The Beatles, Part 1

 So, we were a nation mourning the loss of our President. Old Johnson was the President now, with Lady Bird and their 2 daughters. The Vietnam war (its not a war, it's a police action) is in the news more often and of course  we gotta watch those Russians! 

I have a British penpal, Cheryl. She was telling me about a group in England called, The Beatles, have I heard of them? No. She sends me some magazines about them. Boy, do I WISH I had those now!  I think they look weird. They have long hair.

To think we thought this was long hair. But the buzz cut was still popular from the '50s or the slick back Elvis hair was still popular too, so this was quite different from those.

In 1962 the Beatles are getting on the Charts in England and by 1963 they had hits on the British Record charts.  In the USA, the record, I want to hold your hand, became Number 1 in January, 1963.

I want to hold your hand

Yes, I bought it.  I loved it, the music was so different.  My dad wanted to hear what they sounded like. He was not impressed with the group. It is not one of my favorite Beatles songs either, but it was the first song by the Beatles that I  ever heard. 

This was the start of  Beatlemania. This is in England, but it was the same here. 

The Beatles came to America, arriving at LaGuardia  Airport, New York, on February 7th, 1964. My 13th birthday. Did I feel special. 

Many girls/kids were cutting school and going to the airport. I was in the 7th grade.  As much as I wanted to be there, I never even thought of cutting school. I had my transistor radio and ear plug, we only had one ear plug, not two plugs for the ears...for some reason.  So I listened when I could in class, of the happenings at the airport. 

(See those pocketbooks hanging over the sign? I had both of them.) 

I had tons of Beatle cards and magazines.  We were always at Woolworths buying records. 

The boys started getting Beatle haircuts and wearing boots with heels. 

There was even a hit song, called, We love you Beatles. Really dumb record and yes, I had it.

We love you, Beatles, oh yes we do

So, this was the start of Beatlemania and The British envasion.

Next part coming up