NPR: Old Music Tuesdays: The Beatles 1968

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Old Music Tuesdays: The Beatles 1968

by Bob Boilen

Long before MySpace, there were fan clubs. You could send a letter, maybe using a coupon in a teen magazine, to sign up. One benefit of signing up might be a free record.

They were usually flimsy discs about as thin as a magazine page. From 1963 to 1969, The Beatles sent a Christmas message to their fans on one of these flexidiscs. The idea came from Tony Barrow, a press officer for The Beatles, who thought it was a great way to deal with the thousands and thousands of pieces of mail the band would receive.

Listening to all the holiday messages, you can hear the arc of the band. This one, from 1968, marks the first time they did the messages separately. It also includes Paul McCartney's "Happy Christmas," John Lennon's "Jock and Yono" poem and Tiny Tim's rendition of "Nowhere Man."

What a hoot!
Happy Holidays

11:08 AM ET | 12-18-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Happy Happy Christmas..Happy Easter...for 196....8

Sent by Jim Hooten | 3:32 PM ET | 12-21-2007

Curses!!!! Having taken an age to get through the AMG back catalogue, I discover (somewhat belatedly) this blog.
It's a hard job listening to your program but someone's gotta do it.
Regarding The Fab Foursome's Xmas offerings I had the opportunity to pick them up on b***tl*g awhile back and apart from being very entertaining, it's interesting to note how they became less collaborative through the years, with the 1968 offering, much like The White Album, featuring individual items from each band member.
I want these issued officially incidentally. Let's start the campaign right here!

Apple records isn't one to listen to the fans I've been wanting "Let It Be" the film to come back out. And how about a remastering of "Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band", or the White Album" or "Abbey Road." We aren't getting any younger!

bb

Sent by Dave Edney | 2:34 PM ET | 01-29-2008

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