How The Beatles Conquered America | The Full Story of Their 1st U.S Tour

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Please note: This is a re-edited version of a previously uploaded video first published on 4th February.
60 years ago this week, The Beatles arrived to America for the first time and performed in front of the biggest TV audience in American history. Not only, that, they performed two sell out gigs as well as a number of personal appearances - one of which nearly caused a diplomatic incident. In this video, we look at in detail at their entire debut U.S. visit and using contemporary newspaper reports, tell you exactly what happened and exactly what The Beatles thought about all the fuss.
Links to the Beatles-related songs mentioned in this video:
The Swans - The Boy With The Beatles Hair: • 1964 Swans - The Boy W...
Sonny Curtis - A Beatles I Want to Be: • Sonny Curtis - A Beatl...
The Bootles - I'll Let You Hold My Hand: • The Bootles - I'll Let...
The Everly Brothers - Wake Up Little Suzie: • Wake up little Susie
Performances from Ed Sullivan Shows:
February 9th: • The Beatles - I Want T...
February 23rd: • The Beatles - Twist & ...
February 16th: • All My Loving - Ed Sul...
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Thank you!

[@BobGeogeo]

From Andrew's Community post: "Channel update: Firstly, apologies to all who left comments on our latest video. Unfortunately, due to copyright issues, I’ve had to re-edit it and will post the new version later today. Secondly, due to me getting the flu, this weekend’s planned review of the new Band On The Run releases is delayed until Feb 18th. In its place is an unboxing of the 2-vinyl set and a classy piece of hi-fi gear I’ve been sent to review. Thanks for your understanding and hope you are well. Andrew."

[@thethirdrail8397]

So that is why this was a private Video! I was wondering, what was going on! good to know! BTW: I am wondering If I can use full Lp's of the Beatles on what I hope to be able to start up in time.... the whole Cap albums v1 and 2 Box set. except beatles 65 stereo, have been mastered. in a way better stereo mix than the cds. I doubt I would be able to put a full LP on the live radio station.... what do you think? Oh and I hope you get well soon, if unless you have become well!

[@jimcabezola3051]

Please get well, Andrew. I've been waiting for that "Band on the Run" episode, but I can wait. Please take the best of care of yourself. Aloha to you all.

[@chriscampanozzi6516]

Prayers for Andrew. Feel better soon.

[@jorgeb555]

We will live! Get better buddy.

[@rodrigosilvamartins4983]

Good vibes from Brazil, Andrew! Wish you get better soon 🤗

[@allenf.5907]

The Ed Sullivan show was a potpourri of entertainment - as wide as one could imagine. His getting them, at the perfect time, was a change in ALL of popular music that was much needed. We were kids, watching the b & w rabbit ears tv and sat in utter amazement at what was on. It was a novelty to see them but to hear them - amazing. The next day at school - was what people were talking about. "Did you see the Beatles?" The British Invasion was launched.

[@bullmonty764]

Well, might as well say something distinct from last time. If there’s anyone I would thank for the first Ed Sullivan appearance being what it is, it would be the sound department. They were given the task of mixing a performance that they couldn’t even hear, and I think they did it very well. If you go back and watch the performance itself, you’ll find the Beatles to be almost perfectly audible even when there are bursts of screaming. Especially since when Elvis was on Ed Sullivan eight years earlier, there are multiple points where you can’t hear him at all. So the sound department had clearly improved on their jobs dramatically between Elvis and the Beatles, and I think they should be applauded for that

[@panslegs2773]

A superb potted history of this momentous visit through the use of newspaper coverage and interviews. Fascinating as always.

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@fredthejunkman]

I remember it well. I was 10 years old at the time. Because of the Fabs, I became a musician.

[@robadr13]

I was 14 at the time, in Canada. The Ed Sullivan Show was a staple of Sunday night TV in Canada as well, being carried by the CBC. There was huge anticipation of course. Canada had arguably been aware of The Beatles for a little longer than the US but we had never seen them. Their single ‘From Me To You’ had charted in some markets the previous summer, despite Del Shannon’s version being the one playing on US radio. Living in Nova Scotia on the east coast we heard Canadian radio during the day but could pick up American AM radio quite easily at night, so both versions were familiar. But there was no sense that summer of who The Beatles were. ‘She Loves You’ was being played in Canada that November and December I think, and by then there was starting to be the sense that this was something big. It was the release of ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ in both markets in December that really broke the dam, and my memory is that it eclipsed (a little unfairly) ‘She Loves You’ which was still rising on the Canadian charts. FWIW, I always thought ‘She Loves You’ was the better song.😂 Of the first Ed Sullivan appearance I remember being a little disappointed by their opening songs. ‘All My Loving’ and ‘Till There Was You’ weren’t really the barn burners we wanted to hear, but eventually they got here. :-). That year seemed to be all about The Beatles - so many songs in the charts that winter and spring that there always seemed to be a new one, and they all sounded amazing. I remember hearing ‘Thank You Girl’ for the first time and thinking there was just no end to the great songs and sound they could create. Plus of course they were smart and fresh and funny. And then ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ in the summer. There seemed no limit to their talent and creativity and it was real, not manufactured, unlike how so much other pop music / culture felt at the time. It did feel like a new era.

[@orbyfan]

If you're wondering what the other networks were showing on February 9, 1964 while the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, NBC showed the last half-hour of "Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color" ("The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh: Part 1") and the sitcom "Grindl" ("Dial G for Grindl"). ABC showed the last half-hour of "The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters" ("The Day of the Lame Duck") and the first half-hour of "Arrest and Trial" ("People in Glass Houses"). If you haven't heard of any of these series except Disney, they all ran for just that season, in no small part because they were scheduled opposite Ed Sullivan. In Canada, CTV showed the last half-hour of "Mr. Novak" ("I'm on the Outside") and the first half-hour of "Arrest and Trial" (probably the same episode shown in the U.S., although at least one newspaper lists that night's episode as "An Echo of Conscience"). While 73 million viewers in the United States saw the Beatles, there were also a lot of Canadians who saw that show, although I have no idea of the number. If the executives of the other networks had been smart, they would have shown reruns or dug some unsold series pilots out of their vaults and run them during this time slot, as almost no one would be watching them. But no, they ran the regular episodes of their series instead. Other TV broadcasting that day included the last day of the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria.

[@ntxmt]

Tell you what.... I had just turned 13 back then. 60 years later I still see that it was the Mersyside Beatle music that took control of the radio. It was so different than what we were listening to. Beach Boys, Bobby Rydell, Jimmy Clanton., Bobby Vinton,... All great but... The Beatles were electric, attracting, magnetic, what else can I say? It wasn't until the radio played enough Beatle tunes that I was finally hooked on them. 60 years have come and gone, no change. They're still the greatest ever.

[@starshiptrooper7670]

Thank you so much for celebrating with us, Andrew. Sixty yrs., hard to believe. I had just turned seven. I must've been playing outside; I don't remember watching it. Been running errands today. Brought two CDs. along, Meet The Beatles and Magical Mystery Tour. Both mono of course. Fab 4 Forever! ❤ n' ☮ to all my British Beatle friends...

[@elwin38]

What is amazing about this period is after I Want to Hold Your Hand and their debut on Ed Sullivan, their "old" songs were in the top 10. Please, Please Me was released in 1962 and became a top 5 in America in '64. Even My Bonnie became a hit. George mentioned how it was a laugh that some of their songs from their playlists from Hamburg and the Cavern were all of a sudden top 10 hits. 😄😄

[@jeffcreevy4695]

I just received from Amazon the dvd of The first U.S. visit by the Maysles brothers. Wish I had been there but was born in 1970, the year they broke up. Your video showed so much more. I always look forward to your videos every week. Wish you would do a video of their MFSL vinyl released in the 1980's You do a great job in keeping us viewers informed.

[@Parlogram]

I'm sure you'll enjoy it, Jeff!

[@MrRETEROROB]

when The Beatles played the Uline Arena in Washington they rotated the stage so they could face all of the audience at some point during their show. you did it again, Andrew. this was a great video, and thank you for also showing all of the newspaper articles.

[@kevmichael2064]

I seen the Ed Sullivan show with the Beatles...in the 1960s on my grandmother's TV conceale..... A Black and White round tube type ....it was then we knew it was the band....they made us all love Rock and Roll 😮....now in 2024...they are the best 😊

[@rdalbright1]

You saw the Ed Sullivan show. Not seen the Ed Sullivan show.

[@kalebaldwin5398]

It’s really nice to hear how excited and into it George was. Because after the whirlwind North American tour later that year, he was over it and would’ve been happy to stop touring altogether.

[@tonys9102]

Excellent video. Interesting to hear the name Bernard Castro. His daughter Bernadette Castro was a recording artist and scored a minor American hit with a cover of the Shirelles' "His Lips Get In The Way" in late 1964. She later held a high position in New York State government. Anyway, it's amusing that Bernadette Castro and the Beatles both covered the Shirelles. Wonder if she was on that yacht and talked music with them?

[@bucksdiaryfan]

I've seen a clean original of the Sullivan show debut -- I would argue the finale song "I want to hold your hand" is what sent Beatlemania into the stratosphere... I didn't like the song before I saw the Sullivan video, but after I love it... they blasted into it while the camera was on the crowd and it sounded like a freight train coming at you, it was amazing, and you got the crowds response to the opening chords -- epic

[@CaptainDarrick]

I would argue that ' She loves you ' was the freight train that night ...still a powerhouse today

[@bucksdiaryfan]

That's what I would have said before I saw the performance. I never really liked "IWHYH" but there's something about that opening guitar "don don don... don don don" that was electrifying@@CaptainDarrick

[@CaptainDarrick]

​@@bucksdiaryfanNot a great fan of IWHYH either ...but Ringo's dum dum de dum opening notes on She loves you ...just kills it dead for me ...

[@bucksdiaryfan]

When I was a kid I couldn't figure out why "She Loves You" wasn't their breakout song... its got all of the iconic elements (the double lead vocals, the hard driving beat, the "yea, yea, yea" that America was obsessed with) Come to find out it was basically office politics at Capitol@@CaptainDarrick

[@robincochran7369]

My memory? I was 5 years old when The Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan Show. In the understanding of a little child, I asked "why are those girls screaming so loud at those men?" " I can't even hear them." 😂

[@orbyfan]

I recently found the album "BEATLEMANIA in Canada" (the last two words in very small letters), with no artist credited, on Campus 1603 (distributed by London Records of Canada). The songs are: Side 1--I Wanna Be Your Man; It Won't Be Long; Roll Over Beethoven; I Wanna Hold Your Hand; Chains; Please Please Me; Love Me Do; From Me to You. Side 2--P.S. I Love You; Twist and Shout; All My Loving; Please Mister Postman; Hold Me Tight; Money; She Loves You; My Bonnie.

[@chriscampanozzi6516]

Great information as always. Thank you for the newspaper clips, it truly brings the time period to life. Bravo Parlogram.

[@allenf.5907]

Yes, yes. That George was a guest writer. Whoever had the smarts to do that with him!

[@stationminute]

So nice, I liked it twice! I technically saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, but as I was a toddler at the time I have no memory of it. The show made an impression on my parents, because they bought the Meet the Beatles LP which I discovered a few years later tucked between all their Mantovani and Martin Denny albums and "Sing Along With Mitch."

[@soulagent79]

It's just crazy how fast this all went. From zero to superstardom in America within weeks. All without social media.

[@BarrySagittarius240]

Fascinating video. Thanks Andrew!

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mikeymutual5489]

Interesting picture of Madison Square Garden, which was NOT the one that exists today over Penn Station in NYC. This (third version of) Madison Square Garden was located on 8th Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets, and operated from 1925 to 1968.

[@Merseyrock]

It's funny how George, 'the quiet one', was the most vocal about their trip; their de facto spokesperson to the press for how they all felt throughout their visit.

[@bucksdiaryfan]

Here's why I love this channel -- you get stuff you never heard before. When The Beatles were on their way to America, some of the criticism was that they were "old fashioned" by which I think they mean "a throwback to Buddy Holly and the Crickets". I cannot tell you how silly that sounds now. Second, the one guy thought people wouldn't like The Beatles because they didn't do dance routines like The Temptations, I guess. America had never seen a "rock group" before. Finally, a lot of people, including The Beatles, thought they were going to be a gimmick without staying power. They and the American public grossly underestimated the musical talent of The Beatles.

[@Parlogram]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@SpuzzyLargo]

Few ever mention that Phil Spector (and the Ronettes too, I believe) were on that flight from England to New York. See that Spector bio book, circa 2009. You can sometimes catch a glimpse of him in some videos of The Beatles disembarking the plane.

[@jpreza]

Hi Andrew! Love the video as always. BTW do you have any more details regarding the concerts at Carnegie Hall? Those concerts are very elusive - of course, no audio or video recording exists, but even the setlist is not well know. I'd love for you to do a deep dive on those concerts. Thank you as always! And hope you're feeling better!

[@Parlogram]

Thank you!

[@dimebagdave77]

Hey Andrew 🤘 wasn't expecting to see you today. Many thanks as always

[@vt5533]

I wish I had some juicy, detailed story to tell you about The Beatles, but I was only 9, going on 10 years old in less than 3 months. I grew up just 25 miles north of NYC and learned about their arrival through the Daily News, the TV, WABC and WMCA. Oh--and all the older girls on the school bus! Just about everyone knew they would be on the Ed Sullivan Show that Sunday night because just about everyone watched his show every Sunday eve. I recall watching them with my mother and stepfather and remember the words (something like), "Sorry girls, this one is married" when we saw John playing. I don't recall much more, honestly. My transistor radio was my best friend because I could listen to it at night and hear the disk jockeys, shouting "It's 77 WABEATLESC degrees!" Also, Cousin Brucey on WMCA was big at the time. Murray the K was called "The Fifth Beatle." My mother was protective, and I was only 11, when they played at Shea Stadium, so I didn't go. I probably honestly didn't even know about it ahead of time anyway.... Needless to say, it was an exciting time for everyone. My family all said, "It'll never last," as that was the standard thinking back then.

[@Parlogram]

Great memories! Thanks for sharing them.

[@moreheff]

So glad you finally got to put this out Andrew, after some swift re editing. I clicked the thumbnail for the original video only to find it had been blocked for all the usual rubbish reasons! Typical, but not totally unexpected on your part I imagine. Funny how it seemed the majority of quotes were coming from George. I wonder why that was? It strikes me that there was still an air of innocence about some of his comments, despite their continued success and dealings with the mania surrounding them. Great insight though into what was going on. I would have been four at the time. I hope you get over the flu soon and I am already looking forward to the next video.

[@redirad7732]

ALWAYS a great video! Thank you for all that you do.

[@Steve-tc2pi]

This is a good video on the Beatles 1st visit..

[@martinneumann7783]

Thanks for this story, Andrew. I missed the first version/attempt anyway. See you next time! Until then - Martin 🇬🇧🥰🇩🇪

[@Parlogram]

Cheers Martin!

[@amb2745]

From JFK airport to the Plaza Hotel, The Beatles travelled by Cadillac limousines, one Beatle to a limo. During the trip to the Plaza Hotel, a group of teenagers caught up with the Beatles' caravan. One car in particular was a white convertible with the word "BEETLES" scrawled on the side of the car in the dirt. The convertible passed by George Harrison's limo, with press agent Brian Sommerville riding along. Brian noticed the white convertible, and asked George "Did you see that??". George, looking at the convertible as it passed by told Brian "They misspelled Beatles".

[@briancornish5857]

Nicely Done.👍

[@Parlogram]

Thanks Brian 👍

[@kieranryan7594]

60 years ago . I was 16 Wow !

[@BuffaloBeatle]

A song that could be mentioned around 3:00 is A Letter To The Beatles by The Four Preps, arguably the best of those songs you mentioned from that period. Joey Dee’s new book mentions lots of new anecdotes of The Beatles from 1962-1964. A good read for any music fan.

[@_lennard_lp]

Wow, I always knew of the Feb 9th performance, but never heard of one on the 16th! That's my birthday, how great!

[@strawmancomics]

I was thinking.... this is REALLY familiar. Love your content.

[@AndersonTückmantel]

I think I've already watched this video days before it was released 😂

[@sugarjoe50]

The Sullivan show was at CBS Studio 50, not 54.

[@BGC75]

Curious, what specifically needed to be edited out for this re-post? I realize it was down to copyright, but what exactly?

[@anjamccabe8401]

Yeah,Yeah,Yeah !

[@arzabael]

Yayyyyyy😊😊 this is so cool

[@garyhunt8067]

I thought this was the best story about the Beatles conquered America. Spot on about the American music. No wonder the American people wanted something different. The US music was sounded the same. The UK had bands, the US didn't which is pretty sad.

[@resident-z9m]

I wonder what was on ABC and NBC that night. I know NBC still had Bonanza during the next hour.

[@CaptainDarrick]

What parts of the original post did Andrew have to omit ( re-edit ) ?

[@PamelaMcIntyre-d1j]

VJay- "Beattles"

[@johnozed]

Weren't George's messages from the US written by Derek Taylor?

[@Parlogram]

Yes, but George would have had some input.

[@brockytv7359]

Washington coliseum was still the best beatles performance

[@victorhugotoledocofre1366]

Why the reposting, Andrew? Content-match issues? 🤔

[@AndrewAmbrose]

Yes.

[@michaelcarpenter2498]

A shame really

[@Apo458]

He shared the explanation on a Community Post

[@magneto7930]

Copyright issues causing him to re-edit.

[@englishdogs]

Am I going mad or is this video a repost?

[@AndrewAmbrose]

It is.

[@georgeprice4212]

Andrew has the flu…but wanted to post something anyway.

[@fullschneider]

Both maybe... 😂❤

[@The_Freestyle_Skater]

Maybe the original posted last Sunday got taken down

[@georgeprice4212]

@@The_Freestyle_Skater Andrew said something about a copyright issue and he took it down to re-edit it.

[@chickenfriedtech9307]

I wonder what the big announcement The Beatles Store teased will be? It could be a documentary but because it is on The Beatles Store website, I think it might be bigger. Could it finally be the release of a vinyl US albums set? I wouldn’t be surprised if it was.

[@Parlogram]

Unfortunately, I don't think it's either of those ☹️

[@ricardo_miguel13]

Maybe something youtube related. Full ed sullivan show on their youtube channel in 4k or whatever

[@chickenfriedtech9307]

We’re less than an hour away from the announcement. John’s Facebook leaked a LEGO set and a RSD 3” record set of the show has also been leaked. Could it be a demixed version of the performance?

[@chickenfriedtech9307]

Update: They just released a virtual experience and some new products including a few special turntables. The most significant is a DVD of the Ed Sullivan shows that starred The Beatles. When it comes to music, it looks like they repressed some albums including the U.S. Albums CD set. Unfortunately, there is nothing else besides that.

[@aureliande2659]

Oh dear, that Bootles song is just so ... what a transparent rip-off. As for this first American visit, whichyou've presented so well here, I think the next most noteworthy thing after the gigantic TV audiences to the Ed Sulivan Show (we all know how that contributed to the worldwide success of the Beatles) is the Washington concert. In terms of enery, thrill, involvement it's probably singular among all the Beatles' concerts in '64 up to '66. There's the Hollywood Bowl 1 or an Australian performance, both of them recorded better, but this makeshift, drumkit-turning performance is the one that captures the spirit of the band. And they felt it, to be sure, as you can read in George's (with a little help from a friend) account which you presented here. Great video, thank you.

[@Parlogram]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nvm9040]

Well if this a repost then at least I can comment twice 😂

[@oldskool731]

seen this

[@franciscoop1063]

This was just a repeated episode Andrew.....

[@john-p3n2x]

The boys don't look very happy about having to pose in front of a giant American flag.

[@SoundOfSilence-k8u]

THE BOOTLESS ILL LET YOU HOLD MY HAND. ONE SINGER IS IN BEACH PARTY FILMS. THE BLOND HER ANOTHER MEMBER LONG PAST AWAY. ALLSO IM ONLY SEVENTEEN. BY THE BEATLETTS

[@Merseyrock]

He was wondering about how was he going to pack all his baggage into the 66lb allowance... Well, gotta wonder how he'd feel today: Where that allowance has gone down to 50lbs!