342: MEET THE BEATLES!
George’s first original written Beatles song. And it’s spot on. Love the mania footage here.
It’s kinda fun to think that this would be the only Beatles album all the screaming fans, at JFK or the Ed Sullivan Show, in 1964 would have known. Not for long obviously.
Meet the Beatles! is a studio album by the English rock band the Beatles, released as their second album in the United States in January 1964. It was the group's first American album to be issued by Capitol Records, and it introduced millions of Americans to the Fab Four. The album contains 12 songs, mostly from their second UK album With the Beatles, but also some singles and B-sides. The album cover features a blue-tinted version of the iconic portrait of the Beatles taken by Robert Freeman.
The album was a huge success in the US, topping the popular album chart for 11 weeks and selling over five million copies by the end of 1964. It was also critically acclaimed, with reviewers praising the Beatles' originality, energy, and charm. The album showcased the Beatles' diverse musical influences, ranging from rock and roll to pop ballads to Broadway musicals. The album also featured some of the Beatles' best early songs, such as "I Want to Hold Your Hand", "All My Loving", and "I Saw Her Standing There".
Meet the Beatles! was a landmark album in the history of rock music, as it helped spark the British Invasion and changed the American music scene forever. The album influenced countless artists and bands, both in terms of musical style and image. The album also marked the beginning of the Beatles' domination of the US charts, as they would release more albums and singles that would break records and win awards. Meet the Beatles! is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, and a milestone in the Beatles' career.
The album was reissued several times over the years, with different mixes and formats. In 2004, it was released on CD for the first time as part of The Capitol Albums, Volume 1 box set, containing the original US stereo and mono mixes. In 2014, it was reissued again on CD, individually and as part of The U.S. Albums box set, containing the UK mono and stereo mixes. The album has also been remastered and made available on digital platforms. Meet the Beatles! remains a classic album that continues to delight and inspire listeners around the world.