Friday, March 14, 2014

50 Years Ago This Weekend

More British Invasion History this week in Forgotten Hits ...
This week in Billboard Magazine, I WANT TO HOLD YOUR HAND begins its seventh week at #1, followed by SHE LOVES YOU at #2 and PLEASE PLEASE ME at #3.  Other BEATLES hits on the countdown:  I SAW HER STANDING THERE (#15), MY BONNIE (#26), TWIST AND SHOUT (premiering at #55) and FROM ME TO YOU (#73)

The British Invasion is in full swing with DUSTY SPRINGFIELD's hit I ONLY WANT TO BE WITH YOU at #12, THE DAVE CLARK FIVE at #20 with GLAD ALL OVER, NEEDLES AND PINS by THE SEARCHERS, making a huge leap from #75 to #46 and THE SWINGING BLUE JEANS at #61 with HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE (a song THE BEATLES used to do in their club days … and even performed live on BBC Radio at the time)

"Twist And Shout" jumps over all of the competition to take over the #1 Spot on the WLS Silver Dollar Survey this week in 1964, a position it will hold for a total of four weeks.  (How it missed the #1 position in Billboard it beyond me … it was #1 absolutely EVERYWHERE else, including Cash Box and Record World ... and on just about EVERY local chart we've ever seen from 1964!!!) 

The Fab Four have four of the Top Five Records this week with "I Want To Hold Your Hand" at #2, "Please Please Me" at #4 and "She Loves You" at #5.  "Glad All Over" climbs to #6 and "I Saw Her Standing There" holds on at #8.  Cliff Richard just misses The Top Ten as "It's All In The Game" climbs to #11.  "Needles And Pins" sits at #26, followed by "Hippy Hippy Shake" at #32.

Also happening this weekend ... The Dave Clark Five make their second appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing "Glad All Over", "Bits And Pieces" and "Do You Love Me".  (They appeared the week before, performing their current hit "Glad All Over" ... and reaction was SO good that Ed invited them back to play three numbers the following week.