Years ago I was showing a young woman how to play a Beatles song; I believe it was “Ticket to Ride.” As I was showing her the chords, I asked, “Do you know what band did this song?” She smiled with confidence, “Yes, it was Abbey Road.” What I could not get my head around was that she was only about 13-years younger than me; she had to have heard of The Beatles.

 Well, the game makers of America have a new way of introducing people to the Beatles. X-Box, PS3 and Wii will be releasing The Beatles rock band. That’s right folks, take your fake, plastic guitars, bass, and drums, and become a Beatle. For me, I do not care what it takes to introduce people to The Beatles. They deserve an introduction, even this kind of modern day introduction. 

 It might seem strange at first, I will admit, to see 7 and 8 year olds singing She Loves You and Strawberry Fields Forever, but I believe I can live with that. I don’t mind hearing the youth of our time singing real music. Maybe this will introduce them to what music used to be like.

 The Beatles, John, Paul, Ringo, and George landed on American shores in February 7, 1964 and changed the world of music. It was the beginning of the British Invasion. Who better to invade America than The Beatles? The impact of these Liverpool lads cannot be overlooked. They had playful personalities, mop-top hair cuts, and crisp harmonies that added to their musical teamwork.

 I recall the first time I saw The Beatles. It was the Ed Sullivan Show, and there they stood. I put my head close to the TV and shouted to my mother that I wanted to be a Beatle. My parents ran to Mexico and got me a five-dollar guitar, and I started teaching myself Beatles songs. To this day I still play those old Beatles songs, just not on a five-dollar guitar!

 I think the Beatles changed our world. They changed how we looked, how we listened, and how we acted. They taught us to say and believe in anything. They believed we could be defiant and on pitch at that.

When all was said and done, The Beatles had 20 number-one singles, sold over a billion records worldwide. Not bad for four boys that had a dream. The Beatles came to us on a high note and they exited on a high note as well by coming together in the summer of 1969 to record Abbey Road, then on April 10, 1970, Paul announced he was leaving the Beatles.

 I have way too many memories of The Beatles and their songs to share my most memorable Beatles moments. I have too many favorite songs to say I have one favorite song. What I do have is a taste in my mouth that is sweet and filled with memories each time I hear a Beatles song and my heart feels at peace.

 So with that said, what do you like to remember about The Beatles?