Fab Four Blog

1 Dec 1964
Ringo Starr has his tonsils removed at the University College Hospital in London.

The Beatles will be relaxing for the next three weeks - as far as performing publicly.

Studio One, Television Centre, London

The second part of John's contribution to the opening edition of Not Only....But Also was taped this evening, from 8:30, before an audience at the BBC's Television centre in west London.

Several items from his book In His Own Write were read, mostly straight to camera. John alone read "About The Awful" - his own biography from the book's back-cover - he and Norman Rossington recited "Good Dog Nigel" and "The Wrestling Dog" and then John, Rossington and Dudley Moore delivered "All Abord Speeching". Additionally, Rossington and Moore, without John's involvement, read "Unhappy Frank". Right at the end of the programme, as the credits were rolling to Moore's signature tune, "Goodby-ee", John also flitted somewhat maniacally across the screen.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

"Kenwood", Wood Lane, St. George's Hill, Weybridge, Surrey

The December 4th issue of New Musical Express carried a full-page feature about John's new house in Weybridge, written after a visit this day by news editor Chris Hutchins. The NME man also took along his portable BBC tape recorder and interviewed John about the property for the Light Programme radio show The Teen Scene; the item was broadcast the following evening, Sunday, November 29th.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle

Mark Lewistohn

The Beatles' fourth album, Beatles for Sale, was released on November 27, 1964. It featured 8 original songs, including "Eight Days A Week" and 6 cover songs (written by other artists) including "Rock and Roll Music".

The Beatles were so busy all year, and by the end of 1964, they only had two weeks in their schedule to complete their fourth album, Beatles for Sale.

On this album, John was starting to write more introspective songs that hinted at his dislike of the Beatles fame, such as "I'm a Loser" and "Baby's in Black."

1) No Reply (Lennon/McCartney)
2) I'm a Loser (Lennon/McCartney)
3) Baby's in Black (Lennon/McCartney)
4) Rock and Roll Music (Berry)
5) I'll Follow the Sun (Lennon/McCartney)
6) Mr. Moonlight (Johnson)
7) Medley:
a. Kansas City (Lieber/Stoller)
b. Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey (Penniman)
8) Eight Days a Week (Lennon/McCartney)
9) Words of Love (Holly)
10) Honey Don't (Perkins)
11) Every Little Thing (Lennon/McCartney)
12) I Don't Want to Spoil the Party (Lennon/McCartney)
13) What You're Doing (Lennon/McCartney)
14) Everybody's Trying to be My Baby (Perkins)

Beatles enjoyed a rare day off.

Studio One, Aeolian Hall, London

The Beatles tenth and last music session for the BBC Light Programme between 7:00 and 10:30 pm (including rehearsal time), transmission was on Boxing Day (December 26) between 10:00 am and 12:00 noon.

Six session recordings were broadcast in this programme; "Rock And Roll Music", "I'm A Loser", "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby", "I Feel Fine", "Kansas City'/Hey-Hey-He-y-Hey!", and "She's A Woman", together, as usual, with conversations with host Brian Matthew.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewisohn

No events happened 50 years ago today.

Wembley Studios, Wembley

Beatlemania, coupled with the enviable position to dictate terms, now ruled out any possibility that the Beatles might make another live appearance on Ready, Steady, Go! So on this Monday afternoon, before a clapping and dancing audience at Rediffusion's studios in Wembley, north of London, the beatles taped a four-song performance for  insertion onto the following Friday's edition of the series (November 27, 6:08-7:00 pm), miming to "I Feel Fine", "She's A Woman", "Baby's In Black" and "Kansas City"/"Hey-Hey-Hey-Hey!" They also chatted with programme host Keith Fordyce. It was the Beatle's third and final RSG! appearance as a group.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewison

No events today - The Beatles didn't work everyday, Ya' know.

No events happened today, 50 years ago for The Beatles.

Wimbledon Common, London

John had latterly made the acquaintance of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore; he had also appeared alongside Norman Rossington in A Hard Day's Night. So for the first edition of a new Light Entertainment series for BBC Television, in which Moore was set to star and Cook and Rossington to guest, there was a fair chance that John may be involved, too. On November 4th, Rossington and the new series' producer, Joe McGrath, visited John backstage at the Ritz Cinema in Luton and invited him to participate. At this time Moore's series was still untitled, nearer the broadcast it was named Not Only....But Also, Cook eventually assumed a co-starring role, and the two continued to make excellent programmes under this title until 1970. This first edition, with John, went out on BBC2 on Saturday, January 9, 1965, 9:20-10:00 pm.

John's involvement was two-fold. On this day, November 20th, he, Moore and Rossington shot a surrealistic film sequence to accompany the reading of his In His Own Write piece, "Deaf Ted, Danoota, (and me)". The shoot location was Wimbledon Common, in south-west London; precise times of arrival/departure are not known, but they worked early and had completed the work before mid-morning. The remainder of his contribution was taped on Sunday, November 29th.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewiston

No events happened 50 years ago - The Beatles probably just took a rest today.

No events for the Beatles 50 years ago today.

Playhouse Theatre, London

This session for BBC radio, the Beatles 50th music programme contribution since 1962 - was another insert into the new series Top Gear, for broadcast in the Light Programme on Thursday, November 26th, between 10:00 and 12:00 pm. Taping took place from 7:30 to 11:30 pm (including rehearsal time) at the Playhouse.

The group recorded six songs: "I'm a Loser", "Honey Don't", "She's A Woman", "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby", "I'll Follow The Sun" and "I Feel Fine", and took part once again in a playful interview with show host Brian Matthew.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewiston

Studio Two, Riverside Studios, Crisp Rd. Hammersmith, London

A video-taping session for Top of the The Pops, shot at the Riverside Studios in west London (then leased esclusively by the BBC). On hand from 2:00 to 5:00 pm, inclusive of rehearsal time, the group mimed to the A and B-sides of their new single, "I feel Fine" and "She's A Woman". Both went into the edition of Thursday, December 3rd, broadcast by BBC1 from 7:30 to 8:00 pm. "She's A Woman" was then repeated on Thursday, December 24th, between 7:25 and 8:25 pm. (This latter programme also included a repeat of the "A Hard Day's Night" video-tape shot on July 7th, and a new interview with the Beatles filmed in London on Tuesday, December 22nd).

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - Mark Lewiston

The Beatles took a rest today.

Teddington Studio Centre, Teddington

A 1:00 to 5:00 pm visit to ABC Television in Teddington to rehearse and then video-tape, without an audience, a show-closing contribution to the following Saturday's edition of Thank Your Lucky Stars (November 21, 5:50 - 6:35 pm). They mimed to four songs, "I Feel Fine", "She's A Woman", I'm A Loser" and "Rock and Roll Music". To have the Beatles back on the show was deemed such a coup by ABC executives that the re-named this edition Lucky Stars Special in their honor.

As well as performing, the group participated in a humorous opening skit, in which, after delivering a short speech, Ringo pulled a cord to lift the covering from an adjacent statue. The statue turned out to be the real life show host Brian Matthew, who promptly introduced the first act. The Beatles then popped up again just before the programme's only commercial break, giving the thumbs-up when Matthew announced that they would play in part two of the programme, following which they draped the cover back over him!

No Events today - the Beatles just took a day off.

The Beatles had no events today - 50 years ago

Resting from the tour........

Colston Hall, Bristol

This is the last night of the tour.

City Hall, Sheffield

Almost done with the tour......

Empire Theatre, Liverpool

The Beatles first home-town concert since December 22, 1963

They performed two concerts on this night, for which they were paid £850. Their set throughout the tour contained 10 songs: Twist And Shout, Money (That's What I Want), Can't Buy Me Love, Things We Said Today, I'm Happy Just To Dance With You, I Should Have Known Better, If I Fell, I Wanna Be Your Man, A Hard Day's Night and Long Tall Sally.

The support acts on the tour were The Rustiks, Sounds Incorporated, Michael Haslam, The Remo Four, Tommy Quickly and Mary Wells, and the compère was Bob Bain. The evening's two shows began at 5.40pm and 8pm.

A number of special guests attended the show. Afterwards, John Lennon and Mersey Beat editor Bill Harry visited the parents of Stuart Sutcliffe. Lennon was given a blue abstract artwork painted by the former Beatle.

Capitol Cinema, Cardiff

The 24h date of The Beatles' 1964 British tour was a return to the Capitol Cinema in Cardiff, Wales. The group had previously performed at the venue on 27 May 1963, and returned for their final UK tour date on 12 December 1965.

They performed two concerts on this night, for which they were paid £850. Their set throughout the 1964 tour contained 10 songs: Twist And Shout, Money (That's What I Want), Can't Buy Me Love, Things We Said Today, I'm Happy Just To Dance With You, I Should Have Known Better, If I Fell, I Wanna Be Your Man, A Hard Day's Night and Long Tall Sally.

The support acts on the tour were The Rustiks, Sounds Incorporated, Michael Haslam, The Remo Four, Tommy Quickly and Mary Wells, and the compère was Bob Bain. The evening's two shows began at 6.30pm and 8.50pm.

Another note: This is the first time since January 18 that the Beatles have not been represented on Billboard’s Hot 100 Chart. They broke unto the chart with their smash hit, “I Want To Hold Your Hand.”

Gaumont Cinema, Southampton

Before the first "House" the Beatles were interviewed in their Gaumont dressing room by Tony Bilbow, presently a reporter for Southern Television (and later a mainstay of the BBC2 art series Late Night Line-Up), screened in the news-magazine programme Day By Day this evening, from 6:05 to 6:40 pm.

Odeon Cinema, Notthingham

This was The Beatles' third and final live appearance at Nottingham's Odeon Cinema. They had previously performed at the venue on 23 May and 12 December 1963.

On this occasion it was the 22nd date of their 1964 British tour. The Beatles performed two concerts a night, for which they were paid £850. Their set throughout the 1964 tour contained 10 songs: Twist And Shout, Money (That's What I Want), Can't Buy Me Love, Things We Said Today, I'm Happy Just To Dance With You, I Should Have Known Better, If I Fell, I Wanna Be Your Man, A Hard Day's Night and Long Tall Sally.

The support acts on the tour were The Rustiks, Sounds Incorporated, Michael Haslam, The Remo Four, Tommy Quickly and Mary Wells, and the compère was Bob Bain. The evening's two shows began at 6.15pm and 8.30pm.

Studio Two, EMI Studios, London and Ritz Cinema, Gordon St. Luton, Bedfordshire

The remaining stereo mixes/edits for the LP, a three-hour session, which the Beatles may well have attended before driving up to Luton - producing masters of "I'll Follow The Sun", "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby", "Rock and Roll Music", "Words Of Love", "Mr. Moonlight", "I Don't Want To Spoil The Party", "I'm A Loser", "Baby's In Black", "No Reply" and also, for the library shelf, the new single "I Feel Fine".

Beatles For Sale was released by EMI on Friday, December 4th, the group's fourth LP in 21 months and yet another number one.

The Beatles resting today.

King's Hall, Showgrounds, Balmoral, Belfast

This date had been assigned as a rest day, but promoter Arthur Howes squeezed in a late booking for Northern Ireland. The entourage flew into Aldergrove Airport from London during the afternoon.

For their concerts that evening they performed 10 songs: Twist And Shout, Money (That's What I Want), Can't Buy Me Love, Things We Said Today, I'm Happy Just To Dance With You, I Should Have Known Better, If I Fell, I Wanna Be Your Man, A Hard Day's Night and Long Tall Sally. They flew back to London the next day.

This was The Beatles' second and final visit to Northern Ireland. They had performed at the city's Ritz Cinema on 8 November 1963.