Before them, I was a mere child playing with childish things. But, at the age of 10 my life was transformed. I knew love! I had a purpose! I worshiped, yes worshiped, the Beatles.
My room was a shrine. I cried the night they appeared on Ed Sullivan. They were the topic of all conversations between myself and my equally besotted friends. By extension, we brought Yardley Slicker Lip Gloss and go go boots, ironed our hair and wore poor boy sweaters.
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| I still have my Yardley Slicker: 50 years later |
Today I watched "A Hard Day's Night." I remembered how excited and happy I was to to see it with my friends. All of the songs we loved from our over-played 45s were there:
A Hard Day's Night
I Should Have Known Better
I Wanna Be Your Man
All My Loving
If I Fell
Can't Buy Me Love
And I Love Her
I'm Happy Just To Dance With You
This Boy
Tell Me Why
She Loves You
Of course I remembered the words to every song. Sometimes I can't remember what I ate for breakfast, but those songs - it seems I will never forget them.
I was a John girl. Most of my friends were in love with Paul (the cute Beatle). Those who liked quirky went for Ringo, and those who loved soulful went for George. I guess I always went for the bad boy, but John had my heart form the start. Naturally, I was devastated to learn that he was married to Cynthia, but I got over it when I learned how sweet she was (as per Tiger Beat and Teen Screen).
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| I so wanted to be Cyn |
The film is an introduction to the boys and a preview of the swinging Mod British Invasion that would envelop us for a time. I smiled and then I found myself crying. They were so beautiful, so young, so brilliant, so joyous. We were all so young. Who could know then what the world held for all of us?
