We're Going to See The Beatles!: An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were There [Paperback]

Garry Berman (Author), Mark Lapidos (Preface), Sid Bernstein (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Comprised of fans’ anecdotes, photographs, personal stories, and mementos, the contributors’ stories reconstruct the entire history of Beatlemania in America, dating from the earliest whispers about the group to The Beatles’ appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, and from the breakup to the present day. The stories range from hilarious to compelling and poignant—one group of friends stole maid uniforms in an attempt to sneak into the Plaza Hotel during The Beatles’ first visit to New York, one fan camped out overnight in front of a movie theater in order to be the first to buy tickets for the premiere of A Hard Day’s Night, and another attended a strict Catholic school but was so devoted to the group that she declared out loud to her class that she would rather see The Beatles than the Pope. What emerges from these stories is a richly detailed and entertaining history of the profound impact that The Beatles and their music had on their fans' personal lives—an effect that continues to be meaningful to this day.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Almost 45 years after Beatlemania swept the U.S., memories of the Beatles' legendary U.S. invasion during the mid-1960s remain fresh in the minds of those who were there. In this remarkably personal oral history of the Beatles in America, author and fan Berman (Best of the Britcoms: From Fawlty Towers to Absolutely Fabulous) tracked down 42 individuals from all over the country who cheered the Beatles at New York's JFK airport when they first landed in America, sat in The Ed Sullivan Show audience for the Beatles' live television debut, waited in line for hours (repeatedly) to see A Hard Day's Night, and attended concerts during the group's three chaotic U.S. tours. Bridging their tales with breezy narration, Berman succinctly recounts the Beatles' entire history, from 1963 through the solo years and the deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison. Though some of them have lapsed in their Beatle fanaticism, all of Berman's subjects realize the significance of their experiences and relate them with gusto. As put by Dale Ford, who saw the Beatles three times in San Francisco, including their final gig, "I was thinking to myself, 'Dale, savor this moment. This is gonna go down in history.' And it did."
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

When the Beatles first came to America, some girls stole maids’ uniforms at New York’s Plaza Hotel to try to see their idols. Chatty, precocious Linda Binns Liles, then 9, made her way to the press car in the train carrying the band from New York to Washington, D.C., and ended up talking to Ringo Starr for an hour. Such are the memories of the original Beatlemaniacs gathered in this oral history. Later fan recollections can be poignant. Debbie Levitt struck up a conversation with John Lennon as he and Yoko Ono left a coffee shop on the day he was shot to death. Many still can’t explain the hysteria of their fandom: “It was something that just came over us.” A document of historical import, this is also a mostly joyful celebration of an extraordinary phenomenon. Beatles fans, old and new, will adore it. --June Sawyers

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Product Details

• Paperback: 312 pages
• Publisher: Santa Monica Press (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595800328
• ISBN-13: 978-1595800329
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,198,221 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We're Going To See The Beatles, April 8, 2008

By 

Alan S. Damann "Alan" (Somewhere in Northern California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: We're Going to See The Beatles!: An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were There (Paperback)

This book is a great trip back to the early days of Beatlemania. Glad there was so much input from the male fans too as the Beatles impression on us guys is greatly undocumented. A lot of the stories brought back memories I long forgot. I kept saying "Oh Yeah! I forgot about that!" while reading. It's a fun, clever book and I love reading the stories by the people who lived it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An exciting page turner for all Beatles Fans!!, April 24, 2008

By 

JoAnne Penta "Johnny" (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: We're Going to See The Beatles!: An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were There (Paperback)

I was there. I lived through Beatlemania. Author Garry Berman captures the essence of what it was like to have experienced all the hysteria, emotion and passion of what it was like to have been a Beatles fan as it was happening. As told by the fans themselves, nothing is held back.

The book transports the reader back to a time in history when Beatlemania reigned and allows a birdseye view of what it meant to be a Beatles fan circa 1963-1970. The fervor of the fans is painted on every page in intimate detail.

For anyone who experienced Beatlemania first hand, or anyone attempting to answer the question "What was it like?" this book is THE authority on the subject.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Beatles' fans!, April 29, 2008

By 

D. Ford "dalejim" (Burlington, IA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: We're Going to See The Beatles!: An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were There (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book so much. We're Going to See The Beatles!: An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were ThereI even bought one for my Mother who accompanied me to the last Beatles concert at Candlestick Park. This book recaptures all those memories for me again. I also liked the way the chapters were organized. And having pictures of the fans was a big plus. A fun and easy read. I would say a real must for all of those who ever saw the Fab Four in person or want to read about the fans who had that privilege.