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highschool
highschool

Tell me what you know about the Beatles coming to American in 1964.

What happend?

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Posted by highschool on Monday October 13, 2008 at 7:48 AM and tagged with american culture, beatles, history, music.

Answers:

  1. pmiranda2857
    pmiranda2857 Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The Beatles came to NYC in February 1964, to introduce their music to an American Audience.  They are credited with starting The British Invasion. 

    When the Beatles came to America, they were shocked to see just how popular they really were, their popularity was bigger than they expected.  The crowds of fans, mostly girls, was enormous.  Girls would scream, cry and faint at the sight of the Beatles.

    "Landing on these shores on February 7, 1964, they literally stood the world of pop culture on its head, setting the musical agenda for the remainder of the decade." 

    The Beatles arrived at JFK and were met by thousands of screaming fans.  They appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, one of the most popular shows at the time, and 70 million people, a huge number for those days, watched them perform.

    The Beatles were so successful in America that they knocked the Beach Boys off the charts.  They consistently held onto to number one spots on the music charts, at one time having the top five most popular songs at the same time.

    "The Fab Four’s first #1 single in the U.S. was “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” released on Capitol Records, EMI’s American counterpart. During the week of April 4, 1964, the Beatles set a record that is likely never to be broken when they occupied all five of the top positions on Billboard’s Top Forty, with “Can’t Buy Me Love” ensconced at #1."

      

    Sources:
    http://www.rockhall.com/inductee/the-beatles

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    Posted by pmiranda2857 on Monday October 13, 2008 at 8:39 AM


  2. ladyvols1 Teacher
    High School - 9th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    I also remember on the Ed Sullivan show when the camera was focused on John Lennon as The Beatles sang "Till There Was You?" The television stations superimposed the words, "Sorry Girls, He's Married," over Lennon.  I was 11 so it didn't bother me, but a lot of hearts were broken that night.  In 1964 the USA was at war with Viet Nam, Mary Poppins and My Fair Lady were big at the movies.  Elvis Presley put out three movies that year.

    The Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, "Four Seasons" vocal group, the various Motown recording artists, and Elvis Presley  were also popular. As was a lot of protest music because of the war.

    The Beatles often had numerous recordings in the Top 40--or even Top 10--all at the same time, with the remaining chart positions occupied by both British Invasion and American artists.  The Beatles began as a fad for teens but later became considered extremely creative and visionary. 

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/history-fact-finder/culture-recreat...

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    Posted by ladyvols1 on Monday October 13, 2008 at 10:18 AM