Today in History: I Want To Hold Your Hand (1964)

Like many things in my early childhood, the time is foggy and the circumstances surrounding it murky. All I remember for sure is somewhere between 1966 and 67, my mom presented me with a 45rpm record of my very own. Am supposing upon reflection it was a gift to christen my new box record player. For those of you way to young to remember, it was truly in the shape of a box with the front having a mesh cover that hid the one tinny speaker. You could also close the lid and latch it for easy carrying, and the needles had a habit of breaking all of the time (probably from carrying it around..)

It's funny now to think of it because my mom's idea of Rock and Roll was Elvis and she really didn't like him all that much. We won't discuss what she (or my dad) thought of Little Richard or Chuck Berry. Anyway, someone had to have tipped her off to not only the Beatles, but to get me this specific record (I don't know who you are, but am eternally grateful). Carefully placing the record on the turntable and plopping the needle on the record (probably another reason for so many needles), the most beautiful music to my ears came out. The guitars!! The voices!! The falsettos!!

I had to play it again and again and again. The record was "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and although it had been a hit for several years and they had matured far beyond that particular recording, the fascination and love for The Beatles was born. Also instilled as time went on was a deep and abiding love for music in general as not only a hobby, but as a profession as well.

On this day, January 18, 1964, This song made it's US chart debut just 10 days after it's release opening at #45. It went on to spend 7 weeks at #1 and began the revolution of Rock music.