The Flower Child Blogs

  • July 01, 2024

    Meet The Beatles!

    By Nicole Kaplan
    Meet The Beatles!

    We couldn't let too much time pass without doing a blog about The Beatles!
    Since The Beatles have created so much content over the past 60 years, we could quite possibly write a blog that would be 100 pages long!

    For now, we are just going to narrow it down to one topic!

    Meet the Beatles!

    When the Beatles arrived in America in 1964, they caused a sensation unlike anything seen before in the music industry.
    Their impact was immediate and far reaching,
    forever changing the landscape of popular music.



    Elvis Presley

    Rock and roll had been around since the 1930’s but in the 1950’s rock and roll exploded in a post World War 2 era and ushered in a new style and sound of sex and rebellion.

     The singer at the forefront of the change in rock and roll was Elvis Presley.

    The “king of rock and roll” was an international phenomenon and an icon for defining what rock and roll music is today.
    “Elvis the pelvis” hit American television screens in 1956 and a new sexualized, unapologetic, and depraved type of performer emerged.

      
     
    But move over Elvis. Here come The Beatles.
     While Elvis changed the face of rock and roll, The Beatles revolutionized it.

    The Beatles

    John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr were four singers from Liverpool, UK.
    They had youthful energy, cheery optimism and world wide appeal. 

    The Beatles were not just another band- they were a cultural phenomenon.
    Their catchy tunes, infectious energy, and undeniable charisma captivated audiences around the world.
    Their unique blend of rock and roll, pop, and British charm set them apart from other bands at the time. 

    The British Invasion

    The Beatles had great success in the UK. Guest appearing on the BBC more than 50 times, playing for the Royal family, topping the UK charts and selling 2.5 million albums in Britain alone.
    But The Beatles knew they had to cross the Atlantic to America in order to become true international superstars. 
    In August of 1963 The Beatles performed their last gig at the Carvern club in Liverpool and with the release of their first anthem “She Loves You” a mass outbreak of Beatlemania ensued. 
    The Beatles were the leaders of the British invasion.
    To name a few, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Animals, and The Kinks were also a part of the British invasion into America and into our hearts.

    The Beatles first arrived in America in February 1964.



    "Ladies and Gentlemen, The Beatles!"

    In February 1964 a reported 73 million people tuned into The Ed Sullivan show for the first live appearance of the Beatles on American television.

    A record setting amount of families tuned in that evening making it one of the iconic moments in television history.
    Now 60 years later, people still remember exactly where they were the night The Beatles stepped onto Ed Sullivan’s stage.
    There was a good chance you were sitting together as a family glued to the tv.

    To watch The Beatles perform on the Ed Sullivan show
    CLICK HERE

    "Beatlemania"

    In short, Beatlemania was the commercial, musical, and psychological hysteria from fans generated by The Beatles.

    In December of 1963 there was news of an outbreak of "Beatlemania" in America.
    The rush release of “I want to hold your hand” hit the top of the charts.

    It was the first noticeable time since Elvis that young girls were screaming at rock singers. By April the entire nation was engulfed by Beatlemania.
    Teenage men dressed like the Beatles and cut their hair into "bowl" cuts.
    Teenage girls had deafening screams at their concerts.
    Fans bought magazines, posters, mugs, dolls etc growing the merchandizing industry.
    But the band's biggest impact was the music itself.

    My parents witnessed the phenomenon first hand. 

    My dad- “People went nuts” “It was a totally new sound and era. I played the albums full blast and my parents were not happy”
    My mom- “As a kid it was so exciting- as young girls we all picked our favorite Beatle and thought they were so cute. Guys started letting their hair grow out. My parents made a few “long hair” comments so we knew they weren’t impressed, however, we all sat down as a family to watch the Ed Sullivan show. I remember my parents not understanding the screaming girls”

    The Final Tour

    The “fab four” eventually stopped playing live all together when beatlemania got too much to handle. Performing before uncontrollable screaming fans was beginning to take a harsh toll on the boys.

    From 1966 to 1969 the band stopped touring and strictly wrote music and released records- a concept unheard of this day in age.
    Their last live show was in August of 1966 before their final famous live impromptu rooftop concert in 1969.

    In total The Beatles released 12 studio albums.

    It was the end of an era when Paul McCartney announced in
    1970 the band had split up for good. 
    (A story for another day)
    And John Lennon was tragically murdered in 1980.
    (Rest in peace John)

     

    Our product picks for Beatles fans!
      

    How The Beatles changed life in 1963

    In the words of Ozzy Osbourne:
    "You go to bed in a black and white world and woke up and it turned to color. That's exactly what it felt like. They made life that was quite mundane into such fun. Don't forget we'd come out of World War 2 and we had strict rules to live by. And it was The Beatles that broke the doors down for so many people. And they gave freedom to the world"

    The legacy of The Beatles

    The Beatles' visit to America marked a turning point in music history.

    They paved the way for other British bands to find success in the US. The Beatles' impact can still be felt today, as their music continues to resonate with fans of all ages.

    Transformed from suit wearing harmonizers in 1963, to flower power
    idealists in 1969, they mirrored the era’s early hopes and bitter fade out.
    Their ambition and desire to evolve ushered in the great rock revolution of the 1960's. 

    The Beatles will forever be remembered as one of the greatest bands of all time.
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