Description
Among the most prized of all investment-grade Beatles signed or handwritten material are stage-used set lists. These were not done for the gratification of a fan, but for the group’s own private use. That these set lists survived the decades at all is incredible and, in fact, so few still exist as they were created for the moment — to be used by the band for reference for a very short period of time and then tossed out.
There is simply no denying that, in the realm of handwritten artifacts, few pieces can approach the scarcity, historical appeal and intrinsic value of an original Beatles stage-used set list. Particularly in the early days when their show repertoire was in a constant state of flux, a set list was needed to guide their performance, to literally give them a quick reference while the concert was in progress, for the order of songs they would play at a given show. These were hastily written out — often just prior to the show — on whatever paper was available at the moment. The lists could be written on hotel notepaper, envelopes, paper scraps, promotional cards, even cigarette packs.
To demonstrate the extreme rarity of an authentic Beatles handwritten set list, it should be noted that, to date, only 10 have found their way into collector’s hands and these are all firmly tucked away in collections and rarely ever become available on the marketplace. With so few known to exist, one can only imagine just how infrequently a Beatles set list comes onto the market. The vast majority are in the hands of private collectors and will likely stay there. On a rare occasion, one will become available to those astute enough to appreciate their historical significance and extreme desirability. Here is one of those rare opportunities.
The year 1963 was perhaps the busiest of all for the Beatles as they set about to conquer the world. They performed a staggering amount of live shows some 350, along with over 100 appearances either in the studio, BBC broadcasts or BBC television. On March 22nd the group released their chart-topping first album “Please Please Me” and less than a month later performed at the Majestic Ballroom in Luton on April 17th to an enthusiastic crowd.
The group had completed their first proper nationwide tour with headliner Helen Shapiro (February 2nd to March 3rd) and then immediately followed with another exhaustive tour of ballrooms and dance halls with American’s Chris Montez and Tommy Roe from March 9th to March 31st. For the April 17th engagement at the Majestic Ballroom, Paul McCartney wrote out the group’s set for the night on the back of a March 1963 issue Beatles Parlophone Records promotional photo card and took it onstage for the group’s reference.
At the time of this performance in Luton, the Beatles were growing in popularity and stature in their native Great Britain. The evening before, their BBC television debut on The 625 Show was broadcast and the following weekend they performed at the Royal Albert Hall for the first time. The performance at the Majestic was a standard two-sets-a-night ballroom gig. Three of the tracks on this set list: “I Saw Her Standing There,” “Anna,” “Do You Want To Know A Secret” were included on The Beatles’ debut LP “Please Please Me”, released only three weeks prior to this Luton gig. The third Beatles single, “From Me to You” / “Thank You Girl” had just been released on April 11th and on May 4th it became their first Number One hit single. “(A Shot of) Rhythm And Blues” was a staple of the Beatles live set but their version wasn’t released until Live At The BBC in 1994. “Beautiful Dreamer” was a song written by Stephen Foster in the Nineteenth Century and had been recorded by dozens of artists from Bing Crosby to the Ink Spots and fellow Liverpudlian Kenn Dodd. “(If You Gotta Make a) Fool of Somebody,” originally recorded by American R&B singer James Ray, would have sustaining impact on George Harrison as he made his version of that record’s B-side, “Got My Mind Set On You,” a solo hit in 1987. The Chuck Berry track, “Sweet Little 16” is also included and the show’s closer – a Beatles favorite – Little Richard’s “Long Tall Sally”, was played consistently throughout their touring years and was the last song the group played before a live paying audience at Candlestick Park, San Francisco on August 29th, 1966.
Beatlemania was a full-blown cultural event in the U.K. and gigs like the one in Luton would fade into the past as time moved on. Within a year, The Beatles became the biggest act in the world.
The cab driver that The Beatles used that evening after leaving The Majestic asked the band for their autographs for his daughter Lorainne. The only thing handy for The Beatles to sign was the Parlophone card that had that night’s set list written on the back. All four have autographed the front of the card in black ballpoint pen, with Paul adding “lots of love to LORRAINE from THE BEATLES” before and “XXXXX” after signing. John, George and Ringo have all added “X’s” as well. After the card was signed, the cab driver took it home and gave it to his daughter…..and what a gift it was with not only all four autographs of The Beatles, but also the concert set list on the back!
To own a handwritten Beatles concert used set list written by a Beatle is to be a member of a very elite club. A member who has in their collection a vitally important and extremely valuable piece of Beatles concert history. And to have a concert used set list that has been also signed by The Beatles adds exponentially to desirability and value.
SOLD