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.

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 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.