written and posted by members of Lancashire Dead Good Poets' Society

Saturday 27 December 2014

Beatlemania Was Born In Blackpool

The Beatles 'arrived' when I was nine and nothing would ever be quite the same again. They permeated our young lives and literally became the soundtrack to my adolescence. Christmases were always awash with fabulous Beatle music (1963 With The Beatles, 1964 Beatles For Sale, 1965 Rubber Soul). We thrilled to their sound on transistors, radiograms and TV specials.

Tennis rackets became guitars, biscuit tins became drums (except no one really wanted to be Ringo) and the girls next door became groupies as we mimed to John, Paul, George and Ringo's unprecedented string of number one hits. In the playground there were mock battles between Beatles fans, Searchers supporters and those deluded few who thought the Dave Clark Five were going to take over the world. We were still all wearing short trousers - even in winter. They seemed such innocent and exciting times....
 
Years later, Beatles For Sale was the de rigeur LP (and then CD) of choice to be played during the annual decorating of the Christmas tree, and so the Beatles became not just part of my DNA but indelibly part of my daughters' as well... and Revolver remains my favourite album of all time.
 
Today's poem is one that I've just written as part of a project for Blackpool's Imperial Hotel, about some of its most famous guests and this being Christmas week, what better time to give it an airing?
 
This iconic image of The Beatles in Blackpool was taken on the roof of the Opera House by photographer Peter Emmett.



Beatlemania!
Beatlemania was born in Blackpool
back in the summer of sixty-three.
The fab four rocked the town by the sea
no fewer than eight times in that giddy year,
playing Queens Theatre, the Opera House and ABC
from balmy July to sultry September,
each show a performance to remember.
None more so than their first appearance
at the Queens - once Feldman’s - on Bank Hey Street
(now a cut-price department store)
when four thousand frenzied but ticketless fans
besieged and surrounded the sold-out venue,
completely blocking all of its doors
so that the mops
had to be smuggled in across rooftops –
the first of many a Hard Day’s Night. 

On stage their fringes shook in crazy joy,
their music, soundtrack of our unshackling,
hardly heard above the noise
of screaming girls in pheromone flow.
It was mayhem of the most wondrous kind…

…and later in Imperial pomp
the boys sipped scotch and coke to unwind,
cloistered in their hotel suite
figuring the chords to I Feel Fine. 

But the Fab Four did so much more
than light up Blackpool –
they were about to turn on a generation!
From Love Me Do to Love You To,
the Beatles soon commanded every station.
A cultural phenomenon
unparalleled in modern times,
these four young men enthralled a nation
eager to escape our post-war blues.
They switched the points -
and in doing so
allowed us to forgo
destination Squaresville
in favour of a Magical Mystery Tour.


Thanks for reading. Have a rocking New Year Beatlemaniacs everywhere, S :-)

256 comments:

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Adele said...

Fab!

Anonymous said...

This one strikes a chord :-)

Steve Rowland said...

Sad to report, Peter Emmett - the photographer responsible for the shot of The Beatles I used in this blog - has just died in hospital at Blackpool. He was 84.

Anonymous said...

What a great blog and poem. I wish I'd been lucky enough to have been there. I love the Beatles.

Anonymous said...

This is so cool!

Anonymous said...

Yeah. Fabulous band. A most interesting blog and a great poem. Reading this made me quite nostalgic.

Anonymous said...

I've heard many stories about where and when Beatlemania started - so this one sounds believeble and even if its not true I really did the poem. Peace & Love.

Anonymous said...

Love this blog. Society was probably bound to change in the 60s anyway but the Beatles gave it a focus. I envy you for being there when it happened.

Anonymous said...

It was 50 years ago today Sgt Pepper taught the band to play! Great blog. Always loved the Beatles since Ed Sullivan show.

Anonymous said...

Class. Love the Beatles. Love the poem.

Anonymous said...

As others have said, what a Fab blog and poem.

Anonymous said...

Love the Beatles, love Blackpool, love the blog!

Anonymous said...

Love this poem :-)
It's very clever and has some great lines:
"soundtrack of our unshackling"
"screaming girls in pheromone flow"
"allowed us to forgo destination squaresville"
Thank you.

Beatlemaniac said...

The fab four! Still my favorites 50 years and counting. They changed my world that's for sure. Love your blog and poem.

Anonymous said...

Perennially brilliant Beatles.Your poem rocks!

Anonymous said...

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!

Kolya said...

My fried, have you read book Beatles Rocked The Kremlin by Leslie Woodhead? It tells everything everything how Beatles were much loved by Russian youths in soviet time.

Anonymous said...

Fab! Great memories & love your poem man.

Anonymous said...

They were the first band I ever saw - Queens Theatre, Blackpool in August 1963.They were real northern lads and they were ours.

Magnus said...

Simply the best. Love the poem.

LBQ said...

Gave me goose bumps! love it! thanks for sharing. I was also 9!! Laurie

Anonymous said...

Can't believe it will soon be 50 years since it all completely finished. It defies all logic. Were they really from this earth?

Anonymous said...

What a moving testament to the greatest ever group. Fab x

Anonymous said...

When you think of all that's been written about the Beatles it's refreshing to find a different and personal angle. Thank you for this. I thought the blog and the poem was great.

Anonymous said...

Toppermost blog Mr Rowland & a very cool poem. x

Anonymous said...

This brings back some memories! I still love the Beatles. You've written a smashing poem there.

Anonymous said...

Yeah - just fabulous.

Anonymous said...

Did the Beatles really stay at the Imperial in Blackpool?

Anonymous said...

Simply the greatest group of all time. I love your poem & wish I'd seen them in their hayday.

Anonymous said...

Great poem.

Anonymous said...

Magical memories.

Anonymous said...

You so lucky living where you do. Top poem. Beatles are my favorites too.

Anonymous said...

The Beatles were simply the best. Is this poem true? I assume so. I love the line "On stage their fringes shook in crazy joy". That was it exactly. Fabulous poetry. Well done. x

Lady Madonna said...

You nail it sir. "A cultural phenomenon unparalleled in modern times." A fab tribute to a fab group.

Anonymous said...

They freed our minds for sure.

Boz said...

Simply the best: the Beatles and Blackpool. Great days. great memories. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

A fantastic poem. It brings back so many memories. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Yes. Fab is the word. What a great poem.

Sandra Jennifer Patrick said...

Saw them at the ABC, Queen's Theatre and also King George's Hall in Blackburn. Amazing memories.

Anonymous said...

Never saw them live. But they have left me a life long legacy to listen to.

Nicky Thompson said...

My biggest regret of the 60's, not seeing them live. I was only 10 in 1963 and couldn't get tickets for later gigs. If I only had a time machine!

Denis McGeary said...

The 60s started for me when I heard The Beatles first record on a record player in a youth club at Montgomery School in 1962(?).

Anonymous said...

They had split up before I was born but their music was always around even when I was growing up. I think it's best they did their thing and laid it to rest (so to speak) perfect and unspoiled by later embarrassments (ref. e.g. the Stones and Kinks).

Jim Carpenter said...

A great poem and I'm sure you're right. It took a while for the press to catch on and give it a name but that beautiful madness was already gathering pace.

John Libretti said...

John is just the coolest!... like the James Dean of Liverpool!!.. ha!

Anonymous said...

Love your poem. The Beatles = the best.

Anonymous said...

How cool is that :-)

Tom McFoyle said...

That's one fab poem. Love it. I was only ever a 'Day Tripper' to Blackpool but I've certainly enjoyed the 'Magical Mystery Tour' ;-)

Anonymous said...

My mum and my aunt saw the Beatles in New Brighton. They are part of my families DNA now as well. My youngest (28) wants the White Album box set for Christmas. I showed him your poem and he said its sound!

Anonymous said...

This was a treat. I love reading about what the Beatles (greatest group in the world) mean to people. Thank you for your excellent poem. Love, love, love.

Denny K Brandon said...

Love your blog & especially the poem. Wish I could have been there when Beatlemania was rife (is that the word?) - but hey, how many generations have they turned on now? 3 at least by my reckoning.

Anonymous said...

Fab poem. Beatles were the coolest.

Ash Bagley said...

Envy you guys being at the epicenter of such fabulosity. The Beatles sure do it for me still.

Anonymous said...

The Beatles were the soundtrack to my adolescence too - what a great phrase. Your poem perfectly captures the significance of the world's greatest group. I love it, thank you for sharing it.

Ian (the Hew) Hewitt said...

Man, that's a great poem and it captures the impact of the Beatles perfectly for me. Here's a serious question: I've always thought of John as a poet in the way he writes but never felt the same about Paul though I can't put it into words very easily - would you agree and if so why?

CI66Y said...

Bloody hell Steve - your Beatlemania blog still trending 4 years down the line? Testament to the continuing popularity of the greatest group ever...and a fine poem ;-) Clive.

Sharon Hayes said...

The Beatles were simply the best ever. Great memories and a 'fab' poem.

Steve Rowland said...

Clive Young: yes, the Beatlemania blog comes and goes from the trending list but it has notched up over 20,000 views since I first posted it in December 2014, making it the most read Dead Good Blog by come considerable distance. I thank interest in The Beatles for that, rather than my poem, though I think the latter is quite good and it has just been anthologised.

Santi Martinez said...

The Beatles is always my favorite band. Now for my children is the same. Thank you for this wonderful poetry.

Anonymous said...

Your poem has all the verve and excitement I associate with that crazy time, perfectly captured.

Jenny Reade said...

Brilliant!!!

Kevin Middleton said...

Your blog made me feel quite emotional. I was one of those short-trousered kids in the playgrounds of the early 1960s. We never imagined where all that was going, did we? I mean whoever gives a thought to the Searchers or DC5 these days? As your magical poem tells it, The Beatles really did sweep everything (including us) before them.

Anonymous said...

A genius poem, sir. My parents loved the Beatles and they passed that love on to me. Their music still wraps us round today.

Anonymous said...

That's a really nice blog and a fabulous poem that gets the spirit of those magical days. Love it.

Bill Freund said...

Hello Blackpool! Greetings from San Francisco. I love your Beatles blog and poem. It got me digging out my old vinyl of Beatles '65 (Beatles For Sale in the UK). Man was that evocative of wonderful times. Thanks much.

Jill Sargent said...

Toppermost of the poppermost!!!

Anonymous said...

I loved reading this, a real buzz.

Heck Ross said...

Fabulous. Those were the days!

Anonymous said...

A brilliant Beatlemania poem and an amusing blog. Thank you for sharing this.

Al Pearson said...

In retrospect, such innocent times really. I love the poem.

Anonymous said...

When we was fab! Great memories. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

That's a really nice reminder of Beatlemania and why the fab four were so special (and still are). I dig the way you've woven Beatles song titles into the poem.

Cynthia said...

I was on of those "screaming girls in pheromone flow" cited in your amazing poem. I have adored The Beatles since 'Love Me Do' in 1962. I turned 70 last year but sometimes I think I still have a teenage heart.

Anonymous said...

That's my childhood there too Steve. Well captured - the poem is fab!!!

Murray Holter Jr. said...

I think the poem is great as a vignette of a special time (and place, though I don't know Blackpool) and a remarkable group. If I have to make one criticism, as a stickler for historical accuracy, it's about your reference to "figuring the chords to I Feel Fine" in a hotel room in 1963. Artistic leeway on your part? It is well-documented that Lennon came up with this song in October 1964 during sessions for Beatles For Sale.

Anonymous said...

Brill :)

Anonymous said...

That's a fantastic poem and a great pic. Pity Ringo had his eyes shut tho'.

Anonymous said...

An amazing poem. I liked the DNA bit in your blog too. My parents met at a Beatles show (Litherland) so the fabs have always been part of our lives as well.

Anonymous said...

What a great tribute to my alltime favorite group.

Darcy M Johnson said...

A spine-tingling poem. The magic of the Beatles will never fade.

EmBee said...

Yes I love this. It's a long time since I went to Blackpool. Would be interesting to go back. As for the Beatles. they are always in my heart.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous poem.

SuperMario said...

Magical. Number one for always in our hearts.

Anna Michelle Lewis said...

Thanks much for sharing Steve. That is a very lovely poem.

Sagine Tonde said...

Bravo Steve :) Thank you.

mary_beagrie said...

Love, love. love!

hiko said...

number one band :-D

Nerissa Padovani said...

You so lucky to be live in England. I lovely poem.

Sabina Losi said...

Magical poetry Steve.

Anonymous said...

The Beatles brought us so much joy. Your fabulous poem captures that spirit.

Billy Shears said...

A splendid time was guaranteed for all (Sgt. Pepper).

Herb Monroe said...

Just love that line "awash with fabulous Beatles music". Exactly how it felt way back then. My favorite LP has always been Beatles '65, good though Rubber Soul, Revolver and Pepper were. Thank you for your poem.

Anonymous said...

They are enthralling us still. That is a fine poem sir!

Anonymous said...

Rocking!

Anonymous said...

A celebration of more innocent times. Oh nostalgia!!!

Nuno said...

Always my favorites.

Anonymous said...

Class.

Anonymous said...

What a lovely tribute to the Fabbest Four. Well done.

Melody Santos said...

Delightful blog & poem Steve Rowland. Thank you for sharing. Peace & love.

The Rubber Soulman said...

"In my life I've loved them all."

Anonymous said...

Truely. Wish I'd of been there.

Karola said...

I am beatlesmaniac. Love love love.

Anonymous said...

Did you know John's first wife Cynthia Lennon was born in Blackpool? And John Lennon spent summer holidays there? It used to be quite a place to go. I'm told it's a bit of a hole thee days.

Anonymous said...

What a fabulous poem Steve. Thanks for sharing it.

Morris Benet said...

"wearing short trousers - even in winter" made me smile. It was a different world then. I think your poem is brilliant, loved it. Thank you for sharing Steve.

Anonymous said...

Love the Beatles. Love Blackpool. Well written :)

Marek said...

Beatles always my favorites band. Revolver. Stg Pepper. Good times.

Anonymous said...

A fab poem - brought a lump to my throat. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Beatles forever in our hearts.

Mik de Graaf said...

Ha ha ha, bl00dy love this blog and the Beatles and I started out playing biscuit tins! Now been a professional drummer for 30 years.

Anonymous said...

Fantastic poem. Love it! xxxx (For JPG&R)

Anonymous said...

Magical words 😊

Maria Lopez said...

Beatles 4 Ever x

Anonymous said...

That nails a time, a place, a zeitgeist!

Shelley Anne said...

Go Beatlemaniacs, yeah yeah yeah! PS. I saw the movie Yesterday (yesterday) and loved it. Thank you so much for this lovely tribute to the greatest. xxx

Lina Gulhane said...

Love Beatles ()

Anonymous said...

Awesome dude!

Anonymous said...

Peace & Love.

Gatrix Bluhm said...

Fab. ❤️ Beatles.

Anonymous said...

Spot on - a cultural phenomenon unparalleld in modern times.

Fred Rothberg said...

My favorites. I wish I could of see them way back then.

Anonymous said...

50 years ago today (21st August 1969) the Beatles left Abbey Road studios together for the last time, having finalised recordings for their Abbey Road LP. The four of them would never play together again.

Dilys Turner said...

❤️❤️❤️❤️ - Love the Fab 4.

Consuela Ortega said...

Love Beatles, love your poem.

Anonymous said...

Thank you. That gave me a real emotional rush. I love your poem.

Anonymous said...

Yay Beatles! Groovy poem :)

Anonymous said...

Wow. Love the Beatles poem.

Kenny Garcia said...

Surely the greatest ever. Great poem man!

Anonymous said...

And in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make...❤️

Beatles 4 ever!

D K Thompson said...

Wonderful!

Anonymous said...

I can't imagine a world without Beatles!

Anonymous said...

Brilliant! Love it! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Stefanie Carter said...

What a lovely tribute to the greatest group ever. Thank you. ❤️

Anonymous said...

A fabulous tribute to a fabulous group.

Anonymous said...

Gracias! ❤️

Diana Maartens said...

Beatles always a favourite. I love your poem.

Anonymous said...

1 kool poem 👍

Pete Wilsher said...

My dad use to have a radiogram. Great big old bit of furniture. I have all my Beatles tunes on a ipod now. What a changed world but for fans like us it still revolves round the fab 4.

Toni Ballantyne said...

I love your blog and genius poetry. You rock!

Brad Gekowski said...

What a great homage to the best band ever. Their spirit like their music lives on.

Peta Lee said...

The way u switch to colour right at the end - genius! Love this. My folks saw the Beatles in Sydney in 65. ❤️

Logan Paul Murphy said...

Thanks for showing me that Steve it was great. I went busking in Blackpool a few weeks ago just behind the tower wearing my Paul sgt peppers suit 🎸🎵🎶🎼

Anonymous said...

Fab poem. Love the Beatles.

Doctor Robert said...

...and Magical Mystery Tour was released on this day 11/27 way back when they was fab ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Debbie Laing said...

Love his celebration of the boys! ❤️

Saskia Parker said...

Wow. My dad and mum were huge Beatles fans. My mum saw them at the ABC! I've grown up with their music and love it to this day.

Anonymous said...

"except no one wanted to be Ringo" - that's so sad until you remember he was one of the four most famous and most loved people in the world for a few golden years.

Anonymous said...

Ooh, that's such a great poem 👍👍👍👍

Shane Goodyear Jr. said...

Very good - esp. the colorful last line. Clever that. BTW just a small point but I don't think girls were called 'groupies' back in the early 60s.

Anonymous said...

Thanks my friend, great poem abiut the most wonderful group forever in our hearts. x

Anonymous said...

Fab ❤️ Dave Clark who? (LOL)

Anonymous said...

Glorious!

Jax said...

Merry Beatling Christmas. Love this. ❤️

Anonymous said...

What a great piece. I'm old enough to remember the novelty song "All I want for Christmas is a Beatle"!

Dreamspinner said...

Just heard that Dave Clark is reissuing all his band's early records on vinyl again. Let battle commence once more (LOL)!

Jill Reidy said...

This struck a chord (no pun intended 😁) xx

Rita Hollingsworth said...

How fabulous to discover this. It has brought back so many memories. My elder brother Brian and I were among those 4,000 fans trying to get into the Queen's Theatre! I did eventually get to see them at the ABC in Blackpool. I love your poem. ❤️

Anonymous said...

These four really did provide the soundtrack to my young life. How lucky we were in the 1960s :)

Anonymous said...

The best ever - yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Darren Wilkes said...

What a great poem. 👍

Stephen Williams said...

That's a great little blog. I love the poetry - and pleased to find a kindred Beatlemaniac with the good taste to rate Beatles For Sale as one of their best recordings. It's always been among my favourites.

Anonymous said...

Neat! Love the switch to color in the last line - very clever ❤️

Ozzi Mendoza said...

Me favoured world band, majical Beatles.

Anonymous said...

Simply the best. Way more than the sum of there parts. Forever in our hearts.

Jackie Montgomery said...

This was fun. I love Blackpool, used to go there as a kid. I grew up with Beatle-mad parents so their music is in my DNA as well. I loved your poem. Thank you and well done.

Anonymous said...

Brilliant nostalgia fest! 👍👍👍👍

Anonymous said...

Love! Love! Love! (Is all you need).

Trent W Fontale said...

I rate Beatles For Sale too - great and much overlooked album. Your blog rocks!

Anonymous said...

Is that Paris? Pity Ringo has squint.

Lee MacDonald said...

I loved the amusing vignette of early 60s childhood. I wish I'd been there as it has always struck me as a special time, and your wonderful poem really sums that up.

Anonymous said...

Super groovy!

Laura V Schmidt said...

"Love Me Do" playing as I read your blog on Valentine's Day. What a happy coincidence. ❤️

Meade Pavord said...

What a truely fabulous poem and the way it goes from black an white to technicolor at the end, so clever. Love it!

Anonymous said...

Super poetry x

Jazmeen said...

Fab words 4 a fab group ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Desiree Kaminsky said...

My favorites ever and I love the poem and the way the last line explodes into color. ❤️

Anonymous said...

Always on my turntable - singing words of wisdom.

Erikka Djamstallen said...

What your say about DNA so true. Beatles save my life. Good poet.

Jackie Yeats said...

I've always loved Blackpool. I used to go there with Mum and Dad every summer. I've always loved the Beatles too. Your poem is Fab!!!

Anonymous said...

O I do luv this! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Rocky Lavery said...

wicked poetry man! 👍

Lindi Schnaubell said...

Oh wow! I love the Beatles and I love poetry. Win win! So cool ❤️

Anonymous said...

That poem is a great tribute to the best band ever.

Martina Paredes said...

We loves you yeah yeah yeah

Hal Sackman said...

"unparalleled in modern times" is so true. Well written man.

Mitsuke said...

Luv ya poetry. ❤️

Andy Nunez said...

#1 band in the world.

Uri T said...

Beatles magic is important at Coronavirus time.

Jack Benson Jnr said...

That's a wonderful poem Steve Rowland. The Beatles ended up enthralling the whole world and they are still doing it 50 years after they split up. Awesome. ❤️

Anonymous said...

The Beatles are my whole playlist right now, keeping Covid 19 worries away. Love you're poem.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, love the poem. ❤️

Neil Blunt said...

They broke up 50 years ago (incredible to think that) and they're still the best group that ever was. I'm playing their music every day in lockdown.

Anonymous said...

Genius words!

Carrie Doolittle said...

Just lovely Steve Rowland. Thank you for sharing with us.

Magaly Rodriguez said...

Mi banda favorita - SIEMPRE!

Anonymous said...

Beatlemusic is my lockdown soundtrack.

Hitesh Popat said...

4 me Beatles music always #1

(Golly) Miss Molly said...

Your poem is buzzin' - love the color at the end too. Fab stuff.

Anonymous said...

Love it. What a great poem. ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Sandy Naboshek said...

The Beatles are incomporable. There will never be anything like them again. We have all been very lucky to be around when it happened. I love your poem. ❤️

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