Excellent article! A large part of The Beatles success and momentum in the USA was driven by the JFK assassination and dismal aftermath. They came as a balm to a shocked and mourning country. I remember buying a 45 of "She Loves You" and bringing it to a local Saturday night dance. This was in small-town America and when the DJ played it everyone screamed.
Thanks so much! Agree completely about how the aftermath of President Kennedy's assassination was one of the events that set the stage for the sudden emergence of the Beatles in the States. Didn't delve into in my piece though allude to it in the opening.
Has anyone investigated the possibility of a Beatles/Lee Harvey Oswald conspiracy? Maybe the assassination wasn't really about Oswald's overwhelming lust for world notoriety. Maybe The Beatles put him up to it to enhance their chances of breaking through in a grief filled America.
Marco, I was 11, and remember it well. I would describe America a month after the assassination as "numb and a little forlorn," not shocked and mourning. Whatever, The Beatles were the perfect antidote.
Thanks for the kind words and personal recollections. While I was nowhere near even being a twinkle in my mom's eye during the time of the Beatles, I certainly appreciate how transformational the events of February 1964 were.
I first got into the Beatles when I was around 9. My mom had a few Beatles records (the early two Canadian Capital records, 'Beatlemania! with the Beatles' (the complete 'With the Beatles' album and 'Twist and Shout' (most of 'Please Please Me' and the American 'Revolver) and that, along with a cassette compilation, was enough to get me hooked for life.
Sinatra distilled most of what became The Great American Songbook, and he had done this by the early 60s. Comparing him to The Beatles is like comparing a lion to a whale. They're both magnificent works of God, and that's about it.
When The Beatles broke up in 1970, a musicologist had what I thought was a brilliant take. She said she thought that in 300 years, The Beatles would be thought of as we think of The Baroque Era. They really were a thing unto themselves, and I include George Martin in that.
Unfortunately, there really was no place for a talented performer like Bobby Vee to go. But do you know who of The Beatles' generation had the harshest and most unkind breaking up of his career? Bobby Darin. He reassembled it as much as his already failing health permitted, and he had severe emotional problems to fight, as well, but he really did get the shaft.
Excellent article! A large part of The Beatles success and momentum in the USA was driven by the JFK assassination and dismal aftermath. They came as a balm to a shocked and mourning country. I remember buying a 45 of "She Loves You" and bringing it to a local Saturday night dance. This was in small-town America and when the DJ played it everyone screamed.
Thanks so much! Agree completely about how the aftermath of President Kennedy's assassination was one of the events that set the stage for the sudden emergence of the Beatles in the States. Didn't delve into in my piece though allude to it in the opening.
I think it was a part of the phenomenon and the timing was coincidental. As you say it was one on the events and there were certainly others.
Has anyone investigated the possibility of a Beatles/Lee Harvey Oswald conspiracy? Maybe the assassination wasn't really about Oswald's overwhelming lust for world notoriety. Maybe The Beatles put him up to it to enhance their chances of breaking through in a grief filled America.
I am being satirical.
Marco, I was 11, and remember it well. I would describe America a month after the assassination as "numb and a little forlorn," not shocked and mourning. Whatever, The Beatles were the perfect antidote.
I wonder if George had an inkling that first time in New York that his return would feel different. Wonderful writing here Robert, as always.
Thanks so much. Appreciate the kind words.
Thanks for the kind words and personal recollections. While I was nowhere near even being a twinkle in my mom's eye during the time of the Beatles, I certainly appreciate how transformational the events of February 1964 were.
I first got into the Beatles when I was around 9. My mom had a few Beatles records (the early two Canadian Capital records, 'Beatlemania! with the Beatles' (the complete 'With the Beatles' album and 'Twist and Shout' (most of 'Please Please Me' and the American 'Revolver) and that, along with a cassette compilation, was enough to get me hooked for life.
Sinatra blown out of the water? Nonsense. By 1964, he had little appeal to kids, anyway.
Elvis, on the other hand...
Sinatra distilled most of what became The Great American Songbook, and he had done this by the early 60s. Comparing him to The Beatles is like comparing a lion to a whale. They're both magnificent works of God, and that's about it.
When The Beatles broke up in 1970, a musicologist had what I thought was a brilliant take. She said she thought that in 300 years, The Beatles would be thought of as we think of The Baroque Era. They really were a thing unto themselves, and I include George Martin in that.
Unfortunately, there really was no place for a talented performer like Bobby Vee to go. But do you know who of The Beatles' generation had the harshest and most unkind breaking up of his career? Bobby Darin. He reassembled it as much as his already failing health permitted, and he had severe emotional problems to fight, as well, but he really did get the shaft.
You did, at least a couple of times ( although one, "the Frankies Sinatra," could be metaphorical ).