Radio: Pop Go The Beatles

Following the success of the first four editions of The Beatles’ BBC radio show Pop Go The Beatles, the corporation decided to commission a further 11 editions. The first in this new run was recorded on this day at Studio Five in Maida Vale Studios, London.

A new presenter, Rodney Burke, replaced Lee Peters for these 11 shows. This fifth edition had Duffy Power with the Graham Bond Quartet as guests, and was broadcast on the BBC Light Programme service on Tuesday 16 July 1963, from 5-5.30pm.

Rehearsals and recording took place between 6.30 and 9.30pm, with The Beatles performing nine songs: ‘That’s All Right (Mama)’, ‘There’s A Place’, ‘Carol’, ‘Soldier Of Love’, ‘Lend Me Your Comb’, ‘Clarabella’, ‘Three Cool Cats’, ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’, and ‘Ask Me Why’.

The last three of these were not used. Several of the recordings were eventually released on disc, though: ‘That’s All Right (Mama)’, ‘Carol’, ‘Soldier Of Love’, and ‘Clarabella’ were included on 1994’s Live At The BBC, while ‘Lend Me Your Comb’ was one of the songs on 1995’s Anthology 1.