The Beatles on Ed Sullivan, February 9, 1964 - A Historical Retrospective

This event held at Duquesne University on February 9, 2011 focuses on the context, climate and importance of The Beatles performance on the Ed Sullivan Show on February 9, 1964. Through film interviews, television footage and a brief lecture by Don Maue, the audience is taken back to the winter of 1963 and 1964 just as The Beatles are about to invent the 1960's pop culture. Jordan Mroziak lectured on the climate of popular music and the predecessors of the pop music refined by The Beatles. Unfortunately Jordan's excellent lecture failed to capture the audio portion and therefore was unusable for this film.
Each year through 2016, The Beatle Years will present an annual event bringing 1965 through 1969 alive for audiences of all ages.
Thanks to Andy Beasom for his excellent work on the film!

[@joripage1]

I was 8 years old Feb 9, 1964. I remember waiting all day that Sunday for 8:00pm to come. It was like waiting to open your Christmas presents. The day felt like it went on forever. The Beatles were like people from another planet had landed, they were so different, so good, such amazing songs. It was magical, maybe beyond magical. I don't know, I think you had to be there, be one that was alive when it happened. I doubt very highly it will ever happen again. I'm just so thankful I was part of it.

[@robertiaccarino4363]

I was 8 years old too. Every time Ringo shook his hair; I burst into laughter.

[@rabbit64sj91]

I was born on this day, February 9, 1964. ☺😍💟

[@jamessilver6429]

@@rabbit64sj91 👍

[@davyanonymous9674]

I know it will never happen again. It was just so on time for the era. I was six years old and in first grade when the Beatles hit. The next day after the Sullivan Show every boy was starting to grow a Beatle haircut. Everybody is starting to learn guitar. The next year at summer camp I won first place in the talent show for singing the song from the Herman's Hermits. I got knocked out of my chair when I won and piled on by little girls. It was the high point of my life.

[@teresaschmidt5636]

I was 7 and honestly don't remember the Ed Sullivan appearance. Although I was of course a fan later on( and still am )as we all were. My mother who was 27 at the time recounted later that she was very excited about their appearance

[@donyoung8939]

In February 1964 The Beatles were booked for an Ed Sullivan Show in Miami Beach Florida. My mother Willa Vee Young was assigned to accompany and interview the Beatles back stage during rehearsal on behalf of The Miami Dade Junior College. She was honored to spend a few hours getting aquainted with the entire group. She was able to spend most of the candid conversation/in depth interview with Paul McCartney. I was only 11 years old at the time and being a guy, I was not as impressed as my sisters. A couple of years went by before I realized what an impact they had made. Reflecting back on those days through the years, have left quite an impression on me. My mother went on to be a graduate of Dade Junior College, now known as Miami Dade College and was awarded "Outstanding Student of the Year"... followed by a full journalism scholarship from The University of Miami. Sadly our mother passed away peacefully on October 3, 2011. Her legacy has inspired everyone who knew her and had the privilege of calling her friend. The Beatles have left a Legacy of their own. Sir Paul McCartney was her personal favorite and called spoke of him often. I'm a very proud son if you haven't noticed !!! Sincerely, Don Young

[@robertmiller1655]

It certainly was the most important night in my life. I was born February 9, 1964. I screamed, because all I heard were others screaming.

[@BetterGreta13]

i found this video absolutely riveting and well-done! i am sharing it with my son, aged 21, who loves the beatles but lacks the kind of perspective this docu provides! thanks!

[@NovareAudio]

Steve: I am the presenter. I did my research, your comment is correct, doesn't change the point I am making. Again, my slight misspoke is the result of a presentation live in front of an audience with hundreds of technical details occurring during the presentation. Possibly something you've never done.

[@rabbit64sj91]

I was born on Sunday February 9, 1964 😍💟

[@marteebus]

so was I that's what drove me to watch this my sisters who were twins not at mine but each other we're also beetle freaks my whole youth.. I wish I could have saved all their cool posters

[@vashna3799]

It didn't have as big an impact as February 9th 64 but in Britain it was January 13th 1963 over a year earlier when the Beatles came to the attention to TV watching public on Thank Your Lucky Stars.

[@vashna3799]

Although it's a date that gets no mention, December 27th 1960, Liverpool, was the date Beatlemania was recorded for the first time when teenagers rushed to the stage in a "frenzy" the second the post-Hamburg band that barely no one had heard of before started playing music.

[@fractalnomics]

The Big Bang of pop.

[@MrDaiseymay]

and SOCIETY

[@johnm9845]

The Beatles were significant long before they performed in US

[@clarkewi]

Several of Lennon-McCartney compositions had broken the charts in America 1) "Do You Want to Know A Secret" performed by Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas June 1963 2) "From Me To You" performed by Del Shannon August 1963. These songs were holding their own against Phil Spector/Ronnettes classic "Be My Baby".

[@jnagarya519]

But making it in the US opened the world market to them outside the British Commonwealth.

[@jnagarya519]

I first heard "The Beatles" on a Chicago radio station in October, 1963. VeeJay Records was located in Chicago. I next heard them on a Boston radio station in November and December, 1963 -- the DJ saying, "I predict these guys will never go anywhere."

[@cupovdmt]

so proud to be from liverpool and here americans who have churned out so much great stuff from robert johnson to chuck berry bo diddley carl perkins beefheart hendrix i could go on forever, talk about british music and love it so much it changed there musical landscape

[@Sporking]

I love Duquesne

[@jnagarya519]

VeeJay's "Introducing The Beatles" was released in September-October, 1963. It didn't sell until after the "Ed Sullivan Show," when the market was flooded with countless LPs of COVERS of Beatles' songs by unknown groups.

[@elizabethevangeliste1436]

Wow Don ! ~ this is awesome ~i adore your infinite info ! ~ I have learned so many specifics ~ You really know how to hold an audience ! ~ Adore you and your Desperado bandmates! ~Pennsylvania can't wait till this virus is over ! Xx😉💋😎💖🇬🇧🐞

[@tomcox22]

*** NOTE*** Brand new Beatles song tells story of their first Sullivan show. Type in search bar "Beatles On TV Tom Cox" Could literally be the opening number for this lecture-You Will Love It!!

[@seanoconnell3140]

This is great. Where's part two of this?

[@thisdayinhistory4187]

Amazing what kind of impact this had on music for an entire generation.

[@MrDaiseymay]

True ,but it was far deeper than that. They changed so many social attitudes , values, fashion, their hair, of course, etc etc. Every strata of socierty was affected, all over the world. From the ordinary folk---to polititions, the church, and even Royalty. ALL THIS----WAS UNIQUE.

[@jnagarya519]

And every generation thereafter, even when they don't now it.

[@Burreearden02]

Thought provoking!

[@basilbcf]

That's a John Lennon Signature Rickenbacker in my Avatar. I probably would not play guitar today (nor own this beautiful guitar) were it not for the fact that I saw the Beatles live on Ed Sullivan on 9 Feb 1964 when I was 10 years old!

[@patticrichton1135]

WHERE'S THE REST OF THE PRESENTATION???? DIDN'T even get to the Beatles on ED Sullivan?? Is there a part 2?

[@BrigidSamhain]

should be called, "Don Maue likes to hear himself talk"

[@jnagarya519]

So long as he knows what he's talking about, then what is your objection?

[@NovareAudio]

Should be called Brigid likes to see herself type as if anyone cares.

[@darius595]

the presenter should do his research first...the time magazine story didn't referred to 80 significant days in the history of the world, it referred to 80 days in the history of time magazine, from 1923-2003

[@bobanderson2895]

This presentation was unbelievably boring. :((

[@NovareAudio]

AGreed, the naked dancing pigs didn't show up to satisfy folks like you

[@davyanonymous9674]

This because the lack of enthusiasm in the interviewers. You can't hear anybody speak there so down like there on Quaaludes.

[@fanboy2015]

Introducing the Beatles was released on Jan. 10, 1964. Not Sept. of 1963.

[@MrDaiseymay]

It's a reference to BRITAIN

[@davyanonymous9674]

I would really have enjoyed this video If I Could Hear the People speaking. Sound quality is terrible! Every person interviewed speaks so low and quietly that they cannot be heard. Good thing the Beatles weren't playing because then you really wouldn't be able to hear them.

[@macca8562]

Who was the bloke in the sunglasses ? why the hell didnt he just answer a question,what he was saying was gobblygock to me,spoilt it for me

[@XxxXxx-dd2xb]

Alexander Kendrick - "the fan mail keeps rolling in.. and so does the money 31:10' Jealous much, mate?

[@davyanonymous9674]

Yeah yeah yeah mate. Non-music he said? I'm sure he's dead now but I wonder if we could have interviewed him 20 years after that. Non-music! The greatest songwriters in the history of the world non music.

[@alfredogomez-beloz1227]

So many Latinos were involved in this. Wow!

[@DEKMAN99]

JFK started the 1960s.

[@djf750]

and the Beatles 1st appearance on Ed Sullivan officially ended the mourning period for him...more Beatle "magic", perfect timing

[@jnagarya519]

MonoPHONIC.

[@bobanderson2895]

Gee I didn't know The Beatles were gonna have to share center stage with an intro about POP TARTS, how unbelievably lame...DUH!!

[@NovareAudio]

Maybe they should have shared the stage with you, no one would have paid attention to them