The Beatles vs The Four Seasons Quiz

Answer: I Saw Her Standing There

"I Saw Her Standing There" written by Lennon/McCartney was the first track by The Beatles on disc one of this 1964 double album "The Beatles vs The Four Seasons". The album was billed as "The International Battle Of The Century".

"I Saw Her Standing There" was the first track on The Beatles' first UK album "Please Please Me" which spent 30 weeks at number one on the UK album chart in 1963/64. "I Saw Her Standing There" was released as the B-Side of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" in the U. S. A. and peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1964. The Beatles album in this double set was first released in the U. S. A. on the Vee-Jay record label as "introducing... THE BEATLES" (version two) on the 10 February 1964. It peaked at number two on the Billboard album chart where it remained for nine weeks.

Answer: Sherry

"Sherry" written and produced by Bob Gaudio was number one for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The 4 Seasons in 1962. It peaked at number eight on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Sherry" was the first track by The 4 Seasons on disc two of the double album "The Beatles vs The Four Seasons". "Sherry" was originally entitled "Jackie Baby" in honour of the then First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy. During an interview in 1968 group member and songwriter Bob Gaudio said that "Sherry" had been inspired by Bruce Channel's 1962 Billboard number one hit "Hey Baby".

Answer: Anna (Go To Him)

"Anna (Go To Him)" was written by Arthur Alexander. It was a number 68 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Arthur Alexander in 1962. It did not chart in the UK.

The most famous version of the song was recorded by The Beatles in February 1963 for their UK debut album for Parlophone records "Please Please Me" with John Lennon singing lead vocal. In the US Vee Jay Records released it on the "Introducing... The Beatles" album (version two) and also on the E. P. "Souvenir of Their Visit to America The Beatles" in 1964. Capitol Records released it on the album "The Early Beatles" in March 1965.

Answer: Marlena

"Marlena" was written by Bob Gaudio. As the B-side of "Candy Girl" it peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The 4 Seasons in 1963. It did not chart in the UK.

In 1963 even The 4 Seasons' two US number one hits "Big Girls Don't Cry" and "Walk Like A Man" failed to reach the UK Top 10 along with many other top American acts. It was in no small measure due to the emerging Merseybeat and general beat boom in the UK. How ironic then that after a brief tour of the UK in 1963, it should be 4 Seasons member Bob Gaudio who recommended to the Vee Jay Records executives that they secure the rights to the new British sensation The Beatles.

Answer: The Cookies

"Chains" was written by Gerry Goffin/Carole King. It peaked at number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Cookies in 1962. It peaked at number 50 on the UK singles chart in 1963.

"Chains", the fourth track on The Beatles' first UK album "Please Please Me" is the first Beatles' track that George Harrison takes the lead vocal on. As much as I loath academics and intellectuals who analyse the music of The Beatles for the benefit of us ordinary mortals, I have to include the comments of the late British music critic and author Ian MacDonald. In his 1994 book "Revolution in the Head: The Beatles' Records and the Sixties". He had these critical comments to make about The Beatles' performance of "Chains". He wrote that it was "slightly out of tune" and also that it "lacked spontaneity". Why he thought his opinion was worth putting down on paper or that it was better than mine or anyone else's I don't know. I know what I like!

He committed suicide at his home in Gloucestershire, England, in 2003 following a lengthy period of clinical depression.

Answer: Soon (I'll Be Home Again)

"Soon (I'll Be Home Again)" was written by Bob Crewe/Bob Gaudio. It peaked at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The 4 Seasons in 1963. It did not chart in the UK.

The 4 Seasons album in this double set was first released in 1963 on the Vee-Jay record label as the "GOLDEN HITS of the 4 SEASONS". It peaked at number 15 on the Billboard album chart. It did not chart in the UK. The members of The 4 Seasons on this album were Tommy DeVito, Bob Gaudio, Nick Massi and Frankie Valli.

Answer: Boys

"Boys" was written by Luther Dixon/Wes Farrell. It was originally released as the B-Side of "Will You Love Me Tomorrow" which was number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Shirelles in 1961. It peaked at number four on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Boys" was also track five on the first UK album by The Beatles "Please Please Me". It was the first time on a UK album by The Beatles that Ringo Starr sang the lead vocal.

"Boys" seems to have been a drummers song in those days. Ringo sang it when he was the drummer for Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. Pete Best sang it when he was the drummer for The Beatles. Pete Best also released his own version when drumming in The Pete Best Combo in 1965 but if did not chart in the UK or US.

Answer: Ain't That A Shame

"Ain't That A Shame" was written by Antoine Domino/Dave Bartholomew. It peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 for The 4 Seasons in 1963. It peaked at number 38 on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Ain't That A Shame" was number one for two weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for Pat Boone in 1955. It peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart the same year. (Can you believe that Pat Boone had bigger hits on the Billboard Hot 100 than Little Richard & Fats Domino with their own songs).

"Ain't That A Shame" was a number 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for Fats Domino in 1955. It peaked at number 23 on the UK singles chart in 1957.

Answer: Ask Me Why

"Ask Me Why" was written mainly by John Lennon but credited to Lennon/McCartney.

The Beatles first recorded "Ask Me Why" in June 1962 as part of their audition for EMI records. These recordings however, were later destroyed by someone at EMI. (How much would they be worth today?). It was recorded again in November 1962 and at the same time The Beatles rehearsed another Lennon/McCartney song "Tip of My Tongue". This song was muted as a possible B-Side for "Please Please Me". In the end "Tip Of My Tongue" was given to the Brian Epstein prodigy Tommy Quickly but it never charted and his career never got off the ground.

Answer: Walk

"Walk Like A Man" was written by Bob Crewe/Bob Gaudio. It was number one for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The 4 Seasons in 1963. It peaked at number 12 on the UK singles chart the same year.

"Walk Like A Man" gave The 4 Seasons their third number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100. During a recording session for "Walk Like A Man" water and smoke started to seep into the studio which was housed in the Abbey Victoria Hotel in New York. A room above the studio was on fire and the fire fighters that were tackling the blaze had to break down the studio door to get the people out of the building.

Answer: Baby It's You

"Baby It's You" was written by Burt Bacharach/Barney Williams/Mack David. It was a number eight hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for The Shirelles in 1962. It did not chart in the UK.

The Beatles had been including the song in their act since 1961. They recorded it for their first UK album "Please Please Me" in February 1963 with John Lennon singing lead vocal.

A live version recorded by The Beatles in 1963 was released on the "Live at the BBC" album in 1994. This version was also released as a CD and vinyl E. P. single along with "I'll Follow The Sun" (On Air-Live at the BBC Volume 2), "Devil In Her Heart" (BBC recording, not on any album) and "Boys" (On Air-Live at the BBC Volume 2). It peaked at number seven on the UK singles chart and at number 67 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1995.

Answer: In Bed

"Big Girls Don't Cry" was written by Bob Crewe/Bob Gaudio. It was number one for five weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 for The 4 Seasons in 1962. It peaked at number 13 on the UK singles chart in 1963.

Both of the writers of this song claim to have heard the line "Big Girls Don't Cry" in two different movies starring John Payne and Rhonda Fleming. They were both at home and dozing in front of the TV, Bob Gaudio was watching "Tennessee's Partner" (1955) and Bob Crewe was watching "Slightly Scarlet" (1956). Apparently the line does not appear in "Tennessee's Partner" so Bob Crewe seems to have won that argument. I have not watched either movie so please don't send me a correction notice.

Answer: A Taste Of Honey

"A Taste Of Honey" was originally track five on side two of the album "Please Please Me". It was the first UK album and the first UK number one album by The Beatles. It remained at number one for 30 weeks in 1963 until replaced by The Beatles themselves with their second album "with the beatles".

"A Taste Of Honey" originally an instrumental track was written by Bobby Scott/Ric Marlow for the 1960 Broadway version of the 1958 British play "A Taste of Honey". A version by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass peaked at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1965 but did not chart in the UK. A version by Mr. Acker Bilk with the Leon Young String Chorale peaked at number 16 on the UK singles chart in 1963 but did not chart in the US.

Answer: Candy Girl

"Candy Girl" was written by Larry Santos. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 for The 4 Seasons in 1963. It did not chart in the UK.

The songwriter Larry Santos has been heard singing many advertising jingles on US TV. Between 1976 and 1980 he starred in the television show "Hot Fudge", which was a US TV children's puppet show. He had one entry on the Billboard Hot 100 when "We Can't Hide It Anymore" peaked at number 36 in 1976.

"Candy Girl" was the first original 4 Seasons single not to be composed by either Bob Crewe or Bob Gaudio.

Answer: P. S. I Love You

"P. S. I Love You" was the B-Side of The Beatles first UK single "Love Me Do" which peaked at number 17 on the UK singles chart in 1962.

"Love Me Do"/"P. S. I Love You" were written by Lennon/McCartney. "Love Me Do" was written principally by Paul McCartney who started writing it in 1958-1959. The UK single "Love Me Do" released in October 1962 had Ringo on drums. On later single pressings the version from the "Please Please Me" album with Andy White on drums and Ringo Starr on tambourine was used.

In the US, Tollie records released the version of "Love Me Do" with Andy White on drums in 1964. It was number one for one week on the Billboard Hot 100. The B-Side "P. S. I Love You" peaked at number 10. The sales of the record in the US however, were at first due in part to imported copies from Canada which was the version with Ringo on drums.

The Beatles album in this double set, was first released in the US on the 10 January 1964 on the Vee-Jay record label as "introducing... THE BEATLES". A few days later Vee-Jay records were served with a restraining order preventing further distribution because they did not own the publishing rights to the tracks "Love Me Do" and "P. S. I Love You".

Vee-Jay records then reconfigured "introducing... The Beatles" by replacing "Love Me Do" and "P. S. I Love You" with "Ask Me Why" and "Please Please Me". The reconfigured album was in the shops approximately a month after the original album was released.

Because of the delay this second version reached the US album chart after the "Meet The Beatles" album released on the Capitol record label. The second version of "introducing... The Beatles" peaked at number two on the Billboard album chart and remained at that position for nine weeks.