50 years ago this Sunday, February 9th, The Beatles first
performed on CBS TV’s Ed Sullivan Show.
Many of you weren’t even born yet (but we won’t hold that against you). I watched that historic 1964 performance
with my younger brother Tommy on our black and white TV set in Edmonton,
Alberta. The Beatles inspired thousands
of young kids in North America to pick up a guitar and start a band, including
my brother, who played Hofner bass (the same model as Paul McCartney) in bands
throughout his high school and university years and in retirement (after
spending 30 years working for the Canadian government), Tom continues to play, teach
and sell guitars full time.
Sunday night, CBS in the U.S. will broadcast the special
“The Night That Changed America” featuring newly taped Beatle song performances
from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, plus George’s son Dhani will perform his
dad’s song “Something” with a little help from George’s Travelling Wilburys
buddy Jeff Lynne.
So, once more into the breach, as we present our second
Beatles quiz to celebrate 50 years of amazing music and even greater cultural influence.
As Ed Sullivan said in his introduction on Sunday February 9th,
1964: “Now yesterday and today, our
theatre’s been jammed with newspapermen and hundreds of photographers from all
over the nation and these veterans agreed with me that this city never has witnessed
the excitement stirred by these youngsters from Liverpool who call themselves
The Beatles. Now tonight, you’re going
to twice be entertained by them. Right
now and again in the second half of our show.
Ladies and gentlemen, The Beatles!”
Ed actually tried to continue with: “Let’s bring them on” but no one
heard that due to the loud screams from the largely female teenage studio
audience.
I only ask one thing of you – please, no screaming while you
take this quiz or at least wait until after you’re finished.
QUESTIONS
1. Which later famous
performer was also on the Ed Sullivan show on February 9th, 1964? Was it: a. Tom Jones b. Davy Jones (of The Monkees) c. Cliff Richard d. Phil Collins
2. What was the first
song The Beatles sang on Ed Sullivan on February 9th, 1964? Was it:
a. I Want To Hold Your Hand b.
Roll Over Beethoven c. All My Loving d. Love Me Do
3. In what city did
The Beatles give their first U.S. concert just days after the Ed Sullivan show?
Was it:
New York b. Philadelphia c. Miami
d. Washington, D.C.
4. The following
Sunday, February 16th, The Beatles again performed live on the Ed Sullivan show,
this time from a different city than New York.
From what city did that program originate? Was it:
a. Miami Beach b. Philadelphia c.
Boston d. Chicago
5. The first Beatles
album released in Great Britain was called “Please Please Me”. In the U.S., Capitol Records released the
American version of the album under a different title. What was the name of Capitol’s first U.S.
released album? Was it: a. Beatlemania
b. Meet The Beatles c. I Want To Hold Your Beatle d. Introducing The Beatles
ANSWERS
1. It was b. Davy
Jones of The Monkees (although he wouldn’t be a Monkee for another 2
years). Davy was appearing as an actor
in a scene from the Broadway play “Oliver”.
Davy played the Artful Dodger.
His first acting experience was on one episode of British television’s
long running series, “Coronation Street”.
He gave up show business for a time following the death of his mother
and became a jockey (as in riding horses, not the disc playing kind). But show biz was in his blood and he was soon
on stage in London’s West End production of “Oliver”. Davy later brought that role to New York and
Broadway. Following his success in
“Oliver”, he was signed to Screen Gems, a division of Columbia Pictures and
released his debut album, “David Jones” in 1965. The following year, he became a Monkee (at
least on TV and records) and the rest is rock and roll history. Davy Jones passed away on February 29th,
2012.
2. c. “All My Lovin’”
was the first song performed by The Beatles on the February 9th Ed Sullivan
show. That was followed by Paul singing
“Till There Was You”, a ballad from the Broadway play and movie, “The Music
Man”. After that, John, Paul, George and
Ringo launched into “She Loves You”. In
the second half of the Sullivan show, The Beatles sang “I Saw Her Standing
There” and “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, which were the ‘B’ and ‘A’ sides
respectively, of their # 1 Capitol Records 45rpm single.
3. d. Washington,
D.C. is the correct answer. Due to a
snow storm in the Northeast United States, The Beatles took the train to
Washington on the morning of February 11th.
They performed 12 songs that night at the Washington Coliseum, starting
with “Roll Over Beethoven” and ending their set with “Long Tall Sally”. Then it was back to New York the next morning
(Wednesday February 12th) for two 25 minute concerts at Carnegie Hall. The next day, The Beatles boarded a plane for
Miami for a little r&r and the second Ed Sullivan show Sunday night, February
16th.
4. The Ed Sullivan Show was broadcast live from the Deauville
Hotel in Miami Beach on February 16th, 1964.
The Beatles had spent the previous few days relaxing as well as meeting
Muhammad Ali (then still known as Cassius Clay). On that second Sullivan show, they sang 6
songs. In the first half of the program,
they performed “She Loves You”, “This Boy” and “All My Loving”. For the second set, The Beatles sang “I Saw
Her Standing There”, “From Me To You” and ”I Want To Hold Your Hand”.
5. The answer is b.
“Meet The Beatles”, released in the U.S. on January 20, 1964. Vee Jay Record, based in Chicago, had rights
to the groups’ early songs and had released “Introducing The Beatles” in July
of 1963. In Canada, the first Beatles
album, “Beatlemania! With The Beatles”, was released by Capitol Canada on
December 2, 1963.
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