Got That Something! How the Beatles’ “I Want to Hold Your Hand” Changed Everything by Allan Kozinn

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Allan Kozinn is a music critic who covered both Classical music and The Beatles for The New York Times, and he tells the story of how one song changed everything. By the end of 1963 The Beatles were huge in Britain and much of Europe, but couldn’t buy a radio play in the U.S. EMI’s US label, Capitol, was offered their recordings and passed on them. songs like She Loves You were on otherwise obscure labels (Swan Records in this case), and previously their recordings were on Vee-Jay records until the contract was terminated because Vee-Jay failed to pay the royalties that were due. Capitol was finally persuaded to release “I Want To Hold Your Hand”, and the story of that is also fascinating. By February of 1964 The Beatles were leading the British Invasion and nothing would be the same.

If you are a fan of The Beatles you should get this. It is a fun read, and Kozinn is a good writer and very knowledgeable on the topic.



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