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February 1964: The four Beatles arriving in America. They appeared clean, but they were already taking drugs when they came to perform in U. S. A |
It was on Sunday, February 9, 1964, that "The Beatles", a rock band group of four youngsters from Liverpool, England, appeared, for the first time, in the Ed Sullivan Show, from New York City, shown all over the nation and seen by more than 73 million people.
The CBS Television office was overwhelmed with more than 50,000 requests for a studio that held only 703. The Beatles sang only five songs: ‘All my Loving’; ‘Till there was you’; ‘She Loves you’; ‘I saw her standing here’; and ‘I want to hold your hand’.
The appearance of "The Beatles" had an enormous impact in the American life. The degree of hysteria was such that even the criminal activity in the major city was stopped, and getting a taxi or a bus in New York was almost impossible during the performance! A Beatlemania phenomenon was started.
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February 1964: The four Beatles arriving in America. They appeared clean, but they were already taking drugs when they came to perform in U. S. A |
I did not see "The Beatles’" performance on TV. On February 1964, I was already working at the Bristol County Medical Center trying to build my practice. I had joined this medical group only seven months prior. We had only one son, Manuel, 23 months, and our finances were very low. My wife Sílvia was pregnant with our second son José. I had no time to watch TV, even on Sunday evening! I must have been taking care of the Emergency Room at the Medical Center!
Then, I began to ask and find out, why such and increase in the use of dangerous drugs, such as marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine, and even LSD?
All my investigations through readings pointed the finger at " The Beatles’" influence! I wanted to investigate the matter further.
Liverpool is a city that has a big port and receives several artifacts from America, including its music. Up until 1956 the music from America for the British youth was the Blues.
In 1956, John Winston Lennon, a high school student in Liverpool, who was always involved in problems and destined to become a delinquent, formed a rock band with some of his peers from the Quarry Bank High School. The band was called The Quarrymen. He was the leader. They played in churches and school festivities. In one of their concerts James Paul McCartney met John Lennon and quickly became part of the same rock band. Paul brought into the group George Harrison and also Stuart Sutcliffe, the drummer.
In the mean while they all left the high school and started attending the Arts School of Liverpool. They decided to change the name of the band to “The Silver Beetles”, but this name was soon modified into “The Beatles”. Please, note that the second “e” was changed into “a” so that the new name was more in conformity with beat, for rhythm, Beatles.
The great success of “The Beatles” was based on the messages of their songs which represented the non-conformism of the youth all over the world!
The demand for the rock band “The Beatles” increased in a phenomenal way to the point that the members of the band had to play many hours continuously in a hallucinated rhythm! In order to keep this strenuous work “The Beatles” started taking amphetamines as stimulants, and this became the open door for them to enter into hard drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine, etc.!
I wanted to find out why such radical change in the appearance of the four youngsters from Liverpool in 1964, with a cute and short hair, into an disgraceful display of long hair, and dirty appearance?!
Even Ed Sullivan in February 1964, said of their performance “being four of the nicest youngsters”! But after the Sullivan’s show, no more!
It is not so much the music written by The Beatles” that I object to. My concern is their abuse of illegal drugs. This behavior has given a bad, terrible, example to the millions of youngsters who indulge themselves in illegal drugs, and many even destroy their lives!
I saw in my practice horrendous dramas and I even lost some patients because they became inebriated with the music and drugged behavior of “The Beatles. A public figure, be it a medical doctor, politician, band leader, etc. has a tremendous responsibility to the society. He or she cannot, and should not behave in such a way that is going to cause harmful influence in the members of society, be it young or old
The pain that the parents have to go through seeing their kids taking drugs is indeed tormenting, heart-braking! I do not wish this even on my enemies!
Any form of music should delight, should be positive, and healthy, not cause doom to the individuals. “The Beatles” been the most revolutionary rock band of the XX century, the more responsibility each member should have in giving a good example to the youth, to the youngsters of the world, and not an obnoxious, and malignant example of being drug addicts!!!
I foresee
that Beatlemania eventually will go with the wind… Unfortunately it will not go fast enough… We
will have for certain one
thing: it will never have a long
lasting like the great musicians,
such Beethoven, Schubert, or Verdi, etc. Thank God!
It
might seem odd
It might
seem odd that I stand alone on my medical analysis of the impact of “The
Beatles” in the health of the universal youth, but I know that History will
give the final judgment in my favor
and confirm my diagnosis: Why I do
not like “The Beatles”.
In medicine, if it contagious (like anthrax), or cancerous we want to get rid of it to protect the other human beings! It is as simple as that. This is the general consensus defended by every intelligent and concerned citizen or official. No exceptions, please! Amen!
If
today we have a big problem all
over the world, because of the use
of the drugs, the Beatles have a big percentage of responsibility by the example
they gave in its dissemination!
