SEASONS GREETINGS from BRUCE SPIZER and 498 PRODUCTIONS
As we enter the 2014 holiday season, I would like to wish you and your friends and families a happy holiday season. For nearly two years, I prepared a weekly email detailing what was going on in the lives of the Beatles 60 years ago. The weekly emails also contained trivia questions. While I enjoyed doing this, my law practice began imposing on my Beatles time, making it more difficult to find time to keep up with the weekly schedule. I have maintained my “60 years Ago” column in Beatlefan magazine and hope to continue with the articles for the remainder of this decade.
This past summer I was involved in the RIAA gold and platinum certification of the 1964 Beatles releases on Vee-Jay. Based upon information contained in green ledger sheets and other supporting documents prepared by Vee-Jay in 1964, the RIAA certified the singles “Please Please Please Me,” “Twist And Shout,” “Do You Want To Know A Secret” and “Love Me Do” and the album “Introducing The Beatles” as gold records. In addition, all of the discs except for “Do You Want To Know A Secret” were also certified platinum. This added another 4.5 million in certified sales to the Beatles still-growing total U.S. sales. The story behind the RIAA audit was told in an interview in Beatlefan magazine. CLICK HERE TO READ IT.
End of the Year Sale – 50% OFF! – with goodies!
The full story of the Beatles fascinating stay on Vee-Jay Records can be found in the revised and expanded digital edition of “The Beatles Records on Vee-Jay,” which is available exclusively through 498 Productions. This digital book will be on sale for $25 through the end of 2014 – just enter coupon code “fiftyoff2014” at checkout.
In addition, all other regular hardback titles, such as “The Beatles Are Coming!,” “The Beatles Solo on Apple Records,” “The Beatles Swan Song,” “Price Guide for The Beatles American Records” and “Beatles For Sale on Parlophone Records,” shall also be sold at 50% off.
And, while supplies last, all orders for the remainder of 2014 shall come with a free “Beatles Are Coming!” poster.
All orders of two or more books will also come with an additional free “Beatles on Ed Sullivan” poster.
And now, 12 trivia questions for the 12 days of Christmas.
- In what year was the first Beatles Fan Club Christmas record prepared?
- Who came up with the concept for the Beatles Fan Club Christmas discs?
- What two Christmas songs are briefly performed by the Beatles in their initial Christmas disc?
- What Beatles song is briefly sung in an off-key rendition in the 1965 Beatles Christmas record?
- What Motown song is briefly sung in the 1965 Beatles Christmas record?
- What were the original Christmas songs performed by the Beatles in their 1966 and 1967 Christmas records?
- What was the name of the fictional band that performed “Plenty Of Jam Jars” in the 1967 Christmas record?
- Who plays the role of the BBC Wise One in the 1967 Christmas record?
- What is the imaginary product that the Beatles sing a jingle for in the 1967 Christmas record?
- What holiday season song appears in both the 1965 and 1967 Christmas records?
- What are the three things that Podgy the Bear and Jasper need to buy in the 1966 Christmas record?
- What nickname did John use at the end of the 1965 Christmas record?
- The first Beatles Christmas record was prepared for the 1963 holiday season.
- Beatles press agent Tony Barrow came up with the concept for the Beatles Fan Club Christmas discs.
- The Beatles briefly perform “Good King Wenceslas” and “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” in their initial Christmas disc.
- The Beatles perform a brief off-key rendition of “Yesterday” in the 1965 Beatles Christmas record.
- The Beatles perform a brief bit of the Four Tops song “It’s The Same Old Song” in the 1965 Beatles Christmas record.
- The original Christmas songs performed by the Beatles in their 1966 and 1967 Christmas records are “Everywhere It’s Christmas” and “Christmas Time (Is Here Again).”
- “Plenty Of Jam Jars” was performed by the fictional group the Ravellers in the 1967 Christmas record.
- Victor Spinetti, who appeared in three Beatles films, plays the role of the BBC Wise One in the 1967 Christmas record.
- The imaginary product that the Beatles sing a jingle for in the 1967 Christmas record is Wonderlust (“Get Wonderlust for your trousers, get Wonderlust for your hair”).
- “Auld Land Syne” appears in both the 1965 and 1967 Christmas records. The 1965 disc has the Beatles sing a militarized version of the song. The 1967 disc ends with George Martin playing the song on Hammond organ.
- Podgy the Bear and Jasper need to buy matches, candles and buns in the 1966 Christmas record.
- John use the nickname “Johnny Rhythm” at the end of the 1965 Christmas record.
