I was five years old on February 9th, 1964 when the Beatles first appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show. I did not set out to see the Beatles that evening, but luckily for me, Sullivan was “must see TV” in our household. Even at that age, I generally found variety shows to be quite boring. Many of the variety show performers that appeared on Sullivan could be considered “quaint” (most certainly by today’s standards). That may seem a criticism but it honestly isn’t. It was a different time. Television was in it’s formative years and many of the variety show performers were a throwback to the old vaudeville style.

I was buzzing around the TV set as most five year olds would, however, when the Beatles began performing, they captured my attention. There was a freshness and vitality to their performance that I picked up on, even at that young age. Their arrival was something new and different and in retrospect, something badly needed in an entertainment industry that was way too sanitized after the initial blast of  “rock ‘n’ roll” in the late 50's.

Today, it's hard to imagine anyone perceiving the Beatles of 1964 as radical or even threatening but many established news and entertainment figures obviously did. For example, a CBS TV news clip (from Nov. 22, 1963) while promoting the Beatles in the US, expressed more than a slight degree of contempt. Comedy performers of the day capitalized on the “Yeah, yeah, yeah” stereotype and “bug” references and the horrid Beatle wigs crept into more than a few comedy routines. Clearly, many were certain that the Beatles were just another fad.

As I pursued my childhood version of Beatlemania (with bubblegum cards and the like), there was no way that anyone viewing that first appearance on Ed Sullivan could know how our culture was about to change. There was no way to envision that the next five years would take the Beatles (and us) from “I Want To Hold Your Hand” to “Abbey Road”. There was no way to know that we were seeing the early stage of a musical progression so mind boggling, it is almost a certainty that it will be a one time experience - we will never witness anything quite like it again in our lifetime.

As much as it is easy to hype what happened 40 years ago, one thing is certain, a glance back is well deserved. As hard as it may be for subsequent generations to understand, or even that day’s generation to put in perspective, the musical and cultural phenomenon that began in North America during the first few months of 1964 can not be overestimated.

DVD: The Beatles' "The First U.S. Visit"   
An 81-minute reissue of the Maysles brother's documentary which is very close in style to "A Hard Day's Night". The Apple reissue adds a 51-minute "making of" documentary along with out-takes and an audio commentary by filmmaker, Albert Maysles.

Purchase from amazon.com or amazon.ca

DVD: "The Four Complete Historic Ed Sullivan Shows Featuring the Beatles,"
A two-DVD set that includes the three consecutive appearances from February 1964, as well as one taped on August 14, 1965. The Sullivan shows are presented in their entirety with the other acts and most of the original commercials intact (except cigarette ads).

Purchase from amazon.com or amazon.ca

Book: Bruce Spizer's "The Beatles Are Coming!- The Birth Of Beatlemania In America"
A comprehensive and lavishly-illustrated history of the Beatles' American breakthrough - revealing for the first time the precise mechanics and the many stunning coincidences that led to the group going from being complete unknowns in America to mega-stars selling millions of records - in just six dramatic weeks. "The Beatles Are Coming!" features a forward by Walter Cronkite and 450 color and original black & white photographs and documents - including 50 previously unpublished images. Two editions, a mass-market paperback and a limited-edition hardcover are available.

Related Web Links: The Beatles Are Coming! ; CBS News: 'The Beatles Are Coming!' ;

Purchase from 489 Press  ;  amazon.com:  paperback or amazon.ca: paperback / hardcover

New York Times: " They Came, They Sang, They Conquered " by Allan Kozinn .

Popular Music and Society: "The Beatles Are Coming!" Conjecture and Conviction in the Myth of Kennedy, America, and the Beatles.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette: The Beatles' helping 'hand' prefers her role unsung ; CBS News: Beatles' 'Helping Hand' Shuns Fame (with video) ; CBS News | Girl Who 'Found' Beatles In US (with video) ; USA Today - Found: The teen who became Beatles' first fan .