This single was one of the most important landmarks in the Beatles' career. Not only did it become their third number one in a row in the UK, it was also the single which gave them their sudden breakthrough in the USA in early 1964. After this one rocketed to number one in the USA, their earlier singles which had not previously charted on that side of the Atlantic suddenly started flooding into the charts, and for one week in 1964 the Beatles held the top five positions in Billboard's Hot 100, a feat which remains unequalled, and their phenomenal success started the British Invasion in the USA, and it all began with this here single.
I vividly remember hearing this song for the first time. Fifty years later, I heard Paul sing it live when he played in Austin for the first time.
I was only about one year and eight months old when it first came out. A bit too young to remember it that vividly, although I soon became familiar with the Beatles and their various hit songs. By the time I was about four years old I would recognise a Beatles song even when someone else was singing it (there were several versions of "Michelle" and "Yesterday" knocking around at that time). The Beatles became a major part of my childhood memories.
