Music Box 31st October 2026

Today we concentrate on The Beatles in 1964, a landmark year. They released their first album of all original songs, and appeared in their first feature film, and conquered the World, including the notoriously difficult U.S. market. The Beatles seventh single A Hard Day's Night c/w Things We Said Today (Parlophone 7" 1964) featured on their third LP A Hard Day's Night (Parlophone 1964), the former being the title track of their debut movie A Hard Day's Night.

Only four months later they were urged by their record company to release another single and album (in those days The Beatles, like most acts, tried not to reproduce singles on albums) for the Christmas market. The single was the magnificent I Feel Fine c/w She's A Woman, the former featuring the first deliberate use of feedback on a song. They also recorded a promotional film for the song (featured here) for the Christmas edition of TV show Top of the Pops. 

Then from their fourth LP, the caustically titled Beatles For Sale (Parlophone 1964), they reverted to eight originals and six covers. From it, here's John's I'm A Loser, and Paul's Every Little Thing. The album cover showed the band looking weary, after a busy year of touring, filming, and recording two singles, one E.P. and two albums. The album was much better than anyone had a right to expect, but it started John's disenchantment with being a Beatle. Until next week ...