60 years Ago: VEE-JAY ISSUES BEATLES SINGLE & EP WHILE BEATLES CONTINUE WORK ON THEIR MOVIE
In America, Vee-Jay Records continued with its release of “new” Beatles product by simultaneously issuing a Beatles single containing Do You Want To Know A Secret and Thank You Girl and an EP with the songs Misery, A Taste Of Honey, Ask Me Why and Anna. The single gave the Beatles and Vee-Jay another million seller, with the song peaking a number two in the Billboard Hot 100. Although the EP sold reasonably well for an American EP (nearly 78,000 copies), it did not make any of the top 100 listings, with only Record World later listing the disc at number 132 in August 1964.
Work on the Beatles first feature film continued with a switch to the Scala Theatre in London, where the group was filmed from Monday, March 23, through Thursday, March 26. Several of the sequences of the group on the theatre’s stage were shot, but the exciting concert scene would not be filmed until the following week. The Beatles were given an extended Easter holiday from March 27 through March 30, with John and wife Cynthia and George and new girlfriend Pattie Boyd heading to Dromolan Castle in Ireland, Paul remaining in London and Ringo spending time with friends in Bedfordshire.
This week’s questions pertain to the Vee-Jay’s March 1964 Beatles releases.
- What song blocked Do You Want To Know A Secret from topping the American charts?
- Who recorded a version of Do You Want To Know A Secret which peaked at number two on the U.K. charts?
- What song blocked Do You Want To Know A Secret from topping the U.K. charts?
- What did Vee-Jay name its 1964 Beatles EP?
1. Do You Want To Know A Secret was blocked from topping the American charts by Louis Armstrong’s recording of Hello Dolly.
2. Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas recorded a version of Do You Want To Know A Secret that peaked at number two on the U.K. charts in 1963.
3. Billy J. Kramer with the Dakotas’ version of Do You Want To Know A Secret was blocked from the top of the U.K. charts by the Beatles single From Me To You.
4. Vee-Jay named its EP Souvenir Of Their Visit To America to capitalize on the group’s recent February 1964 visit to the States.
