As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Beatles arrival in America, a slew of new books, CDs, TV shows and documentaries are being released to mark the momentous event.
As I was reminded this week, however, not everyone is in the grip of Beatlemania.
Though all my freshman students at Henan University of Technology have heard of the Beatles, many don’t know what country they were from, only a handful can name a Beatles song other than “Hey Jude’’ or “Yesterday,’’ and no one can identify George Harrison or Ringo Starr.
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Part of this, of course, is generational. Today’s teenagers didn’t grow up with the Beatles like the Baby Boomers and can’t really appreciate the huge social and musical impact they made. (“Meet the Beatles!’’ was the first album I ever bought.) Another factor is the language barrier. Though music is an international form of communication, English songs can still sound strange to those who don’t speak the language.
But my students’ ignorance about the most famous band in rock history also reflects their limited experience and education. Most of them grew up in Henan Province, a poor rural area with little connection to the outside world. They’ve had some exposure to Western culture, but it’s been very narrow and superficial.
I’m planning to play a bunch of Beatles songs during next week’s classes. Maybe I’ll even bring my guitar for a sing-along. I’m dying to hear “I Want to Hold Your Hand’’ with a Chinese accent.
