7/18/64 - Big news this week as the title cut from THE BEATLES' first motion picture, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, debuts on the Billboard Hot 100 Pop Singles Chart at a very healthy #21. It's their second "real time" single release here in The States, following CAN'T BUY ME LOVE. (I have to point this out because ALSO premiering on the chart this week was AIN'T SHE SWEET, a track recorded in Germany back in 1961. It's a GREAT JOHN LENNON vocal … and it debuts at #90 … but it's also three years old at this point … and not indicative of the music the band is currently recording.)
Other British Chart Hits this week: CAN'T YOU SEE THAT SHE'S MINE by THE DAVE CLARK FIVE at #4, DON'T LET THE SUN CATCH YOU CRYING by GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS at #7, WISHIN' AND HOPIN' by DUSTY SPRINGFIELD at #12, NOBODY I KNOW by PETER AND GORDON at #15, BAD TO ME by BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS at #18, DON'T THROW YOUR LOVE AWAY by THE SEARCHERS at #20, A WORLD WITHOUT LOVE by PETER AND GORDON at #22, LITTLE CHILDREN by BILLY J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS at #29, YESTERDAY'S GONE by CHAD STEWART AND JEREMY CLYDE at #34, YOU'RE MY WORLD by CILLA BLACK at #42, NOT FADE AWAY by THE ROLLING STONES at #48, I BELIEVE by THE BACHELORS at #53, TELL ME by THE ROLLING STONES at #62, HOW DO YOU DO IT by GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS at #63 and I'M THE ONE by GERRY AND THE PACEMAKERS at #82.
On the WLS Silver Dollar Survey, The Beatles jump from #30 to #8 with their latest, "A Hard Day's Night" / "I Should Have Known Better", both tracks coming from their brand new film "A Hard Day's Night". (It was also housed in one of my all-time favorite Beatles picture sleeves!)
Other British Acts in The Top Ten this week include "Can't You See That She's Mine" by The Dave Clark Five at #3, "Nobody I Know" by Peter and Gordon at #4, "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying" by Gerry and the Pacemakers at #6, "Don't Throw Your Love Away" by The Searchers at #7 and "Little Children" by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas at #9 … giving British Invasion Artists SIX of The Top Ten positions once again on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey.
"A World Without Love" is at #12 for Peter and Gordon, "Wishin' And Hopin'" is at #20 for Dusty Springfield, "I Believe" is at #23 for The Bachelors, and a brand new track by Gerry and the Pacemakers, "How Do You Do It", premiers at the #39 spot.
DIDJAKNOW? - After "Love Me Do" peaked at #17 on the British Charts, Producer George Martin brought The Beatles "How Do You Do It" to record ... he felt certain that this song could be a #1 Hit. Written by noted British songwriter Mitch Murray, Martin felt this could be the boost The Beatles needed to make their mark on the chart ... and then, after establishing a little bit of success, they could try recording some of their own material again. The Beatles (VERY) reluctantly agreed ... and cut a half-spirited version of the song ... but then protested that they really only wanted to record their OWN material for release as singles. Martin's response? "Then write me something as good as this one and we'll release it."
Inspired, John and Paul went back and dug out an old chestnut they had been working on called "Please Please Me". They revamped the tempo and added the "call and response" feature so prevalent in the song and, having just toured Europe with Roy Orbison, gave the song what they called "The Roy Orbison feel" of the changley guitar. They played it for Martin and he was knocked out by it.
"Boys", he said, "You've just cut your first #1 Record." ... and on MOST of the British Charts, that's exactly where this one went. (On Great Britain's OFFICIAL chart, however, it peaked at #2 ... which is why it was left off The Beatles' "1" CD 35 years later.) After that, George Martin never questioned their song-writing abilities again ... and the rest, as they say is history.
But on a side note, George Martin was RIGHT about "How Do You Do It" being a #1 song. After The Beatles turned it down, he gave the track to Gerry and the Pacemakers to record, and they did, in fact, top the British charts with their version.
In addition to the Gerry and the Pacemakers' hit version featured above, we're also giving you a listen to the track The Beatles cut in late 1962 ... THEIR half-hearted attempt at "How Do You Do It". (kk)
