In the United States, Beatlemania was conceived September 16, 1963, when Swan Records released the Song of the Day, “She Loves You.” But the birth wouldn’t take place until the Beatles made their first visit to the States.
Beatlemania was already raging in England when the song was released. It was number one across the pond. It was all but ignored by radio stations when it was released here.
“From Me to You” was the only Beatles song that had charted in the U.S., and that was at a lowly 116.
A 5-minute CBS television piece about Beatlemania in England got bumped by the Kennedy assassination in November. Walter Cronkite then ran the piece in late December. “She Loves You” was so popular the record company rushed out “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” which reached number one by the end of January, just weeks before the Beatles arrived in New York. “She Loves You” soon replaced “I Want to Hold Your Hand” as number one. By April 1964, five Beatles songs led the top five spots on the Billboard Hot 100. Beatlemania USA-style was born.
John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote “She Loves You” in June 1963. They started it in a hotel room a couple of hours before a show. They wanted to write a message song. Lennon wanted a third party talking. They finished it the next evening at Paul’s house. Paul’s dad liked the song, his only criticism, England already had too many Americanisms. Instead of yeah, yeah, yeah, he suggested yes, yes, yes.
Paul’s answer “No, Dad, you don’t quite get it.”
