Desert Island Beatles 45

[Karl Henning]

Welcome to Slagger's!

[San Antone]

George Martin would agree. He once said it was the Beatles' best single release pairing.

By this point, both tunes were considered "A" side cuts.

Interesting.  I was about 13 or 14 when that record came out and remember sitting on the floor in front of the television watching the video they made that was broadcast on the Ed Sullivan Show.  "Strawberry Fields Forever" is probably my favorite of all Beatles songs, but there are many others that are still rank as some of my favorite pop music.  The contrast between Strawberry Fields and Penny Lane I think helps that record, each song perfectly captures the writing styles of both Lennon and McCartney, I think.

[Marc]

In a statistical irony, since the sales wound up divided between the two titles, that single was not "technically" the best-selling single of its year, according to the industry tabulations . . . .

In fact it was the first Beatles single since Please Please Me that did not reach number 1 in the UK, being not able to overtake Engelbert Humperdinck's Release Me.

And I guess that lots of 1962-1966 fans, having heard both the songs and seen the videoclips, thought that 'their' Fab Four had gone completely mad.

[mn dave]

By this point, both tunes were considered "A" side cuts.

So there is no B side on that single? They both say "A"?

[Marc]

So there is no B side on that single? They both say "A"?

Neither A nor B.

Like this Capitol USA example:

[mn dave]

Neither A nor B.

Like this Capitol USA example:

Interesting!

Even though, as I mentioned, I love McCartney, Lennon made his side the "A" side of this pairing.

[Mookalafalas]

I'm giving it to the awesome A/A asskickage of "Paperback Writer" and "Rain"!!!

This.

[Bogey]

Eight Days A Week....not a 45!? 

So:

Love Me Do   b/w   P.S. I Love You

[aquablob]

Probably:

1. "Strawberry Fields Forever" / "Penny Lane"

2. "Paperback Writer" / "Rain"

[aquablob]

Probably:

1. "Strawberry Fields Forever" / "Penny Lane"

2. "Paperback Writer" / "Rain"

3. "Something" / "Come Together" (maybe this is #2 actually)

4. "All You Need Is Love" / "Baby, You're A Rich Man"

5. "Get Back" / "Don't Let Me Down"

There. 

[NJ Joe]

Interesting!

Even though, as I mentioned, I love McCartney, Lennon made his side the "A" side of this pairing.

I think I remember reading somewhere that there was quite an argument about which song should be the A side - Lennon was insistent on SFF, while McCartney and most everyone else in the Beatles camp favored Penny Lane.

Also:  George Martin said the greatest mistake he ever made was not including those songs on Sgt. Pepper. I agree.

[mn dave]

Eight Days A Week....not a 45!? 

So:

Love Me Do   b/w   P.S. I Love You

There are some gems in the early stuff.

[Jay F]

Interesting!

Even though, as I mentioned, I love McCartney, Lennon made his side the "A" side of this pairing.

In New York, "Penny Lane" was definitely Side "A." Here's WABC's All American Survey the third week after the record came out. "Penny Lane" is #6, SFF languishes at #36.  http://www.musicradio77.com/Surveys/1967/surveyfeb2867.html

The next week, March 7, "Penny Lane" is #1, SFF #71. http://www.musicradio77.com/Surveys/1967/surveymar767.html

[Karl Henning]

In New York, "Penny Lane" was definitely Side "A." Here's WABC's All American Survey the third week after the record came out. "Penny Lane" is #6, SFF languishes at #36.  http://www.musicradio77.com/Surveys/1967/surveyfeb2867.html

And lagging "Snoopy VS. the Red Baron"!

[mn dave]

Well, SFF is edgier...

[Mookalafalas]

In fact it was the first Beatles single since Please Please Me that did not reach number 1 in the UK, being not able to overtake Engelbert Humperdinck's Release Me.

And I guess that lots of 1962-1966 fans, having heard both the songs and seen the videoclips, thought that 'their' Fab Four had gone completely mad.

Regarding "hit" trivia, I remember missing the question in the old game "Trivial Pursuits": What British pop group sold the most albums in American in 1964?    Obviously the Beatles, right? But if the game was correct, the answer is "Herman's Hermits".

[Jay F]

Well, SFF is edgier...

And cranberry saucier.

[mn dave]

And cranberry saucier.

I...BURIED...PAUL...