1969 article: "Psychological Characteristics of Beatle Mania"

[Normandie]

I came across this article today and was interested in learning about exactly what the title indicates: the psychological characteristics of Beatlemania. What I found instead was a treatise on the more technical aspects of the Beatles' music. A lot of it went right over my non-musician head. I thought the forum members, in particular the musicians here, would be interested. It's on JSTOR, but JSTOR currently is offering 100 free articles a month. All you need to do is supply an email address and create a password.

Here's the article link: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2708439?seq=1 Now that I've registered with JSTOR I've been unable to navigate back to the free-subscription page, but it should be easy to find with a quick search of the article title.

I had to laugh at the following sentences: "When the loved one is coming home, her partner insists that he will 'be good like I know I should' (It Won't Be Long). This sort of sentiment is unlikely to appeal to a hot-blooded woman."  ha2ha

[Loco Mo]

Thanks for posting this, Normandie.  It's very interesting and very technical.  I would like to make further comments about it, but I'll save them for later.  I need to gather my thoughts in a cogent manner.

I had the impression the author believed the Beatles were singing to an ideal woman (a Goddess) in their early songs.  "An idealized woman is treated as a Goddess who does not requite love."  In essence, she was a beautiful but unobtainable woman (my words).

Again, my take:  A Goddess (or Queen) is generally unavailable for a common man.  He can only dream of coveting her as his own.  She may love him back, but it is spiritual/platonic.  The love is, therefore, unrequited.

The author seemed to suggest that there was a cultural shift from a patriarchal regime to a maternalistic one.  Hence, this was appealing to young women who wished "to be adored and even worshipped."

Well, I wish I could offer more than the above but that's all I've got for now.  There are many very interesting observations in the article.

[Normandie]

 deleted

[Moogmodule]

I had the impression the author believed the Beatles were singing to an ideal woman (a Goddess) in their early songs.  "An idealized woman is treated as a Goddess who does not requite love."  In essence, she was a beautiful but unobtainable woman (my words).

I assumed they were singing to girls in the hope of getting laid.

[Normandie]

I assumed they were singing to girls in the hope of getting laid.

Of course. And, like all men, they'd never dream of bothering to lay anyone who wasn't a goddess. 

[Moogmodule]

Of course. And, like all men, they'd never dream of bothering to lay anyone who wasn't a goddess. 

They're all goddesses til morning 

[Normandie]

They're all goddesses til morning 

Ouch!