Beatles Influence On America Essay

In February of 1964, the United States got their first full taste of “Beatlemania.” The Beatles were already popular in their home country, England, for about two years before their fateful arrival in America. Early in 1964, in just under three weeks, their single “I Want to Hold Your Hand” sold one-and-a-half-million copies. One month later, a normally reserved crowd of “youngsters” filled The Ed Sullivan Theatre and were told to scream their hearts out. Since that moment America, and the world alike, was introduced to one of the most influential bands in modern history. John, Paul, George, and even Ringo became household names. After a quick introduction by Ed Sullivan, Paul dives right in telling us, “Close your eyes and I’ll kiss you tomorrow

So enthralled with Ravi, three months after this meeting, George “traveled to India with the other Beatles, to sit at the feet of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the old fox who had the spiritual insight to trademark the phrase ‘transcendental meditation’” (Ferguson 1). Perhaps this is why we see such a huge leap from just weaving tracks with Indian musical influence to acceptance of Indian culture as a connected whole. Harrison’s wife, Pattie, may have been the catalyst for his submergence in the Hindu tradition, for it was she who “takes up Transcendental Meditation, introducing it to The Beatles” (Hausmann 60) at Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s International Meditation Society. In February of 1968, John and his wife joined George and Pattie in India to formally study Transcendental Meditation. It appears John took away the broader aspect of inclusion with his trip, for it did not seem to take shape in a religious sense. John Lennon went on to write his best-selling single, “Imagine”, where he implores the listener to think of a world brought together by our common humanity as opposed to race, religion, creed, or