It's a Sound that Still Excites (1980)

 

Why It's a Sound that Still Excites

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Liverpool Echo

July 26, 1980

During the summer of 1980, The Liverpool Echo had a contest asking readers to write about why they still love the Beatles.  The winner won an autographed copy of George's new book, I Me Mine (what a great prize)  Here is the winner!

    Eileen Robinson was a starry-eyed 16-year-old. the only time she saw the Beatles in the flesh. Now, many years on, age 34, married with two children, Eileen says the Beatles sound still excites her. If any of their records are playing on the radio, she cannot resist turning up the volume. "To a large extent. It's nostalgia of course", she says.  "Memories of one's youth when you plan to set the world alight. But it's more than that as well. The Beatles stood for something. We identified with them. They were young. They were the same as us, and they came from Liverpool."

    Eileen, who lives with her husband, Jim, a plasterer, and children, Raymond and Kellie on Campbell Hill Road, Woolton. She says she thinks the hysterical reaction which the fans had to the four Liverpool lads when they saw them in the flesh was undoubtedly mass hysteria. 

    "I was quite surprised at my own behavior," she said. "My father was very strict. I'd been brought up to behave quietly, but when I saw the Beatles at the Empire, I was at first amazed at all the shouting and screaming, but then I found myself doing it. 

    "I'll never forget that night, my best friend and I had queued for hours the previous week to get the tickets. We wore identical Macs--- Best Friends tended to dressed alike in those days.

     "On the big night, we got ourselves all dolled up. I wore a black shift with a large artist bow at the kneck. I had my hair with kiss curls around my face. We were still wearing stockings with suspenders. Tights had not been heard of.

    " I was frightfully proud of my false eyelashes. And funnily enough, there was another Beatles connection with them. In those days, I had my hair done at a place near  Exchange Station by a girl named Maureen Cox, who latter become Regal's first wife. As she was shampooing me, I used to look up and admire her false eyelashes. In the end, I got some myself, but I became so excited during the concert at the Empire that I lost one under my feet.

    " It all seemed a long time ago. Then I thought I'd travel the world. I didn't think I'd marry and settle down, but I don't suppose the Beatles had a clue how their lives would go either."