US single release: Please Please Me

‘Please Please Me’ had first been released as a single in America on 25 February 1963 but failed to make an impact. To cash in on the success of ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ and in anticipation of The Beatles’ first US visit, Vee-Jay re-released the single on 3 January 1964.

The first time Vee-Jay released ‘Please Please Me’ it had ‘Ask Me Why’ as the b-side, as with the UK release. This time, however, it was coupled with ‘From Me To You’.

The single was a smash hit, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 in the week ending 14 March 1964, behind ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ and ‘She Loves You’. Over one million copies were eventually sold.