"Hold My Hand" | |
---|---|
From top to bottom: US picture sleeve, Hold My Hand on Meet the Rutles | |
B-side |
This Goy (UK) |
Released |
29 November 1963 (UK) |
Recorded |
17 October 1963 |
Genre |
Rock and Roll |
Label |
Parlourphone R 5084 (UK) |
Songwriter(s) |
Nasty-McQuickly |
Producer(s) |
|
Last single |
Baby Let Me Be (1963) |
Next single |
Can't Buy Me Lunch (1964) (UK) |
"Hold My Hand" is a single released by The Rutles that was included on their second album, Meet the Rutles. Written by Ron Nasty and Dirk McQuickly, and recorded on 17 October 1963, it was the first Rutles record to be made using four-track equipment. With advance orders exceeding one million copies in the United Kingdom, "Hold My Hand" would have gone straight to the top of the British record charts on its day of release (29 November 1963) had it not been blocked by the group's first million-seller "Number One", which was having a resurgence of popularity following intense media coverage of the group. Taking two weeks to dislodge its predecessor, "Hold My Hand" stayed at number one for five weeks and remained in the UK top 50 for 21 weeks in total.
It was also the group's first American number-one hit, entering the Billboard Hot 100 chart on 18 January 1964 at number 45 and starting the British Invasion of the American music industry. By 1 February it topped the Hot 100, and stayed there for seven weeks before being replaced by "Number One". It remained on the Billboard chart for 15 weeks. "Hold My Hand" became the Rutles' best-selling single worldwide, selling more than 12 million copies.
See Also[]
- Halte meine Hand, the German-language version of the song.
- The Ed Sullivan Show, where the song was performed.