This day in 1964

On February 3, 1964, The Beatles went to the American embassy in Paris to get visas and work permits in anticipation of their first US tour. Americans were also getting ready for the visit. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and the album Meet the Beatles! were given a gold disc in the United States. The Beatles were a mere six days away from officially making history (the first of many such occasions) and entering the realm of music legends. February 9 marks the day the four humble boys from Liverpool, England performed to an audience of 73 million across the nation on The Ed Sullivan Show. On February 9, 2014, CBS will air a two-hour special honoring this achievement, on the same day, at the same time and on the same network that The Beatles performed in 1964. A half-century has passed since that Sunday night, but it remains important for Beatles history, music history, television history, but more importantly, cultural history. The British are coming! The British are coming!