McCartney Times

This is the definitive, fully illustrated account of the Beatles’ concerts and controversies, and of how the United States dominated their lives in so many ways.

Written by one of the acknowledged experts on the Fab Four, Liverpool’s own Spencer Leigh, The Beatles in America covers their North American tours in 1964, 1965, and 1966, highlights their transformation into global superstars, and recount the story to the band’s breakup, covering significant events like John and Yoko’s “Bed-In” in Montreal and the release of their single “Give Peace a Chance,” providing a comprehensive overview of “the Beatles in America.” Included are interviews with fellow musicians, promoters, and audience members, together with rare photographs and memorabilia.

Early in 1964, with Beatlemania raging in the UK, the Beatles topped the US charts with “I Want to Hold Your Hand” and became a sensation on American TV with The Ed Sullivan Show—on which they appeared no fewer than three occasions, on consecutive Sundays in February 1964. In April of that year, they held all Top Five positions on the Billboard Hot 100 and were playing such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, the Hollywood Bowl, and Shea Stadium.

As predicted, they had become bigger than Elvis. After their first appearances of 1964 (at Carnegie Hall and in Washington, DC), The Beatles went on to do a full North American tour in 1964, a shorter tour in 1965, and a final, 13-date tour in 1966 (each of which is covered in detail in this book), transforming them into global superstars. But when John Lennon commented that the band was “bigger than Jesus,” things turned sour, and there were public burnings of their records.

The final chapter and epilogue of the book take the story of “the Beatles in America” up to the band’s breakup and beyond, including John and Yoko’s June 1, 1969, “Bed-In” in Montreal and the release of the couple’s single “Give Peace a Chance.”