writing the verse and chorus and Lennon contributing the middle eight. The song predates the Beatles; McCartney had it as early as the band's time in Hamburg, before they were signed.
Love Me Do reached number one in Australia on the 14th of February 1964 and in New Zealand on the 4th of June 1964, and topped the US chart in 1964. In the UK it peaked at number 17 on its original 1962 release, number 4 on a 1982 re-release, and finally reached number one in a 2023 new stereo mix released alongside "Now and Then".
Lennon stole the harmonica from a music shop in Arnhem, the Netherlands, in 1960, during the Beatles' first road journey to Hamburg. His harmonica style was influenced by Delbert McClinton, whom he met after a show in Wallasey on the 21st of June 1962.