[After witnessing this historic moment in culture– on my 16th birthday, no less– I picked up my guitar to learn how to play this song. I will have to lower the key to fit my singing register, so it won’t sound as sprightly as Paul, and there’s no way I can play the triplets as John does so effortlessly. And there will be no guitar solo or drums. Other than that … Maybe I will post the result once it’s performance ready. SB SM]
Nearly 60 years ago, The Beatles changed music — and America — with their first appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. It was a remarkable moment for many reasons, of course. Just put yourself in the band’s boots for a second, and consider the magnitude…
Imagine making your first impression in front of about 70 million people. If the lads were nervous, it didn’t show — not even a little. Their long nights in Hamburg; the relentless touring across the UK; the residency at The Cavern; and all the deep learning throughout had made them a tight, confident, road-tested band. They put in the fabled “10,000 hours,” so when their moment came, they were ready.
America’s first glimpse of The Beatles was via “All My Loving,” a deceptively complex, tricky tune that they sailed through with ease…
All four delivered wonderful performances. Paul’s vocals were bright and confident. John’s rhythm guitar is a work of art. (John’s guitar playing, in general, is perhaps unappreciated.) George — suffering from a bad flu and pumped up with antibiotics and amphetamines — tosses off a tight, rockabilly-style solo. Ringo brings the effortless swing and swishy cymbals that launched a million drummers.
All in all, quite a debut…
And let’s take a deeper look at the song itself, courtesy of our Beatle-ologist pal Scott Freiman. It is vastly more complex than many of its pop peers — and gives us yet another reason to admire the band.
If you like this, and want to dig deeper, please let us recommend our “Deconstructing the Beatles” 11-episode series. Whether you’re just discovering the band, or are a lifelong fan, we promise you’ll learn something new.
Old Rockers
Thank you for taking me back to those swinging and fun years. I never thought about the complexity of their music, distracted by other aspects of their presence in my musical enjoyment. You’ve enlightened me and returned me to my youth, decades ago. At least for a moment in time. Actually, all you need is luv to take me back!