America’s embrace of the Beatles that started during their three appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in February 1964 represented a major cultural shift. Let’s see how much you know about those three amazing shows.
Questions:
1. How many viewers were estimated to have tuned in to watch the Beatles make their live U.S. TV debut on “Ed Sullivan” Feb. 9?
a. 53 million
b. 73 million
c. 93 million
d. 103 million
2. What was the very first song the Beatles played during that first show?
a . “I Want To Hold Your Hand”
b. “She Loves You”
c . “All My Loving”
d. “I Saw Her Standing There”
3. What was the only song they played during all three of their shows Feb. 9, Feb. 16 and Feb. 23?
a. “I Want To Hold Your Hand”
b. “She Loves You”
c. “All My Loving”
d. “I Saw Her Standing There”
4. Counting the songs they performed more than once, how many numbers did the Beatles sing on their three appearances?
a. 5
b. 9
c. 11
d. 14
5. What two heavyweight boxing champions were in the studio audience and introduced for a bow on the second show Feb. 16?
a. Cassius Clay and Sonny Liston
b. Sonny Liston and Floyd Patterson
c. Sonny Liston and Joe Louis
d. Joe Louis and “Jersey Joe” Walcott
6. During their three appearances, the Beatles performed two cover songs, or songs they did not write themselves. What were those two songs?
a. “You Really Got A Hold On Me” and “Roll Over Beethoven”
b. “Please Mr. Postman” and “A Taste Of Honey”
c. “Till There Was You” and “Twist And Shout”
d. “Baby It’s You” and “Money (That’s What I Want)”
7. What entertainer did Paul McCartney make a quip about during the Beatles second appearance Feb. 16?
a. Sammy Davis Jr.
b. Milton Berle
c. Sophie Tucker
d. Lucille Ball
8. The Beatles second appearance was not telecast from New York City but from where?
a. Los Angeles
b. Washington, D.C.
c. San Francisco
d. Miami Beach
9. After the Beatles ushered in the British Invasion with their Ed Sullivan appearances, who was the first British act, other than the Beatles, to have a number one hit in America?
a. The Rolling Stones
b. The Animals
c. Herman’s Hermits
d. Peter and Gordon
10. What audience share did the Beatles bring in during their first visit to the Sullivan show?
a. 50 percent
b. 60 percent
c. 70 percent
d. 75 percent
Answers:
1. b. 73 million
2. c. “All My Loving”
3. a. “I Want To Hold Your Hand” This made sense because at the time “I Want To Hold Your Hand” reigned atop the chart as the Beatles first number one hit in America.
4. d. 14. Five on the first show, six on the second and three on their final show.
5. c. Sonny Liston and Joe Louis. Liston, the current champion, was preparing to defend his title against Cassius Clay, who would soon become Muhammad Ali. Clay defeated Liston later that month.
6. c. “Till There Was You” and “Twist And Shout”
7. c. Sophie Tucker. Paul jokingly referred to her as “our favorite American group, Sophie Tucker.”
8. d. Miami Beach
9. d. Peter and Gordon. Their number one hit was “A World Without Love,” which was written by Lennon-McCartney.
10. b. 60 percent
Related article: The Beatles on “The Ed Sullivan Show”
Sources:
“The Four Complete Historic Ed Sullivan Shows Featuring the Beatles,” DVD, Good Times Entertainment, 2003
“The Billboard Book of Number One Hits, 5th Edition,” Fred Bronson, Billboard Books, 2003
