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Author Topic: Please Release Me and Please Please Me  (Read 4800 times)

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danielcelano

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Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« on: May 30, 2011, 08:42:29 PM »

I guess Penny Lane didn't become the number one hit since it was the first single. Strawberry Fields Forever didn't become the number one hit, either. Instead the number one hit that was on the charts was "Release Me" by Engelbert Humperdinck. That song sounds similar to "Please, Please Me".
« Last Edit: May 30, 2011, 08:47:54 PM by danielcelano »
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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2011, 11:50:16 PM »

Daniel, Penny Lane did very well on the charts reaching #1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and Canada's CHUM Chart.  It peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart.

Both Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever were released on February 13, 1967 in the U.S. and on February 17, 1967 in the UK.  Strawberry Fields Forever peaked at #2 on the UK singles Chart.  Yes, it was Engelbert Humperdinck's Release Me which kept Strawberry fields Forever from reaching #1.  It was the first time since Love Me Do in 1962 that a single by The Beatles failed to reach #1 in the UK charts.  Strawberry Fields Forever only reached #8 in the U.S.

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KeepUnderCover

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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #2 on: August 05, 2011, 10:30:44 PM »

Penny Lane is still very successful, even today. It's one of the classic Beatles songs.

It may not have been a huge hit at the time, but it has longevity. Please Please Me did really well at the time, but it doesn't have the longevity that Penny Lane does. I don't hear it on the radio anymore.
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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2011, 01:09:19 AM »

Penny Lane is still very successful, even today. It's one of the classic Beatles songs.

It may not have been a huge hit at the time...

Penny Lane was indeed a hit here and in the UK. 

US Billboard 100 - 10 weeks, peaking at #1
UK - 13 weeks, peaking at #2
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KeepUnderCover

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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2011, 01:25:46 AM »

Penny Lane was indeed a hit here and in the UK. 

US Billboard 100 - 10 weeks, peaking at #1
UK - 13 weeks, peaking at #2

Whoops, I guess I screwed up my statistics. What a Beatles fan I am, lol!

I still stand by the point that Please Please Me doesn't get played nearly as much as Penny Lane.
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Hombre_de_ningun_lugar

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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #5 on: August 06, 2011, 05:04:50 AM »

Penny Lane was indeed a hit here and in the UK. 

US Billboard 100 - 10 weeks, peaking at #1
UK - 13 weeks, peaking at #2

But I think that "Penny Lane" was #1 in US only for 1 week, as well as not reaching #1 in UK. In terms of Beatles popularity, it wasn't one of their most popular singles at its time. On the other hand, "Strawberry Fields Forever" reached #8 in US but being a B-side, so that was a pretty good position.
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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #6 on: August 06, 2011, 09:19:44 PM »

But I think that "Penny Lane" was #1 in US only for 1 week, as well as not reaching #1 in UK. In terms of Beatles popularity, it wasn't one of their most popular singles at its time. On the other hand, "Strawberry Fields Forever" reached #8 in US but being a B-side, so that was a pretty good position.

Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever were released as a double A-sided single.  Tastes in music were changing in the early part of 1967; teenyboppers had their bubblegum music and older teens, such as myself, had this genre of music.  I remember Penny Lane getting more radio airtime than Strawberry Fields Forever.  I also remember Penny Lane being played often for about four months until Sgt. Pepper's was released.  That LP was played primarily on FM stations throughout the summer and fall.  It wouldn't be until the late fall of 1967 when we had  two other Beatles #1 hits with All You Need Is Love and Hello Goodbye.

"Beatles Popularity" still thrived, but the 45 RPM singles market in 1967 was aimed at the younger teens.  We were buying LPs by this time.  We had graduated from the younger teen market.
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Hombre_de_ningun_lugar

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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #7 on: August 06, 2011, 09:58:22 PM »

Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever were released as a double A-sided single.  Tastes in music were changing in the early part of 1967; teenyboppers had their bubblegum music and older teens, such as myself, had this genre of music.  I remember Penny Lane getting more radio airtime than Strawberry Fields Forever.  I also remember Penny Lane being played often for about four months until Sgt. Pepper's was released.  That LP was played primarily on FM stations throughout the summer and fall.  It wouldn't be until the late fall of 1967 when we had  two other Beatles #1 hits with All You Need Is Love and Hello Goodbye.

"Beatles Popularity" still thrived, but the 45 RPM singles market in 1967 was aimed at the younger teens.  We were buying LPs by this time.  We had graduated from the younger teen market.

But I think that the single was truly considered as a double A-side one only in UK, where both sides charted at #2. In US each side charted separately. "All You Need Is Love" also was at #1 for only 1 week in US if I remember correctly. And "Hello Goodbye" was the biggest hit of the year for the Beatles both in US and UK (where it was at #1 for 7 weeks), even though the other two singles aged better in the world's consideration.

As you said, the most "serious" stuff surely was bought by older young people. :)
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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #8 on: August 06, 2011, 11:46:14 PM »

But I think that the single was truly considered as a double A-side one only in UK, where both sides charted at #2. In US each side charted separately. "All You Need Is Love" also was at #1 for only 1 week in US if I remember correctly. And "Hello Goodbye" was the biggest hit of the year for the Beatles both in US and UK (where it was at #1 for 7 weeks), even though the other two singles aged better in the world's consideration.

As you said, the most "serious" stuff surely was bought by older young people. :)


I was simply relating what I remember about the radio airtime devoted to Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever in the early part of 1967.  It certainly is consistent with their US Billboard 100 chart positions  I'll defer my comments on your statement regarding which singles aged better in the world's consideration.

Capitol marketed their 45s a bit differently here in the US.  Picture sleeves would typically have one side displaying one song more prominently while the other side would have the lettering size for the two songs reversed.  This held true for even the earliest Capitol Beatles 45 RPM releases.

Capitol handled the jacket for Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields Forever differently...


   
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Hombre_de_ningun_lugar

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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #9 on: August 07, 2011, 02:24:09 AM »

That's actually a similar jacket as in UK, and yes, it's hard to tell which is the A-side and the B-side there. I believe that, despite being a double A-side single, the Beatles intended "Strawberry Fields Forever" to be the main song, at least it has the bigger letters. Moreover, when the British singles were released on CD, "Strawberry Fields" was the first song and "Penny Lane" the second one.

« Last Edit: August 07, 2011, 02:26:26 AM by Hombre_de_ningun_lugar »
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Re: Please Release Me and Please Please Me
« Reply #10 on: August 07, 2011, 03:37:09 AM »

That's actually a similar jacket as in UK


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