The Beatles--40 years!!

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Peter T.
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 12:16 PM

The "Concert for George" DVD (referred to above as a PBS special coming soon) is actually terrific. Why there are two DVDs (one is a movie which is practically identical to the other one)is one of those DVD things, completely unnecessary.

But the concert is really moving. It is also worth pointing out that Ravi Shankar's daughter runs the whole Indian section of the event, and she is very beautiful. AND Ravi Shankar has another musical daughter who is also pretty spectacular -- Norah Jones. Makes one wonder.....

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: JennyO
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 09:44 AM

The Beatles came to Australia in 1964, at the height of Beatlemania, and I went to see them at the old Stadium at Rushcutters Bay, where all big visiting acts performed (I also saw Roy Orbison, The Rolling Stones, Peter Paul and Mary and many others there on other occasions).

I went with my aunt (she was pretty cool) and I remember my tickets were tartan. I kept them for a long time, but they disappeared when my mother threw out a lot of my things, but that is another story.

I have never seen anything like it before or since. I forget the names of the other acts, but we were all just waiting for a brief half hour appearance by the Beatles. They sang 10 short songs and it was over very quickly. From the moment they came on there was a loud, earsplitting continuous scream. You could barely hear them. I don't think they could hear themselves properly either. I heard a tape of the show later and the quality of the performance was not good. But at the time, and in that atmosphere, nobody cared. We were in the physical presence of the famous Beatles, and that was all that mattered. It was totally crazy.

I'm not surprised that it wasn't long before they stopped doing live concerts. Apart from the quality of the performances suffering, the logistics of controlling and keeping safe thousands of demented screaming teenagers was becoming increasingly problematic.

New records were being released thick and fast. At one stage, the first 5 songs in the top forty here were Beatles songs. A new record release was awaited with baited breath. I remember in late 1964 going down to one of the local radio stations and being crammed into a small room with dozens of others, because we wanted to be the first ones in Australia to hear the latest release, "I Feel Fine/She's A Woman". They just kept playing the same two songs over and over, and it was A MOMENTOUS OCCASION for us. Weird stuff all right!

Many years later, when my daughter was 14, she became a devoted Beatles fan, and also a great fan of John's son Julian Lennon. She told me that she was quite jealous that I was there at that history - making time, and was always asking me what it was like.

Now that I can see it all in perspective, it WAS significant to be there at that time, and with all my love of folk music and changing tastes, I still value the experience, and appreciate their musicianship, and the huge contribution they have made to music.

Jenny

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: fat B****rd
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 06:34 AM

Coincidentally , I believe The Beatles would have seen Joey Dee and the Starliters in Hamburg. Peppermint Twist anyone ?

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: GUEST,Tunesmith
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 06:15 AM

On the eve of The Beatles first trip to the States, one of the British pop weeklies visited an American Militery Base and asked children of servicemen how they thought The Beatles would be accepted in the States. The responses were mixed. I remember one character saying that Joey and the Starlighters would blow The Beatles away! I, myself, was doubtful that they would make it there. At the time, I thought it would be like trying to sell snow to the eskimoes.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Strupag
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 05:31 AM

Well my long clickie disnie work!
just go to Google and type in "Beatles in Dingwall BBC" and chose the BBC site and that will take you there. And me? At the time I just couldn't be bothered to go - well in 1960 I was just a snotty youth at the time and into Elvis!

Andy

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Strupag
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 05:19 AM

I've been having a minor disagreament with Murray Macleod in an other thread about where the Beatles played in 1960 and did a wee bit of research and found that the Silver Beatles (as they were known then did play in what was my local county town, Dingwall in the north of Scotland. Murray said that the played in Strathpeffer which was an even smaller town just up the road but with a big "Pavillion".
They actually played in both but in Dingwall there was only about 20 people that had turned up and many of them left to go to the dance in Strathpeffer that night "as the craic was better".
In 1963, however, the Beatles returned to Dingwall, this time to a full house of "screamagers". Hear this clip from a woman who was 17 at the time http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/scotlandonfilm/media_clips/clip_display.shtml?topic=leisure&subtopic=entertainment&clip_na    Andy Mitchell

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: fat B****rd
Date: 10 Feb 04 - 03:57 AM

On a Saturday night in October 1962 Pete Maclain and the Dakotas played at our dance hall in Cleethorpes. They did songs I'd never heard before. The supporting band, Dave Berry and the Cruisers were, at that time, my heroes doing Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker tunes to not much appreciation. Dave asked them about a couple of the songs and they wouldn't tell him who they were by. One of these was Richie Barret's "Some Other Guy". The Dakotas told me that we should see "The Beatles" from Liverpool. The following Wednesday on Granada TV's People and Places the compere simply said "And now after many requests.. the North's top group The Beatles. They played "SomeOther Guy" (which I assumed they'd written !) and "Love Me Do".
To a fifteen year old it was and still is ) a sort of magic. The following year I went to see them at the Lincoln Odeon. This was the start of "Beatlemania". Girls screaming and fainting, elderly St John's personnel carrying them on stretchers. The band were audible at that time and sounded great. I.. ahem... "got off" briefly with a girl from Gainsborough.
The Beatles ? bloody marvellous and still a prominent feature on my playlist.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: richlmo
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 09:55 PM

As I said in another thread, " They changed the world. What else needs to be said?" Maybe that wasn't exactly what I said, but........

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Messages from multiple threads combined.
-Joe Offer-

Subject: RE: Beatles in America, 40 Years Ago
From: richlmo
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 09:43 PM

They changed the world.
What else can you ask?

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 06:40 PM

I saw them in Ipswich Gaumont, circa 1963. I saw them but didn't hear much of them as there was so much screaming and the amps weren't like they are now!
I did find out the exact date when I went around "the Beatles Experience" museum in Liverpool last year. Needless to say my aging neurones have already forgotten what date that was!
We actually went there at the request of our 20-year-old son, a budding world-beating lead singer and guitarist himself(he wishes!)-just to show the "generation effect" of the Beatles music.
Oh and I met my husband in the early 70s so we have 2 copies of several of their LPs: time to switch from Mudcat and get on to EBay!

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Peter T.
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 06:35 PM

I agree with McGrath. The Complete Beatles Book is a menace. The complete scores is expensive, quite wonderful, and has tiny, tiny, print, so you need good eyes!!

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: GUEST,McGrath of Altcar
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 05:07 PM

Les in Chorlton:

I guess your talking about the Beatles complete book. It's rubbish and has confused and bewildered many generations of guitarists.

It is incomplete in 3 ways.

1. Some of the songs are missing.

2. Sections of some songs( Intros, middle 8s and solos) are missing.

3. The original arrangements have been messed about. If you actually bother to play them they are hilariously bad. MANY songs are printed in the wrong key.

Lots of the songs are printed 2 semitones to low - transpose them up 2 semitones (dont use a capo) and they make a lot more sense. ( C becomes D, D becomes E, B flat become C etc)

The Beatles complete SCORES edition is accurate and far more complete... but its very expensive £50+

The Beatles did not often use "flat" keys - Lennon hardly at all. They tended to use the guitars strongest keys. E A D G

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: GUEST,Martin Gibson
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 04:30 PM

The Beatles singlhandedly killed the "great folk scare" that was riding the wave since the Kingston Trio's Tom Dooley. Up until the Beatles, the Trio were the biggest thing on Capitol records and acoustic guitars far outsold electrics. Yes, the Beatles "coming out" is also the 40th anniversary of the death of folk music as a popular force in music.

At the time, I was saddened by this and as a young teen, did not realize how tastes, trends, and times change. As it turns out, I grew to appreciate the Beatles once I started hearing their catchy melodies with song chords that were easy to emulate. No group or act has ever had such a profound impact musically or cuturally as they have had.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 04:12 PM

I've heard there will be a tribute performance for George in March on PBS. Does anyone know the detials?

Subject: RE: Beatles in America, 40 Years Ago
From: Peter T.
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 02:19 PM

I did. I desperately wanted to see them when they came to Kansas City (where I was living) but my parents wouldn't let me go. I saw them in Toronto the second time around, they were wearing green corduroy suits. I am ashamed to say that I immediately went out and bought green corduroy pants, which were all wrong for me. I sat behind and above them, at Maple Leaf Gardens, so I could see the whole spectacle from their viewpoint, and I have never seen anything like it before or since. Even the other rock shows I have been at were not quite so berserk. I think it was because there was still a kind of reticence which was being overcome by a zillion teenage girls. Later it became a well-known thing to do (actually, that was happening the second time around), and everyone got used to it. I don't think anyone was quite used to it yet, it was mesmerizing, terrifying, all those things, as I said, total cliches now.

But the first month they were in the U.S. was the most fun. Again, people have gotten used to "Star Wars" and "The Lord of The Rings" fever. I think this was the first time (certainly in my memory) where a kid's thing was ratified by virtually the whole adult society. 3 months after this, my mother (MY MOTHER!!) donned a Beatle wig and she and three of her friends lip-synched to Beatle tunes for the Ladies Guild at her club!!! I painted the signs, PAUL, GEORGE, RINGO, and JOHN (Sorry Girls He's Married) for them to wear around their necks (the John sign about his marital status was flashed up on the Ed Sullivan show).

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Beatles in America, 40 Years Ago
From: greg stephens
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 08:45 AM

To clarify my previous post: I wasnt asking if anyone at all went to see the Beatles. Fairly obviously, they did. I meant "did any Mudcatters reading this thread"go and see the Beatles.

Subject: RE: Beatles in America, 40 Years Ago
From: greg stephens
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 08:43 AM

Happy days, eh? But did you actually go and see them? Or did anybody else? Reminiscences, please. I thought their records were good fun, but I considered them a bit of a teenage sort of pop band; I was far too keen on folk, blues, jazz, Dylan and the Stones,and would never have shelled out good money to stand with crowds of screaming kids wetting their knickers and screaming at the mop-headed scousers!

Subject: Beatles in America, 40 Years Ago
From: Peter T.
Date: 09 Feb 04 - 08:16 AM

Hard to believe it was 40 years ago, but there it is. I had such a great month -- I had been a big fan before they ever arrived (my mother had brought records back from England the previous winter) and I kept telling everyone to watch Ed Sullivan! Total and complete bliss.   

yours,

Peter T.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Kaleea
Date: 21 Jan 04 - 01:36 AM

Hey, don't be such a foo-foo about the keys of Ab, Bb & Eb! The reason most hymnals have songs in those keys is because those keys are good vocally for most voices.    My geezerly arthritic carpal tunnel hands & fingers cramp up somethin' fierce, but I still play the old songs in those keys!
    I used to sit on the floor in front of the old Hi-Fi & sing along with all the Beatles' records. When I got the Sgt. Pepper album, I cut out the little moustache etc., & my brothers made fun of me, a girl, having all that silly stuff on--till they started wanting to wear the moustache. I did my Auntly best to teach all of my nieces & nephews the words & harmony parts to all the Beatles songs. Not long ago, my oldest nephew & I were discussing the fact that our fav Beatles songs are the melancholy/sad ones--& we wondered why. I always preferred the older songs.
    My mother liked the Beatles songs then & still does. She said that one of the things that got her through the death of my younger brother 20some yrs back was "Here Comes The Sun" side of Abbey Road.
    Oh yeah--I loved the Beatles cartoon show!

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: LadyJean
Date: 21 Jan 04 - 12:13 AM

40 years ago I was at the Winchester Thurston School, still very much a select seminary for young ladies, here in Pittsburgh. I remember one spring day, we were in Art class. One of the upper school (high school) girls had done a very good portrait of Ringo Starr, and it was up on the bulletin board. We were, of course impressed, but the art teacher clucked and said, that by the time we were in the upper school nobody would care about the Beatles.
How wrong she was.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: GUEST
Date: 20 Jan 04 - 01:20 PM

Look at post above Alanbits.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: GUEST,Van
Date: 20 Jan 04 - 01:18 PM

Alanabit - they're talking about the Beatles - All right now was by Free.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Chief Chaos
Date: 20 Jan 04 - 01:08 PM

It's been a long and winding road since the days of yesterday, through this norwegian wood, but we've made it through with a little help from our friends. Hey Jude! I want to hold your hand and reminisce awhile. There are places I remember and people too, like Eleanor Rigby. Quiet girl as I recall, nothing like that fool on the hill. What was his name? Was it Bungalo Bill or Rocky Racoon? And the critics still won't let it be. Lady Madonna but I'm tired of their harping. When will they learn that love is all you need?


Love Peace and Happiness to my fellow fans,

Chief

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 20 Jan 04 - 10:03 AM

And I've just finished CD-ing all my Beatles lps. (Anyone got the Blue Album and Magical Mystery Tour digitised they can let me have?) Gosh: it was twenty years ago some days ago that I stood in a pub in Brummagem and asked "Was it really twenty years ago today?" I must be getting old ...

And has anybody got my Complete Beatles songbook? I can't find it anywhere.

Steve

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: GUEST,Terry McDonald
Date: 20 Jan 04 - 09:26 AM

Heard 'Love me do' on Radio Luxembourg one evening in a quiet pub in Blandford Forum, Dorset in 1962 - it made me ignore the girl I was with, just had to listen to it. It reminded me of Sleepy John Estes' 'Drop Down mama'. Saw them in Bournemouth in 1963 (they did a week at one of the towns cinema/theatres, Gaumont, I think.'She Loves You was there new single) They were superb and I was impressed by the way that John, Paul and George shared all the announcemnets and all three took turns to sing lead vocal. Oh, and Ringo did a solo song, and John wore a corny false beard most of the time.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Emma B
Date: 19 Jan 04 - 07:14 PM

I turned them down for a college dance once because they wanted £25!

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 11:56 PM

*BG*!

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 07:46 PM

I'm in the UK and grew up with the Beatles stuff. I remember at 10 years old saying to my mate Nicky Ainsworth that thet were 'soppy' and nowhere near as good as the stuff without lyrics like Telstar and Apache!

Ah well. I am still just as good at spotting trends...;-)

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 01:12 PM

I also saw them, the last year they toured. Memphis Tn., 1966. just after John had let off with his very misunderstood comment of the Beatles being more famous than Jesus. We had the Klan picketing us. They very personification of fear. We weren't affraid, as I recall, but I knew right then how southern blacks must have felt when they saw the Klan coming.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 12:33 PM

I saw them live! Just once, at Hammersmith, with support acts the Yardbirds (Eric Clapton, Keith Relf) and Elkie Brooks...... it was my friend's 13th birthday treat...

Kitty

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 12:15 PM

True Cluin, key changes do help in some songs although chord sequences in some keys don't work so well in others.

I've also tried playing some as country dance tunes. Most don't work but I have nearly beaten Norwegian Wood into a jig. Rave On by Buddy Holly works quite well in 6/8, I play it on the end of Lillibellero as Buddy Holly's jig

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: GUEST,Cluin
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 11:54 AM

Transpose `em to a more friendly key, Les. Except for the McCartney piano-oriented stuff, they ain't all that hard.

I have to say that always thought George Harrison was under-appreciated as a guitar player. He's still one of my favourites. And John was pretty damn solid on rhythm too. Actually, the whole band was pretty good. ;)

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: alanabit
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 10:50 AM

All Right Now is a a great record, but it has embarrassingly rotten lyrics as well. It's remembered mainly for the chorus and the perfectly structured guitar solo.
It's hard to imagine what modern pop music would have been like without the influence of the Beatles. In less then seven years, they changed pop music from being a purely ephemeral youth experience into something that could be made to last for years. Regrettably, the industry has damned near succeeded in getting things back to the way they were in 1960.

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Les in Chorlton
Date: 18 Jan 04 - 04:21 AM

They wont go away will they? I saw this guy on the Spanish Steps in Rome around '69. He had an accoustic and song one Beatles song after another. I was knocked out. I could never work out the chords so I bought one of this big books with every Beatles song in it. 30+ years on I can still only sing "With a little help from my friends", no pun intened.

I can almost do "Things we've said today" and I might have a go at "In my life" a capela.

Tricky tunes and strange collections of chords. Even as a fan since '62 I have to say most of the words aren't up to much.

But, great pop songs they really are and great pop songs are strange little things. eg Wild thing by the Troggs? Alright now by Free?

Subject: RE: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Kim C
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 11:17 PM

Long live the Beatles. I learned to sing harmony from listening to them.

Subject: Folklore: The Beatles--40 years!!
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 17 Jan 04 - 10:40 PM

Oh Lordy! I was just looking at an old scrap book and I saw an article I had saved. The Beatles 'invaded' just about this time 40 years ago. Has it been that long? Oh my achin' haid bone!

I didn't like them at first. I grudgingly watched Ed Sullivan (my mother made me) and was not impressed. It took me until the summer to get bitten by the Beatle bug. My mom bought me their first album, which I refused to play. I'd play it for her. She said that she could not 'work my record player'.

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Messages from multiple threads combined.
-Joe Offer-