History offers
a chance
to truly
understand
how the past
impacts the now.

Follow our
daily timelime
of historical
events to
discover the
role The Beatles
played in changing
the modern world.

1934--Actor Alan Bates is born in Allestree, England.

1961--The Beatles perform at St. John's Hall, Tuebrook, Liverpool.

1962--The Beatles perform at the Cavern Club -- a night show.

1962--The Beach Boys introduce a new musical style (Surf Music) with their hit, Surfin’.

1963--The Beatles tape an appearance for ABC Television's "Thank Your Lucky Stars," which was the most influential pop music program at the time. The Beatles 'play' a lip-sync performance of Please Please Me. The show is broadcast on February 23.

1965--The Beatles in the recording studio (Studio Two, EMI Studios, London). Recording The Night Before (2 takes) and You Like Me Too Much (8 takes).

1965-- The Beatles are awarded the Carl-Alan Award for Best Group of 1964.

1967--UK release of The Beatles' single Strawberry Fields Forever / Penny Lane (Parlophone). 8 weeks on the charts; highest position #2.

1967--The Beatles in the recording studio (Studio Two, EMI Studios, London). Recording begins for Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite. John Lennon's lyrics for this song came almost entirely from an antique poster advertising a circus performance scheduled to take place near Rochdale, Lancashire, in February 1843. John had purchased the poster in Sevenoaks a little over two weeks earlier (January 31), while The Beatles were on location for the filming of the Strawberry Fields Forever promotional film. Seven takes are recorded of the rhythm track for Being For the Benefit of Mr. Kite, and John then adds vocal overdubs. George Martin plays harmonium. The Beatles Anthology 2 includes the incomplete takes 1 and 2 (Disc two, Track 8) and the completed take 7, with ending tape effects completed on February 20 added onto the end (Disc two, Track 9).

1969--US release of the James Taylor LP, James Taylor, on the Apple label. On the song Carolina In My Mind, Paul McCartney plays bass and George Harrison sings harmony vocals. Highest US chart position: #62.

1972--John Lennon and Yoko Ono present a showing of their 40-minute film about the controversial execution of James Hanratty in 1961. The screening is held in the crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Field Church in London. This is the only public showing of the film.

1972--John Lennon and Yoko Ono guest-host "The Mike Douglas Show" for the fourth day. John opens the show by singing Imagine, playing the song on an electric piano. Yoko gives Douglas a “Box of Smile,” a mirror-lined box that reflects his own smile back at him. John takes the time to smile twice into the box for Douglas. The clip for today from the "Imagine" film is Mrs. Lennon. Today’s guests are Bobby Seale, the chairman of the Black Panthers; Marsha Martin, the student body president of the organization; comedy troupe, Ace Trucking Company; singer Vivien Reed; and Donald Williams, a medical student. (This show was taped on February 4, 1972.)

1975--US release of the John Lennon LP, Rock 'n' Roll (Apple). Songs: Be-Bop-a-Lula, Stand by Me, Rip It Up / Ready Teddy, You Can't Catch Me, Ain't That a Shame, Do You Want to Dance, Sweet Little Sixteen, Slippin' and Slidin', Peggy Sue, Bring It on Home to Me / Send Me Some Lovin', Bony Moronie, Ya Ya, and Just Because. 15 weeks on Billboard chart, highest position #6. This was Lennon’s final record before a self-imposed five-year exile from the music business.

1980--Ringo Starr is strip-searched in customs when he arrives in Mexico City to begin work on the movie, "Caveman."

2000--John Lennon's Steinway piano, on which he composed Imagine, goes on display at The Beatles Story Museum in Liverpool. The piano is set to be auctioned on the internet later in the year and was expected to fetch more than £1 million.

2000--Windows 2000 Professional Edition is released. Windows 2000 is “the next generation NT operating system” that Microsoft said took four years and cost over $1 billion to develop.

For more day-by-day history go to HistoryUnlimited.net