The German record label Polydor holds the rights to tapes of Tony Sheridan and his supporting bands, recorded in Hamburg in June 1961. These tapes also included songs performed by The Beatles (as The Beat Brothers, but also a few of their own performances). Understandably, the tapes became a goldmine for Polydor after The Beatles exploded in popularity on the global music scene. Released countless times under various titles, the Hamburg recordings continue to arouse curiosity and are often a treasure trove for Beatles record collectors.

Among these many editions, "The Mersey Sound" is arguably one of the rarest. It was hastily released to capitalize on The Beatles' growing popularity in Australia, fueled by the success of the single "I Want To Hold Your Hand / This Boy," released in December 1963.

The album likely saw only one pressing, and hence remains highly sought after today. Its cover was not unique to this release; the same photo was used on a dance compilation released in Germany at the same time (Polydor 237 622).