This week’s BROW is a follow up to another that I posted a little over a month ago that you may read here if you like. It comes from an audience recording of the August 19th, 1966 Memphis, TN performance of George Harrison’s “If I Needed Someone.” Due to John Lennon’s recent “Beatles are bigger than Jesus” remark taken out of context by a US teen magazine, The Beatles were already a bit apprehensive about their safety while performing in the Bible-belt southern US, where ritualistic burnings of Beatles records were being organized by churches, radio stations, etc. along with actual life-threats from the Ku Klux Klan. It was during this evening performance when a cherry bomb exploded on or near the stage and each of the Beatles looked at the others to determine which one had been shot. This moment in history was one of numerous deciding factors in the decision to quit touring after 1966. The explosion occurs in this recording at about one minute and 12 seconds in. My apologies for the horrendous sound quality of this recording but since it’s sourced is from a portable reel-to-reel tape machine running somewhere in the chaotic bed of a frenzied audience it’s good to be able to make anything out.
The Beatles - If I Needed Someone
The Beatles: Memphis, TN on August 19, 1966
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I'm Happy Nat and I'm glad you dropped in! Feel free to listen to the latest BROW (Beatles Rarity Of The Week), read the latest #askNat (answers to reader-submitted Beatles-related questions) or catch one of the other numerous items of interest. Join the discussion by leaving comments or 
Interesting. Too bad there isn’t video to go along with it.
Now there is Chip! Click here.
Hey Happy Nat. You say there is now video to go along with the cherry bomb track, but the link takes me to a clip in Indiana where they are doing Things We Said Today…
Hmmm…not sure what happened there Jack. Sorry… I see the audio recording is on YouTube but no accompanying video. Just a photo, so I won’t bother to link it here.
I was there that night. Was watching Paul and when the cherry bomb went off, he took a quick look to his left (where George and John) were. The Beatles, to their credit, never missed a beat and managed to finish this song and the concert. Had to have scared the hell out of them. It shook me up.
Interesting Fletch. Many thanks for sharing.!
Nat, no problem. My sis took some pics of that gig. Email me if you are interested in seeing them. I still have my tour guide!
I don’t have your email address Fletch but would love to check the pics out if you have them scanned. My email is happynat@thebeatlesrarity.com. No rush, let me know if it is okay to use them on the site sometime, and thanks again!
Sent the links Nat. Enjoy!