For all the concerts they played between 1963 and 1966, The Beatles only undertook one world tour. It began on this day in Copenhagen, Denmark, and continued in the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand.
In the morning The Beatles were driven by their chauffeur, Bill Corbett, to London Airport where they were taken to their aeroplane ahead of the other passengers. There they signed autographs for the captain and crew.
More than 6,000 fans awaited their arrival in Copenhagen, and Danish police had to quell crowds of around 10,000 who brought the city centre to a standstill. As they checked in to the Royal Hotel fans attempted to storm the doors.
In the hotel sitting-room in Copenhagen, Judith Simons from the Express pointed out a telegraph left lying open on a table. It was from America and said: ‘Child dying in this family, two days to live. Please call. Child is Mary Sue.’ Paul said casually, ‘That’s the second telegram. The first said four days to live.’ Fearing Judith would be shocked by this apparent callousness (though in reality I was more shocked than she), I suggested we call the number given. Waste of time, said Paul; it was probably a con, and even if it wasn’t, what could they do? Then he shrugged and said, ‘Call – why not? I’ll talk to them, if you like.’ So I called. There were screams at the other end when I explained who I was. ‘I don’t believe it! Hold on right there – I’ll have the kids pick up telephones…’ I shouted over the bedlam: ‘Is Mary Sue still alive? Are we in time?’‘This is Mary Sue speaking,’ said a whiny teenager-voice, as others chattered and jittered in the background. ‘Please don’t blame Mom, I made her do it… I just had to speak to Paul, oh, Paul, are you there? I just have to talk to him now, please don’t let him be mad at me!’ Paul took the phone from me. He handled the conversation coolly: ‘Now, Mary Sue,’ he said, lofty, dry and mildly admonishing, ‘you know you shouldn’t go around telling lies and frightening people like that…’ When it was over he looked at me, his eyes round and solemn. ‘See?’ Wolf had been cried loudly, not for the first time and assuredly not for the last.
Fifty Years Adrift
Ringo Starr remained in London, having been hospitalised with tonsillitis and pharyngitis the previous day. His temporary replacement, Jimmie Nicol, had to swiftly adjust to life in the whirlwind of Beatlemania for the next five dates of the tour.
The group rehearsed their set in the afternoon, and Mal Evans taped the setlist to their guitars to help them remember the running order. They were also visited by the British ambassador to Denmark.
The Beatles performed two shows at the KB Hallen venue, at 6pm and 9.15pm, with 4,400 fans seeing each. The setlist for the first was: ‘I Saw Her Standing There’, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘All My Loving’, ‘She Loves You’, ‘Till There Was You’, ‘Roll Over Beethoven’, ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’, ‘This Boy’ and ‘Twist And Shout’.
‘Long Tall Sally’ was left out of the setlist as it had been performed by Danish support act The Hitmakers. The Beatles requested that The Hitmakers not perform it during the night’s second show, and it was duly performed as the last show in the headliners’ set.
George Harrison: Oh, remember those shows?John Lennon: Just no sense of timing.
Harrison: Those tours where we just would miss out half the song.
Paul McCartney: That one with Jimmie Nicol. A one, two! A one two! On ‘She Loves You’, in Sweden [sic].
Lennon: In Sweden, yeah.
McCartney: The first time we’d ever had this new drummer, ’cause Ringo was sick, and he was sitting up on this rostrum but he was just eyeing up all the women. And we just went, ‘One, two!’
Harrison: And we’d have to start.
McCartney: Then he’d just go [mimes frantic drumming].
Lennon: It’s so much fun, that it’s over before it’s begun.
Get Back, 2021
The order of the first two songs was switched for the second show of the night, and for all subsequent dates in the tour. At the end of the evening the stage announcer told the audience that The Beatles would not return to the stage, and a potted delphinium was thrown in protest.
As the tour progressed, occasionally ‘Twist And Shout’ replaced Long Tall Sally as the closer.
[John Lennon] drank in excess. In Denmark, for example, his head was a balloon! He had drunk so much the night before, he was on stage sweating like a pig.
At the Royal Hotel after the second show The Beatles were treated to smørrebrødsseddel – Danish sandwiches. Paul McCartney also sent Ringo a telegram which read: “Didn’t think we could miss you so much. Get well soon.”
Paul McCartney and Wings performed at the KB Hallen during the Wings Over Europe Tour on 1 August 1972.
Also on this day...
- 2023: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery, Woodinville
- 2022: Paul McCartney live: JMA Wireless Dome, Syracuse
- 2022: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion, Gilford
- 2016: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Seneca Allegany Casino, Salamanca
- 2012: Paul McCartney live: the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert, London
- 2012: The Beatles named as UK’s biggest-selling singles act in Queen’s reign
- 2011: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: National Palace of Arts Ukraina, Kyiv
- 2007: UK album release: Memory Almost Full by Paul McCartney
- 2004: Paul McCartney live: Zentralstadion, Leipzig
- 2000: Ringo Starr and his All-Starr Band live: Chastain Park Amphitheater, Atlanta
- 1993: Paul McCartney live: Silverdome, Pontiac
- 1991: US album release: Unplugged (The Official Bootleg) by Paul McCartney
- 1976: Wings live: Civic Center, Saint Paul
- 1969: US single release: The Ballad Of John And Yoko
- 1968: Recording, mixing: Revolution 1
- 1967: McCartney and Harrison watch Jimi Hendrix in London
- 1965: UK EP release: Beatles For Sale No 2
- 1964: Recording, mixing, editing: Long Tall Sally, Matchbox, I Call Your Name, Slow Down, When I Get Home, Any Time At All, I’ll Cry Instead
- 1963: The Beatles live: Town Hall, Birmingham
- 1962: Rehearsal: Cavern Club, Liverpool
- 1961: The Beatles live: Top Ten Club, Hamburg
- 1960: The Silver Beetles live: Grosvenor Ballroom, Wallasey
Want more? Visit the Beatles history section.
Bill Corbett who was the Beatles chauffeur was my Grandfather. As a child I remember vividly being given one of the black capes worn by the one of the Beatles in a hard days night or help – the scene with the skis…. He had a series of articles published in a sunday newspaper entitled ‘my life with the beatles.’ However, the one of the most treasured pieces of memoribillia never to found when my mother moved from her house in Richmond – was a series of hand written poems John lennon gave to my grandfather – if only we still had them…
I recall seeing them play live at when I was 4 years old and also travelled in the same car my granfather used to drive the guys about.
The only 2 who stayed in tough were with him were John & George….who always sent xmas cards…
That’s really fascinating to hear. Many thanks for sharing with us, Andrew. They sound like great memories.
The ski scene where The Beatles were wearing capes was in Help!. Search for ticket to ride on YouTube and you’ll find the footage. What a shame the capes and poems aren’t still with you!
Hi Andrew;
I am treasurer of the British Beatles Fan Club and we have had an enquiry regarding the Sunday Newspaper articles by your grandfather.
Do you know which Sunday paper it was?
Best wishes
Ernie
Treasurer British Beatles Fan club
The Sunday People. He was my grandfather too.
I always thought that the Beatles touring of 1966 was classified as a world or global tour.
After all, they performed concerts in Europe, Asia and North America.
They did, but for some reason they were always considered two separate tours. There was the tour of Germany, Japan and the Philippines in June and July 1966, and then a final US tour in August.
I don’t know why it was never classed as one world tour at the time. Possibly it’s because The Beatles returned to the UK for more than a month before heading for the US.
However, the 1964 ‘world tour’ only took in Denmark, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand, in less than one month, so it was hardly extensive.
The Bill Corbett Memories were translated also in Italian. I got them (but written in Italian of course) It was on the year 1966.
Regards.
My uncle was the driver from Copenhagen Airport. There they signed autographs for the him in a speciel book. That book I have today :-). Maybe there is som money here….Brita Abel. Denmark.
At the first concert in Copenhagen The Beatles did NOT finish playing “Long Tall Sally” since the danish warm-up-band, The Hitmakers was asked do play an unexpected extra number – and chose to play “Long Tall Sally”.
The Beatles kindly asked The Hitmakers NOT to play the song at the next show (The entire gig was played at 18.00 and 21.15)!
Therefore The Beatles only (at the first concert) played:
1: I Saw Her Standing There
2: I Want To Hold Your Hand
3: All My Loving
4: She Loves You
5: Till There Was You
6: Roll Over Beethoven
7: Can´t Buy Me Love
8: This Boy
9: Twist And Shout
And at the second concert, The Beatles also played:
10: Long Tall Sally.
Notice: “You Can´T Do That” Was NOT played during the two concerts played June 4.th 1964 in Denmark!
Thanks for the info Thies – very helpful. I’ve amended the article.
“The order of the first two songs was switched for the second show of the night, and for all subsequent dates in the tour.”: shouldn´t it be the other way around, as I saw her standing there stayed as the opener for the other gigs on the tour.
I recall from years ago hearing a terrible recording of the show with I want to hold your hand as the opener, and no Long tall Sally at the end. But all I can find now is a recording with Standing there first and no Sally at the end. Ah, confusion!
I WAS AT THE SECOND CONCERT WHEN THE VASE BROKE !IT WAS 12 O’CLOCK AN THE SUN WAS OUT !
i have a silver mermaid with an engraving ” To Ringo 2nd may 1966 . i think the initials are E M T Denmark. I am wondering if this could be connected to Ringo Star??? Anyone know anything of this???
In the narrative above, it says: “The Beatles were treated to a local delicacy, smorrebrodsseddel, a type of jam sandwich.”
The Danish word “smørrebrødsseddel” does not mean “a type of jam sandwich”.
It means a sandwich menu or a list of sandwiches in a restaurant. Danish open-faced sandwiches are famous for the many fancy and delicious varieties available.
Thank you Arne, and sorry for getting it wrong!