Paul McCartney Told Fans Not to Send 1 Specific Gift on The Beatles' 1963 Christmas Record
From 1963 to 1969, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr recorded a Christmas record for The Beatles’ fan club members. The records were often chaotic, featuring ad-libbed songs, skits, and direct addresses to fans. On their first record, which the band made in the early days of Beatlemania, McCartney spoke directly to the fan club. He told them they were no longer interested in a candy fans had been pelting at them.
The Beatles formed in 1960 and, by 1964, were international celebrities. Beatlemania began in England before 1964, but they reached unprecedented levels of fame on their first visit to the United States. While they appreciated their fans and their new level of success, it could be overwhelming. Scottish concert promoter Andi Lothian recalled how quickly their shows could devolve into chaos.
“The girls were beginning to overwhelm us,” he told The Guardian in 2013. “I saw one of them almost getting to Ringo’s drumkit and then I saw 40 drunk bouncers tearing down the aisles. It was like the Relief of Mafeking! It was absolute pandemonium. Girls fainting, screaming, wet seats. The whole hall went into some kind of state, almost like collective hypnotism. I’d never seen anything like it.”
Source: Emma McKee/cheatsheet.com
