The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show

There were millions of kids at the airport, which nobody had expected. We heard about it mid-air. There were journalists on the plane, and the pilot had rang ahead and said "Tell the boys there's a big crowd waiting for them." We thought 'Wow! God, we have really made it.' I remember, for instance, the great moment of getting into the limo and putting on the radio, and hearing a running commentary on us: 'They have just left the airport and are coming towards New York City...' It was like a dream. The greatest fantasy ever."  Paul McCartney

Source:  The Beatles

February 1964 . . . they had arrived!

For as long as live, I don't think I will ever experience such a happening as the Beatles' first visit to the United States.  

As a elementary school aged music lover, all the hype was so exciting.  Their music had a different sound, they had a totally different look.  Prior to the Beatles, the excitement was all about Elvis Presley . . . but he was of another generation, my parents' generation.  The Beatles were all about my generation . . . they belonged to us and we identified with them.

For the first time in my life, I wanted my hair cut in the Beatles mop top style . . . and I got my first haircut.  All of a sudden, the boys at school dumped their crew cuts and started letting their hair grow out.

By the time The Beatles arrived, the hype was at a fevered pitch and their appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was all we could talk about with friends.  The only things I would spend my allowance on were those things associated with The Beatles . . . and I had it all.

My parents watched The Ed Sullivan Show with me . . . in horror . . . they felt the winds of change as I sat directly in front of the television, totally mesmerized . . . a new world was born for my generation.

They are timeless in my opinion . . . their music has stood the test of time and they remain one of my favorite groups of all time.

Marilyn Monroe . . . Suicide Blonde?

This post was originally written in 2011.

Marilyn Monroe's story reads like a best selling novel complete with the glamour of Hollywood, romantic ties to sports figures, leading men and politicians . . . and one of the greatest controversial mysteries of our time.

I created this video as a tribute to Marilyn

Playboy's first centerfold died at the age of 36 on August 5, 1962 . . . the reported cause of death is an overdose of sleeping pills, but to this day, her death remains a mystery with the controversial rumors that she was murdered.

Did she commit suicide, was she murdered because of her involvement with the Kennedy family . . . or was it accidental death?

Was Marilyn Monroe a suicide blonde?

What do you think?

Candle in the Wind

Written by Elton John/Bernie Taupin

in memory of Marilyn Monroe

Lyrics

Goodbye Norma Jean

Though I never knew you at all

You had the grace to hold yourself

While those around you crawled

They crawled out of the woodwork

And they whispered into your brain

They set you on the treadmill

And they made you change your name

chorus

And it seems to me you lived your life

Like a candle in the wind

Never knowing who to cling to

When the rain set in

And I would have liked to have known you

But I was just a kid

Your candle burned out long before

Your legend ever did

Loneliness was tough

The toughest role you ever played

Hollywood created a superstar

And pain was the price you paid

Even when you died

Oh the press still hounded you

All the papers had to say

Was that Marilyn was found in the nude

[repeat chorus]

Goodbye Norma Jean

Though I never knew you at all

You had the grace to hold yourself

While those around you crawled

Goodbye Norma Jean

From the young man in the 22nd row

Who sees you as something more than sexual

More than just our Marilyn Monroe

Share your memories of Marilyn Monroe . . . 

her life, her loves, her movies . . . and the controversy surrounding her death.

Vintage Items Designers Say You Should Get Rid Of

 

When it comes to trends, I don't pay attention since I am old fashioned.  I love everything vintage since I consider them treasured gifts from the past.  Maybe I was different as a very young becoming adult who had to have all the latest fashion trends.

Although I'm not trendy, I still subscribe to publications that cater to trends.  I do have an open mind to new things.  Having said that, Southern Living is one of those publications and I actually love it.  But that does not mean I agree with everything they write about.

This article is the one I am referring to when it comes to quoted statements.

"They're all for getting rid of anything overly shabby chic. While they had their moment, they can date a space quickly and often clash with today’s cleaner, more streamlined take on vintage."

Shabby chic and everything they are referring to is a part of me and my generation.  While I understand what they are saying, the statement "they had their moment and date a place quickly" disturbs me for some reason.  "A streamlined take on vintage?" 

I have no problem with growing old, but I love the time I grew up and lived in and all the stuff that goes with it.  Maybe that is why I now have a problem with stuff stacked up in boxes all over my house and it is a disorganized mess.  Because I can't get rid of it.  But that is another story.

My interpretation is that they do not like the fact that we don't get rid of our old stuff and influence those younger than us.  They were also raised with us and the designers want to change our vintage influence on them.  Because these designers have new ideas and stuff to sell they hope will become a "trend?"

Anyway, that article bothered me a bit and I just needed to vent.  Maybe I am being overly sensitive.  How are you feeling about this?

A Babyboomer's Flashback

 

This is the first post from my blog Gina's Music Memories:

As far back as I can remember, there was music in my house playing 24/7. My mom and dad were known in our community as "the dancers," so you can imagine, they loved music.

The first music I remember hearing was 50's rock and roll and Elvis was the King. I love his music to this day, have seen every one of his movies at least five times and even went to one of his concerts a few months before he died. 

My dad met him when he was filming Follow That Dream in Ocala, Florida . . . they were filming the bank scene the following day and my mom and dad parked themselves outside the bank since my mom was so pissed that it was my dad who met him and not her. They were there early in the morning and as dusk approached, they had to give up and leave, but my mom did get to touch his pink Cadillac. 

One of my prized possessions is my Elvis concert program that takes me back to that day . . . he was visibly ill, but still put on one of the best concerts I have ever been to (and I have been to many concerts in my life).

Elvis Presley - Teddy Bear

This is one of my early favorites . . .

My early childhood musical favorites were Fabian, Bobby Vee, Frankie Avalon, James Darren . . . pop music! My first true love was James Darren until Paul McCartney hit the scene. My female idol was Sandra Dee who I thought was the most beautiful woman ever and so wanted to look like her. My favorite childhood movie was A Summer Place . . . . quite the racy movie for its time and the Gidget series of movies. Of course Cinderella is way up there on my list of favorites . . . I still have the yellow plastic record 78 LP soundtrack from the movie. Somewhere along the way, I lost my Cinderella watch. 

It was a time where families all sat at the dinner table together without the distractions of the television, video games or the computer. Even when we finally got a television, my dad restricted us from watching it all the time as he thought life was about more important things. Of course it irritated the hell out of me, but now, in a weird sort of way, I somewhat understand his thinking. We compromised for the very favorite things to watch on television, which for me included American Bandstand on Saturdays, The Ed Sullivan Show on Sunday nights, and The Mickey Mouse Club every weekday afternoon. My musical roots were already formed when I was a little girl in elementary school. Even with the new exciting thing, the television, for me it was all about the music.

It was a time when families were close, times seemed slower paced and my brother and I were quite content with the simple toys we played with . . . it occurs to me that children are very spoiled in these times with such a vast array of toys . . . and do they ever have enough of anything? I often wonder how my life would have been different and/or changed if we had all these "things."

Don't Recognize the Changing World

 

Fellow babyboomers . . . one of the things I am so grateful for growing up in the 60's and 70's is that we had awesome music.  For me, it started with The Beatles.  We experienced the British Invasion, were fascinated with hard rock, danced until wee hours to disco music and I was blown away with the fabulous music of the 80's, the overwhelming joy with the premier of MTV and the immensity of watching future stars bloom on Saturday Night Live.

My apologies to the younger generations, but the music that has followed SUCKS!  

As a child, my parents routinely took us on Sunday road trips that had us discovering new areas every week.  It enhanced my love of Florida.  Today there is no such thing as a pleasant Sunday drive.  Normal people turn into demon-like creatures when they get behind the wheel of a car.

We grew up respecting our elders.  Today everyone forgot what respecting anyone means.

Although the world we live in is vastly different than today, we have YouTube to relive music, entertainment like old television shows and old movies.

OK, I'll stop.  I will soon get back to celebrating those things we miss about what we grew up with.