1963, July

The Beatles at the Imperial Ballroom, Nelson

Another riotous appearance in Nelson

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London and Playhouse Theatre, London and Studio Two, EMI Studios London

The Beatles spent the morning and evening at EMI recording more material for their second LP, either side of an afternoon's work at the BBC.

The morning session began at 10:00 and saw the group first tape a cover of the Marvelette's "Please Mister Postman", completed in nine takes, and then tackle the first Lennon-McCartney song for the LP, the superb "It won't be long". Ten takes were recorded but it remained unfinished when the session halted at 1:30 pm, half an hour later than scheduled.

The Beatles taped two BBC radio recordings during the afternoon, the first an interview for the "Pop Chat" section of the show "Non Stop Pop", broadcast, again in teh Light Programme, from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon on Saturday, August 24th.

The short interview for "Non Stop Pop" was conducted by bandleader Phil Tate and was recorded just after 2:30 pm, when the Beatles arrived at the Playhouse Theatre to rehearse and record the "Saturday Club" session.

The "Saturday Club" recording took place immediately afterwards (much earlier than the contracted time of 5:30-6:30), the Beatles taping six numbers, "Long tall Sally", "She loves you", "Glad All over", "Twist and Shout", "You really got a hold on me", and "I'll get you." The last three of these fell within the final 29 minutes of the domestic broadcast, simultaneously aired by the BBC's General Overseas Service.

Resuming at EMI on time at 5:00 pm, George Martin overdubbed a piano track onto the previously taped "Money (That's what I want). They taped a 5-take remake of "Till there was you" and an eight-take recording of Chuck Berry's rock classic "Roll over Beethoven". They resumed work on "It won't be long", moving it on to take 23, and, finally, recorded Paul's "All my Loving", certainly his best and most complex piece of songwriting yet - this was completed in 13 takes. The session ended at 11:00 pm, an hour later than scheduled.

The Beatles took a break today, it seems.

The Beatles - ABC Cinema, Great Yarmouth

Odeon Cinema, The Centre, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

Visiting from London, Dezo Hoffmann spent one of these six days with the Beatles, taking photographs and color (mute) 8mm home movies of the group at their hotel and on location on the beach at nearby Brean Down, where they dressed in Victorian bathing-costumes and also went go-karting.

The Beatles - Queen's Theatre, Bank Hey St. Blackpool, Lancashire

Ritz Ballroom, Promenade, Rhyl, Flintshire

Two sold-out nights by the Beatles in North Wales, a year after their Rhyl/Wales debut in the ballroom above Burton's tailor shop. The group returned to Liverpool immediately after the 2nd of the Saturday "Houses".

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

Originally booked for 6:00 to 10:00 pm, the Beatles recorded in EMI studio Two from 7:00 to 10:45, beginning sessions for their 2nd album with the taping of four songs, all cover versions - "You really got a hold on me" (11 takes), "Money (That's what I want) (seven), "(There's A) Devil in her heart" (six) and "Till there was you" (three).

Such sessions for this 2nd album revealed the maturity which the Beatles had already gained inside the recording studio, the cover of "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles", "You really got a hold on me" being a superb reading of another artist's work.

Playhouse Theatre, London

Yet another BBC radio recording, this time for the Sunday morning pop show East Beat, transmitted in the Light Programme on July 21st between 10:31 and 11:30 am.

The program was taped between 8:45 and 9:45 pm before it's usual teenage audience. The Beatles performed four songs, "I saw her standing there", "A shot of rhythm and blues", "There's a place", and "Twist and shout".

BBC Paris Studio, London

The Beatles taped three editions of their Light Programme radio series "Pop Go the Beatles", in this one day.

Working at the Paris Studio, they rehearsed and recorded Program 8 between 3:00 and 5:30 pm, Program 9 between 6:00 and 8:30 pm, Program 10 between 8:45 and 10:30, transmissions were on August 6th, 13th, and 20th, each between 5:00 and 5:29 pm. (Guest groups in the three shows were the "Swinging Blue Jeans, "The Hollies", and "Russ Sainty and the Nu-Notes.)

The Beatles failed to meet the appointed time of 10:30 am for the first recording (which would have been at the Playhouse Theatre in London) and then opted to make three shows this day than rather leaving the recording of Program 10 until the 17th, for when it had been scheduled at the Playhouse between 10:00 am and 1:00 pm.

In Program 8, they performed "I'm gonna sit right down and and cry (over you)", "Crying, Waiting, Hoping", "Kansas City/Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey", "To Know her is to love her", "The Honeymoon Song", and "Twist and Shout". In the 9th show they featured, "Long Tall Sally", "Please Please Me", "She Loves You", "You Really got a Hold on me", "I'll Get you" and "I Got a Woman".

In Program 10, the Beatles played "She Loves You", (although broadcast actually repeated the version from the 9th show), "Words of Love", "Glad All Over", "I Just Don't Understand", "There's a Devil in her Heart", and "Slow Down".

The Beatles February 1963 recording session at EMI has gone down in popular music history, the group taping all ten new tracks for the debut album in one day. But on this day, July 16th, in less time, the group actually taped 18 new tracks, with only one repetition, and considerable on-mike conversation, too. A remarkable feat!

The Beatles took off today.......

The Beatles at ABC Theatre, Blackpool

The Beatles at the Winter Gardens, Fort Crescent, Margate, Kent all week

The Beatles at the Winter Gardens, Fort Crescent, Margate, Kent all week

The Beatles at the Winter Gardens, Fort Crescent, Margate, Kent all week

Studio Two, Aeolian Hall, London

Six consecutive nights in Margate, two "houses" each, for which the Beatles repertoire comprised "Roll over Beethoven", "Thank You Girl", "Chains", "Please Please me", "A taste of honey", "I saw her standing there", "Baby, It's you", "From me to you", and "Twist and Shout".

With the commitment of their BBC Light Programme radio series, "Pop go the Beatles", the group were obliged to return to London early in the morning of Wednesday, July 10th to record two shows, for transmission on Tuesdays (July 23th and July 30th) respectively, both from 5:00 to 5:29 pm. Program six was rehearsed and recorded from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, Program seven from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. After that, the group made a mad dash back to Margate, in order to appear in the first "house" of the evening at the Winter Gardens.

In Program six, the Beatles performed "Sweet Little Sixteen", "A Taste of Honey", "Nothin' Shakin' (But the leaves on the tree), "Love me Do", "Lonesome Tears in my Eyes", and "So How Come" (No One Loves Me).

In the seventh show they played "Memphis, Tennessee", "Do you want to know a secret", "Till there was you", "Matchbox", "Please, Mister Postman", and "The Hippy Hippy Shake".

The Beatles guests in these two programs were Carter-Lewis and the Southerners and the Searchers, respectively.

The Beatles all week performing at the Winter Gardens, Fort Crescent, Margate, Kent

The Beatles - Winter Gardens, Fort Crescent, Margate, Kent

ABC Theatre, Church St. Blackpool, Lancashire

The following four Beatles engagements at this venue over the next two months.

(Victory) Memorial Hall, Northwich

Prior to this performance, all four Beatles attended and brought chaos to the annual Northwich Carnival at Verdin Park, Northwich. Paul even crowned the new carnival queen. All good PR.

Plaza Ballroom, Old Hill

The Beatles' second appearance at this venue, and a long-arranged date which Brian Epstein would have preferred to cancel but would not renege upon.

Also on the bill was local combo Denny and the Diplomats, led by Denny Laine, future member of the Moody Blues and, eventually, Paul's post-Beatles group, Wings.

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

Mono mixing by George Martin of "She Loves You" and "I'll get you," 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. The Beatles were probably absent, although they were certainly in London in the evening, popping along to the Scene Club in Soho for a second view of the RollingStones in live performance. They were accompanied this time by Peter Asher, brother of Jane and, later, half of the successful duo Peter and Gordon.

Playhouse Theatre, Manchester

This BBC radio session, for the Light Programme's "The Beat Show", was recorded at the Playhouse Theatre in Manchester, scene of the Beatles' first session for "Here we go in 1962". In fact, "The Beat Show" featured much the same content as "Here we go," the BBC Northern Dance Orchestra directed by Bernard Herrmann, and the Trad Lads. Only the presenter and producer were different, the host being Gay Byrne, also the affable link-man on the Granada TV programme "Scene At 6:30" on which the Beatles had featured.

After a 4:00 pm rehearsal, the programme was recorded live, in front of an audience, between 8:00 and 9:00, the Beatles performing "From Me To You", "A Taste Of Honey", and "Twist and Shout". It was broadcast the next lunchtime, 1:00-1:30 pm on Tuesday, July 4th.

Perhaps fearing over-exposure for the Beatles, and certainly now in a position to pick and choose their appearances, Brian Epstein cancelled several BBC radio contract at this time. This spot on "The Beat Show" only came about after he turned down June 17, June 18 and July 3rd recordings for "Here we go"; three more "Side by Side" sessions were cancelled too, to have taken place on July 2nd, July 10th, and August 23rd.

Studio Five, Maida Vale Studios, London

The four week trial of "Pop go the Beatles" had been a success, and the BBC booked another run, a further 11 programs, making 15 in total. These additional shows ran after only a two-week absence and featured a new host, Rodney Burke, replacing Lee Peters. The Beatles' disregard for names continued. Off air they had called Lee Peters "Pee Litres", on air at the start of the program, when the host said, "My name is Rodney Burke", John piped up "That's your fault!"

The Beatles taped their contribution to the fifth edition on this day, to be broadcast in the Light Programme on Tuesday, July 16th, between 5:00 and 5:29 pm. Rehearsal and recording took place at Maida Vale Studios between 6:30 and 9:30 pm. From the standpoint of musical versatility, no other Beatles session for BBC radio could match this, they began with a cover of Elvis Presley's "That's All Right (Mama)" and followed with their own "There's a Place", Chuck Berry's "Carol", Arthur Alexancer's "Soldier Of Love (Lay down your arms)", Carl Perkins' "Lend me your comb" and the Jodimars' "Clarabella". Yet more songs were recorded but not broadcast: the Coaster's "Three cool cats", Chuck Berry's "Sweet little sixteen" and their own "Ask me why". The Beatles' guest act in this edition was Duffy Power with the Graham Bond Quarter.

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London

Compose in Newcastle-upon-Tyne the previous Wednesday, "She Loves You" - which was to become the Beatle's first million-selling single, yielding the "Yeah, yeah Yeah" catchphrase so loved by the media was recording during a 345-minute session the day at EMI, as was it's B-side "I'll get you" (known at this point by it's working title, "Get you in the end".

The session was arranged for 2:30-5:30 pm, instead it ran from 5:00-10:45, however, existing EWI paperwork does not document the number of "takes" it took for the two songs to be recorded.

"She Loves You" was issued by EMI on Friday, August 23rd; British sales passed the half-million milestone on November 27th. The single also achieved the very rare feat of enjoying two separate spells at number one, originally occupying the summit for four weeks, spending a further seven in the top three and then returning to the top for two more.