We are fast approaching the 50th anniversary of one of the biggest events of the 20th century: The Beatles conquering America with their awesome prowess and charisma,hereby changing the course of rock music forever.
The Beatles,as we may say it,is the most successful group not only in rock music but in the entire history of recorded sound.It was February 7,1964,four young lads from Liverpool got down at the JFK Airport with a number one single called "I Want To Hold Your Hand".The Beatles captivated the hearts of Americans and had set the trend for long haired rock groups and opened the door for other British bands,thus starting a full scale British Invasion of the United States.
Bands like the Doors,the Young Rascals and the Beach Boys were among the homegrown rock groups that answered back to the ongoing invasion trend but it only proves that these bands from England were such overwhelming with the Beatles along with their manager Brian Epstein knowing with the materials they have written that they are gonna be bigger than Elvis Presley.
The Beatles first visit to the US has caused a pandemonium that is still unmatched up to this day.With the whole scene filmed exclusively by the
Maysles Brothers, the band had the whole nation spellbound and kept juvenile crime off the streets for a while.
Hundreds of fans took vigil at the Plaza Hotel where the band had been staying.With two young girls even caught in the room where Paul McCartney has been staying.
Theres been a misconception that the Beatles topping the US charts with I Want To Hold Your Hand that the band were introduced into the world for the first time.Well the fact is,that the Beatles were already famous even before they set foot on American soil.Not to mention their success in the UK and other parts of the world.So it would be safer and better to say that the US was the last frontier for the fab four.
THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW
The Beatles' first US visit was highlighted by three appearances at the Ed Sullivan Show:the first one in New York City,the second in Miami and the last one back again in NY.The show grossed millions of viewers across the country.America has never been the same.
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| The Beatles at the Ed Sullivan Show |
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| The Ed Sullivan Show ran from 1948 to 1971 |
The Ed Sullivan Show ran for over 23 years from its first airing in 1948 to its final airing in 1971.The show was noted for the launch to stardom of several celebrities including Frank Sinatra in the late forties and Elvis in the mid 1950s.It also saw the rise of rock groups from the sixties and early seventies with the Beatles opening the door to a full scale British Invasion and thus inspiring local acts at the same time with the advent of the hippie counter-culture.
Though Sullivan has been in good terms with the fab four all throughout,his show was marred with controversy on the way he has dealt with other bands that soon followed the Beatles' footsteps.It was known that Sullivan was strict and spiteful when it comes to what was coming out of his show.Various stories about Sullivan's relationship with other rock bands surfaced,among them were the time when he censored the Rolling Stones' 1967 song "
Let's Spend The Night Together",hereby changing the chorus lyrics to "let's spend some time together".Though the Stones kowtowed to Sullivan's wishes,Mick Jagger can be seen rolling his eyes as he sang that part of the song that was expurgated.Though the Rolling Stones made more appearances on the show before and after the said incident,perhaps the most notorious of them all were that of the Doors where the song
Light My Fire was also censored when its lyric "Girl we couldnt get much higher" was asked by Sullivan to be changed instead to "girl we couldnt get much better" when sung live.Perhaps the former line was interpreted to be of a drug reference and being a wholesome show,Sullivan was probably worried of what that will do to his image.Though Jim Morrison said "yes" to Sullivan's wishes,he still sang that part that was forbidden for him,the result was a very angry Ed Sullivan banishing the Doors from his show for all eternity.
Sullivan later had that reputation of being autocratic and many other bands saw witness to that.
And the Beatles did changed everything and told everyone to cut some slack,grow our hair and think of the good times.
One could see the significance of the Beatles changing the way rock music is presented and the way people will listen.
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| The Beatles' Capitol LPs issued on box set |
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Beatles' first US visit,the Capitol albums were yet again reissued on box set.Capitol Records was noted to have altered the original first seven albums and made more albums out of it for the American market.The said albums were issued before on box set with volumes 1 and 2.Though it is well know that the said albums never got the favor of the fab four themselves.Some Beatles experts say that the Beatles were robbed of their creativity when their US distributor literally butchered their first seven albums.The albums the fab four themselves molded according to their artistic visions.
The Beatles conquering America came full circle and the band is at the top of the world.And yes the US is the final frontier of the Beatles' career,as John Lennon have said "We were on the toppermost of the poppermost".
(c) Keith Vernon Adagio
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