Many years ago (2001), my son asked me to describe the music scene when I was a kid, and if the Beatles played a part in my musical life. I wrote to him and said:
First we had the BIG CHANGE, the change from pop music to rock and roll. On TV, “Your Hit Parade:, coming originally from the radio, was the big thing. Snooky Lanson and a cast of favorites would cover the top ten each week. We had such big favorites as the Art Mooney and his Orchestra’s big hit of the theme from Battle Cry, “Honey Babe”, with a military theme (go to your left, your right, your left…I’ve got a gal in every port, honey…) to Jo Stafford’s “Shrimp Boats” are a’comin’ there’s dancing tonight.
Now, go from that environment (Frankie Lane, Jo Stafford, Doris Day etc.) to Bill Haley!
My head was spinning (Lonely Teardrops).
The black music growth, with real black musicians; Frankie Lyman, Little Richard (not the Pat Boone covers), the Turbans et al…this was a revolution. Every day new stuff was coming out and we were glued to the AM radios waiting for the latest numbers. This was overwhelming for everyone age 12+.
As a kid (teenager) with my high school fraternity brothers we had dances with the favorite Bubby (pronounced boub-ey) Thompson, a black guy who looked like Little Richard, and wore a leopard skin coat and had a back up band, and we were in heaven. The beginning scene’s of Barry Levinson’s “Diner” beautifully presented those events.
Lenny Grossman and I brought Bill Haley and the Comets to Baltimore in 1957 and Fats Domino the following year. We had those dances at the Dixie Ballroom in Gwynn Oak Park (the movie Hairspray was based around this park) and charged $3 stag or drag. We had an ad book and sold ads and gave a percentage of the proceeds to charity. These were big, successful dances. These guys played all night for dancing and it was fantastic, the parts I remember. I was usually very drunk, but I do remember seeing those guys.
So… we’re no where near the Beatles yet, but as a kid with impressions, here it is. As you said, I was 21+ when the others happened. I watched the Beatles on Ed Sullivan in your Grandparent’s bedroom with Mom and your Grandparents, as you slept in your crib.
By that time I was in to other stuff, folk mostly and surely not much rock and roll. Bob Dylan brought rock and roll back into my life as he made the change. The British invasion was kid stuff, I thought.
I loved the Beatles eventually. I used to sing She’s Leaving Home to you all the time. I loved lots of new music, but Sergeant Pepper was special, as was Revolver.
I loved Norwegian Wood. There was clearly a change. Leon Russell was a trip, although usually forgotten. The drug/love culture was changing everything. I was a married guy with lots of kids and the world was changing. I didn’t feel the changes in the same way as many others because I had bought my Daddy’s vision; I was a straight guy, at least compared to many of my friends. Drugs did not become part of my life. They were there, but I would rather have a martini anytime.
As an artist I was automatically deemed less then straight. But I missed some of the change. “When you go to San Francisco…be sure to wear flowers in your hair”. I went to San Francisco with a suit and a tie, and ate dinner at Ernie’s, a very upscale restaurant at the time.
But yes my boy, there is a Santa Claus. We knew it was happening.
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