Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever was released in the UK on 17 February 1967, and entered the charts on 23 February. It was in fifth place, behind Here Comes My Baby by the Tremeloes (No. 4), I'm a Believer by the Monkees (No. 3), Release Me by Engelbert Humperdinck (No. 2), and This Is My Song by Petula Clark (No. 1). The following week (2 March), it was second, behind Engelbert Humperdinck. Release Me spent six weeks at No. 1, selling a total of 1.365 million copies. On 23 March, after three weeks at No. 2, the Beatles single dropped to No. 5. Release Me was eventually knocked off the top spot by Frank and Nancy Sinatra with Somethin' Stupid; by this time the Beatles had slipped to No. 12. Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields Forever spent a total of 16 weeks on the UK charts. In the USA it was the Beatles' 11th No. 1.
© Haydn Thompson 2017