I have vague memories of nursery-rhyme-type records played on our portable player. When the Beatles arrived in February, 1964, I was primed and ready to get into their music. It was lightweight, fun, and easily remembered for later singing in the side yard. My favorite early Beatles songs were "She Loves You" and the bluesier "I Saw Her Standing There." That latter song was rock and roll every bit as hard as anything the Stones were putting out at the time.
I never missed a Sullivan performance, and faithfully tuned in for every episode of the cartoon. I was one six-year-old Beatlemaniac, to be sure.
But then, that year of 1966, the Beatles began growing up. And they dragged me along, kicking and screaming, forcing me to one day grow up as well, although I held off for as long as possible.
That year, the group decided to stop touring. That decision was preceded late in 1965 by a flowing gush of creativity that accompanied the release of Rubber Soul. That deluge of genius would make their albums of the three previous years look positively amateurish in comparison.
Rubber Soul took the Beatles places that they had never been before, in grand style. But the music, to my chagrin, sounded very little like "She Loves You" or "I Saw Her Standing There".
It also sounded very little like the music on their cartoon. And needless to say, the Sullivan appearances were now a thing of the past.
Not only that, but they started looking different! The lovable moptops of 1964 were sprouting facial hair by the 1967 release of Sgt. Pepper. I really didn't like where this was going.
I still tuned into the cartoon every week, but there was something empty about it, knowing that the animated scenes of the band playing were now very seldom performed in real life. And when they WERE seen in musical filmed shorts that foretold MTV, they were long-haired dudes dressed in outrageous costumes!
In the meantime, the group was taking astounding quantum leaps with their music that it would take me quite a few more years to appreciate. The Beatles was basically solo performances by the group that caused consternation for many, myself included, of course. Many critics panned it, but that didn't stop it from riding at #1 in the US for nine weeks.
I was beginning to lose hope that the Fab Four that I remembered from my youth would ever be back. Seeing the cover for a 1969 collection of singles which was only released in the US (popularly known as Hey Jude), I was absolutely disgusted with John's out-of-control hair. He looked like an Amish farmer.
Sadly, I let that picture prejudice my love I formerly had for the Beatles. I was frequently heard lamenting the fact that they had become "hippies," and thereby left their roots. When I read the 1970 newspaper article announcing that they had called it quits, I didn't even care all that much.
It was at the age of sixteen or so that I began getting back into the group, and likewise began appreciating the enormity of their latter years' work. I had finally stopped being a child and begun reaching out for adulthood, though that would be a struggle in itself.
Of all the great things about growing up a Boomer, I count one of my most treasured as being able to grow up alongside this unequalled group.
For a pretty cool nine-minute summary of the evolution of the Beatles, check out this home-grown YouTube video.
Comments (5)
Nothing separates the old timer boomers from the whipper-snapper boomers like the radical shift that occurred in the Summer of 1967 a.k.a. the Summer of Love. It’s a tossup as to whether the Beatles were responsible for the Psychedelic Revolution or were merely reflective of it. They had been introduced to marijuana by Al Aronowitz and Bob Dylan in 1964 and then to LSD in 1965 so they were undoubtedly among the principal musical architects of the revolution as can be seen in the progressively experimental transitional Rubber Soul & Revolver albums culminating with Sgt. Pepper’s and the White Album (Magical Mystery Tour was an egoistical Paul McCartney “movie score” indulgence) after Yellow Submarine they pretty much eschewed overt psychedelia and publicly denied involvement with illegal substances. Abbey Road was pretty tame compared to those earlier albums (although it is my 3rd favorite, SPLHCB being 1st and White 2nd ) and Let It Be was issued after/during their breakup and sounds like it. In my experience boomers born before 1953 were ready for the revolution when the Beatles ushered it in. I was 18 when Sgt. Pepper’s was released and it changed my life. I quit playing classical music and started a rock band. I grew my hair down to my waist and tried to look like my erstwhile hero John Lennon. I opposed the Vietnam War like he, and became a peacenik due in part to his pacifism. I can’t say that I grew up alongside the Beatles but they were a huge influence on my life and I can say that they are arguably the greatest and most versatile pop band ever (and Paul sure can write a pretty melody.)
Posted by Burt | June 16, 2008 11:29 PM
Posted on June 16, 2008 23:29
I was a huge Beatle's fan for many years but I hardly believe that they ever "grew up". In the end it seems that Ringo of all people seems to be more the well adjusted (albeit belatedly) adult than any of the others ever were. Just my opinion.
Posted by Russell | June 18, 2008 1:10 PM
Posted on June 18, 2008 13:10
I just did a piece on John Lennon and "Imagine..."
http://babyboomeradvisorclub.com/john-lennon-the-beatles-imagine-lyrics-youtube/
They were my favorite and still are...!!!
When they came to Tampa I BEGGED my parents to let me go. I even said that I would go with my sister...they wouldn't let us go. It was one of the saddest days of my young life!
I never got to see them in person.This is one of my few life regrets...And one that I can not change.
Great blog!
I would love to Blog roll with you. I know my readers would like your site as well.
This is an official invitation to come and visit me...
Southern smiles and world peace,
Sharon
~The Baby Booomer Queen~
http://babyboomeradvisorclub.com/best-way-to-quit-smoking/
Posted by sharon | June 21, 2008 4:57 AM
Posted on June 21, 2008 04:57
Great post, Ron. Brings back a lot of personal memories for me.
Posted by Janet Wendy Spiegel | June 22, 2008 3:50 AM
Posted on June 22, 2008 03:50
I am in the Wedding Business in Charleston, S.C. and therefore, I am interested in anything concerning marriage and famous people having been married in Charleston, S.C. Well, I saw a T.V. Documentary several years ago about J. F.K. and they said that J.F.K. had a quicky marriage while he was stationed in Charleston, S.C. in l942 and his father (Joe) fixed it so that "It never happened". My question is, is that true and what is the named of the Documentary that I saw and who was its author or authors??
Posted by Thomas Doughty | July 20, 2008 6:15 PM
Posted on July 20, 2008 18:15