Post by yerblues1968 on May 14, 2008 1:53:13 GMT -5
THE BEATLES CHRISTMAS MESSAGE TO THEIR FANS
The massive increase in the Beatles’ popularity created terrific pressure for press agent Tony Barrow, who also supervised the official fan club operation. Because of daily press releases and meetings with the media, he had no time for fan club activities. At first there were long delays in answering mail but the volume of incoming mail had grown to staggering proportions. Unopened sacks were piled on the staircases above Barrow’s office. Something had to be done and Barrow desperately needed a solution to satisfy the legion of anxious fans. Finally, he came up with the idea of a Christmas record--a special message from the Beatles thanking all of their fans for their support. It would be an exclusive release for fan club members whose dues were paid.
Brian Epstein was not thrilled with the idea of spending money to produce a disc that offered no direct return in sales. Barrow finally convinced him that it would be a great public relations ploy and would create enough excitement among the 30,000 hard-core Beatles fans to ensure automatic sales of future records as well as sign new members.
The Beatles spent a half hour recording their messages and singing carols. John began by leading the boys through his version of “Good King Wenceslas.” Then he made a short speech: “Hello. This is John speaking with his voice. We’re all very happy to be able to talk to you like this on this little bit of plastic. This record reaches you at the end of a really gear year for us and it’s all due to you . . . .”
After a reference to their Royal Variety Show performance, they whistled the national anthem, sang a few carols, and ended with a crazy version of Rudolph The Red Nosed Ringo.
After editing the tape, Barrow ended up with a five-minute presentation that would fit on a single side of a seven-inch flexi-disc. He hoped it would keep discontented fan club members away from his door.
On the sixth (of December 1963) the Beatles Fan Club flex-disc was mailed to members. “Sincere Good Wishes for Christmas and the New Year from John, Paul, George and Ringo” appeared on the yellow cardboard foldout insert. The back had two photographs: the top one showed the boys at the fan club’s national headquarters with staff members “Anne Collingham and Bettina Rose.” (Actually, the girls pictured were Valerie Sumpter and Maureen Payne, two NEMS employees who stood in when faces were required for the fictitious Anne and Bettina.) The bottom photo showed their presentation before the Queen Mother at the Royal Variety Performance.
The Official Beatles Fan Club 1968 Souvenir Poster.
I believe this photo was taken by John Kelly at
Abbey Road Studios on the day they filmed the
Lady Madonna / Hey Bulldog clip. Poster photo
by Piet Schreuders.
National Newsletter No. 2 was printed on the inside of the insert, which also contained the flexi-disc. The disc (LYN 492) was labeled “Not For Sale. Issued free of charge to fan club members in December 1963.”
This particular fan club record is very rare because members had to be enrolled and their dues paid up to November 30, 1963, to receive it. Those who joined during December were ineligible.
The Beatles 1963 Christmas message to their fans.
"Good King Wencelas," "Rudolph The Red Nosed Ringo" (5:01 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ug7MlNxI36Y
The Beatles 1964 Christmas message to their fans. (3:57 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqM-VcwMLDw
The Beatles 1965 Christmas message to their fans. (6:24 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoSJaJkNWsw
The Beatles 1966 Christmas message to their fans. (7:01 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhadssOZTBM
The Beatles 1967 Christmas message to their fans. (6:28 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0p7Wfm5KbI
The Beatles 1968 Christmas message to their fans.
The Beatles and Tiny TIm! (7:55 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbrNp18MIV4
The Beatles 1969 Christmas message to their fans. (8:04 minutes)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBG-MJyOkfI
The Beatles "Happy Crimble" - A Beatles Christmas Greeting (1.08 minutes)
youtube.com/watch?v=oW6nZyJSERw
A special video of select portions from The Beatles Fan Club recordings, set to video, edited and produced by Matthew Hawes of "The Happy Show!" These are selected Christmas greetings to the Beatles fans from 1963 to 1969. More may be seen at www.thehappyshow.net (17.50 minutes)
youtube.com/watch?v=e6pDQ1wNTqM
pp. 156 - 158 “How They Became The Beatles” - Gareth L. Pawlowski.