ELEVEN WEEKS on the singles chart, “I Feel Fine,” by the Beatles peaked No. 1 (3 weeks) on the Billboard Hot 100, week of December 20, 1964 through week of January 09, 1965. (source: Billboard)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964
‘NEW YORK CITY CRAWLING WITH BEATLEMANIA’
NEW YORK — In the New York City and Jersey areas record dealers and one-stops are reporting sales in large numbers on the Beatles.
New York’s Colony Records store reports that the Beatles sales are “real big” on the Capitol, Swan and Vee-Jay versions. The store also noted increasing sales on these records throughout the weeks.
Stedman 1-Stop, Mount Vernon, New Jersey, said that sales on the Beatles’ started out as an explosion, then settled down to consistent and steady sales.” The outlet is expecting “another big blast” this week as a result of the group’s New York visit and appearance on CBS-TV “The Ed Sullivan Show” Sunday night (February 9).
The Capitol and Swan diskings have been selling “almost in equal volume” at the Mount Vernon outlet, with little or no sales on the Vee-Jay or M-G-M disks.
E. J. Korvette in downtown Manhattan completely sold out all of its Beatles’ product by the end of last week. The large discount store is gearing for a rush on Monday as a result of activities over the weekend (in New York City).
The Al Levin Record store in New York City reports the Beatles’ offering on Swan as the leading seller with the Capitol version trailing not far behind. The store reports no sales for the group on Vee-Jay or MGM.
A somewhat different picture is painted by the Record Shack here, which describes the sales of Beatles’ records steady here throughout the weeks with the Capitol Record “far in the lead” and followed by the Swan release. The outlet also reported no sales response to the Vee-Jay and MGM waxings. The store is also preparing for an onslaught of Beatles record buyers this week as a direct result of the Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”
WWDC radio has proclaimed February 11 as “Beatles Day” in the nation’s capitol, and in honor of the special occasion deejay Carroll James will do his afternoon show from the site of the Beatles first “live” appearance in the United States — The Washington Coliseum.
When the now-famous Beatles arrive in Washington, an unusual “art” exhibit demonstrating a facet of U.S. culture will greet the British vocal group. The station, believing the Beatles have had a profound influence on our culture, has asked its listeners to send any pictures from magazines, newspapers or whatever, with a Beatle haircut drawn on the subject.
The grand winner, the entrant judged to be the most “original,” will receive $100.00, with all others judged unusual enough to display, will be awarded $12.60 each. WWDC will display the “winners” art at the Coliseum tomorrow night, (February 11), the night of the concert.
New York’s WNIS is pulsating with Beatlemania. The station reports that for the first time Beatles’ recording occupy first, second, and third place on their musical playlist. In first place is their Capitol recording of “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” followed closely by “She Loves You” on Swan, and finally, the Vee-Jay waxing, “Please, Please Me.”
The Group W station has upstaged CBS-TV by taping exclusive Beatles which were aired once an hour Thursday (February 6) and Friday (February 7). On Sunday, at 7 p.m., one hour before their scheduled debut on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” the Beatles were heard on WINS in a 30-minute special.
The in-person interviews were obtained for WINS through the actions of their European correspondents Rod MacLeish and Jim Anderson in London and Bernard Redmont in Paris. The bureau also provided its it’s New York outlet with Beatles wigs which have been awarded to listeners via an on-air contest. Also awarded were tickets to the Beatles February 12 Carnegie Hall concert.
Brad Philips revived his old 1956 “Battle Of The Baritones,” Sunday (February 9) from 8 a.m. to p.m. on WINS. This time, however, Philips is labeling the action “Battle Of The Groups.” The winners, to be determined by votes sent in by listeners, will battle it out again next Sunday and in ensuing weeks.
WMCA, New York, has been running a Beatles wig contest. The “Good Guys” are seeking listeners to take photos of their friends or from newspapers and paint Beatles wigs on them. The station is awarding $57 to the first two most original entries, with another 998 winners receiving a 45 r.p.m. disk featuring photos of the group and the “Good Guys” on specially made record jackets. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 15, 1964)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964
‘U.S. Rocks and Reels From Beatles’ Invasion’
CHICAGO — The usually staid and conservative Midwest has virtually flipped its wig over the mop-headed Beatles from Liverpool.
Dealers describe Beatlemania as the most virulent form of record fever since the heyday of such artists as Elvis Presley and the Everly Brothers.
Even then, neither Presley nor the Everlys had more than one record going for them at one time. Currently, the Beatles have no less than four singles and three albums.
Record store are filled with different forms of Beatles promotion material than often defy the imagination. Even the discount houses, traditionally slow to use point of sale material from any ony one diskery, even they have gotten on the bandwagon.
Radio Promotion
Radio likewise are running radio promotions, and in all cases, playing the records like mad.
WLS, the big singles-selling powerhouse, has had a pair of promos by its two evening deejays, Art Roberts and Ron Reilly, and is in the throes in starting a Beatles’ fan club.
WYNR, the big McLendon Corporation rocker, has been pushing Beatles’ records despite a recent station policy switch to an otherwise R&B format.
Even WIND, the MOR Westinghouse outlet, last Friday (February 7) decided to add a Beatles’ record to its playlist (“She Love You” on Swan).
The university radio station at nearby Notre Dame played “I Want To Hold Your Hand” for one hour straight last week and students responded by storming the studio en masse (though whether in approval or protest, no one was able to confirm otherwise).
Jim Lounsberry, king of the teenage hop-specialists here, planned a Beatles Dance for his Sunday hop in Elgin, Illinois, and was placing television sets around the hall so the kids could see the Beatles during their history-making appearance on CBS’ Ed Sullivan show.
Only the so-called “good music” stations were turning a deaf ear to the Four Charmers from England but with the way Beatles’ records were selling, nobody really seemed to care.
Capitol branch manager Tom Beckwith said he had moved over 100,000 Beatles’ LP’s and over 150,000 Beatles singles. He said in the ten years he’s been in the record business, the Beatles are the hottest recording artist he’s ever seen. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 15, 1964)
“Meet The Beatles” was released in the U.S. by Capitol Records, January 20, 1964 (Click on image 2x for largest detailed view).
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964
‘U.S. ROCKS AND REELS FROM BEATLES’ INVASION’
LOS ANGELES — The Southern California market has gone on a Beatle binge, according to a Billboard survey here. Retailers and broadcasters alike report that Beatle fare is getting top attention from listeners and buyers. Music City Vice-President Ethan Caston said the Beatles’ Capitol single and LP are No. 1 sellers. “The Beatles as an act are the biggest attraction since Presley. Their Capitol LP is the biggest album we had since “The First Family.”
The May Company Department stores are seeking to become the area’s “Beatles Centers,” selling disks as well as various Beatles-licensed merchandise.
California’s Music’s Buddy Robinson reported the Beatle tide rising, but that it won’t hit the full crest until after the group’s appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. Top sales, he says, were being enjoyed by the Capitol single and LP, and the Swan single and the MGM releases were also enjoying a brisk business.
Wally Peters, sales manager at Sight and Sound, Van Nuys, said the biggest effect of the Beatles have been to move “Beatles-type product. In addition to their own releases, he said 90 Capitol LP’s, 700 Capitol singles and 300 Swan singles were sold. Generally he classified business as “hot.”
At Westchester Music, Al Spaulding said the Beatles were moving well. he said he had sold over 100 of the Capitol single and LP. At headquarters for the 12-store White Front change, disk buyer Charlie Sims said their Capitol items have been moving well but the only other merchandise which has held up strongly is allied product; namely, surfing and hot rod LP’s. END
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(Information and news source, Billboard, February 15, 1964)
From the MCRFB NEWS archive: 1964
‘U.S. ROCKS AND REELS FROM BEATLES’ INVASION’
CAPITOL VS VEE-JAY RECORDS TIED IN COURT HERE
CHICAGO — The Capitol vs Vee-Jay lawsuit was in what one attorney described as “a state of limbo,” with counsel for both sides due in Appelate Court last Friday afternoon, for further hearings. February 7.
Last Wednesday, the Appelate Court granted Vee-Jay a stay on Capitol’s injunction prohibiting Vee-Jay from selling Beatles records.
The stay was issued pending Vee-Jay’s appeal and on the condition Vee-Jay post a $30,000 bond. The bond was posted, but meanwhile, Capitol attorneys filed a petition for rehearing.
The rehearing was scheduled for Friday, February 9, and the court held off approval of the Vee-Jay bond pending the outcome of the hearing. Vee-Jay thus continued to be prohibited from shipping or manufacturing Beatles records, though the situation could be conceivably different as this issue comes off the press. END
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(Information and news source: Billboard; February 15, 1964)
MCRFB ADDENDUM
For more read on the Beatles, Capitol Records vs Vee-Jay Records story archived here on Motor City Radio Flashbacks, we have the link here.
