60 years Ago: Beatles spend Christmas in Hamburg
The Beatles were in Hamburg, Germany, playing their final appearances at the Star Club. The December 27, 1962 issue of Record Retailer showed the group’s debut single, Love Me Do, at its peak position on the charts at number 17. The next year the Beatles would be playing Christmas shows in London as the number one act in Great Britain. The group would also issue its first in a series of annual Christmas records for members of its fan club.
Today’s trivia questions deal with Christmases past.
What song was number one on the December 27, 1962 Record Retailer Britain’s Top 50 chart at the time the Beatles Love Me Do single peaked at number 17?
During what years did the Beatles issue Christmas records for members of its Fan Club in Great Britain? (Bonus: During what years were Christmas records issued by the Beatles Fan Club in the United States?)
Elvis Presley’s Return To Sender was number one on the December 27, 1962 Record Retailer Britain’s Top 50 chart at the time the Beatles Love Me Do single peaked at number 17.
The Beatles U.K. Fan Club issued Christmas records every year from 1963 through 1970, although the 1970 record was an album containing all the prior Christmas messages. In America, the first Christmas disc was mailed in 1964, although it contained the 1963 Christmas message. No Christmas disc was sent in 1965. The American Fan Club sent out discs in 1966 through 1970, with the 1970 album containing all of the prior Christmas messages, including the 1964 and 1965 Christmas messages that had yet to be issued in America.
