The Beatles

Bec Knudtson

Guttenberg, IA

I can still remember when the Beatles came over and went on the Ed Sullivan show. Judy and I were in junior high. We were nuts about them, just so in love. Sister Mardelle at St. Mary’s warned us it would be a flash in the pan, only a fad, just get over it.

I am lucky enough that I got to see both Paul and Ringo in person. But John was my favorite.

I still listen to them on vinyl and cds.

Music was a big part of my growing up. My older brother Paul served in Viet Nam. He bought cheap electronics and sent them home including a record player and reel to reel tape recorder. We listened to Mary Ann Faithful, As Tears Go By on that tiny record player. She passed away recently. Hearing that song still takes me back home.

In college at UNI, I listened to Cat Stevens, Gordon Lighfoot and James Taylor. One time my roommate had our tiny stereo cranked to the max. She was sitting on the edge of a straight chair when I walked in the room. She was just blasting out Cat’s Can’t Keep It In. I can see her and hear her to this day, her name was Mary Glock and we are still close. She was a reading major and had a hard-driving professor so was maybe letting off steam or celebrating the end of a long week.

Listen in Mary Ann Faithful in As Tears Go By here:

Cat Stevens’ Can’t Keep It In

John Lennon’s classic Imagine