The Beatles first single, “Love Me Do,” turns 50

Oct 4, 2012

The Beatles first single, “Love Me Do,” turns 50

Jerry Jackson 0 Comment The Baltimore Sun Beatles, Britain, London, Maryland, music

The Beatles’ debut tune “Love Me Do” helped to ignite a worldwide obsession for the four-man British rock band celebrates its 50th anniversary on October 5, 2012. Though it only peaked at no. 17 on the British charts, the single “Love Me Do” was the rock group’s first hit record when released in October 1962. In the United States the song was a number one hit in 1964. The song released again in 1982 reached number four on the charts.

: The Beatles – from left, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison – are shown in this November 1963 photo. (AP Photo)

: October 26, 1965 – Beatles fans try to break through a police line at Buckingham Palace in London where the group were due to receive the Member of the British Empire (MBE) decoration from the Queen. The Beatles’ debut tune that launched Britain into the ’60s and helped to ignite a worldwide obsession for the four-man British rock band celebrates its 50th anniversary on October 5, 2012. (GettyImages)

: The Beatles, clockwise from top left, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, and George Harrison are shown on an album cover in 1965. (Robert Freeman/copyright Apple Corps Ltd.)

: The council house in Liverpool which was home to Sir Paul McCartney’s family, which has been purchased and restored by the National Trust. Sir Paul lived there with Mike and their parents from 1955 until he soared to fame with the Beatles in 1963. He and John Lennon wrote the hits “Love Me Do” and “I Saw Her Standing There” at the property. (Getty Images)

: The Beatles arrive 15 January 1964 in France at the Bourget airport near Paris, to perform their first series of concerts outside of Britain. (Getty Images)

: The Beatles perform 17 January 1964 their first concert outside of Britain, at the Olympia in Paris. (Getty Images)

: The Beatles arrive at New York’s Kennedy Airport Feb. 7, 1964 for their first U.S. appearance. From left are: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison. Just after 1 p.m. on Feb. 7, 1964, a Pan Am flight from London landed at New York’s Idlewild airport. It was carrying a revolution, in the shape of four shaggy-haired musicians from Liverpool. Over the next two weeks The Beatles stormed America, appearing three times on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and playing concerts in front of thousands of fervid fans. By the time they flew home, the Fab Four were the most famous band in the world, and the nature of celebrity had changed forever. (AP Photo)

: Ed Sullivan, center, stands with The Beatles during a rehearsal for the British group’s first American appearance, on the “Ed Sullivan Show,” in New York on Feb. 9, 1964. From left: Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Sullivan, John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The rock ‘n’ roll band known as 70 million viewers saw “The Fab Four”. “Beatlemania” swept the charts with twenty No.1 hits and more than 100 million records sold. The Beatles broke up in 1970, and John Lennon was shot to death in front of his New York apartment building on Dec. 8, 1980. (AP Photo)

: The Beatles performed on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in New York on Feb. 9, 1964. Front row, from left; Paul McCartney, George Harrison and John Lennon. Drummer Ringo Starr is at rear. (AP Photo)

: 09/13/64 – Surrounded by a sea of Beatles fans at today’s performance, a man and boy (upper left) seem to be trying to shut out the din of music and shrieks in the Baltimore Civic Center. Witnesses said it was impossible. No injuries were reported. (Baltimore Sun)

: The Beatles perform at the Baltimore Civic Center in 1964. (Maryland Historical Society)

: The Beatles perform at the Baltimore Civic Center in 1964. (Maryland Historical Society)

: Newspaper ad for The Beatles’ Sept. 13, 1964 Baltimore concert.

: The Beatles walk and sing as they are filmed during a promotional video for their song “Rain,” in a garden outside Chiswick House. (Robert Whitaker/LIFE: With The Beatles)

: The Beatles in a formal studio setting. (Robert Whitaker/LIFE: With The Beatles)

: Ringo Starr (L) of the band The Beatles puts on finishing touches before stepping onto Shea Stadium in this 1965 photo. The hey day of Beatlemania may have passed but some 40 years after the band split, The Beatles and their music are still loved, scrutinized and relevant to an adoring public forever clamoring for more details of the Fab Four. A new book, “LIFE: With The Beatles,” gives a glimpse into the band with mostly never-before-seen and rare photos by the late photographer Robert Whitaker. (Robert Whitaker/LIFE: With The Beatles)

: The Beatles, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr released “Love Me Do”, their first single, October 5, 1962. (Bettman)

: Feb. 9, 1964 – The Beatles perform on the CBS “Ed Sullivan Show” in New York. (AP Photo)

: The British rock and roll group The Beatles are seen during their first U.S. tour in 1964. (AP Photo)

: The Beatles (from L), John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney pose during a rehearsal of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer night’s dream on April 29, 1964, in London. (GettyImages)

: The Beatles Paul McCartney (l), George Harrison (2-L), Ringo Starr (2-R) and John Lennon (R) perform on stage during a concert on July 29,1965, in London. (GettyImages)

: The Beatles (L-R), John Lennon, Paul McCartney ,Ringo Starr and George Harrison in 1964, in London. The Beatles’ debut tune that launched Britain into the Swinging Sixties and helped to ignite a worldwide obsession for the four-man band from Liverpool celebrates its 50th birthday on October 5, 2012. Even though it only peaked at number 17 on the British charts, the single “Love Me Do” was not only the group’s first record but also their first hit. (GettyImages)

: Ringo Starr and George Harrison of the Beatles arrive at the EMI recording studios on Abbey Road, 24th November 1966. (Larry Ellis/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

: 8th April 1963: British pop group The Beatles holding their silver disc. Left to right are, Paul McCartney, George Harrison (1943 – 2001), Ringo Starr, George Martin of EMI and John Lennon (1940 – 1980). (Chris Ware/Keystone/Getty Images)

: 18th November 1963: Sir Joseph Lockwood, chairman of EMI, presents The Beatles with two silver discs, to mark the 1/4 million plus sales of their two long playing records , ‘Please, Please Me’ and ‘With The Beatles’. (Keystone/Getty Images)

: Workers on a production line in the EMI factory at Hayes, Middlesex, where the Beatles’ new album ‘Rubber Soul’ is in the final stages of production. (Keystone/Getty Images)

: French fans wait for the Beatles during Beatles’ concert in France at Palais des Sports in Paris, on June 20, 1965. English band The Beatles make two performances at the Palais des Sports before of starting a tour of France, Italy and Spain and then a tour in United States during summer 1965. (Getty Images)

: The Beatles (L to R) Ringo Starr, Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison wave to fans July 2, 1964 as they return to London from a tour of Australia. (Getty Images)

: British band The Beatles (from Left), Paul McCartney, George Harrison, John Lennon and Ringo Starr hold up their MBE (British Empire Medal) awards at news conference following their investiture on October 26, 1965 at Buckingham Palace in London. (Peter Skingley/Getty Images)

: The Beatles, (from L to R) Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Jimmy Nicol and George Harrison, salute as they leave London, in June 1964, as they go on tour in Scandinavia. Ringo Starr, ill, was temporarily replaced for the Denmark and Holland concert dates by drummer Jimmy Nicol. (Getty Images)

: 18 August 1964 – British pop music group “Beatles” leave the London airport for a tour in United-States. (Getty Images)

: British rock group The Beatles relax on a boat off the coast of Miami, Florida, February 1964. L-R: John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. (Express Newspapers/Getty Images)

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