It was 40 years ago today that the Beatles came to play.

It's my second clear memory/realization-something-is-afoot - first was the Kennedy funeral. Born in 9-60, I'd been wearing hearing aids for almost a full year & attending Hearing School from 2 1/2 by the time The Beatles arrived. Any recollection of my own little journey is vague as can be. It's like I think something may have happened in my case, whereas I know The Beatles were happening.

 

No kidding! They missed it, aye? Yeah, back then nobody gave it a second thought, ever!

"Oh, what a wonderful baby/toddler/mutant we have! Never gets bothered by vacuum cleaners, us having loud sex, shootings, etc. etc."

Since 80's though, hearing is checked by snapping fingers behind baby within seconds of birth. As the story goes, mine was "discovered" by a couple who were baby-sitting me - their own daughter had nerve deafness which they'd discovered a month prior when she was 3. I was 2 1/2. I've always "scored" an 85% loss in both ears, she has historically "scored" 83%. I can communicate normally, she can't, as she is accursed with what honestly sounds like nasal dolphin imitations. That's the difference a few months makes with profound deafness. Same speech difficulties for those I went to Hearing School with (attended from 2 1/2 thru 1st grade {K and 1st in tandem with Hearing School}). I had the worst hearing on graphs, but ultimately had highest SAT's, let alone every other aptitude test County-wide. I firmly believe this was due to attending a public school and not special education - and as you can attest, a voracious appetite for reading, thereby, er, hopefully, improving writing itself.

Jordan is another who has been down a similar path - though his loss is different than Nerve Deafness. But it made him focus, and Mozart is his Dawg.

What's funny is, that Friday night, Nightline did a special show devoted to the 40th anniversary of Beatlemania hitting the US. I was calmly but breathlessly describing the impact of The Beatles (appearance) as the introductory Nightline graphics danced on the screen to my fiancee and her son. Everything I said was echoed in what the Narrator said. This shows the universal agreement that the impact was sudden, decisive and left a lasting impression, in that moment and the years to follow. In other words - The Beatles, by definition are True Icons. I still like the Stones more, though. Can still hear my Pop saying "This country's going to hell."

 

Hardley, DrTax. I remember it well. Made sure I was in front of that TV with time to spare before the Ed S. show came on...wasn't gonna miss a chance to see the Beatles perform on TV. What a radical change to the music we were listening to at that time.

 

I was 3...almost 4 (will be 44 next week) But,after seeing them on Ed Sullivan,(it's a little vague,but my Family reminds me of it,and I can pretty much remember it) I wanted a Guitar soooooo bad! But,because I was a little kid,got a little plastic "Electric Guitar" with Nylon strings that wouldn't stay in tune...well...you couldn't really tune them,one of my older Cousins who played Guitar tried. It sounded like.......Beautiful music to me. Got my first Real Guitar when I was 10,and took lessons. Got my first Real Electric Guitar,and teeny little amp when I was 12. Then, added more Guitars. Bought bigger,and bigger Amps. Started a Garage band.(Alice Cooper,Deep Purple,Black Sabbath,UFO,Beatles,etc...tunes) Played party's,bars,whatever,whenever. (Chicks and Beer,mostly )I bought my son,(6,now) a 3/4 size Mini Strat and little Crate amp last Christmas. He loves it,but,I've been playing it every day. ALL because of seeing the Beatles,first,when I was a little kid. Got the "Bug",so to speak .

 

I have no independent recollection of that night. I was 5.5 years old.
My parents were in their 30's when I was born. Their musical tastes ran more toward Tommy Dorsey than Tommy. I do remember singing the lyrics to I wanna hold your hand at some point. (I got a lot of them horribly wrong too)

The Kennedy assassination had a large impact on me. Cartoon programming was pre-empted for days. I can remember surfing to every channel on the dial (all 4 of them), they all had this horse drawn, flag draped wagon moving slowly along. I did not know what it all meant, I just knew that Bugs Bunny was GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Erich

 

I remember it well. I was 14 at the time and could hardly wait for the Ed Sullivan Show to begin. No other band in history has had the impact of the Beatles.