‘They’d always loved American music, and now they were coming to the home of everything they’d dreamed about’
It’s like the
light came on after total darkness,” is how author Joe Queenan remembers The Beatles’ arrival in America at the dawn of
1964. He’s not alone in citing the coming of the Fab Four as the true beginning of the 1960s, of the modern era, of a transformative period
driven in no small part by the music, words and actions of four young lads from Liverpool. But if you were a teenager in
America when “I Want to Hold Your Hand” arrived on Boxing Day 1963, then it’s *personal*. And if you caught any of their
concerts on their first US tour in February 1964,
How did the pre-Beatles American music scene contribute to the sentiment that “the light came on after total darkness”?
**Interviewer:** Joe, you wrote that The Beatles’ arrival in America felt like “the light came on after total darkness.” Can you elaborate on what you mean by that?
**Joe Queenan:** Absolutely. For young Americans in the early 60s, things felt kind of stagnant. The music scene was dominated by crooners and bubblegum pop. Then, BAM! The Beatles hit, with their raw energy, their catchy melodies, and their utterly unique persona. It was electrifying. They brought a sense of excitement and possibility that had been missing. It felt like the world was finally waking up.
**Interviewer:** You weren’t alone in thinking that The Beatles changed everything. Do you think their impact on America was truly that profound, or are we looking back at the past with rose-tinted glasses?
