1957: Paul saw John standing there

Sixty-seven years ago, we had Sputnik, the start of the second Eisenhower administration,  the last “I love Lucy” episode, the first “American Bandstand” on TV, Viet Cong guerrillas attacked a place called South Vietnam, the National Guard was sent to Little Rock, Arkansas, a movie called “Jailhouse Rock” and a number one hit about two kids who fell asleep at the movies, i.e. “Wake up little Susie.”

Across the Atlantic, something else happened that no one heard about.  On this day in 1957, Paul McCartney saw John Lennon standing there and they started to travel on the long and winding road.  John was 16 and Paul had just turned 15.

According to The Beatles Bible, the meeting went something like this:

In the afternoon the Quarrymen skiffle group played at the garden fete of  St Peter’s Church, Woolton, Liverpool. The performance took place on a stage in a field behind the church. In the band were Lennon (vocals, guitar), Eric Griffiths (guitar), Colin Hanton (drums), Rod Davies (banjo), Pete Shotton (washboard) and Len Garry (tea chest bass).

The group arrived on the back of a lorry. As well as music, there were craft and cake stalls, games of hoop-la, police dog demonstrations and the traditional crowning of the Rose Queen. The fete was a highlight of the year for the residents of the sleepy Liverpool district.

The entertainment began at two p.m. with the opening procession, which entailed one or two wonderfully festooned lorries crawling at a snail’s pace through the village on their ceremonious way to the Church field. The first lorry carried the Rose Queen, seated on her throne, surrounded by her retinue, all dressed in pink and white satin, sporting long ribbons and hand-made roses in their hair. These girls had been chosen from the Sunday school groups, on the basis of age and good behaviour.

The following lorry carried various entertainers, including the Quarry Men. The boys were up there on the back of the moving lorry trying to stay upright and play their instruments at the same time. John gave up battling with balance and sat with his legs hanging over the edge, playing his guitar and singing. He continued all through the slow, slow journey as the lorry puttered its way along. Jackie and I leaped alongside the lorry, with our mother laughing and waving at John, making him laugh. He seemed to be the only one who was really trying to play and we were really trying to put him off!     That evening the group were due to play again, minus Colin Hanton, this time at the Grand Dance in the church hall on the other side of the road. They were due on stage at 8pm, and admission to the show, in which the Quarrymen alternated on stage with the George Edwards Band, was two shillings.

Seven years later, thousands of fans in the U.S. paid a lot more than 2 shillings to watch them in concert and buy their many records.  And in September 1964, I saw them on TV and it was love eight days a week.