Where to begin re: the arrival of the Beatles?
I watched a television show that was partly interviews with all kinds of people from all different countries; its subject was the effect the Beatles had on your life.
Of course most of these people were from the Baby Boom years but not all of them. That was the amazing part. People of all ages have listened to the Beatles and love them. Many said that the Beatles music formed part of their identities.
Paul McCartney, not long ago, formed a new band with four other men. And they were just so mind-blowingly great!! Unfortunately I did not attend a concert but I bought the CD. All I can say is wow. I wish I had been there. The CD contained a small book or pamphlet with lots of quotes from Paul and each band member. All of these young men were completely awestruck by actually playing music and singing with PAUL McCARTNEY!!!! Who couldn’t identify with this?
I’ve listened to the CD over and over…and they do Hey Jude almost as well as the first Beatles. I honestly get “goose pimples” as I think about it. I know I cried at times while listening. When I began crying when I listened, the “counselor” part of me said: “Leslie. It’s obvious that the Beatles music formed you in some way; why do you think this is?”
Their unique sound–Lennon/McCartney’s superb compositions–they were something new, from a different country than ours and they made being British look very cool. What had come from England that was cool? There was Winston Churchill who stood up to Hitler and said: “….we shall never surrender. Give us the tools and we’ll do the job.” Now this was the utmost in cool–talk about grace under fire; but when you’re 14 years old it was a new world. Finally, none of the four came from the upper classes. They were working class lads and knew a lot about real life.
I just looked up the listing of Beatles songs. The number is 309, according to Wikipedia. I can’t possibly include them all here. I will just try to do my best.
She Loves You/I Want To Hold Your Hand/Please Please Me/P.S. I Love You/If I Fell In Love With You/All I’ve Got To Do/All My Loving
All of these were from 1964 or earlier. I remember having a sleepover party for my 14th birthday; all my friends were there. As we all lay in the dark, squeezed together because there were 8 girls there, we sang softly: “If I fell in love with you, would you promise to be true, and help me–understand, that I’ve been in love before, and I know that love is more–than just holding hands? If I give my heart to you, you must be sure from the very start, that you would love me more than her…”
Damn, I’m crying again. Not sobbing but I have tears in my eyes. It was so lovely; and in the end who can say for sure why we adored them, spent all our money on them, and let them into our hearts?
lgmwriting 