Souvenir of Their Visit to America
Encyclopedia
Souvenir of Their Visit to America was the first of three Beatles EPs released in the United States and the only one released by Vee-Jay Records
(catalogue number VJEP 1-903.) The EP featured four songs that had previously been released by Vee-Jay on the Introducing... The Beatles
album. This EP
did not chart.
, a unit of EMI and sister label to The Beatles record label Parlophone, had first refusal rights to any material released by an EMI label. Capitol in the USA repeatedly turned down The Beatles for most of 1963. So The Beatles' first two 1963 singles and an altered version of their first album were released by Vee-Jay Records. Vee-Jay Records was a small company with few resources. As a result of little publicity or promotion, the records sold poorly. Vee-Jay lost the rights to The Beatles for nonpayment of royalties. The smaller Swan Records
received the rights to the "She Loves You" single. When The Beatles were booked to perform on the popular Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, Capitol finally exercised its option and said yes to The Beatles in November 1963. In a legal settlement with Capitol Records, Vee-Jay received rights to market the Beatle recordings they possessed until 10 October 1964, at which point all rights to all EMI Beatle recordings in the United States were assigned to Capitol Records. Vee-Jay's offering, an EP titled Souvenir of Their Visit to America, was a great success. It is by far the most common Beatles EP of all the US releases. However, because part of the EP's sales were through mail-order offers, the trade magazines refused to chart the EP.
Side one
Side two
Vee-Jay Records
Vee-Jay Records is a record label founded in the 1950s, specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. It was owned and operated by African Americans.-History:...
(catalogue number VJEP 1-903.) The EP featured four songs that had previously been released by Vee-Jay on the Introducing... The Beatles
Introducing... The Beatles
Introducing... The Beatles is the first Beatles album released in the United States. Originally scheduled for a July 1963 release, the LP came out on 10 January 1964, on Vee-Jay Records, ten days before Capitol's Meet The Beatles!...
album. This EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
did not chart.
Context
Capitol RecordsCapitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
, a unit of EMI and sister label to The Beatles record label Parlophone, had first refusal rights to any material released by an EMI label. Capitol in the USA repeatedly turned down The Beatles for most of 1963. So The Beatles' first two 1963 singles and an altered version of their first album were released by Vee-Jay Records. Vee-Jay Records was a small company with few resources. As a result of little publicity or promotion, the records sold poorly. Vee-Jay lost the rights to The Beatles for nonpayment of royalties. The smaller Swan Records
Swan Records
Swan Records was a mid-20th century United States based record label, founded in 1957, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It had a subsidiary label called Lawn Records....
received the rights to the "She Loves You" single. When The Beatles were booked to perform on the popular Ed Sullivan Show in February 1964, Capitol finally exercised its option and said yes to The Beatles in November 1963. In a legal settlement with Capitol Records, Vee-Jay received rights to market the Beatle recordings they possessed until 10 October 1964, at which point all rights to all EMI Beatle recordings in the United States were assigned to Capitol Records. Vee-Jay's offering, an EP titled Souvenir of Their Visit to America, was a great success. It is by far the most common Beatles EP of all the US releases. However, because part of the EP's sales were through mail-order offers, the trade magazines refused to chart the EP.
Track listing
All songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, except where noted.Side one
- "Misery"
- "A Taste of HoneyA Taste of Honey (song)"A Taste of Honey" is a pop standard written by Bobby Scott and Ric Marlow. It was originally an instrumental track written for the 1960 Broadway version of the 1958 British play A Taste of Honey . Both the original and a cover by Herb Alpert in 1965 earned the song Grammy Awards...
" (Rick Marlow/Bobby Scott)
Side two
- "Ask Me WhyAsk Me Why"Ask Me Why" is a song by The Beatles originally released in the United Kingdom as the B-side of their hit single "Please Please Me". It was also included on their first UK album, Please Please Me.-Composition:...
" - "Anna (Go to Him)Anna (Go to Him)"Anna " is a song written and originally performed by Arthur Alexander. His version was released as a single by Dot Records on September 17, 1962...
" (Arthur AlexanderArthur AlexanderArthur Alexander was an American country soul singer. Jason Ankeny, music critic for Allmusic, said Alexander was a "country-soul pioneer" and though largely unknown, "his music is the stuff of genius, a poignant and deeply intimate body of work on par with the best of his...
)