GEORGE MARTIN(click on all images 2x for largest view).
1964: On September 26, United Artists Records (U.S.) released George Martin’s instrumental cover of “A Hard Day’s Night.” Only one week on the charts, Martin’s single peaked on Billboard at No. 122, October 3. On that same day, October 3, United Artists released George Martin’s version of “I Should Have Known Better.” Two weeks on the charts, it peaked at No. 111 under the Billboard Hot 100, October 10. Both tracks was taken from the United Artist’s ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ album, the soundtrack LP from the Beatles first full-length film. The LP was released June 26, 1964.
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This week in Pop Music History: October 10, 1964
“A HARD DAY’S NIGHT” * George Martin Orchestra * UNITED ARTISTS Records (1964)
“I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER” * George Martin * UNITED ARTISTS Records (1964)
BEATLES IN DETROIT ’64: The Motor City was one of but a few North American cities selected to host two Beatles concerts on the same day. Photo taken prior Detroit press conference. (Clockwise from right foreground) John, George, Paul and Ringo played before 15,000 at each show at Olympia Stadium, Detroit, Sunday, Sept. 6. (Tony Spina/Detroit Free Press)
S E P T E M B E R 6 , 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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1 9 6 4 :T H E B E A T L E S performed two sold-out concerts at the 15,000-capacity Detroit Olympia on this day. The other acts on the bill were (in order of appearance) The Bill Black Combo, The Exciters, Clarence ‘Frogman’ Henry and Jackie DeShannon, before the Fab Four took the Olympia stage. After the concerts the British band stayed overnight at the Whittier Hotel near downtown Detroit before leaving for their next scheduled stop at the Toronto Maple Leaf Gardens, Monday, September 7. Both Beatles Olympia September 6 appearances sponsored by top 40 radio WKNR, Detroit.
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Pop Music History: September 6, 1964
BEATLES IN DETROIT ’64: The Beatles pose for the Detroit press before taking their questions at Olympia Stadium. Sunday afternoon, September 6, 1964. (Tony Spina/Detroit Free Press)
WKNR (Bob Green) BEATLES IN DETROIT * Beatles Olympia Press Conference * 9/6/64
BEATLES IN DETROIT ’64: Detroit police restrain Beatle fans back when the Beatles exited the stage at the Olympia Stadium after their first of two concerts there on Sept. 6. The crowd tries to reach for a member of the group as they passed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQh6wLMUd1g
BEATLES IN DETROIT ’64: Paul extends a hand of acknowledgement to bandmate John Lennon before the Olympia crowd, Sunday afternoon, September 6.BEATLES IN DETROIT ’64: On stage at Olympia, 1st. show, Sunday afternoon, September 6.BEATLES IN DETROIT ’64: Sole sponsor of both Beatles concerts on September 6 at the Olympia, WKNR microphones definitely were there. Between the shows the Fab Four mingled with the press. Here, WKNR newsman George Hunter interviews Ringo Starr. Shown standing behind Ringo were WKNR deejays Gary Stevens (waving) and Bob Green who emceed both Beatles shows. Robin Seymour looks on (bottom right). (Credit: Beatles press conference audio provided by Bob Green. Above photo property Bob Green; Scott WestermanKeener13.com) BEATLES IN DETROIT ’64: On stage at the Olympia 2nd. show, Sunday evening, September 6. Tony Spina/ Detroit Free Press(click image for largest PC view)
WKNR BEATLES IN DETROIT PROMO * WKNR (Bob Green) Productions * 9/6/1964
“…Tamla-Motown artists are our favorites.” — George Harrison, Detroit; 9/6/64
A U G U S T 1 1 , 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: The Beatles’ first film, ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ has its U.S. premiere in New York City.
Today In Pop Music History: August 11, 1964
A BRIEF NOTE: While every previous English versions of the film has since been removed from YouTube, yes, we did find one. And while the foreign sub-captions can be a somewhat distraction, ignore it. You’ll note this version of “A Hard Day’s Night” is truly indeed — English! — enjoy. — MCRFB.COM
1964: United Artists Records (U.S.) released “A Hard Day’s Night,” the soundtrack album for the forthcoming Beatles first full-length film, two weeks before the Beatles released their U.K. album, titled by the same name, July 10, 1964.
Today In Pop Music History: June 26, 1964
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“A HARD DAY’S NIGHT” * George Martin Orchestra * UNITED ARTISTS Records(1964)
GEORGE MARTIN meets with the Beatles, London, late 1963.
‘A HARD DAY’S NIGHT’ THE GEORGE MARTIN ORCHESTRA
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When the Beatles appeared for a three week session at the Paris ‘Olympia’ in January, 1964, John and Paul were concerned with the problem writing all the new songs for their first film —as yet untitled— and in addition they had to cook up a brand new single for release in February.
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They had a piano moved into their suite at the Hotel Georges V, and they set to work. By the end of their stay they had laid the foundations for the film songs and written ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ — the single which we recorded in our EMI Paris studios. At this time Paul played me his first ideas for ‘And I Love Her.’
Later, when I was busy orchestrating the background score it was decided to use Beatles music in the background whenever possible. Hence, ‘This Boy’ became ‘Ringo’s Theme’ in the Towpath sequence, and ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ was burned into a Jazz waltz for Grandpa’s chase scene from the Police Station. ‘If I Fell’ was not used orchestrally in the film, but I liked the tune so much I did a score anyway, and the end result is here.
I get great pleasure out of arranging the Beatles’ materials, and when the orchestra musicians comments on the quality of the music they are playing, I get an even bigger thrill telling them who wrote it.
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Music score from the film . . . ‘A Hard Day’s Night’
— George Martin; EMI Records Limited (1964)
RINGO STARR on the set during filming of ‘A Hard Day’s Night,’ 1964
GEORGE MARTIN’S “AND I LOVE HER”/”RINGO’S THEME” ’64
George Martin Orchestra’s “And I Love Her,” made it’s initial debut on the Billboard singles chart in July, 1964, the same month the Beatles ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ film (and their film album) made its theatrical debut in cities across America. The Martin instrumental, a song composition penned by Lennon-McCartney for the film, stayed 4 weeks on the charts (“Bubbling Under” the top 100) having peaked at No. 105 on August 1, 1964.
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But the flip side of Martin’s “And I Love Her,” entitled, “Ringo’s Theme (This Boy),” another Martin instrumental score from the movie, rose much higher in popularity on the Billboard “Hot 100” several weeks later, in lieu after the film’s soundtrack score having been released by United Artists, on June 26, 1964.
“Ringo’s Theme (This Boy),” peaked higher than “And I Love Her,” having topped off at No. 53 during its eight week run on the Billboard “Hot 100,” on September 12, 1964.
In Detroit, “Ringo’s Theme” made the playlist on album-oriented radio stations WJR, WWJ, WCAR, WQTE and WJBK (as heard here), which incidentally by that timeWJBK dropped it’s top 40 formatfor an easy-listening conservative radio sound in August, 1964.
This year, come July, will mark 50 years having passed since the release of the George Martin single and that of the Beatles’ film, ‘A Hard Day’s Night.’ In observance of the Fab Four’s 1964 theatrical film release, also comes the exciting news ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ will hit the silver big screenonce again in major cities across the country on July 4, 2014.
The Beatles’ ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ Headed Back to Movie Theaters
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In celebration of the film’s 50th anniversary, cities across the U.S. will screen movie on Fourth of July weekend
by Kory Grow
April 29, 2014 8:25 AM ET
The Beatles’ silver-screen debut A Hard Day’s Night will return to theaters this summer to mark the 50th anniversary of its premiere at London’s Pavilion Theatre. Janus Films has digitally restored the movie’s picture and hired Giles Martin – son of Beatles producer George – to remix and remaster its soundtrack for 5.1 sound systems at Abbey Road, Los Angeles Times reports.
(MCRFB: For the rest on this 4/29/14 Rolling Stone Music articlego here).
A New York City theater world-premiere, Thursday, August 13, 1964
(Click this image 2x for larger PC view)The Beatles hit the Top 5 on the Billboard HOT 100 singles chart, April 4, 1964
A P R I L 4 , 1 9 6 4 : T O D A Y I N M U S I C H I S T O R Y
1 9 6 4 :T H E B E A T L E S break all American chart records when the latest Billboard chart (April 4, 1964) shows them with the ‘Top Five’ records in the country simultaneously with: #5: “Please Please Me,” #4: “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” #3: “She Loves You,” #2: “Twist And Shout,” #1: “Can’t Buy Me Love.” Even more incredibly, nine other Beatles’ singles are scattered in various other positions numbered around the “Hot 100.” The Beatles had similarly dominated Canada and Australia’s Top Ten earlier in the month. 50 years ago. The Beatles made music history on this day, Billboard, April 4, 1964.
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.
‘BEATLES AND SHRIEKS ON U.S. TV’: Beatles New York Daily News feature, February 10, 1964 (click image for larger view)
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
The Beatles on CBS’ Ed Sullivan Show. Sunday, February 9, 1964(click on image for larger view)
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).
