Beatlemania (pt. 41)
Published December 20, 2004
Yes, there is some filler and the Beatles were still doing covers — some advised ("Money" "Long Tall Sally" "Matchbox), some not ("Mr. Moonlight" "Till There Was You"), but has there been a more exciting period in rock 'n' roll history?
Three lads from Liverpool — John Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison — came together at a time of great cultural fluidity in 1960 (with bit players Stu Sutcliffe and Pete Best), absorbed and recapitulated American rock 'n' roll and British pop history unto that point, hardened into a razor sharp unit playing five amphetamine-fueled sets a night in the tough port town of Hamburg, Germany, returned to Liverpool, found their ideal manager in Brian Epstein and ideal producer in George Martin, added the final piece of the puzzle when Ringo Starr replaced Best on drums, and released their first single in the U.K., "Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You," all by October of 1962.
Their second single, "Please Please Me," followed by British chart-toppers "From Me to You," "She Loves You," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "Can't Buy Me Love" (all Lennon/McCartney originals), and the group's pleasing image, wit and charm, solidified the Fab Four's delirious grip on their homeland in '63.
But it was when the group arrived in the U.S. in February, 1964 that the full extent of Beatlemania became manifest. Their pandemonium-inducing five-song performance on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9 is one of the cornerstone mass media events of the 20th century. I was five at the time - my parents tell me I watched it with them, but I honestly don't remember. I do remember, though, that the girls next door, four and six years older than I, flipped over that appearance and dragged me into their giddy madness soon thereafter. I loved "I Want to Hold Your Hand," the Beatles' first Number One in the U.S. (they had 19 more, still the record), more than any other song I have ever heard, or almost assuredly will ever hear, with a consuming intensity that I can only now touch as a memory.
The Beatles generated an intensity of joy that slapped tens of millions of people in the face with the awareness that happiness and exuberance were not only possible, but in their presence, inevitable. They generated an energy that was amplified a million times over and returned to them in a deafening tidal wave of grateful hysteria. An these were the four albums that started it all in America.
Also included in the contest grand prize are John Lennon's Acoustic (reviewed here) and Rock 'n' Roll albums and George Harrison's The Dark Horse Years 1979-92 DVD.
Being that we are nothing if not value added, for your listening and viewing pleasure, the video for Lennon's "Working Class Hero" is here (WM) (Real).
George's "Cheer Down" video is here (WM) (Real) (QuickTime), "Got My Mind Set On You" is here (WM) (Real) (QuickTime), and "This Is Love is here (WM) (Real) (QuickTime).
- Beatlemania (pt. 41)
- Published: December 20, 2004
- Type:
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Music: Classic Rock and Oldies, Music: News
- Writer: Eric Olsen
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Eric you fossil, I was only 4 1/2 when the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, but I still remember my pop bitching about "those damn long haired hippies".
In my deprived childhood I was normally only allowed to listen to the C&W that my pop listened to, but every once in a while, my uncle, only 7 years older than I, would turn me onto some good ole' rock and roll! He corrupted me for life! Good guy my uncle!
Andy, I can understand how old I must seem to you since I was 5 1/2 when the Beatles came to America! The girls next door served a similar function for me as your uncle, and their enthusiasm was very infectious.
I have all these albums on vinyl, though it would be great to have them in one place on CD with the two versions of each song and the booklet
I knew you were old, but damn!
I know the feeling, I have around 300 vinyl disks packed very tightly in boxes. The problem seems to be finding needles these days, so I keep them packed tightly in hopes that when I pull them out they'll still be relatively flat!
I think I may own one or 2 Beatles 4 tracks even!
All this copyrighted material that I've paid for already and could possible get into some kind of trouble for downloading from a p2p just doesn't seem fair, but that's a story for another post.
I think it would probably have been MORE fun to experience good music with a couple of girls that were a couple of years older than me! WOOHOO!
packing your vinyl tight and upright is the best way to preserve them, and I thought those girls were pretty hot stuff indeed
Y'know.....I never liked the Beatles when I was a kid - it was all Deep Purple, Sabbath, Grand Funk and...CSNY (go figure). I didn't really appreciate the Beatles 'til I was nearly 30 years old, adn I've been a huge fan ever since - I've got everything they've released on CD, so now I guess I've got to get these stereo mixes too.
But there's supposedly still lots of outtakes and alternates - why don't they just dig deep and release a couple of 4 CD box sets and get it done with? Before Paulie & Ringo go on to the great reunion gig in the sky, anyway.
Vern, the 3 Anthologies ARE a bunch of outtakes, alternative versions, oddities and rarities - have you tried them?
And I think a lot of people who didn't actually grow up in that era don't come around to the Beatles until later - you are not alone!
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Being a huge Beatles fan, as with certain artists, can be frustrating. Which album format (UK, US) is the "right" one? Do I need to own both?
It's almost nice to look at a collection of albums by a particular band, like, say Living Colour, and feel smug about it. I own "Vivid," "Time's Up," and "Stain" and feel pretty good about it, and when I'm in the mood I crank it up. They broke up at some point, so I don't really have to worry about my Living Colour collection anymore. It's done -- life is good.
But wait... the rumors start to circulate... they're playing out again, re-releases, updated tracks, something called "Collideoscope" is Out There... somewhere. And I must seek it out and learn if it's worth hearing.
Obsessions like this are both blessing and curse. Onward with the Beatles US.
By the way: Two weeks ago, I played The Beatles' "Things We Said Today" every day, around 10-12 times per day. Last week, it was "Baby's in Black." I suspect next up will be "The Night Before."
Like I said: blessing and curse. Amazing songs though -- they still blow my doors down.
Eric Berlin
Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash
http://dumpsterbust.blogspot.com