The Beatles Celebrate a 50th Anniversary

Their debut album, Please Please Me, was released in the United Kingdom on March 22, 1963

Yep—That's Me with a Beatles Haircut

      The Cavern, where The Beatles first played, was originally thought to be the place to record their first album live, but technical constraints moved the venture to EMI Studios (now Abbey Road) in London.  Please Please Me took 9 hours and 45 minutes to
record and included the title hit single along with "Love Me Do", "P.S. I Love You", "Do You Want to Know a Secret", and 10 other songs.

Abbey Road Crossing and Studio

      Thirty years ago, I happened to be in London when the Abbey Road Studios were opened to the public for nearly two months.  Anne and I took the tube to St. John's Wood, walked several blocks, and stepped onto the legendary zebra crossing to reenact our own album cover.  (Like that's never been done before!)  All the while we were making our way to see Studio Two where The Beatles recorded most of their albums.  It was set up,

Studio Two at Abbey Road

as it was for their recording sessions, with a video presentation of the group as the show.  Anne was really into it, but I thought it was a bit overrated at the time.  Now I realize the rare opportunity that it was.

The Beatles Appeared Three Consecutive Sundays
on The Ed Sullivan Show in February, 1964

      Growing up, I didn't have any early Beatles albums (just trading cards), but I do recall the hubbub with their U.S. tour in 1964.  We were at Aunt Dorothy's the night they debuted on The Ed Sullivan Show and everyone in the room knew that something significant had just happened.  The next week, Mark Boyer appeared at school with a Beatles haircut.  Of course, he looked much better in it than I would have, but I'm still jealous to this day.  Little did I know the world would still be listening to their music 50 years later.  Yeah, yeah, yeah!