New Documentary on the Beatles' First US Visit Out on 29 November!

[WOA76]

realized I hadn't watched The Rutles All You Need is Cash in about 30 years.

Great idea. I'm going to watch this later too!

The Beatles just cheap rip off of The Rutles every knows that!!!!

[WOA76]

realized I hadn't watched The Rutles All You Need is Cash in about 30 years.
so started it up and it is already a better beatles doco than beatles 64

The Rutles were ahead there time!!!

[WOA76]

I agree, if it was portraying the Beatles being a massive cultural hit or even a shock to the US as a whole, I don't get what it helps to feature fan girls in a hallway and cringy exploitation like them being constantly photographed and having to give their regards on live radio. That's not just US centric, it's weirdly centric of a few very particular moments during their first stay. It feels like I was watching a supplement disc or some bonus feature.

I love those bits, because it's some of the best documentation we have of the mania that surrounded the band. There must have been scenes like that in every hotel for a year. That's the kind of devotion that helps explain why they sold so many records and why so many people watched Sullivan. The film I Wanna Hold Your Hand essentially built those scenes out into an entire movie.

It could partly explain why their success was as massive as it was. But I agree that it's one of those typical 'narrative' things in the Beatles Legend, same like the story that they didn't/couldn't go to the US before having their no 1 hit, while obviously it was already planned before Hand reached that position. But now reading my sentence, it's even weirder they didn't include that history of how and why their US visit ultimately came about in the documentary! And instead featured details like Paul's father "yes, yes, yes" and the steamer trip to Liverpool where I can't understand from what relevance it has to the story.

Let's take a look at the data on the Kennedy theory. Specifically - Canada. She Loves You was released there by Capitol Canada in September 1963. It hit charts there in late 1963, and topped charts in January 1964 - before Sullivan. The Beatles did not visit Canada or the US during this period - meaning any hint of mania was coming from across the Atlantic. The driving force behind those sales has got to have been just the music and local promotion.

Yes, Kennedy died in the meantime, but if that was the reason SLY became number 1 in Canada, it presumably would also have driven the song to number 1 in the US too. But that could never have happened, largely because the record was not being played on US radio, and that was because it was released by Swan, not Capitol. So it seems reasonable to conclude that the primary reason the Beatles did not have a US hit before Kennedy was shot was because Capitol would not release (and promote) their records.

On Jim Mac's Yes Yes Yes, there are a few other things in the film (the UK diploma saying he feels no pride in the Beatles, the UK journalist fishing for compliments to British journalists compared to US) that make you wonder if the film is trying to argue that they were more in tune with America than the UK - which from a musical perspective is probably true.

Coool post and mom even recalls hearing on radio in our hometown were are 8 hours north were that station....

The Beatles Canadian Connection
All information and photos from one best page for Canadian
https://capitol6000.com/

DECCA 31382 Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers My Bonnie / The Saints
Issued on April 23, 1962, the same date as the US release. The Canadian pressing has the old style black and silver decca label. The Canadian version is easily identifiable by its perimeter print stating "COMPO CO. LTD CANADA". Some counterfeit records use the same label, but with a USA perimeter print, as found on their pink promo pressing.

With only a handfull of copies known to exist, this is one of the scarcest Beatles record and is much sought after by collectors since it is the first Beatles record issued in Canada, it is credited to "Tony Sheridan and The Beat Brothers" and it is the only canadian issue that features the slow english introduction.

For a detailed account of recorded sales of this scarce 45, please visit the My Bonnie (Decca) section https://capitol6000.com/decca.html.


CAPITOL 72076 The Beatles Love Me Do / PS I Love You


Issued on February 18, 1963. This 45 is the first record issued in North America that was credited to "The Beatles". The very first pressings of this rare record are normally identifiable by the large hand written matrix number (with no dash and number) hand etched in the trail off area.

matrix 45 rpm

This first pressing is extremely rare since, according to Paul white himself, the first run counted only 170 copies were. The band not being famous yet, the 45 did not sell well; apparently only around 78 copies were sold out of those initial 170. These early 1963 records were issued in a glossy black Capitol sleeve.

NOTE: Although still quite hard to find, Later early 1964 repressings exist with the large matrix number and no dash or number. Being good for a few thousand records, stampers were most likely not thrown out after a small run of 170, and later re-used when repressings were needed.

The master for this 45 was dubbed from the UK 45 and plays the rarer version of Love Me Do with Ringo on drums.

For a detailed account of recorded sales of this 45, please visit the Love me Do section https://capitol6000.com/lovemedo.html.

CAPITOL 72090 The Beatles Please Please Me / Ask Me Why

Issued April 1st 1963. Please Please Me / Ask Me Why was issued a few weeks before in the US as VJ 498. According to Paul white, the Beatles still not yet being very famous, this record sold 180 copies.

Just like with Love Me Do, original pressings have larger hand-written matrix numbers hand etched in the trail off area. These copies were issued in a glossy Capitol sleeve. These original pressings are credited to Dick James Ltd. 1964 and later pressings are credited to Concertone.

Copies with the original large matrix numbers but with the later Concertone credit have been verified and are not from of the original run. Although still quite hard to find, Later early 1964 repressings exist with the large matrix number and no dash or number. Being good for a few thousand records, stampers were most likely not thrown out after a small run, and later re-used when repressings were needed.

This 45 was also dubbed fron the UK single.

CAPITOL 72101 The Beatles From Me To You / Thank You Girl

Issued on June 17, 1963. B-sides of original pressings are credited to Northern Songs as opposed to the later Conrad publishing repressings. This 45 was also dubbed from the UK single.

NOTE: Although still quite hard to find, Later early 1964 repressings exist with the large matrix number and no dash or number (and with the new corrected credits). Being good for a few thousand records, stampers were most likely not thrown out after the first run, and later re-used when repressings were needed.

CAPITOL 72125 The Beatles She Loves You / I'll Get You

Issued on September 16, 1963. This single was the first rush-released 45 as the Beatles finally began to gain popularity. Other labels signed them in the US and Polydor imported Beatles records into Canada.

Original copies of this 45 was also dubbed directly from the UK single. All copies were issued in a plain black non glossy sleeve.

Canadain Albums
Full list here:
https://capitol6000.com/beatlesdiscs.html

1963
CAPITOL T-6051 MONO ONLY Beatlemania ! With The Beatles 1963, November 25

Early editions are RCA-pressed with a Parrs sleeve, disc is mastered in Canada. Early editions in loose wrap, with or without Capitol/Pathe inner sleeve. Deleted from catalogue late 1966, added back to catalogue in 1971. EMI Music Canada lists original release date as 1963 November 25 ** (AGREE) A December 2, 1963 release date comes from Paul White’s own records and most likely refers to the Vault date)

[Lord Reith]

The Beatles just cheap rip off of The Rutles every knows that!!!!

The first time I saw Oasis on tv, I thought Noel was Ron Nasty. It took a few minutes before I realised it was actually someone else. And that song "stop crying your heart out" kind of reminded me of Cheese And Onions.

[Lord Reith]

I finally worked up the courage to watch this thing.

Because my expectations were incredibly low, I didn't find it too bad. I certainly wasn't reaching for the fast forward button like some people have said. I mean, let's face it: any footage of the Fabs in '64 is going to be entertaining and I also found the footage of the fans very entertaining.

There wasn't a whole lot of it though, was there? I think there were only four songs. I didn't see more than a few seconds of Beatles footage I've not seen before from the Maysles, and it was the extraneous footage of the fans that was mostly new. I was perplexed to find that the film of the guy running alongside the car was not included... after there'd been a big deal about how they'd searched for him and found the film! Huh?

I don't think this is going to win The Beatles any new fans. From the interminable opening ten minutes about Kennedy ("hang on, am I watching the right documentary here...?") through to the overwrought testimony of some of the celebrities, this seemed to me like it was soley aimed at university educated American baby boomers and no one else. The earnest intellectualising about the group reminded me of the exact same way in which some establishment figures had tried to analyse the Beatles back in the day, something which the band had always laughed at. It just seemed to diminish The Beatles, as if their popularity had to be explained away somehow. It was way too earnest and cynical and the actual footage of The Beatles almost seemed to be an intrusion at times. I can really imagine this documentary as just being an hour of all these people talking about their own lives.

Has anyone else seen "How The Beatles Rocked The Kremlin"? This reminded me very much of that.

[zaval80]

Back in the day there was indeed a need among the "grown-ups" in explaining how this pop thing works. I have a book on The Blues Project from 1968 - it's a decent-looking book, not slim, the only problem - it's not too informative as most of it is dedicated to explaining the basics. So the things went full circle because 60 years have passed.

[tymime]

I was perplexed to find that the film of the guy running alongside the car was not included... after there'd been a big deal about how they'd searched for him and found the film! Huh?

I think the color footage with the large sprocket holes on one side is supposed to be his. Why they didn't edit it so that they played right next to each other I can't guess.

[miggynav]

I was perplexed to find that the film of the guy running alongside the car was not included... after there'd been a big deal about how they'd searched for him and found the film! Huh?

This one?

[Lord Reith]

I was perplexed to find that the film of the guy running alongside the car was not included... after there'd been a big deal about how they'd searched for him and found the film! Huh?

This one?

Where in the film is that?

[Doug]

...From the interminable opening ten minutes about Kennedy ("hang on, am I watching the right documentary here...?") through to the overwrought testimony of some of the celebrities, this seemed to me like it was soley aimed at university educated American baby boomers and no one else.

Speaking as a proud, university educated American baby boomer, I can't say I agree. Like everything else Apple does, I think it was geared towards millennials (and younger) generations, with a dash of the "oh, we're so educated because some talking head told us what to think" PBS mindset thrown in for good measure.

I would have rather just seen a nice, feature length film of the Maysles brothers footage... oh, wait. They did that back in 1964 and have been trying to bury that film for generations now.