THE BEATLES HIT #1 ON U.S. CHARTS
London, U.K. (JFK+50) On January 25, 1964, "I Want to Hold Your Hand*," recorded by the British rock group "The Beatles**," climbed to the Number One position on the charts. It would hold at #1 for seven weeks when it was replaced by another Beatles hit "She Loves You."
"I Want to Hold Your Hand," written by 'Fab Four' members John Lennon and Paul McCartney, had been recorded at EMI Studios on Abbey Road here in London on 17 October 1963. It was the first recording made using four track machines.
"I Want to Hold Your Hand" was influenced by Beatles manager Brian Epstein who wanted a song which would appeal to listeners in the United States.
Lennon and McCartney wrote the tune "eyeball to eyeball" in the basement of Paul's girlfriend's home in London. They sing the lyrics in harmony.
"Yeah, you got that somethin'
I think you'll understand
When I say that something
I want to hold your hand."
Ian MacDonald wrote in "Revolution in the Head" that "I Want to Hold Your Hand"...."electrified American pop" while Rob Sheffield wrote in the Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004)..."they never topped this song because nobody else has either...its the most joyous three minutes in the history of human noise."
*"I Want to Hold Your Hand" was released in the U.K. one week after JFK's assassination and in the U.S. about a month later. Produced by George Martin, the tune is 2 minutes 24 seconds in length.
**"The Beatles" were formed in Liverpool in 1960 & remained active as a group until 1970. The rock group included John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison & Ringo Starr. They were a key part of the 1960s counterculture & became the best selling music act of all time.
