Classic Rant #724 (April 25, 2012): The 1960s Forever

The world seemingly can't get enough of the Beatles.

Word is that a lost Beatles concert film from 1964 will be released to theaters nationwide on May 17 and May 22.

"The Beatles: The Lost Concert" was recorded at the Washington State Coliseum on Feb. 11, 1964, or just two days after they appeared on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

The concert was their first full-length concert in the United States, and they were top billed among several other pop stars of the time, including Tommy Roe and the Chiffons.

The footage will be augmented with new interviews featuring, among others, Chuck Berry, one of the Fab Four's major influences.

Interest in the 1960s has never wained, it seems. The Beach Boys have just released their first new single in 20 years with an album to come, and Brian Wilson is once again the driving force behind the group.

The world mourns the passing of Dick Clark, who brought rock and roll into our living rooms with shows like "American Bandstand" and "Where the Action Is."

When Davy Jones died, it seemed that the world also mourned, and interest in the Monkees picked up once again.

A mere footnote from the era, Jonathan Frid of "Dark Shadows" fame, passes away just before a new film based on the series is ready to be released.

It goes on and on and on and on.

The fascination with this decade is incredible.

There were so many milestones during this decade that set the tone for our lives 50 years after the fact that it is truly the most incredible decade at least of the 20th century, if not of all modern times.

Having been a Baby Boomer during that decade, I can tell you that so many things were jam packed into that 10-year period--from the lows of the JFK, RFK and MLK assassinations to the highs of the Apollo space program landing on the moon--that it is simply incredible that the decade only "lasted" 10 years.

So much happened in just that span that you would have sworn that it was more than 10 years.

All I have to say about the continued fascination with the 1960s is "Groovy."

That was a decade that had to be lived in to be understood, and even though I was there, I don't know if  I fully get it yet.

I went from a toddler to a teenager during that span, and it truly was an incredible ride.

And the Beatles helped us along, coming on our scene right after the JFK assassination.

So again, this fascination is right on--what other decade could spur such continued study as the 1960s have produced?

It's never ending, isn't it?