This Day in Beatle History

April 18

1964 (Apr 18) - Beatles Appear on 'The Morecambe and Wise Show'

The Beatles appeared on the UK TV comedy program The Morecambe and Wise Show, playing ‘This Boy’, ‘All My Loving’, and ‘I Want to Hold Your Hand’ and also participate in comedy sketches with Eric Morecambe and Ernie Wise. The Beatles also held the UK and US No.1 position on this day with ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’.

1965 (Apr 18) - Beatles on 'Big Beat '65' Show

The Beatles’ Poll Winners Appearance shown on ‘Big Beat ’65’

2012 (Apr 18) - Rare 'Please Please Me' Album Auctioned

An original and extremely rare 1963 mono copy of The Beatles ‘Please Please Me’ album, signed by the Fab Four, sold on an eBay auction for nearly $25,000. Paul McCartney and John Lennon both signed their names with “love” in royal blue ink whereas George Harrison and Ringo Starr signed their names in midnight blue ink. The autographs were signed in May of 1963.

April 19

1962 (Jun 6) - First Beatles Recordings at What Will Become 'Abbey Road'

The first Beatles recording session took place at EMI studios. The group recorded four tracks, one of which was ‘Love Me Do’ the four musicians received payments for the session of £7.10 ($12.07) each.

1965 (Apr 19) - 'Ticket to Ride' Released in US

The Beatles single ‘Ticket to Ride’ was released on Capitol records in the US. The single’s label stated that the song was from the upcoming movie ‘Eight Arms to Hold You’ (the original name for the movie Help!).

2010 (Apr 19) - Ringo Rejects Catholic Church's "Foregiveness"

A week after Catholic Church officials published an article in the Vatican’s L’Osservatore Romano newspaper that said they forgive John Lennon’s remarks about The Beatles being “bigger than Jesus”, Ringo Starr rejected their forgiveness. The newspaper’s editors had written, “The Beatles said they were bigger than Jesus and put out mysterious messages, that were possibly even Satanic… (but) what would Pop music be like without the Beatles?” Ringo was unimpressed and replied “Didn’t the Vatican say we were Satanic or possibly Satanic? And they’ve still forgiven us? I think the Vatican, they’ve got more to talk about than the Beatles.”