"A Letter to the Beatles" is a novelty song by the Four Preps.[1] It was released as a single on March 9, 1964, by Capitol Records who had both the Beatles and the Four Preps signed to their roster.
| "A Letter to the Beatles" | |
|---|---|
| Single by The Four Preps | |
| B-side | "College Cannonball" |
| Released | March 9, 1964 |
| Recorded | February 10, 1964 |
| Genre | Pop rock |
| Length | 2:55 |
| Label | Capitol Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Ivan Ulz, Glen A. Larson, Bruce Belland, Lennon–McCartney |
| Producer(s) | Stu Phillips |
"A Letter to the Beatles" rose to number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100; however, the single was soon deleted by Capitol after Duchess Music, the publisher of "I Want to Hold Your Hand", refused to give permission for a parody version.[2] The recording was later included on a compilation CD by the Four Preps.
Background
editThe song parodies the Beatlemania of the era, telling the story of a woman who expresses her undying love for the Beatles in a series of letters, to which the Beatles respond by insisting she send "25 cents for an autographed picture" and "one dollar bill for a fan club card". In the end, the woman sends in the money. The track was co-written by two of the Four Preps, Glen Larson and Bruce Belland and includes parts of the Beatles' song "I Want to Hold Your Hand".
Chart performance
edit| Chart (1964) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100[3] | 85 |
References
edit- ^ "The Four Preps | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
- ^ "Capitol Halts Preps' Beatles" Billboard April 11, 1964: 6
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 314.
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