File:The Beatles ~ From Me to You 1963 (Royal Variety Performance) -HQ-

The Royal Variety Performance was on the night of 4th November 1963 at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London, in the presence of the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. Although the Beatles were 17th on the 19-act bill on this night, they were by far the most anticipated performers to appear.

'From Me To You' was the first song of the performance. The Beatles also played 'She Loves You', 'Till There Was You' and 'Twist and Shout'. The Beatles began playing their opening song, ‘From Me To You’, before the curtains had opened. After the final chord John Lennon and Paul McCartney moved their microphone stands nearer the edge of the stage to get closer to the audience.

The group bowed in unison at the end of the second song, ‘She Loves You’, after which McCartney made a nervous joke about Sophie Tucker being their “favourite American group”. They followed this with a performance of ‘Till There Was You’.

When the applause died down, John and Paul moved their microphone stands back to their original positions, and Lennon made the announcement which won over any remaining doubters and guaranteed them headlines in all the next day’s newspapers.

"For our last number I’d like to ask your help. The people in the cheaper seats clap your hands. And the rest of you, if you’d just rattle your jewellery. We'd like to sing a song called 'Twist And Shout'." John Lennon


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