Saturday, June 3, 2006

BEATLE MANIA REVISITED

 

Memoral Day Weekend 2006

I was 10 years old when the Beatles were introduced to America via the Ed Sullivan show. It was love at first scream. I really don't remember the first time I had heard the songs. I do remember the first one though, it was She Loves You.

Yea. Yea. Yea.

My first Beatle album was "The Beatles Second Album". Followed by Rubber Soul, A Hard Days Night, Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and finally Abbey Road.


My friend and fellow maniac, Judy, filled in with "Meet the Beatles" and others, of which now I can not remember. We spent hours at each others house listening to these albums along with our numerous 45's.

I coveted a Beatle wig. It was not to be. But I did manage to have a totally fab Beatle poster that was about four feet long and maybe 18 inches wide. It was red and each Beatle head was in a white star, along with extra pictures of them full length in the back ground. I also had a white sweat shirt with the Beatle logo.

I had as many Beatle magazines as I could afford on my puny allowance. Only one remains now. Minus the cover. I think I remember purchasing that mag. I think I remember the cover,  a "16 Magazine" special edition.

I also collected Beatle cards. I wrote an entry about those long ago...

I had a George Harrison doll, about four inches in height and sporting a brown mop top. He was wearing a dark suit. He may have been holding a guitar. I recall he had very luscious lips.

I out grew my Beatle mania at an early age. Around my sophomore year in High School, after listening to the Beatle's White Album a million times in Suzy's secret room, I graduated to bands like Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, and Janis Joplin.

Last Saturday on the belvedere in Louisville I found myself at a Beatle Tribute Festival singing the words of the songs, long ago imprinted indelibly on my brain.

It was fab. We wandered from stage to stage sampling all the different interpretations and imitations.

A lone guy from England performing only George Harrison songs.

A girl band from who knows where with the drummer belting out "Twist and Shout".

My personal unusual favorite at the festival, fifty people on the stage with guitars, tambourines andvoices all singing Run for your Life. (among others).

Run for your Life seemed to be a constant of each band.

My choice for number one mind blowing interpretation ....Nervous Melvin and the Mistakes rendition of Tomorrow Never Knows. I was spell bound and my heart was thumping as they spun a totally unique sound without loosing the essence of the song.

Next year, I will be better prepared.

Camcorder.

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yea, yea, yea! Wish I could say I was 10<G>. The Boys changed music, our lives and the times in which we lived!
Tess

Anonymous said...

How I envy you!  I would have loved to have been there.  I, too, was a Beatle fan and was lucky enough to see them in concert at the Hollywood Bowl when I was 16 years old.  I will never forget that night.  My daughter was in Europe for two months Mar-May and she went to the Beatles Museum in Liverpool and brought me a few things back.  Really tickled me that she would buy me stuff from there.  I enjoyed your blog so much!    Kathy

Anonymous said...

I, too, remember the debut of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show.  I was so excited I couldn't sleep that night.  In my high school days, I spent every cent I had on concert tickets, and saw some incredible shows.  Oh, those were the good old ( meaning, carefree ) days.  I wish it was so easy now !   Tina

Anonymous said...

I don't think there will ever be another foursome to match the Beatles they changed Music forever and captured the hearts of us all ~ I still have some of their records ~ Nothing to play them on though ~ but I would never part with them lol ~ Ally

Anonymous said...

OH Mary I have so many marvelous memories associated with the Beatles albums. I still have ALL of mine. Some have been worn out with playing. I still have the White Album with the pictures intact. (Constant wrestling with putting thumb tacks in them for display or saving them.) One of my favorite memories associated with the White Album was that my best friend and I were grounded. Our other friend Ann recently in NJ from Texas and trying to make new friends obtained the first copy of the White Album at our local place. We snuck out of our rooms and met at Ann's to listen. We were blown away. My favorite song was I Will although I loved all of them. Years later my friend Debbie and I remember that night like it was yesterday. I have that on CD now and it brings back such youthful joy. That festival sounds awesome! Thanks for this nastaligic evoking post. :)

Anonymous said...

I remember seeing them perform - and I still have the original album :)

xoxo

Anonymous said...

Sounds great!  A friend of mine once sent me a VHS tape of an L.A. tribute band that dresses the part and everything. And your George doll was from Remco.  Yes, it came with a guitar.  They go for around $75 now, I think.  - Karen

Anonymous said...

I love the beatles, I never get tired of hearing them.

Anonymous said...

    I wore out the threads on my "Hey Jude" album. It's still my favorite.
Jude
http://journals.aol.com/jmorancoyle/MyWay

Anonymous said...

There were some really wonderful groups there.  I liked that version of Tomorrow Never Knows, too. (One of my favorites, anyway)
Lori