Beatles '64 Trivia Quiz

This quiz was originally published as a contest in November 2024. The following people were the winners of the contest: Tim D of Portland, Oregon; Kenneth P of Lawrence Township, New Jersey; Tom C of Toms River, New Jersey; Bruce F of Quincy, Illinois; and Jess H of Azusa, California.

1. Capitol initially forecast sales of 250,000 copies of Meet The Beatles! How many copies did the company sell in less than three months?

A. 1,200,000

B. 2,500,000

C. 3,600,000

D. 4,300,000

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2. Which version of "Till There Was You" did the Beatles base their arrangement on?

A. The Music Man soundtrack album

B. The Chet Atkins single

C. The Peggy Lee single

D. The Anita Bryant single

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C. Many people missed this question. Although "Till There Was You" originated from the 1957 Broadway musical The Music Man, the Beatles version is based on the Peggy Lee arrangement of the song, which was on her album Latin A La Lee and released as a single in the U.K. Paul heard the single through an older cousin, Betty Danher Robbins, who played him Peggy Lee records like "Fever" and "Till There Was You." The Beatles added the song to their set list before The Music Man was released as a film, so they could not have heard the soundtrack album prior to learning the song. Anita Bryant and Chet Atkins each recorded the song, but the Beatles version is clearly based on the Peggy Lee arrangement. See Pages 197 and 252 of The Beatles Please Please Me to With The Beatles.

3. Which of the following recordings made their world debut on The Beatles’ Second Album? Choose all that apply.

A. Please Mr. Postman

B. Long Tall Sally

C. I Call Your Name

D. You Really Got A Hold On Me

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4. How many of the songs on The Beatles’ Second Album previously appeared on Beatles singles available in the United States?

A. 3

B. 4

C. 5

D. 6

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D. This question required a careful reading. The Beatles’ Second Album has both sides of the Swan single “She Loves You” b/w “I’ll Get You.” It also includes “Thank You Girl,” which twice was a B-side on Vee-Jay, first as the flip to “From Me To You” and then to “Do You Want To Know A Secret.” And it includes “You Can’t Do That,” which was the B-side to Capitol’s “Can’t Buy Me Love” single. So that’s four. But the question referred to “Beatles singles available in the United States,” not “released” in the U.S. Beginning in mid-February 1964, the Canadian single “Roll Over Beethoven” b/w “Please Mister Postman” was imported into the U.S. in mass quantities (estimated at 350,000 copies). Both of these songs are on The Beatles’ Second Album, so six is the correct answer as these songs were “available” in the U.S. Capitol had even planned to issue “Roll Over Beethoven” as the follow-up single to “I Want To Hold Your Hand” until George Martin talked the label out of it, requesting that Capitol wait for “Can’t Buy Me Love.” The cover to The Beatles’ Second Album even states “featuring She Loves You and Roll Over Beethoven.” This is a tricky but fair question. See Pages 51 and 61 of The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More.

5. There are four George Martin instrumentals on the A Hard Day’s Night soundtrack album. Which of those songs are heard in instrumental versions in the film? Choose all that apply.

A. A Hard Day’s Night

B. I Should Have Known Better

C. And I Love Her

D. This Boy

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6. What person associated with United Artists first came up with the idea to make a Beatles film to obtain the U.S. rights to the soundtrack album?

A. Walter Shenson

B. Bud Ornstein

C. Noel Rogers

D. Richard Lester

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7. Of the songs appearing on mono Something New LP, which song has a running time longer than the version of the same song on the British A Hard Day’s Night LP?

A. And I Love Her

B. Things We Said Today

C. I’ll Cry Instead

D. Tell Me Why

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C. George Martin had the Beatles record “I’ll Cry Instead” in two sections so he could edit the song to increase its running time. The longer running time was deemed necessary for the film The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night. Martin did not think “Can’t Buy Me Love” should appear twice in the film, so he had the group record “I’ll Cry Instead.” While the song was intended for the movie, Dick Lester didn’t particularly like the song, so he stuck with his plan for “Can’t Buy Me Love” to be used twice. Martin also made a shorter edit. By the time he compiled the British A Hard Day’s Night LP, the song had been cut from the film, so he used the shorter version on the U.K. album. United Artists rushed out its A Hard Day’s Night Soundtrack Album before being informed that the song would not be in the film, so the longer edit of the song, misidentified as “I Cry Instead” in early pressings, is on the album. The longer edit also is on the mono version of Capitol’s Something New LP. See Pages 248, 259 263 of The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More.

8. How many songs on Something New are featured in the film A Hard Day’s Night?

A. 3

B. 4

C. 5

D. 6

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9. Which song(s) on Beatles ’65 was first recorded during the sessions for the A Hard Day’s Night LP?

A. I’m A Loser

B. Honey Don’t

C. I’ll Be Back

D. No Reply

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C and D. “I’ll Be Back,” which first appeared on the British A Hard Day’s Night LP, was not included on Capitol’s Something New album. It was first released in the U.S. on the album Beatles’65. See Pages 81-83 of The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More.

“No Reply,” which is the opening track to both the U.K. album Beatles For Sale and the Capitol LP Beatles ’65, was initially recorded on June 3, 1964, the scheduled last day of the sessions for A Hard Day’s Night. See Page 253 of The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More.

10. Which song(s) on Beatles ’65 was first heard by Americans on the TV program Shindig?

A. I’ll Feel Fine

B. She’s A Woman

C. I’m A Loser

D. Rock And Roll Music

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11. By coincidence, the album The Early Beatles was released exactly two years after the release of which record?

A. Introducing The Beatles LP

B. Please Please Me LP

C. Please Please Me single

D. Love Me Do single

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12. Of the songs on The Early Beatles, which were number one hits in the U.S. on at least one of the charts published by Billboard, Cash Box and Record World?

A. Love Me Do

B. Please Please Me

C. Twist And Shout

D. Do You Want To Know A Secret?

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A & C. Although “Love Me Do” stalled at number 17 in the U.K. upon its release on October 5, 1962, as the first Beatles record, it topped the Billboard, Cash Box and Record World charts in the U.S. In addition, “Twist And Shout” topped the Cash Box chart on April 4, 1964, as well as the Music Vendor chart on that same day. The latter magazine would change its name to Record World on April 18, 1964. Many Beatles fans know that the group held down the top five spots in the Billboard Hot 100 on April 4, 1964, with “Can’t Buy Me Love” at number one. But did you know that the Beatles also held down the top five spots in the Cash Box Top 100 on that same day with “Twist And Shout” at number one? Now you do! See Page 46 of The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More.

Bonus Question

Which song influenced a song on Beatles ’65?

A. A Dose Of Rock And Roll by Arthur Alexander

B. What’s So Good About Goodbye by the Miracles

C. Watch Your Step by Bobby Parker

D. Runaway by Del Shannon

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C & D. “Watch Your Step” by Bobby Parker heavily influenced “I’ll Feel Fine.” Although “I’ll Feel Fine” was only released as a single in the U.K., Capitol issued the song as a single and as a track on Beatles ’65 under its belief that “hit singles make hit albums.” This will be detailed in next installment of Bruce Spizer’s Beatles Album Series, Beatles For Sale to Help!

Del Shannon’s “Runaway” influenced “I’ll Be Back,” which was on Beatles ’65. See Page 251-252 of The Beatles A Hard Day’s Night & More.

“A Dose Of Rock And Roll” was listed as a bit of an intentional goof. The song was not recorded by Arthur Alexander, but rather by the Beatles drummer for his 1976 album Ringo’s Rotogravure. The song was also issued as a single.

Alexander’s “A Shot Of Rhythm And Blues” was recorded by the Beatles for the BBC.

“What’s So Good About Goodbye” by the Miracles influenced the Beatles song “Ask Me Why.” See Pages 205 and 219 of The Beatles Please Please Me to With The Beatles.

Beatles ’64 Trivia Quiz

Bonus Question

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Beatles ’64 Trivia Quiz

Bonus Question

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