60 YEARS AGO TODAY:
5/2/64 – “The Beatles’ Second Album” goes to #1, replacing “Meet The Beatles” at the top of the charts, and stays there for five weeks
Well, their second CAPITOL album anyway ...
Capitol Records was basically playing catch-up with this one, releasing in America tracks that had previously been available in England.
"Roll Over Beethoven," "You Really Got A Hold One Me," "Devil In Her Heart," "Money" and "Please Mr. Postman" came from The Beatles' REAL second album (in the UK), "With The Beatles." Capitol finally released both sides of the #1 single originally released in the US on Swan Records, "She Loves You" and "I'll Get You." "Thank You Girl" came from the B-Side of The Beatles' #1 Hit (in England), "From Me To You" ... which incredibly NEVER appeared on a US album until the 1962 - 1966 Greatest Hits set was released in 1973. (It was also a single in the US in 1963 before Beatlemania hit The States, but flopped here, quite possibly because popular American artist Del Shannon already had a minor hit with it. Vee Jay released it again when Beatlemania was in full swing, but this time as the B-Side of "Please Please Me" and it barely made a mark.)
"You Can't Do That" was the flipside of their current single, "Can't Buy Me Love," while "Long Tall Sally and "I Call Your Name" came from a British EP, which also featured their covers of "Slow Down" and "Matchbox," tracks that would appear on the NEXT US Capitol album, "Something New." (They would also be paired as a single here.)
The Beatles would be locked out of the #1 Album spot for the next seven weeks by Louis Armstrong's "Hello Dolly" LP ... but they would return to the top spot in fine fashion with their "A Hard Day's Night" soundtrack LP.
How "I'll Get You" failed to chart is beyond me ... it's a GREAT example of the early Beatles sound. (You guys voted it your FAVORITE, FORGOTTEN B-SIDE several years ago.)
http://forgottenhits.com/your_top_200_favorite_forgotten_b-sides
Meanwhile, over in The UK, The Rolling Stones achieve THEIR first #1 Album as their self-titled debut hits the top of the charts to begin a 12-week run.
In all, it will spend a total of 51 weeks on the UK Album Chart.
Also on this day, The Rolling Stones make their first appearance on the US Hot 100 Singles Chart when "Not Fade Away" debuts at #98.
