John Lennon claimed The Beatles' first number one - 'Completely mine'
The Beatles' first major commercial hit turns 60-years-old this year. At the time of its release, in 1963, the Fab Four were still a growing band who - despite having found a lot of success already - struggled to get their songs atop the singles charts. Eventually, after releasing Please Please Me on January 11, 1963, changed everything for them. But John Lennon later revealed how he wrote the song alone before producer George Martin perfected it.
Please Please Me was The Beatles' first-ever number-one single. After being released on January 11 it reached the top of both the New Musical Express and Melody Maker charts. However, it only hit number two on the Record Retailer chart, which eventually evolved to become the Official UK Singles Charts, so the certification of the track's number-one status has since been called into question.
Regardless, it was extremely successful, selling more than 1 million units in the USA, and hitting platinum status in the process.
Source: Callum Crumlish/express.co.uk
