Another piece originally published under the same title at The Spartan Opinion in 2009.
Prologue – Nine years! You’d get less for manslaughter in some states. But nine years is how long I have lived in this great country. During those nine years whenever I meet somebody new and they work out I am English, the conversation moves to one of the same group of topics. Typically the topics are either, The Beatles, Benny Hill, Monty Python, Fish and Chips or Princess Diana. Over the next few pieces I will try and shine my own little spotlight onto these areas.
Before I start though I’d like to it clear I do not claim to represent all 61 million British people. I don’t even claim to represent a majority; I’ve yet to talk to even a fraction of all Brits and whilst many of those I have spoken to I did like a lot, there are also some that, quite frankly, I don’t think I liked at all.
The first piece is on the impact The Beatles have had on my life and my confusion about why the American populace is still so obsessed with them …
The Beatles, be-suited mop-tops or Kaftan clad hippies, whichever incarnation, why are the Americans so obsessed with them? The rest of the world tipped its hat, said thanks and moved on. But here you can’t move for them. Major radio stations still dedicate hours of programming each week, there are literally hundreds of Beatles tribute bands and a new cash-in their old hits CD release is a huge news event. Let’s remember that the Beatles first hit was nearly 50 years ago now. How ridiculous would it be if in 1962, when The Beatles exploded on the scene, our parents were listening to music from 1915 (not to mention still shelling out for repackaged songs that they already owned)? Surely pop music has moved on?
But first I must confess I do owe the Beatles one big debt, namely our first telly. In 1968 our little South London flat did not have a TV. This situation was quite normal for our area. In fact, only Mario down the street had one and he wouldn’t shut up bragging about it, how they watched comedies, soap operas, dramas and most annoyingly, kid’s shows. But then one day it all changed. My sister came home from school in tears. The BBC had announced it would air the first ever TV showing of the Beatles film “The Magical Mystery Tour”. She was distraught because the film would be shown and she would miss it. Worst still, all her friends would gather at Mario’s house (with his sister, who was always viewed as rival) to watch it. Our little flat was filled with a black cloud that night.
The next day my dad, who like a lot of fathers hated the thought of either of his daughters being unhappy, was so moved by my sister’s misery, that he went out and rented a big cabinet style black and white TV. Oh boy this was living. Better yet, the tele was nicer than Mario’s. Hah! Who’s bragging now? We had all three channels: BBC1, BBC2 and ITV while Mario could only get BBC1 & ITV. He was crushed. So thanks to the Beatles we got one up on the local rivals plus we got to see the Apollo 11 moon landing, the investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales (big yawn) and best of all, the mighty Chelsea winning the FA cup in 1970!
Sorry, got a bit carried away there, anyway like I say; I have nothing against the Beatles. But as far as I can tell on my occasional visits back to England, people accept that they were great. Maybe once in a while you will hear a song on the radio but even my sister who has several TVs of her own now, doesn’t worry about re-runs of the films. My cousins, most of who are slightly older than us and were smack dab in middle of Beatles mania the sixties, have new bands, singers and music on their iPods.
The danger is if we spend so much time marveling at how great The Beatles were we will miss out on, and in some cases close our ears to, much of the new music around. Nearly all of the current brand of pop singers still use the three and a half minute, bright catchy song with hooks format, which The Beatles help cement into pop radio. These new pop songs are no more relevant or irrelevant than any Beatles song. I’m always amused when some of my American friends heaps criticism on people like Kelly Clarkson, Beyonce or Justin Timberlake and yet treat Please Please me like it’s high art (let alone Octopus’s Garden or Yellow Submarine!).
My last concern is simple, if The Beatles are your musical safe haven, great. But a safe haven can only be truly appreciated when you have been to somewhere, different, dangerous and exciting. Remember, Columbus may not have intended to discover America but he would have found nothing new if he had just continued sailing around the familiar Mediterranean.
So come on America! They were awesome but unless you let go you’ll never find anything else – it’s time to move on. You know when Paul sang “will you still need me, will you still feed me – when I’m sixty four?” It wasn’t meant to be a binding contract.
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Bazza
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