The Beatles appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show was a seminal moment for all of us.
For some of us, it was our introduction to Rock 'n' Roll. For others, it was a re-birth. If you were swept up in the excitement, it seemed like everything was new: the music, the hair, the clothes, the attitude ... an attitude that was bold and fresh, cheeky, original, experimental, exploring, challenging. An attitude that embraced new ideas. It was a revolution.
For those who didn't get it, the initial reaction was a mixture of surprise and mild amusement. But that quickly gave way to alarm as the revolution took hold and a new culture was born.
For those that came along after, it was your seminal moment too, because Rock 'n' Roll now dominates our cultural landscape - from TV commercials to sports arenas to shopping malls. The rebellion that was once shocking and dangerous now permeates our world, though that rebellion has been safely commercialized and the danger has been replaced by detached irony (I'm different, Dude. I haven't sold out. Not Me!).
In 1964, Rock 'n' Roll had been around for years. So had teenage rebellion. But what took hold after The Beatles launched The British Invasion changed all of us.
Exploited but never quite tamed, Rock 'n' Roll continues to evolve, and, although we've let things get too commercial, we also continue to embrace new ideas. Rock on!
For some of us, it was our introduction to Rock 'n' Roll. For others, it was a re-birth. If you were swept up in the excitement, it seemed like everything was new: the music, the hair, the clothes, the attitude ... an attitude that was bold and fresh, cheeky, original, experimental, exploring, challenging. An attitude that embraced new ideas. It was a revolution.
For those who didn't get it, the initial reaction was a mixture of surprise and mild amusement. But that quickly gave way to alarm as the revolution took hold and a new culture was born.
For those that came along after, it was your seminal moment too, because Rock 'n' Roll now dominates our cultural landscape - from TV commercials to sports arenas to shopping malls. The rebellion that was once shocking and dangerous now permeates our world, though that rebellion has been safely commercialized and the danger has been replaced by detached irony (I'm different, Dude. I haven't sold out. Not Me!).
In 1964, Rock 'n' Roll had been around for years. So had teenage rebellion. But what took hold after The Beatles launched The British Invasion changed all of us.
Exploited but never quite tamed, Rock 'n' Roll continues to evolve, and, although we've let things get too commercial, we also continue to embrace new ideas. Rock on!
No comments:
Post a Comment