The number one song in the US on July 31, 1964 was A Hard Day's Night by The Beatles.

The Beatles return to Liverpool in triumph after their successful tour in Sweden.

This was The Beatles’ second consecutive night of concerts at the Johanneshovs Isstadion in Stockholm, Sweden. As on the previous night, they performed two shows.

The Beatles performed two shows on this night, at 6.45pm and 10pm. They topped a bill which also featured The Kays, The Moonlighters, The Streaplers, Jimmy Justice, The Mascots and The Shanes.

The Beatles also made an appearance on Swedish television on this day. They discussed their plans for the future, and John Lennon recited his poem Good Dog Nigel, from In His Own Write.

Johanneshovs Isstadion, Sanstuvagen, Stockholm, Sweden

The Beatle's second visit to Sweden inside ten months saw them give four performances over two nights at this 8500 seat ice hockey arena, at 6:45 and 10:00 each night. On two occasions they played to less than capacity audiences. During the first show, Paul received a mild electric shock from an unearthed microphone. John, too, suffered a jolt.

The Beatles are preparing for their visit to Sweden while A Hard Day's Night is on top of the charts.

Opera House, Church St. Blackpool, Lancashire

The number one song in the US on July 26, 1964 was A Hard Day's Night by The Beatles.

Studio Four, Television Centre, London

Just as John had done on June 22, 1963, so now George and Ringo appeared individually as members of the panel on Juke Box Jury, the record-review programme transmitted by BBC1 early each Saturday evening.

Sharing the panel with George was actress/model Alexandra Bastedo, comic actor Reg Varney and singer Carole Ann Ford, and together they reviewed "I Should Have Known Better" by the Naturals (a cover of the Beatle's song), "What Am I To You" by Kenny Lynch, "Soulful Dress" by Sugar Pie De Santo, "How Can I Tell her" by the Fourmost, "Heart", by David Nelson, "Spanish Harlem" by Sounds Incorporated, "All Grown Up" by the Crystals, "She's Not There" by the Zombies and "Aint' Love Good, Ain't Love Proud" by Tony Clarke.

London Palladium, London

A special midnight revue, The Night Of A Hundred Star, in aid of the "Combined Theatrical Charities Appeals Council", featuring an array of illustrious names from all walks of show business (Sir Laurence Olivier and Judy Garland, to name but two). Representing "Pop Music", the Beatles acted out a flying ballet sketch (I'm Flying) in part one of the show, which necessitated them being winched up high above the stage, and performed a brief musical set in part two.

Mark Lewisohn-The Complete Beatles Chronicle

• July 22, 1963 "The Beatles release ""Introducing the Beatles"""
  
  

The Beatles are in-between-shows

Capitol Records third Beatles album was released on July 20, 1964 in both mono and stereo.  The company also continued their policy of “Beatles ‘over saturation’ by releasing two more singles that same day: ‘I’ll Cry Instead’ b/w ‘I’m Happy Just To Dance With You’ and ‘And I Love Her’ b/w ‘If I Fell’.  Entering the Billboard album chart on August 8, it became the first Capitol Beatles release to not hit #1, peaking at #2 for 9 weeks.  The album that kept it out of the top spot? ‘A Hard Days Night’.

Nine of the eleven tracks were written by Lennon-McCartney.  The two exceptions were covers of Larry Williams ‘Slow Down’ and Carl Perkins (one of George Harrison’s favorite artists) classic Sun track ‘Matchbox’.  The album stayed on Billboard’s chart for a total of 41 weeks, eventually selling over 2,000,000 copies.

The recently released CD contains both mono and stereo versions of the album.  The mono version of ‘I’ll Cry Instead’ is the longer version with an extra verse repeated clocking in at 2:09 while the true stereo version (not featured on the ‘A Hard Days Night’ album does not have the verse repeated and is only 1:49 long.  The mono versions of ‘And I Love Her’ and ‘If I Fell’ are the American single versions with Paul and John’s voices single tracked on the first verse of each song.  The stereo versions are double tracked vocals throughout.  In fact all of the stereo mixes are the same masters that were used on the 2009 remasters of the British albums.

ABC Theatre, Blackpool

An appearance on the live variety programme Blackpool Night Out, the summer edition of Big Night Out, networked to all ITV stations by ABC Television direct from the town's ABC Theatre between 8:25 and 9:25 pm. As usual, the show was hosted by comedian brothers Mike and Bernie Winters. The Beatles headed the list of guest stars, which also included Chita Rivera, Frank Berry, Jimmy Edwards, and Lionel Blair.

The Beatles had flown up to Blackpool the previous day and spent all of the Sunday rehearsing inside the ABC Theatre. As well as performing five songs, "A Hard Day's Night", "And I Love Her", "If I Fell", "Things We Said Today", and "Long Tall Sally", they also participated in comedy sketches, including one where John, Paul, George and the Winters performed a medical operation on Ringo. In another, they acted as refuse collectors.

• The Beatles' single "A Hard Day's Night" enters the UK chart, a fortnight after the release of the film of the same name.

BBC Paris Studio, London

This second BBC Radio recording session inside four days - a schedule reminiscent of 1963, took place at the Paris between 2:15 and 6:15 pm (inclusive of rehearsal time). The object was the recording of the Beatle's fourth consecutive "bank holiday" special From Us To You, to be transmitted in the Light Programme from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon on Monday, August 3rd. The host this time was Don Wardell, more usually heard as a presenter on Radio Luxembourg and as late a prominent US record industry executive.

The program comprised the usual mix, a chat with the host, the reading of listener's requests, and eight numbers, in this instance "Long Tall Sally", "If I Fell", "I'm Happy Just To Dance With You", Things We Said Today", "I Should Have Known Better", "Boys", "Kansas City"/"Hey Hey Hey", and "A Hard Day's Night". The program also opened and closed with the now familiar recording of "From Us To You", but there was an unfamiliar voice reading the closing credits, that of John Lennon.

The Complete Beatles Chronicle - LS

Beatles, The ‎– Live Melbourne Australia July 16, 1964

Tracklist

The A Hard Day's Night single is #1 for the 1st week and With The Beatles is 24th week in the Top 30.

ABC-TV broadcasts the program "The Road To Beatlemania.

John Lennon buys Kenwood, his home in Weybridge.

Studios B7/S2, Broadcasting House, London

The Beatles made an appearance on the first edition of the BBC radio show Top Gear, a weekly late-night pop music programme, on this day.

Not to be confused with the BBC television show of the same name about motor vehicles, Top Gear was produced by Bernie Andrews, who had worked on the Saturday Club radio show, and was presented by Brian Matthew. This first episode was broadcast two days after the recording, on the BBC Light Programme service, from 10pm on 16 July 1964.

The Beatles recorded six songs between 7 and 11pm at London’s Broadcasting House. They performed Long Tall Sally, Things We Said Today, A Hard Day’s Night, And I Love Her, If I Fell and You Can’t Do That.

This was the only occasion in which The Beatles performed And I Love Her outside EMI Studios. The song never made it into their stage repertoire, despite its popularity, and the group never performed it during their other numerous television and radio appearances.

George Martin was supposed to have joined The Beatles to play the piano solo on A Hard Day’s Night, but failed to show up. As a result, the solo from the studio version was edited into the recording. This version, along with Things We Said Today, was included on the 1994 compilation Live At The BBC.

Another anomaly was the inclusion of I Should Have Known Better in the programme. The Beatles did not perform the song during this session, but the EMI recording was played as if it had been.

The Beatles also joined host Brian Matthew for some light-hearted banter. While introducing And I Love Her, Ringo Starr was asked if he had any plans to write songs. He replied that he had written one, before Paul McCartney interjected by singing “Don’t pass me by, don’t make me cry, don’t make me blue”. Starr had first mentioned Don’t Pass Me By to the press in 1963, and McCartney had sung part of it during a 26 June 1964 interview in New Zealand, but it wouldn’t be recorded until 1968.

Prior to the day’s recording, Paul McCartney gave a 13-minute interview to the BBC’s Michael Smee for the programme Highlight, five minutes of which was broadcast on the General Overseas Service on Saturday 18 July from 11.15am. The interview was also taped at BBC Broadcasting House in Portland Place, London.

The title track of The Beatles debut feature film and fourth US album was released as a single on this day in America.

A Hard Day’s Night was issued as Capitol 5222. Its b-side was I Should Have Known Better.

Its parent album had been released by United Artists, who owned the rights to the film. However, Capitol were able to issue the songs in other formats, hence the release of several songs from the soundtrack as singles.

The single entered the US charts five days after its release, and from 1 August spent two weeks at number one. On that day a record was set, as The Beatles held the number one positions in the single and album charts in both the UK and US.

The single A Hard Day’s Night sold more than a million copies in America in its first five weeks on sale.

Hippodrome Theatre, Brighton

The Beatles returned to the British stage this evening for the first of five summer Sunday concerts at seaside holiday resorts (plus another performed for TV purposes) - a far cry from the 47 they played in 1963.

One of the support acts this particular evening was temporary Beatles drummer Jimmy Nicol, together with his group the Shubdubs. But despite being on the same bill, the paths of Nicol and the Beatles failed to cross.

Teddington Studio Centre, Teddington

A rare live appearance on the ABC Television programme Lucky Stars (Summer Spin), rare because performances for this show and its non-summer incarnation Thank Your Lucky Stars were usually taped six days ahead of transmission. This appearance would have been, too, were it not for an ITV technicians strike which aborted plans to pre-tape at the Alpha studios in Aston, Birmingham, the previous Sunday, July 5th.

Following their A Hard Day's Night northern premiere celebrations, the Beatles had left Liverpool airport at 1:30 am, arriving at London Airport at 3:00 am. After a few hours sleep, the group re-assembled in Central London, boarded a boat and travelled down the River Thames to ABC's Teddinton Studio Centre, which has its own mooring platform, arriving there at 1:45 pm for afternoon rehearsals and the 5:50 to 6:35 live transmission, in which they mimed to "A Hard Day's Night", "Long Tall Sally", "Things We Said Today", and "You Can't Do That".

Liverpool locations

The Beatles returned triumphant to their home-town for a press conference at Liverpool airport, a remarkable drive through the streets from there into the city centre, cheered and applauded every inch of the way, a civic reception held in their honour at the Town Hall and then, in the evening, the northern premiere of a Hard Day's Night at the Odeon Cinema. More than 200,000 Liverpudlians spent at least some part of the day greeting the group, a reception which, meant more to John, Paul, George and Ringo than any other.

Television cameras whirred for much of the day, with resulting footage going into news bulletins pretty much the world over. Additionally, this evening's BBC1 local news-magazine program, Look North featured a report on their airport arrival plus a four minute piece comprising actuality from the press conference and an exclusive interview with the Beatles by reporter Gerald Harrison. Over on Granada Television, Scene at 6:30, broadcast film of their arrival at Speke, an exlusive interview done at the airport and footage of the Town Hall balcony parade, John treating the massed crowd below to Sieg Heil signs.

Don't know what happened on this day. If you do, let us know!

For Paul McCartney's father's James' 62nd birthday, his son gave him a picture of a horse. "Very nice," James said. "It's not just the picture, dad. I bought you the bloody horse," said Paul.

Studio E, Lime Grove Studios, London and Television House, London

Release of a new single meant more appearances on Top of the Pops. The Beatles this day taped mimed performances of three songs; the new A and B sides, "A Hard Day's Night" and "Things we said today", and also the title track of their new EP, "Long Tall Sally".

Brian Epstein had agreed that the Beatles would tape their contribution in Manchester on July 8, a few hours ahead of transmission, but then changed his mind. Instead, they were engaged for an afternoon taping session without an audience at Lime Grove Studios in West London. Immediately after, the Beatles were driven across town to Television House, Rediffusion's central London studio, where they taped an interview for transmission a few minutes later in Granada Television's Scene at 6:30 programme, discussing a Hard Day's Night. (A short clip was shown).

Also on this day, probably while he was at Television House, John gave an interview to New Musical Express news editor Chris Hutchins, although not for the paper. Hutchins had also been taken on as a freelance contributor to The Teen Scene, a new BBC radio series broadcast every Thursday night from 9:30 to 10:00 pm on the Light Programme. This particular interview - John discussing A Hard Day's Night for 3 mins and 27 seconds went out on July 9th. The Teen Scene had been on the blocks for some time, a pilot edition, not transmitted, having been compiled on February 27th. This had included an interview that Hutchins did with the Beatles at some point during their February 7-21 February US visit, when he travelled with them covering the trip for the NME.

The Beatles’ first feature film, A Hard Day’s Night, had its première at the London Pavilion.

The première was attended by The Beatles and their wives and girlfriends, and a host of important guests including Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon. Nearby Piccadilly Circus was closed to traffic as 12,000 fans jostled for a glimpse of the group.

I remember Piccadilly being completely filled. We thought we would just show up in our limo, but it couldn’t get through for all the people. It wasn’t frightening – we never seemed to get worried by crowds. It always appeared to be a friendly crowd; there never seemed to be a violent face.

It was a charity event held in support of the Variety Club Heart Fund and the Docklands Settlements, and the most expensive tickets cost 15 guineas (£15.75).

After the screening The Beatles, the royal party and other guests including The Rolling Stones enjoyed a champagne supper party at the Dorchester Hotel, after which some of them adjourned to the Ad Lib Club until the early hours of the morning.

Time off for the Beatles

The Beatles enjoying some time off.

The Beatles taking a rest after the long tour.

The Beatles had arrived at London Airport at 11.10am, following their flight back from Sydney, Australia. In the afternoon John Lennon and Paul McCartney attended a recording session at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, in which Cilla Black recorded their song It’s For You.

The song was produced by George Martin. McCartney played piano, and both he and Lennon suggested ideas for the recording – not all of which were welcomed by the singer.

Paul was at the recording session when I made Anyone Who Had A Heart. He said that he liked the composition and he and John would try to produce something similar. Well they came up with this new number, but for my money it’s nothing like the Anyone composition. That was some session we had when I made the new recording. John and Paul joined me, and George Martin. We made one track and then everyone had a go at suggesting how they thought it should be recorded. And everyone had different ideas. George said it should be one way, Paul and John another and I just added my suggestions while they were thinking of what else they could do with the composition.