Though Meet the Beatles! is actually the second Beatles album released in the United States, for many American Boomers, it is the first Beatle album.
It may even have been the first album a Boomer ever bought.
Capital Records released the albumon January 20, 1964 in the middle of The Singing Nun album’s two month run at the top of Billboard.
Meet the Beatles! hit #1 on February 15 and stayed there until May 2 when The Beatles Second Album took over the top spot.
Vee Jay Records had releasedIntroducing The Beatles on January 10, but Capital’s superior marketing made it seem like Meet the Beatles! was the only Beatle album out there.
Boomers Meet Beatles
Robert Freeman
Robert Freeman did the famous (and often imitated) cover, It had already been used in the United Kingdom for With the Beatles (the Beatles second UK-released album). A blue tint was added for the US release.
Freeman recalled that, “They had to fit in the square format of the cover, so rather than have them all in a line, I put Ringo in the bottom right corner, since he was the last to join the group. He was also the shortest.”
Paul McCartney said, “He arranged us in a hotel corridor: it was very un-studio-like. The corridor was very dark, and there was a window at the end, and by using this heavy source of natural light coming from the right, he got that very moody picture which most people think he must have worked at forever and ever. But it was only an hour. He sat down, took a couple of rolls, and that was it.” (both quotes from the McCartney dot com site)
Freeman would also do the covers for Beatles For Sale, Help, and Rubber Soul.
Boomers Meet Beatles
Setting down the needle
Setting the “needle” on side 1 cut brings a flood of memories. We know the next song before it starts.
Meet the Beatles!
Side 1
I Want to Hold Your Hand
I Saw Her Standing There
This Boy
It Won’t Be Long
All I’ve Got to Do
All My Loving
Side 2
Don’t Bother Me
Little Child
Till There Was You
Hold Me Tight
I Wanna Be Your Man
Not a Second Time
The typical American fan did not realize it, but this “album” was not 12 songs the Beatles had recorded as an album. Meet the Beatles! took their second British record, With the Beatles, dropped five covers and added three tracks, including the singles “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and “I Saw Her Standing There.”
And it only had 12 songs, unlike the usual 14 on UK releases. (It would not be until Sgt Pepper in 1967 that the world would get the same Beatle album everywhere.)
Rolling Stone Magazine rates the Meet the Beatles! at #53 of the greatest rock albums of all time.
On January 18, 1960 Running Bear by Johnny Preston became Billboard’s #1 single. But before and after Running Bear…
El Paso
Running Bear was the second of three consecutive #1 songs in which someone died. Preceding Running Bear, Marty Robbins’s El Paso was #1. Grateful Dead fans are familiar with that story:
Out in the West Texas town of El Paso I fell in love with a Mexican girl Nighttime would find me in Rosa’s cantina Music would play and Felina would whirlBlacker than night were the eyes of Felina Wicked and evil while casting a spell My love was deep for this Mexican maiden I was in love but in vain, I could tellOne night a wild young cowboy came in Wild as the West Texas wind Dashing and daring, a drink he was sharing With wicked Felina, the girl that I lovedSo in anger I Challenged his right for the love of this maiden Down went his hand for the gun that he wore My challenge was answered in less than a heartbeat The handsome young stranger lay dead on the floorJust for a moment I stood there in silence Shocked by the foul evil deed I had done Many thoughts raced through my mind as I stood there I had but one chance and that was to runOut through the back door of Rosa’s I ran Out where the horses were tied I caught a good one, it looked like it could run Up on its back and away I did rideJust as fast as I Could from the West Texas town of El Paso Out to the badlands of New Mexico
Back in El Paso my life would be worthless Everything’s gone in life; nothing is left It’s been so long since I’ve seen the young maiden My love is stronger than my fear of death
I saddled up and away I did go Riding alone in the dark Maybe tomorrow, a bullet may find me Tonight nothing’s worse than this pain in my heart
And at last here I Am on the hill overlooking El Paso I can see Rosa’s cantina below My love is strong and it pushes me onward Down off the hill to Felina I go
Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys Off to my left ride a dozen or more Shouting and shooting, I can’t let them catch me I have to make it to Rosa’s back door
Something is dreadfully wrong for I feel A deep burning pain in my side Though I am trying to stay in the saddle I’m getting weary, unable to ride
But my love for Felina is strong and I rise where I’ve fallen Though I am weary I can’t stop to rest I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle I feel the bullet go deep in my chest
From out of nowhere Felina has found me Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my side Cradled by two loving arms that I’ll die for One little kiss and Felina, goodbye
Johnny Preston Running Bear
Running Bear
For Running Bear, the two young lovers, separated by a river that was too wide, but their love forced them to try to cross and meet.
On the bank of the river
Stood Running Bear, young Indian brave
On the other side of the river
Stood his lovely Indian maid
Little White Dove was her name
Such a lovely sight to see
But their tribes fought with each other
So, their love could never be,
Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love big as the sky
Running Bear loved Little White Dove
With a love that couldn’t die
He couldn’t swim the raging river
‘Cause the river was too wide
He couldn’t reach Little White Dove
Waiting on the other side
In the moonlight he could see her
Throwing kisses ‘cross the waves
Her little heart was beating faster
Waiting there for her brave
Running Bear dove in the water
Little White Dove did the same
And they swam out to each other
Through the swirling stream they came
As their hands touched and their lips met
The raging river pulled them down
Now, they’ll always be together
In that happy huntin’ ground
The song has some interesting trivia associated with it besides its part in a consecutive death motif. J. P. Richardson, better known as The Big Bopper, wrote it. Richardson had a hit of his own in 1958 with “Chantilly Lace.” He had died in the famous plane crash on February 3, 1959 in Clear Lake, Iowa, with Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens.
Richardson thought the Romeo & Juliet theme of this song was too serious for him to record. He passed it on to his friend Johnny Preston, who originally was unsure about the song but others eventually persuaded him to cut it.
Richardson had done background vocals along with George Jones.
Follow Up
Preston’s follow-up single, “Cradle of Love,” reached No. 7 on the Billboard chart.
In 1971 Jonathan King took the “Ocka Chunka” backing and added it to the B.J. Thomas hit song “Hooked On A Feeling.”
Teen Angel
Finally, the next #1 will be Mark Dinning’s Teen Angel.
Teen angel, teen angel, teen angel, ooh
That fateful night the car was stalled upon the railroad track
I pulled you out and we were safe, but you went running back
Teen angel, can you hear me?
Teen angel, can you see me?
Are you somewhere up above?
And I am still your own true love?
What was it you were looking for that took your life that night?
They said they found my high school ring clutched in your fingers tight
Teen angel, can you hear me?
Teen angel, can you see me?
Are you somewhere up above?
And I am still your own true love?
Just sweet sixteen, and now you’re gone
They’ve taken you away
I’ll never kiss your lips again
They buried you today
Teen angel, can you hear me?
Teen angel, can you see me?
Are you somewhere up above?
And I am still your own true love?
Teen angel, teen angel, answer me, please
Johnny Preston Running Bear
Actual deaths
Marty Robbins died on December 8, 1982 [NYT obit], Mark Dinning died on March 22, 1986 [NYT obit], and Johnny Preston died on March 4, 2011 [NYT obit].
The Beatles released their Yellow Submarine album in the US on January 13, 1969. The album contained six Beatle songs on Side one and instrumental pieces from the movie on Side 2:
Side one:
Yellow Submarine
Only a Northern Song
All Together Now
Hey Bulldog
It’s All Too Much
All You Need Is Love
Side 2:
Pepperland
Sea of Time
Sea of Holes
Sea of Monsters
March of the Meanies
Pepperland Laid Waste
Yellow Submarine in Pepperland
They had previously released “Yellow Submarine” and “All You Need Is Love,” as singles.
My sense is that to the average Beatle fan, the soundtrack, however interesting the songs may be, does not count as a “real” Beatle album. It’s more an interesting collection that reminds us of the much more enjoyable movie.
Only a Northern Song has been described as Harrison’s “personal denunciation of the Beatles’ music publishing business.”
Hey Bulldog…written primarily by John Lennon(credited to Lennon–McCartney). It is one of the few Beatles’ songs to revolve around a pianoriff.
It’s All Too Much was written and sung by George Harrison. It was originally recorded in 1967, shortly before the release of Sgt. Pepper’s. It had been slated to appear on the next release, Magical Mystery Tour, but it was pushed back.
Richie Unterberger of AllMusic wrote: What is here…is a good enough reason for owning the record, though nothing rates it as anything near a high-priority purchase. The album would have been far better value if it had been released as a four-song EP (an idea the Beatles even considered at one point, with the addition of a bonus track in “Across the Universe” but ultimately discarded).
A Rolling Stone magazine article about the song says that, “The Beatles’ most beloved kiddie song was written for — who else? — Ringo. As McCartney explained, “I thought, with Ringo being so good with children — a knockabout-uncle type — it might not be a bad idea for him to have a children’s song.” Years later, “Yellow Submarine” remains the gateway drug that turns little children into Beatle fans, with that cheery singalong chorus. It inspired the Beatles’ 1968 animated film, as well as Starr’s unofficial sequel on Abbey Road, “Octopus’ Garden.”
Beatles Yellow Submarine album
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