BeatleJay Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 February 9, 1964. The Beatles made thier first appearance on the Ed Sullivan show. They played five songs- I Want To Hold Your Hand, This Boy, All My Loving, She Loves You, and I Saw Her Standing There. George had the flu, and had to be 'medicated' before the show.Since this happened 11 days before I was born, I have no recollection. I would like to hear yours though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trindy Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Sorry, too young to remember when it happened live, being only a bit more than 2 at the time.But I did watch a screening of the whole show, complete with commercials, at the Museum of TV and Radio once. What really stood out was the contrast between the Beatles and every other act on the show.But I don't remember that they played FIVE songs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Carmen Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Everything changed forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 I imagine that there are some people here who can even recall what it was like seeing Elvis for the first time on the Sullivan show. Was the feeling comparable to the Beatles?Marv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sterling Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Here is one of the best clips I have seen of the Beatles in concert. This was shot at the Indiana State Fair in Sept 64. (Just a few months after Ed Sullivan). The rest is history!I heard that during the one hour of the Ed Sullivan show that night, the NYPD reported no crimes at all! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DcV1UI1B6M Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 The next day,February 10th,1964, was like walking into another world...as Eric said, everything changed! All the talk of the day centered around these Beatles....their hair...their music...the girls screaming....THAT was the the birth of the new world.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gene Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 I remember going to the World's Fair not long after and seeing a huge "We Love You Paul" written on the side of one of the buildings in the city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAM Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Everything instantly changed for me. Up to that point, I wanted to be a professional baseball player. The next day I joined the school orchestra and started learning to play the violin (cause it looked like Paul's bass). I started listening to the radio (could've cared less before that), begged my mom & dad for a record player and scoured TV Guide every week looking to see what musical acts were going to be on through out the week. My friends thought an alien had invaded my body. My mom had a guitar and she taught me out to play "C" & "G". Oh yeah, I remember it well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
susana Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 I was there, like so many of us. Seeing the Ringo tour was great not just because EC played with the band the year I went, but because Ringo was probably my first "favorite rock star" when I was a kid. (What can I say? I was young and wore rings on every finger - it only made sense.)I was already immersed in music and AM radio, so it didn't change me in that regard...and while my family watched Ed Sullivan every week, I still remember the an-tici-pation throughout that day leading up to show time. Interesting, though, that the two songs that instantly stayed with me were "IWHYH" and "SLY". To this day, I can remember hearing/seeing them very clearly. Of course, I know the others just as well now, but even after being prompted the only clear memories of that evening I have are those two.But I also think of a long time friend whose b'day is the same date...she is a diehard Beatle fan and I'd be willing to bet she ranks that TV show as one of her best b'day gifts ever!S* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bessieboo Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Why...?Why was it the Beatles?Was it just the right time for something different?There must have been other new sounds in the US, Canada, other parts of the world. Were the boomers just ripe and ready for their defining moment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Bessieboo can you think of any other music that hit with the dramatic force of the Beatles? I was only 4 1/2 at the time, but I've done enough reading on the subject and dug deep enough into the social and musical influence of the Beatles to offer this opinion:There was NOTHING happening at that time that carried that level of intensity. Remember, the U.S., and the world was just getting over Elvis coming back from the Army(releasing music that was somewhat punchless compared to his 1950's output), Kennedy's asassination, and music fare that was lighter (with all due respect, Bobby Vee, Frankie Avalon etc). Suddenly those opening chords of "I Want To Hold Your Hand" hits you on the head like a sledgehammer, it couldn't help but stand out.Marv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 Because they were cool. Because they were fun. Because they rocked. Because they could sing a melodic love song. Because "I Want To Hold Your Hand" is music at its best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marvin Posted February 10, 2007 Report Share Posted February 10, 2007 AND it sure didn't hurt their cause that they appealed to the girls AND the boys.Marv Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeatleJay Posted February 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 I'm bumping this back to the top. I bet more of you have a recollection on the subject.A fact that I failed to mention, was that 73,000,000 viewers tuned in to the show that night. An unbelievable number- even by today's standards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordharris Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 My interest was Elvis, then The Beatles, then I was buying both, mvie soundtracks of Elvis and The Beatles records.At the same time, after that I was into the British Invasion, Gerry And The Pace Makers and many more.As soon as I saw a british show with one the british song groups, I hurried to watch the channel show.Ferry Cross The Mersey, those bristish movies are great with the groups.The Mosquitos and many more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollies65 Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 My mom made a big deal out of it...she was pretty hip. We all sat down in front of the TV...I was hooked...I asked my mom the next day if I could grow my hair long [i had a crew cut]and she gave the thumbs up.Though only 5 years old it was a tremendous point in my life. The song I remember most vividly was 'All My Loving'.. it was the sound of John's rhythm guitar that I loved....I remember it like it was yesterday...I remember the radio was always playing 'We'll Sing In The Sunshine' and 'Walk Right In' constantly [both great songs] prior to the Sullivan show...nothing but British Invasion after that....It was GREAT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich From PA Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 It's like Eric said. "Everything changed forever." I was 8 yrs old and couldn't believe what I was seeing and hearing. I still feel like time can be divided into two eras: Before the Beatles and After the Beatles.Like a lot of people, they were responsible for my lifelong love affair with music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leff'tHome Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 It was my 12th birthday. And what a gift they gave me!!! I remember sitting in front of the TV (black and white) and being totally blown away. I was never a big Elvis fan, but the Beatles, now they were special! Yes, "everything changed forever." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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