How The Beatles Changed America Forever (w Steve Van Zandt)

[@claudebonenfant6700]

I cannot imagine my life without The Beatles. Their music, their faces, their personalities. I’m 74 years old.

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

More from Stevie's interview here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHKscqt7i95jf8ksi=yUJYLbteTOtdXjB7

[@sergiofigueirafigueira2320]

I cannot my Life without Jesus Crist!!!

[@kevanbodsworth9868]

Yes I am 75 it hit our age group full on ,

[@gxios]

I lived through it too. He's absolutely right. The world did seem to change overnight.

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

More from Stevie's interview here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHKscqt7i95jf8ksi=yUJYLbteTOtdXjB7

[@beatlejim64]

Unless you lived thru that time and Beatlemania...you have no idea what it was like...AMAZING!

[@thomastimlin1724]

Young People have always looked at the past with an attitude that they are modern and better, the anyhtign 20 years ago or more belongs in the museum, with no connection as to WHY they are better, calling the early Beatles a simple "Boy Band," yet the parents said at the time they looked like girls, and should get a haircut lol. They have no idea/concept of impact or revolutionary aspect.

[@lynby6231]

@@thomastimlin1724that’s right they have no idea of the fact that the social freedom and musical culture that they enjoy are all legacies of the Beatles

[@fiddleandfart]

Yeah, absolutely! It was an extraordinary time to be growing up in Britain (and in the States, clearly). So much changed for us all through the Sixties. I was a bit young to actually be involved, but as a schoolboy, just lapped up the music, and (through magazines) the lives, and lifestyles of the musicians, the fashions, the photographers, and their stunning models! Those who missed that experience really have no idea! (Though to be fair, not their fault!)

[@c.a.t.732]

"Every single accordion player in America, and there were quite a few..." really hit home. I was one of those kids whose parents set up with accordion lessons at an early age, and who suddenly felt like a complete square when the Beatles hit.

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

More from Stevie's interview here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHKscqt7i95jf8ksi=yUJYLbteTOtdXjB7

[@patrickcroft2906]

I believe Dennis DeYoung was one of those accordion players!

[@robertcampbell8027]

I’m 75 and remember that Ed Sullivan show very well. I grew up in an Italian-American family, which kinda meant someone was obliged to learn to play the accordion. That was my older brother. And just as Steve said, within a month, he was a keyboard player, I took up guitar and our younger brother was suddenly a drummer. But, also as Steve pointed out, the impact of the Beatles went far beyond learning to play an instrument. It changed the direction of our generation-for better AND for worse.

[@jamesdrynan]

I was thirteen on that February night in 1964. I just got a Stella guitar at Christmas. The Beatles changed my life. They also changed the world. In many ways. When young people saw the four of them handle adults in a press conference, it was a revelation which created a revolution. And so much more.

[@chicklets4ever51]

I got a transistor radio for my first Communion in fall 1962. I was seven years old. I immediately fell in love with it and listened assiduously to the likes of Elvis, Gene Vincent, Carl Perkins, Nat King Cole, Bobby Vinton, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, and so on. And then, less than a year later, they started playing songs by the Beatles in anticipation of their first US tour later that year. I was immediately hooked and, more importantly, I was prepared. Once they appeared on Ed Sullivan, the die was cast. But not only did I never lose touch with the music that preceded the Beatles, I immediately grasped the connection between them and their American predecessors as well as the distinct difference they represented, together with the British acts that followed. A mere three to four years later, my pubescent ears were graced with a popular music explosion the likes of which the world had never seen before and will probably never see again. I would even drift momentarily away from the Beatles, listening to new bands like the Doors, the Jefferson Airplane, Cream, and so on, but then the Fab Four would come out with another release and corrall us all back into their stable. And they all gave us hope for the future, with the Beatles leading the way. It was an extraordinary time in which to be an adolescent. It's almost as if everything else since has been a falling away from those magical moments when it seemed that music, poetry, and art could change the world for the better. Somehow, some way, the world has to get back to that place, or to a similar place. If not, we are lost.

[@TheCornishCockney]

I’m 70 and have The Beatles in my DNA,especially being a Brit. Can’t imagine my life without them. The impact was huge.

[@drutgat2]

Many thanks for this. I really enjoy listening to interviews with Steve, because he is so articulate, and friendly.

[@mikewa2]

That they wrote most of their songs was a real surprise and many thought if they can write maybe I can. Not so easy, as most found out.

[@lynby6231]

Yeah it’s not easy but some tried (even the Rolling Stones were encouraged to try) and write songs, the result was the seventies which was without doubt the most creative decade in music.

[@NoviJimB]

I've always said that my life would have been lesser without The Beatles. They have meant that much to me. There are The Beatles and then there is everyone else. And it's not just their music - they changed the world of popular music overnight. It's hard to believe that even happened. I was so young back then I had no idea it was a 'music revolution', it was simply the way it was and the way it was supposed to be. I had no idea how lucky I was to be growing up with the music of that era, and it was all because of them. I was 3 1/2 when they went on Ed Sullivan. I'm the 7th of 8 kids. Most of my older siblings were music fans, my dad was a big music fan and even listened to top 40 radio, and my mom played piano, so I was around music from the day I was born. By the time I turned 3 (September 63) I was paying attention to what everyone was listening to and was starting to pick out songs I really liked. I think my brother had already bought Meet The Beatles before they went on Ed, and I was already liking their music. I was watching, though my memories are very vague. The one thing that stood out to me was how they would back away from the mics after a song and take a bow. And they looked so cool in those suits and boots and long hair, and then they had those British accents. My siblings were buying most of their albums as they came out throughout the 60's and I have great memories of listening to most of them. We were watching the movies as soon as they started showing them on TV. My two sisters and I, the three youngest, were all huge fans. We would play a 'game' where we pretended we were The Beatles and we'd try to talk like them, each of us pretending we were John, Paul, George or Ringo - there would be arguments about who could be who. :) We watched the cartoons when those were on. I started playing guitar when I was 14 and as soon as I was able I was learning as many Beatles songs as I could. I was an instant Beatles nut from day one.

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

@@NoviJimB That's basically my story:)

[@bucksdiaryfan]

My old boss, who is a Baby Boomer, said the same thing to me about 20 years ago that Van Zandt said -- the whole world changed in one night with The Beatles debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. He said he went back to school and guy's were brushing their hair forward to look like the Beatles, all everyone talked about were The Beatles and every other band was yesterday's news

[@lancep4164]

I watched it too. Imagine the magic to a 5 year old. And the magic has stayed with me throughout my life.

[@markoliver630]

I was in 3rd grade and watched them on Ed Sullivan . Even at that age I knew they changed so much. Oh and The Beach Boys were pretty damn good back then too.

[@mikefannon6994]

We were still in shock from JFK's assassination. The Beatles made us smile again. Thank you John, Paul, George, and especially Ringo!

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

More from Stevie's interview here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHKscqt7i95jf8ksi=yUJYLbteTOtdXjB7

[@Dej24601]

Yes! I was in 7th grade and felt confused and wondered if there was hope for a good future. The Beatles tapped into the everlasting drive for hope and happiness, they expressed the indefatigable energy of youth and reminded us of the changes we could expect in ourselves and in society around us.

[@Jim-pt8kk]

I play a little guitar and the Beatles were mind boggling when it comes to writing songs , every song sounds totally different , The melody, structure etc. what really helped was that they had three vocalists

[@lynby6231]

Four

[@andrewbevan4662]

​... But Ringo only sang on "his" songs.. Did he ever sing back up vocals on any of the other songs

[@jonjonsson2369]

Profound and true !!!

[@johnathandavis3693]

Little Steven looks great - Hope he's on stage ANOTHER 50 years...

[@robertwiesler381]

At least, bro😊

[@romanpernal7397]

Steve is on the money.

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

More from Stevie's interview here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHKscqt7i95jf8ksi=yUJYLbteTOtdXjB7

[@teddywoodward7789]

I saw The Beatles in September of 1964 when I was 11. They changed EVERYTHING for the BETTER with music. The 60's wouldn't have been THE60S without the Beatles and it's hard for young people in this day of dipshit and pervert celebrities to even IMAGINE how INFLUENTIAL they were. I went to see LET IT BE when it came out and before the movie started an opening screen came up and it said, "GOD BLESS THE BEATLES FOR BEING".We were LUCKY to live in those ENLIGHTENING times!!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/emrSnGOqrdVqpLsfeature=shared

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

More from Stevie's interview here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHKscqt7i95jf8ksi=yUJYLbteTOtdXjB7

[@thomastimlin1724]

In the first few sentences, VanZandt nails the whole deal, and I was only 8 years old in February 1964.

[@TheLolapuff]

I was 9 years old. Yep they were a miracle

[@JoeCooper-b4t]

I was 8 years old too, and indeed he nailed it with those first few sentences. 🤓

[@apexerman1]

Former talk show host Conan O'Brien was interviewing Eric Idle about the influences the Beatles had on their generation and Conan remarked that in America, if you looked at college and high school yearbooks in '63, guys wore horn rim glasses and buzz cut hair style. Go to 1965 and suddenly everyone looked different with their hair and clothes. That's some impact. 🙂

[@bobburroughs6241]

Yay, Silvio! I was in the fan club back then.

[@jarhead3038]

I'm almost 75. I seen them twice. The real Beatles in 65, and Their last show in 66 what they'd become.

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

We should talk. Would love to hear your story. More from Stevie's interview here. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHKscqt7i95jf8ksi=yUJYLbteTOtdXjB7

[@timwhite7127]

It's absolutely no different than being born before or after the tech revolution. A person born after the time of three tv channels, having to adjust the rabbit ears, scrounging for a dime to make a phone call when not at home, hanging the speaker on your car window to hear the movie , etc can only imagine that world...Several artists have added their stamp to music with noticable impact over the generations but only one actually altered the course of history while doing so...Although it means I'm that much closer to death I am so grateful I was there for the emergence of The Beatles...

[@Knards]

In 1966 I was Driving my little English Ford Anglia to work, on an AM radio, I heard I wanna hold your hand. It suddenly struck me how good the song was. From that time, there was no turning back. I am 74 now and still have the "Complete Works", mush of which is on the USB stick in my Mustang. I had seen them on Sullivan before that and liked them, but that day it just clicked

[@stevejpm1]

“Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in”.

[@edirib2004]

“In the moment I’d heard She Loves You, the world transformed from black and white to Technicolor” Ozzy Osbourne.

[@bucksdiaryfan]

Last comment -- somewhere there is floating around an HD copy of the Beatles performance that night. They closed with "I Want to Hold your Hand" and it rocked

[@walterfechter8080]

When my English grandmother first heard The Beatles' tune ("Please, Please Me") she remarked, "Those boys from Liverpool sound like The Everly Brothers, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, and Eddie Cochran all rolled into one." She loved American Rock N Roll, and she loved The Beatles! Hello, Stevie Van Zandt! Viva The Underground Garage!

[@heinrichvon]

My world changed so radically that I was bewildered and ticked off that I still had to go to school everyday. I thought, "The Beatles are here. Why do I have to keep doing something so boring as going to school?"

[@douglasgreen437]

Steve is so great..

[@StephenWalton-g2l]

I was a NATO KID living in Germany at the time. The Germans went 3:13 nuts over the Beatles, they had a successful run of club dates in Munich early on. They actually recorded German versions of their albums up to about "Help" or thereabouts.

[@leslieperkins2722]

I highly recommend everyone watch the movie, Yesterday. It is about what the world would be like without The Beatles.

[@lynby6231]

What it fails to show is that the music that did exist wouldn’t be the same without the Beatles showing how it was done, whether it was studio innovations or writing their own songs, there simply wouldn’t be bands like Coldplay or even Ed Sheeran

[@leslieperkins2722]

@ that is very true. The Beatles influence is immeasurable. Although there are great artists, musicians and bands none of them could have a movie made how the world would be different without them.

[@Anthony-hu3rj]

This is "literally" something else.

[@mgconlan]

I actually didn't like The Beatles at first. I thought, "What's the big deal? They're just another rock 'n' roll band." They gradually grew on me, though, and now I love them.

[@pierrelalonde3705]

Yep the Beatles changed the music scene, they were awesome, Their music will never die

[@steveco360]

I was 9. I told my kids it was like the Big Bang at the creation of the universe. Everything changed overnight. Everyone at school on Monday was still talking about it.

[@petejones879]

Steve always reminds me of Keith Moon

[@rns69]

I see what you mean!

[@TR4Ajim]

I remember reading that the Ludwig company was making a comfortable business selling drums, mostly to school bands. After the Beatles were on Ed Sullivan, the company had to go to three shifts to keep up with demands for “Beatles” drum kits!👍

[@philipbrackpool-bk1bm]

They very nearly put other drum makers out of business.

[@BafflingScience2024]

I am so glad to have been a part of Beatlemania and believe that the phenomenon can be easily repeated with Girl Powered Rock and Roll. The intense energy around today's female pop stars can zap regular girls through social media. If stars like Taylor Swift would ask their social media teams to like, comment and generally engage with young women making music online, the hive would do the rest. Women of the world united under the banner of Rock and Roll. The boys would follow and guitar sales would soar. More music means better culture.

[@Sukijopa]

Nothing can equal the BeatIes. The phenomenon they created cannot be repeated. Many have tried, aII have failed.

[@petervandort7531]

This guy is an "expert" from when the Beatles first came to America, before that time, he has no idea of who the Beatles are. Just like America, in WW2. They entered the war 2 years after it started, and they became experts who knew all about war! Amazing. The world had started to change when the Beatles first came out of Liverpool, and I remember that well. It was all over the world, by then and the last to be affected by "Beatle-mania" was USA. God bless 'em.

[@MrDobalinaMistaBobDobalina]

Dude the Lemon Twigs are literally right there in NY

[@soundshaper]

Rock music almost died in 1963, it was so sterilized by that point, lost its edge. The Beatles brought guitar music back along with the most clever chord progressions seen in pop rock ever. I really like it when people take a thing we're used to and make it into something new and fresh. It got stale again through the 1980s but the Seattle grunge scene and popped out hip hop with strange rock chords in the 1990s was pretty fresh. Nothing really stands out now.

[@whs-waterfox7034]

I feel sorry for people who think New York sums up America.

[@bobtausworthe]

People today who say they hate the Beatles love bands whose members love the Beatles.

[@lynby6231]

They love bands that wouldn’t exist if not for the Beatles.

[@johndavids4780]

At 13 they changed my life from black and white to color.

[@danmayberry1185]

Beatles were 2nd generation rock and roll (we were 3rd) ... good system, shame it only got to 4th or 5th gen before expiring.

[@MikeCee7]

Is he forgetting about the Beach boys? who were a big success BEFORE the Beatles. Not to mention Elvis, Chuck Berry etc:

[@Stublinsky]

When the Beatles hit town nobody gave a shit about the Beach Boys !

[@fiddleandfart]

Yeah, but The Beach Boys, under the influence, stepped out of the surf..! And yes, The Beach Boys were terrific! And made great music!

[@bucksdiaryfan]

I'm a GenXer. The only thing I can think of that was even comparable would be Michael Jackson's Moonwalk on the Motown 25 special. I remember the next day at school everyone was like "Did you see that?" and "How did he do that?"... but even so, it was NOT the Ed Sullivan show

[@lynby6231]

Not remotely comparable

[@bucksdiaryfan]

@@lynby6231 i agree, but that's all I could come up with

[@kevinschiller1749]

In a thousand years the Beatles will be gods

[@roygoad2870]

He got the film wrong 😢. The scene was in A Hard Days Night!

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

@@roygoad2870 The shared house is in Help!

[@roygoad2870]

@ Oh yes, You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away, was the song, memories can play tricks!

[@Slademanxx]

I am very old lol someone said to me would you like to be born again today, i said " And miss the Beatles ", No way.

[@WithoutTheBeatles]

@@Slademanxx I did miss them - was born in 67 - and I assure you you would have spent most of your life cursing about being born too late. Just like me and a bunch of my friends!

[@Slademanxx]

@@WithoutTheBeatles Shame, if you were there at the beginning like we older one's were you just can't describe what it was like, every news programme would start with what the Beatles had done that day, and we would be glued to the tv to watch it.

[@purefoldnz3070]

did Steve meet any of the Beatles? He must have

[@annetteziegler7944]

The second generation Rock and Roll was the Beatles, but who knows what the first and the third were?

[@fiddleandfart]

Surely Elvis, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, and Jerry Lee Lewis... to name just a few... The Third... all those who came next through the Sixties, into the Seventies...

[@rickc661]

to me - remember the Ed S. show was 3 months after the Kennedy murder, the U..S. was in a serious funk. & something was needed.....

[@heyhuey4429]

There was a greater impact socially though. on November 22, 1963 President Kennedy had been assassinated in Dallas and a terrible funk settled over the country. Three months is a long time to be stuck in the mud and by February 9, 1964 we were all ready to explode out of the gate when the Beatles hit the stage at the Ed Sullivan Theater. Our grieving was over. Now we grieve over Pro Tools. Who will arrive to save music this time?

[@sergiofigueirafigueira2320]

I cannot imagine my Life without Jesus Crist!!!

[@DonJohn1776]

Elvis Presley !

[@lynby6231]

What about him? He never wrote anything

[@dustbinfilms]

@@lynby6231 Elvis wrote constantly.

[@seanclarke8614]

Elvis did not write his own songs!

[@dr.dumddum904]

This is nonesense. The Beatles were a popular band, nothing more, nothing less.

[@fiddleandfart]

Er, no.... The Beatles had massive musical, social and cultural impact and influence! A popular band?! Simply that? I would guess that you weren't around then? No-one who lived through the early Sixties in Britain, or America, could airily dismiss them so lightly, and casually!

[@lyleedwards6168]

Obviously, you weren't around when the Beales came to America

[@jontalbot1]

You literally have no idea. They simply captivated people. They were not just young and talented with some good tunes. They were witty, irreverent, well read, optimistic and treated everyone as equals. They never took themselves too seriously and without even trying to do so showed everyone a different way to be. They did not just represent change, they made it inevitable. And it was all so natural.