F E B R U A R Y 9 , 1 9 6 4 : T O D A Y I N M U S I C H I S T O R Y
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1964: At 8:00 PM EST, CBS’ Ed Sullivan Show takes to the airwaves to broadcast the Beatles’ first US television appearance. Nearly 73 million Americans — a record for its time, and still one of the highest ratings ever — watch as John, Paul, George and Ringo perform “All My Loving,” “Till There Was You,” “She Loves You,” “I Saw Her Standing There,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand” to 703 screaming teenage fans (mostly girls) in the audience.
Although the group realized how important America was to their career, they had no idea just how important the Sullivan show was to domestic audiences; when the full impact of the event hit them just before the show, John Lennon became so nervous he taped the band’s song lyrics to the back of his guitar, just in case.
Before the band’s performance, Sullivan reads a telegram: “Congratulations on your appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and your visit to America STOP We hope your engagement will be successful and your visit pleasant STOP Sincerely Elvis and the Colonel.” During “Till There Was You,” a message flashes when John appears on-screen: “Sorry, girls. He’s married.”
While the music can barely be heard over the screams, this one show has an enormous effect on galvanizing future rock stars into attempting their own version of Beatlemania. Indeed, one other future music star from Britain appears on the show this night — the Monkees’ Davy Jones, performing as part of the cast of Broadway’s Oliver!
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Today In Pop Music History: February 9, 1964
A MCRFB NOTE
From the Motor City Radio Flashbacks archives — for more on the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in February, 1964, see our February 9, 2013 feature (with video) ‘Dateline N.Y. February 1964: Beatles Invasion On; 70,000,000 Tune In On CBS’
ALSO: From the MCRFB news archives — a 1964 article from Billboard magazine, ‘MEET THE BEATLES’ January 18, 1964. Published three weeks prior the Beatles’ North American visit in February, 1964. (With complete ‘Meet The Beatles’ Capitol LP audio in stereo)!
WANT MORE BEATLES? See our menu, under ‘Categories.’ (And to fully appreciate the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show spread under ‘The Beatles’ header photo above — click on image for expanded view).
AND: In commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ 1964 first U.S. visit on CBS.com., see ‘THE BEATLES U. S. INVASION’ A Cultural Milestone 50 Years Later: The Fab Four’s Appearance On The “Ed Sullivan Show”
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Youtube: From the British MOVIETONE News film archives, 1964 ‘BEATLES HIT NEW YORK‘ (attached video below).
