Published: March 24, 2008 11:47 pm            

Beatlemania!

It’s happening all over again

It has been 44 years since the Fab Four first came to America but to some, it seems like just yesterday.

When John, Paul, George and Ringo first stepped off that plane in 1964 with their moptops and guitars, they could have never imagined the success that they would still be having almost 50 years later. The Beatles have been called the most famous band in the world. They have been referred to as “timeless” and “revolutionary.”

Recently, the Beatles have collected a whole new group of fans. Teens of this generation are experiencing “Beatle Mania” all over again. With the release of the Grammy-nominated “Across the Universe,” a musical based on Beatles’ songs, and “LOVE by the Beatles,” a Cirque Du Soleil production, younger generations are being introduced to the band that was once said to have redefined the generation of their parents and grandparents.

In a recent interview on “Oprah,” Julie Taymor, the director of “Across the Universe,” said, “One of my goals while making the film was to introduce younger people to Beatles music and to show that no one will ever be able to copy what they did.”

Rickie Huffman, a junior at North Marion, has been a life-long fan of the four lads from Liverpool.

“The fact that they are not like other bands sets them apart. Something about them has a glow. They don’t sound like anything else. They are who they are. They can not be duplicated. In a time when a lot of music was about heartbreak, they were preaching peace and love. Unless you are a true Beatles fan, you will never understand the connection their fans feel with them.

“They never fail to make me happy. I hope that people who become Beatles’ fans after watching ‘Across the Universe’ are really giving the Beatles a chance and not treating them as a fad. I believe they helped redefine the music world. When you know the songs and a bit about the people behind them, that is what makes a Beatles’ fan.”

Some may wonder just what it is that fans find so timeless and appealing about the Beatles.

“There is just something I love about their music,” said Heather Miller, a sophomore at North Marion. “It has a cool sound that no one else can match.”

To those who grew up in the 1960s, this new Beatles’ craze may seem like a blast from the past. Bill Grier, who grew up in the original Beatles-era and served in the Vietnam War, shared his opinion on Fab Four.

“As far as kids now liking the Beatles, it just goes to show that music repeats itself. The Beatles come back over and over because of their amazing music. They are all over the place again. They were part of the movement in the ’60s. It wasn’t that any of them as individuals changed anything. It was them as a whole and their music that really got people thinking.”

Withstanding almost five decades in the music business is something to be admired in a business full of one-hit wonders and new artists being signed every time you turn around. The Beatles seem to have withstood the test of time, which brings up the question: “Will the Beatles still have such an impact 20 years from now?”

Anna Hopkins, a sophomore at North Marion, seems to think so.

“People will still care about The Beatles! They were a part of the beginning of rock music. They were and still are one of the biggest bands in the world. They are amazing.”

Whether it was the lyrics or the message of love and peace, the Beatles seem to have found a special place in the hearts of those who still believe that “love is all ya need.”

        

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