The Beatles arrive in New York City TODAY!! | Page 22 | Fab Forum | The Beatles Bible

AHHH 

I’ve heard the new single. It astounded me. 

Apparently it’s a ‘double A-side’–what is that? How do they know which one to play first? Anyway, it’s FAB! and GEAR! and GROOVY! and all that. I’m going out to buy it right now–I’ve just got my allowance. 

I really must get the LP, too, but I don’t have money for that yet… hopefully Saint Nick will be feeling charitable… 

AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH  

I SAW THEM LIVE!!!!!!!!!! 

Actually it was two days ago, but I haven’t been able to form coherent thoughts about it till now. 

My best friend and I queued for hours to get the tickets (to ride), and we had to give my friend’s brother the rest of our allowances to get him to drive us into London (so I can’t buy any records; I shall have to trust in Father Christmas), but let me tell you, it was worth it. I’ll never forget the moment when the announcer announced, ‘THE BEATLES!’ and every single girl (and possibly some of the boys) there started screaming–myself included. What a terrific racket! 

I soon stopped, though, because their appearance stunned me into silence. Until now, there was always this feeling that they mightn’t be real–perhaps they were just figments of my imagination, something I dreamed up because I was so tired of hearing the same old stuff on the radios. But now I can say I’ve seen them with my own eyes, and found them as real as you and I. 

I wasn’t the only one who felt that way–I saw some girls trying to get onstage and touch them. I didn’t do anything like that; I couldn’t. I just sat there, rooted to my seat, in awe. 

And the music! My friend and I were lucky–we got good seats–so unlike the folk in the back rows, we could hear a bit of what was going on, and it was incredible. On the record it sounds cleanly done and precise, but live, they were a bit looser and wilder, feeding off the audience I suppose, and you could feel the energy in the air–it was almost tangible. My friend was alternating between screaming, sobbing, and singing along, but it wasn’t till they were several tracks in that I had the presence of mind to do any of those things, and then they were playing a song I hadn’t heard yet–a really harmonic number, with ooh-la-la-las, from the latest LP. I couldn’t hear the lead vocal that well, as I think John was singing it and he was on the other side of the stage. 

After it was over, my friend was openly sobbing and I was still in a daze. The place was nearly empty by the time we got out, because both of us had been too overwhelmed to move. Life seemed unbearably prosaic, and the only thing that brought either of us any satisfaction whatsoever was endlessly spinning our records and talking about our experiences–reliving them–to anyone who would listen. I still haven’t fully recovered, and perhaps I don’t want to. 

I will never forget that concert. It was undoubtedly the most amazing night of my life. 

Ahhh Girl said
SG, I’ve been thinking about your post. I wonder if The Beatles enjoy all the screaming or if it irritates them. I think I’d be upset if people didn’t listen to me if I were playing and singing.

Hmm, that’s a good question… I’ve heard them say, ‘oh, we love it, it’s great,’ but now that you mention it, it doesn’t seem like it would be great.  And it was pretty deafening in there–the folk in the back probably couldn’t hear a thing.  

meanmistermustard said
I heard the new album. Some great songs but whats that solo in Mr. Moonlight? Sounds weird. And its a bit depressing at times, song theme wise and album cover; still sounds great. Not as much fun as ‘A Hard Days Night’.

Mr Moonlight is on last year’s Beatles For Sale album–are you saying you only heard it now? I seem to remember you talking about it before. 

P3pperish said
Oooh, this is nice! Took me a while to understand what was happening 😀

I’ll tell you what’s happening–the Beatles are happening! Exciting, isn’t it?