BEATLEMANIA & THE SINGLES: (FROM "THE BEATLES' STORY ON CAPITOL RECORDS", BY BRUCE SPIZER)

Although Capitol was slow to recognize the Beatles talent, the label was quick to capitalize on the group's success by releasing a trio of Beatles-related singles in early 1964. Donna Lynn's MY BOYFRIEND GOT A BEATLE HAIRCUT (CAPITOL 5127) was recorded on January 14, 1964, and was released on February 10, the day after the Beatles Ed Sullivan debut. THe song entered the Hot 100 on February 22, peaking at number 83 during its four-week run. Donna Lynn sang of competition from other girls, telling the tragic tale of how Donna nearly lost her lover: "My boyfriend got a Beatle haircut, oh unhappy day! My boyfriend got a Beatle haircut, now I can chase the girls away".

Gary LeMel, Ben Sherwin and Ann Sherwin were a group of friends in their early twenties who wrote a Beatles novelty song titled MY GIRL'S BEEN BITTEN BY THE BEATLE BUG (CAPITOL 5144). The trio signed under the name Annie and the Orphans. Their song was recorded at the Capitol Tower on February 10, 1964, and was released on Capitol 5144 simultaneously with the Beatles "Can't Buy Me Love" on March 16. The record starts with the Orphans singing "RINGO RINGO RINGO STARR, HOW I WONDER WHAT YOU ARE" to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. During the verses, Annie tells Johnnie he's so square because he doesn't know how to wear his hair (he needs a Beatle haircut) and sings that she'll see the group in her dreams ("stovepipe pants and jelly beans")and that she's going to stow away on an ocean liner bound for Liverpool.

On February 10, 1964, the Four Preps recorded a Beatle novelty tune, A LETTER TO THE BEATLES. The song was released as Capitol 5143 on March 9, 1964. (...)When the Beatles became the latest rage, it was only natural for the Four Preps to deliver a satirical song about fan adulation and the merchandizing of the invaders from Liverpool. A letter to The Beatles tells the woeful tale of a boy who lost his girlfriend to the British band. The song quickly charted in the Billboard Hot 100 at number 85, looking like it would be a hit. But then the Beatles (or more likely manager Brian Epstein) expressed displeasure to Capitol over the song. (...)"They probably found the song offensive, that we were accusing them of being blatantly commercial".
Here we get the boy's point of view on the band, and as you'd imagine it isn't complimentary. Girlfriend writes letter to the Beatles offering them "anything", they write back asking for "twenty-five cents for an autographed picture / one dollar bill for a fan club card / and if you send it right away you'll get a lock of hair / from my Saint Bernard". Girlfriend protests and gets the same form letter back, then she gives in, sends the money and dumps her poor boyfriend!

LYRICS:

I'm packin my bags and stowin' away on an ocean liner that's leaving today.
'cause yesterday I learned in school, it's only 3000 miles to Liverpool!
My girl's been bitten by the Beatle bug. My girl's been bitten by the Beatle bug.
My girl's been bitten by the Beatle bug. And it bugs me so!