Camurri | Beatlemania

In the 1960s, the English rock band the Beatles achieved an unprecendented success. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr were literally idolized by a multitude of fans, who screamed at their concerts and who adulated them. Neither Frank Sinatra nor Elvis Presley had previously attained such a level of popularity. The same must be said of Michael Jackson and Madonna, the King and Queen of Pop, respectively, who, although extremely famous, were not able to replicate the success of the Fab Four.

The Beatles’ success started in the United Kingdom, but it soon spread all around the world, thanks also to their television appearance at The Ed Sullivan Show in the United States. The concert held at Shea Stadium, home to the New York Mets, was in a sense a new frontier, because it was the first time that a big stadium was destined to a musical event.

Amid controversy, John Lennon even declared that the group was more popular than Jesus. A clear sign of their popularity was an urban legend that lasted for some years, according to which Paul McCartney had died in a car accident in 1966, and was replaced by a look-alike. Various theories have been formulated to explain this worldwide phenomenon. Among these, the mid-20th century baby boom, which provided the band an immense audience of young fans. Oddly enough, the term Beatlemania is also found in the lyrics of ‘London Calling’, a song by the punk rock band The Clash: ‘Phony Beatlemania has bitten the dust’. A cryptic statement, which nevertheless reveals the unending popularity of the four lads from Liverpool.

Foto di IJ Portwine