Subject: Did The Searchers Overtake The Beatles?
It is of interest to note that The Searchers were regarded as The Beatles greatest competition in Liverpool in the very early days of recording when all of the original group members were still together.
That The Searchers were a musical force to be reckoned with was particularly evident during the early days of February 1964 when their release of "Needles and Pins." Folklore has it that this tune displaced The Beatles' "I Want To Hold Your Hand" from the number one position in the UK. Images claiming this success are shown below. These claims are inaccurate, however, as according to the Guinness Book of British Hit Singles "I Want to Hold Your Hand" climbed to number 1 on December 12, 1963 and was displaced by the Dave Clark Five's "Glad All Over" on 16 January 1964.
The Searchers' "Needles and Pins" burst DC5's bubble on 30 January 1964 as it took over first place. The Searchers soon thereafter felt the sting of being moved out of the top UK chart postion as on 20 February 1964 the Bachelors' "Diane" became number one.
| 
