"We're Going to See the Beatles!": An Oral History of Beatlemania as Told by the Fans Who Were There

“Almost 45 years after Beatlemania swept the U.S., memories of the Beatles’ legendary U.S. invasion during the mid-1960s remain fresh in the minds of those who were there. In this remarkably personal oral history of the Beatles in America, author and fan Berman (Best of the Britcoms: From Fawlty Towers to Absolutely Fabulous) tracked down 42 individuals from all over the country who cheered the Beatles at New York’s JFK airport when they first landed in America, sat in The Ed Sullivan Show audience for the Beatles’ live television debut, waited in line for hours (repeatedly) to see A Hard Day’s Night, and attended concerts during the group’s three chaotic U.S. tours. Bridging their tales with breezy narration, Berman succinctly recounts the Beatles’ entire history, from 1963 through the solo years and the deaths of John Lennon and George Harrison. Though some of them have lapsed in their Beatle fanaticism, all of Berman’s subjects realize the significance of their experiences and relate them with gusto. As put by Dale Ford, who saw the Beatles three times in San Francisco, including their final gig, “I was thinking to myself, ‘Dale, savor this moment. This is gonna go down in history.’ And it did.”

– Publishers Weekly

“Required reading. Lifelong Fab Four fan Berman doesn’t delve into Beatle archives or grill countless insiders and hangers-on. He writes from the outside looking in, interviewing fans for their stories. We find what it was like to try and sneak into the Plaza when The Beatles stayed there, how they played on Ed Sullivan’s stage, what it sounded like at Shea Stadium.”

–New York Post

“Overall this reader quite enjoyed ‘We’re Going To See The Beatles.’ It gave me a chance to live a day in the life of a ‘real’ Beatles fan who had the opportunity to experience the Beatles firsthand. I could feel the excitement of the girls getting ready for a concert and wanted to scream along when they first laid eyes on the boys coming onto the stage at Shea Stadium. I will forever be envious. So for the second generation fans like myself or the first generation fans who want to relive the mania, I highly recommend this nicely written and well told book.”

–Daytrippin’ Magazine

Garry Berman is a regular contributor to Beatlefan magazine and the author of Best of the Britcoms: From Fawlty Towers to Absolutely Fabulous. He lives in Westampton, New Jersey.

Sid Bernstein is the legendary agent, promoter, and manager who brought the Beatles to America as part of the British Invasion. He has worked with many musicians, including Barbra Streisand, Elvis Presley, Jimi Hendrix, the Moody Blues, and the Rolling Stones. He lives in New York City.

Mark Lapidos is the producer of The Fest for Beatles Fans (formerly known as Beatlefest). He lives in Westwood, New Jersey.