by Kirk Woodward
(with substantial
contribution by Pat Woodward)
[When I published Kirk
Woodward’s Beatles tribute to his late wife, Pat, last 30 September, the
article included Kirk’s promise to return to Pat’s obsession with the Fab Four
when he found her Beatles diary. Kirk
had told me about the diary, but it seemed to have been misplaced in the chaos
of the Woodwards’ move to a new home at the end of last year. Well, on 29 October, Kirk e-mailed me that
he’d come across the diary stashed on a shelf in a closet and he’s been true to
his promise: he’s given me the journal recounting his late wife’s preoccupation
with the premier British rock group which started when she was just 15 years
old.
[Kirk’s reproduced Pat’s
teenaged prose, misspellings, idiosyncrasies, period slang, and all, as closely
as he could—and I’ve tried to retain that as accurately as I can within the bounds
of the blog’s limitations. We’ve
inserted a few editorial notes in brackets where a little clarification is
necessary, but we’ve kept that to a minimum.
Kirk’s remarks, including his introduction below, is in italics to
differentiate them from Pat’s prose (in roman type). Some of the references are almost 50 years
old and, of course, they’re all connected to New York City. Readers of later generations or from other
parts of the country (and beyond?)—well, you just missed out on an awful lot,
didn’t you?
[Today is 8 January
2013. Forty-nine years ago yesterday, Pat
made her first Beatles entry in her diary.
I hope you enjoy this little time portal, courtesy of one special 15-year-old
young woman. ~Rick]
* *
* *
A while ago on this
blog I wrote a posting called “The
Beatles Box” (http://rickontheater.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-beatles-box.html) about a stash of memorabilia amassed by my
late wife, Pat, in the days when she was an avid Beatles fan. In that posting I
mentioned that we had discovered a diary that she kept during her first days of
Beatlemania, that the diary had been lost when we moved at the end of last
year, and that if it ever turned up, there would be another posting on this
blog.
Stuck at home during
Hurricane Sandy, for lack of anything better to do, I decided to take care of a
task that hadn’t been accomplished since we moved, namely, to put some order to
the stacks and piles of CD’s, DVD’s, VHS tapes, digital video tapes, and
related items that were lying around in various states of disorganization in
our family room. So I set to organizing them, which is not to say that I did
the kind of job Pat would have done, but I did separate the major items into
categories and put them in rough alphabetical order.
I guess I did well
enough, because clearly Pat, taking a break from whatever she’s doing in the
Greater World, felt I deserved a reward. I opened the door of a closet, looking
for stray recordings, and there on a shelf was a book I’d swear had not been
there, or was not the same item, the last time I’d looked: the Beatles diary.
Pat was a treasure, and I think this diary is too.
I wonder if the
physical description of the diary will bring back memories to anyone else. It’s
a light-purplish colored book with a padded cover and the words “One Year Diary” embossed on the
cover, along with pictures of a typewriter, a globe, a mailbox, a mortarboard
and diploma, a musical staff, and a four-leaf clover. Make of that what you
will. There’s a lock with a keyhole; it’s locked, but that doesn’t matter
because the strap that holds the book closed is broken and mostly gone. On the
first inside page Pat has written, somewhat reminiscent of Shakespeare’s
epitaph:
This is my book
My very own bookIn which no one should
Ever peek or look!
Pat was given the book
for Christmas in 1961. There are sections in the book for birthdays; she has
noted, using both a date stamp and pencil, those of Michelle and Jimmy, her
brother and sister, and of three friends, Maureen, Gary (name underlined), and
Barbie. The “Trips to Remember” section contains stamped dates for June 1962
and June 1963; no other information. For two years the diary didn’t get much
use. This is the first entry (the morning after her thirteenth birthday):
January 1 1962
Dear Diary,
Today has been drearysville. I can give you my whole day.
Here it is:
1 – Get up to go to 12:00 Mass.
2 – Came home. Didn’t see [next line ferociously obliterated]3 – Started to do book report.
4 – Ate Dinner
5 – Saw movie with Mary Martin
6 – Kept going on book report
7 – Uncle Kenny came
8 – Finished book report
9 – Watched T.V.
10 – Got report typted [sic]
11 – Went to bed.
Well, that’s it Diary, not much but at least it’s something.
Yours Barted [?],
Your Owner
Pat.
* *
* *
The entry for January
3 reads, in its entirety:
“Dear Diary,”
* *
* *
And then . . .
January 7, 1964
I have the Most terrific crush on the Beatles That
fabulous English singing group. Their just marvelous. And talk about cute? Ouch!
They have the craziest hairdos just like John-John Kennedy. Let me give you
some information about the ”Beatles” for fan club reference.
(1. They came from the tough (Mercy) [sic] side of Liverpool, England. (2. They came from nothing (not
even a no.) to the no. 1 song with “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” (3. Their names
are: A. Ringo [she has footnoted this name: “Not sure.”], oldest, ugliest
[sorry, Ringo]; Johnny, 2nd oldest & 3rd cutest; Paul, 3rd oldest [same
footnote: “Not sure.”], cutest; Baby George, youngest, 2nd cutest. 4) Coming
over from England on Feb. 7, 1964. 5) On Ed Sullivan, live, Feb 9, 1964. 6)
Girls in Eng. go crazy over them.
I’ve only heard of them since Jan. 2. Well, I read about
them in a paper but I didn’t care about them then. Mora told me about their
record on that Thurs. I’ll add more information in other pages. The Beatles
were #1 tonight in the phone votes. They have been for quite a while.
Yours
Excited,
Patty
* *
* *
January 8 1964
Dear Diary,
Guess what? I just found out that in England the word
“beatles” means “beatnick.” That accounts for the hairdoos. Well, I mailed the
letter today to the ”Beatles Fan Club”. I hope I get an answer sooon [sic]. Boy! Am I mad! Stupid old WMCA [a New
York City top-40 radio station, 570 AM] only made “I Want To Hold Your Hand #6!
Even though 6 isn’t too bad it just kills me that stupid old Lui Lui [sic] is #1! Well I feel confident that
the Beatles song will be #1 next week. Oh, by the way WMCA atoned since
by having Beatle-mania. That means the rest of the week honors the Beatles.
Their on now! Oh! I’ve heard their songs a lot today. Yea! Guess what. The Beatles
made “Please, Mr. Postman”! The Beatles were no. 1 tonight again in the
phone survey!
Yours
Thrilled
Patty
* *
* *
January 9 1964
Well, I guess WABC [another pop radio station in New York
City, 770 AM] received my letter today. I hope so. I heard 3 new ”Beatles”
songs today, including “Twist & Shout”! Things don’t look so good tonight
for “I Want To Hold Your Hand” in the survey. Even though Michelle and I voted
tonight for the first time – B. M. R. [B. Mitchel Reed, a disk jockey on WMCA
at the time] said that things had reversed! I’m listening to it now. “Little
Cobra” ["Hey Little Cobra," a 1964 song by Bruce & Terry] is #5
& the only thing different is that the score seems kind of high, 24%. I’ll
tell you what “I Want To Hold Your Hand” is as soon as I find out.
They did it again! They beat “Forget Him” [by singer Bobby
Rydell] by 2 votes! That’s about 20 nights in a row! Yea!!!
Yours
Crazy
Patty
* *
* *
January 10 1964
Dear Diary
Not much to report today. Except! Now WABC has a “Beatle-Mania”
too! Even though it’s only for the week-end it gives me an extra day of “Beatles”
since WMCA’s “Beatle-Mania” ends tomorrow. Oh, by the way I heard 2 “Beatle”
songs today that I’ve never heard on the radio. They are “I Saw Her Standing
There” & “Roll Over Bettovan” [sic].
They have an album & I’m going try to get it tomorrow? The “Beatles”
were no. 1 again (WMCA) tonight. With 437 votes this makes about the 10th time
in a row they’ve won. Today is the anniversary of the day I fell for the ”Beatles”.
One week ago I saw them in action for the 1st time singing, “She Loves You.” I
hope I get my “Fan Club” stuff tomorrow. I’ll let you know if I do. Well that’s
about all. See you tomorrow!
Your
Happily
Patty
* *
* *
January 12 196[4]
Dear Diary,
Guess what? I’m sick! I had a 99 fever last night. I stayed
home today. Shall I list the events? Well anyway here they are anyhow!
1 – Woke up 15 to 9 heard Micke. [?] It spoiled my wh
* *
* *
January 13 1964
Dear Diary
No school today!! Or for that matter tomorrow! There’s a big
blizzard & practically everything’s stopped. But that’s not too important
to me. I’m inside. Anyhow the Beatles did it again! Boy! Did they do it! Even
though BMR only had voting for ½ hr. the Beatles managed to get “I Want To Hold
Your Hand” #1 with 231 votes, AND they had “Please, Please, Please” [sic] tie with “Bigtime Boy” [probably
“Big-Town Boy” by Shirley Matthews and the Big Time Girls, a group out of Ontario,
Canada] for fifth place with 130 votes (surprise!)! That’s really something!
Two songs by the same group in the top 5! Yay! Oh. By the way I didn’t get my
Fan Club stuff yet. I did get almost all the lyrics to “I Want To Be Your Man”
that makes 3 songs I’ve done. Well I’m going to try to get the Beatles album
tomorrow if they have it & some magazines on the Beatles. Tell you
more tomorrow.
Yours
Chilled
Patty
PS – I just found out WABC has received Fan Club Cards
TODAY.
* *
* *
January 14 1964
Dear Diary,
No school today! Because of the snow. Oh well, back to the
important things. Mainly, the Beatles! Today was survey day on WABC. “”I Want
To Hold Your Hand” is still #1, and get this! “She Loves You” is #14! And
“Please Please me” is like a sure-shot on WABC and has been promoted from a Beatle-Mania
sound to a B.M.R. Bell Ringer! “I Want To Hold Your Hand” was #1 again tonight
with 405 votes & “Please Please Me” was #5 with 187 votes for the second
time in a row. This is really big! The first time 1 group has had 3 songs in
the survey or anything important, for that matter. Wow! Oh, by the way WABC
talked to the Beatles again and they said that they were going to be on
Ed. Sullivan Feb. 9 1964. I can hardly wait!
Yours
Wonderfully
Patty
* *
* *
January 15 1964
Dear Diary,
We didn’t get to school til’ 11:30 today! We gave up on the
busses & took the train. Okay now that I’ve said that I’ll get back to the Beatles!
I don’t know if “She Loves You” is on the WMCA survey because I missed the
bottom 21-25. I guess I’ll find out later on B.M.R. I’m waiting for the #1 song
to come on now. I found out that “She Loves You” is #22 and “I Want To Hold
Your Hand” has sold over 1,000,000 copies & is #1 on both channels. I sent
Rosemary out to get the Beatles album but they didn’t have it. She got me the
single “Please Please Me” instead. So now I have 2 Beatles records. I’ll
fill you in on the survey later. The Beatles had 3 songs on the
survey!! Isn’t that wonderful?!! They have “Please Please Me” & “She Loves
You” tie for 5th place! Of course “I Want To Hold Your Hand” was #1. Oh, I’m so
happy!
Yours
Amazed,
Patty
* *
* *
January 16 1964
Dear Diary,
Today I found out something very exciting &
disappointing. It seems that the DJ’s are at a point where they keep announcing
the names of the Beatles. To put it in their words the Beatles are Paul,
John, George, and Ringo. Now here’s the exciting part. 2 of the Beatles, namely
Paul McCartney and John Lennon (last name) wrote most of the hit songs
they’ve had! Now. Here’s the disappointing part. John is the lead! That
means that Paul has practically no singing part at all!!! Oh, well let’s
get back to more pleasant things. Scott Muni [a disk jockey on WABC], said that there was going to be a special
top-secret surprise in the Fan Club stuff. Now I can hardly wait for it! Wow!
On the survey tonight the Beatles were #1 & 2 with “I Want To Hold
Your Hand” & “She Loves You” (in that order). Wow! Again.
Yours
Forever,
Patty
* *
* *
January 17, 1964
Dear Diary,
Before I start on the Beatles let me tell you that
the Laughlin dance was a great success! I dansed [sic] with 3 boys! Guess what? B.M.R. shoved off his beard!!
Now back to the Beatles. M.M.R. [almost certainly “B.M.R.”—B. Mitchel
Reed] says the top 5 tonight will be a big surprise. Oh I hope “I Want to Hold
Your Hand” is still #1.
It had to happen sooner or later! “I Want To Hold Your Hand”
isn’t #1 anymore. It’s #2 & “She Loves You” is #1. And! “Please
Please Me” is tie for 5th place with 221 with “You don’t Own Me”. This is too
great! The Beatles lose one song from #1 only to have it replaced by
another! And the next song will be “Please Please Me”! The Beatles
forever!!! Yippy!!!
Yours
Beatle Mania,
Patty
* *
* *
January 18, 1964
Dear Diary,
I’m writing this entry 6 days after it happened. Today I
went to Jo-Ann’s [her cousin] for the week-end. Just before I went I tried to
get a Beatles album. But they didn’t get it. So instead I got Jo-Ann ” I
Want To Hold Your Hand.” When I got to Jo’s house she suggested we take the
train and go to Al Diamond’s [Record Shop in Richmond Hill, Queens] under the
el. To see if we could get an album & some singles she wanted. Well, we did
it!!! I got my album by the Beatles! Even though I’m a bit disappointed.
The picture stinks & so do most of the songs! I’ve only heard 3 that are in
the album [Please Please Me (Parlophone, 22 March 1963)]. “I Saw Her
Standing There,” “A Taste of Honey,” and “Twist and Shout.” But I’m thankful
I’ve got at least 1 album.
Yours
Pretty Happy
Patty
* *
* *
January 20 1964
Dear Diary,
Not much to say today. But I found out that the other
two Beatles’ names are George Harrison & Ringo Starr. Now here’s something
else. Ringo plays the drums! That means he can’t do the high parts in the
songs! So the one who sings high is either Paul or George! I remember the boy
who sings high had a lot of hair so I’m betting on Paul! Well that’s about it
Now on to the survey. They did it again! “She Loves You” is #1 & “I Want To
Hold Your Hand” is #1. Double-Yea!
Yours
As Usual
Patty
* *
* *
January 21 1964
Dear Diary,
I did it again!!! As I write my new Beatle record is
playing! Yes, I got another one today. And! I found out something else.
The boy I thought was Johnny is George! Oh, this album is so
good! Compared to this the other album is ready for the dumps. Paul looks so
cute! He really is the handsomest, then George, then John, then Ringo. Oh by
the way, I feel pretty close to the Beatles now. I’ve found out that a girl who
goes to confraternity, named Nancy Allen, has a girlfriend who has a pen-pal in
England. [According to Wikipedia: “A confraternity
is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for
the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and
approved by the Church hierarchy.” It’s
apparently also common among Anglicans, but I don’t know what Pat’s connection
to this was.] And that pen-pals
sister goes out with George. Isn’t that wonderful! I’m four persons (and an
ocean) away from knowing the Beatles! Then again Uncle Joe knows a woman
who knew the Beatles when they were just ants. Wow – wee! I mean golly!
Yours
Excited
Patty
* *
* *
January 24 1964
Dear Diary,
This is becoming monotonous! I got another Beatle
record today. It was “She Loves You” and I love it! My girlfriend, Mora,
brought in a magazine from Ireland where the Beatles appeared in November.
There was a picture of each of the Beatles (Paul looked the cutest as
usual) and a picture of “Paul in action”. He looked adorable he was standing in
front of a mike with a guitar and his head was thrown back. Ooh! The story said
that when they came out on the stage the girls were screaming hysterically so
bright-eyes Paul tells them to “Hush!” When nothing happened John tried “Shut
up!” when still nothing happened they sang with the screaming still going on!
At the end of the show they sang “Twist & Shout” & the girls did just
that. That night they repeated the performance. & at the end of the
national anthem (at the end of the show) they were gone & on their way back
to England.
There are 3 new Beatle contests today. One you can
win a chance to meet the Beatles!!! The Beatles are going to be
at Carnegie Hall in Feb & you can win tickets!
* *
* *
January 26 1964
Dear Diary,
I met Barry today. You know he’s the one who knows the Beatles.
And, to coin a phrase, “Big deal!” He’s not bad looking, 22, working his way
through college. But! The only things Maureen & I got out of him (in a
subtle manner) I already knew. So we sent Lorraine in to ask him another
question. She asked him the wrong question! Then after Maureen left & I
started to go home Barry came out of the drug store. He said “Sneaky! You
couldn’t ask me yourself!” I said no & ran! Boy, what a dope!
Yours,
Disgusted,
Patty
* *
* *
January 26 1964
Dear Diary,
Today marks three achievements in Beatle history.
Namely: 1 – I made a Beatle button out of an old button I had with my
name on it. 2 – I bought the new addition [sic]
of “16 Magazine” and there was a boss picture of the Beatles in it along
with 2 neat paragraphs. 3 – Get this! The Beatles are going to be on Ed
Sullivan on Feb. 2 (on film) & on Feb. 9, & Feb 16 (live)! Isn’t that
great! That means I’ll see them next week! Yippee!
Yours,
Happily
Again,
Patty
* *
* *
January 27 1964
Dear Diary
Well Maureen & I had made plans to go to Carnegie Hall
[a note reads: tickets - $3.00 - $4.50 - $5.50] tomorrow to get tickets for the
Beatles concert. But mom wouldn’t let me. We had a fight, not much of one, and
I cried a little. I think that’s what did it because later on when I asked her
again she said, “I don’t know.” So I have a pretty good chance of going. So far
Maureen & Me can go & Karyl Lee is pretty sure she can come. Ellen
Moire & her friend Susan might go. Karyl says her father might be able to
take us home. I think I’ll be able to go tomorrow. I’ll tell you about the
survey now. The Beatles still have two songs on it but “I Want To Hold Your
Hand” went down 1. Oh well we’ll see how it does in WABC real survey tomorrow.
Hopefully,
Patty
Patty
[I don’t know, and
can’t remember, if Pat did actually see the Beatles at Carnegie Hall (12
February 1964). I know she saw them at Forest Hills Stadium (28 August 1964),
and later at Shea (15 August 1965).]
* *
* *
February 7
Beatles ARRIVED!!!!!
* *
* *
February 8
Dear Diary,
I’m not writing this on Feb 8 but on March 2! The reason I’m
writing so late is because I’ve been so busy with the Beatles that I didn’t get
over them until a week & ½ after they left. But even if I don’t put in any other “book
entries” I simply must make this one. As you know today was the wedding. But,
you didn’t know that the Beatles are staying at the Plaza [where Pat’s
family was coincidentally holding a family wedding]. Well we put our wits
together and managed to see them!!! It was like this, we asked a waiter
when they were coming back & then we went down to the lobby 15 minutes
before time. Well, we had waited for a long while & had been talking to
some reporter. Well, we were just standing around waiting when Jo saw a
reporter start to run. She started to follow him & I turned to follow. Just
then she bumped into some man & said “Excuse me —— Hey! He’s one of the . .
.” Yep! When Jo looked up she realized that the “man” she had bumped into was
George Harrison! She I& the other kids started to chase him but he looked
pretty moody so I didn’t. (Later we found out he’d been sick!) Oh, I almost
forgot George brushed past and HE TOUCHED ME!!!! Now while we waited for the
other 3 we met their driver (& blocker) Malcolm Evans. We (nuts) took a pix
with him just then we heard a commotion we all looked around I& sure
enough. There they were. THE BEATLES! Jo & me ran up behind Paul & Jo
asked for his autograph. But she didn’t have a pen! So guess who gave Paul the
pen? John!! Oh it was too much. I think I’m the most envied girl in the
world! (Even though we never did see Ringo.) I never thought in a million years
I’d ever get that close. I’m so HAPPY I COULD DIE!!!
Yours
& Pauls,
Patty
[As soon as I saw the heading
for Kirk’s 29 October message (“Lost and found”), I knew exactly what he'd
found! I couldn't wait to see it and what
I read was really fun. First of all,
it's so odd to hear the childhood voice of someone I only knew as an adult (it
must have been doubly odd for Kirk that way!), and second, I missed all this
because I was still living in Europe when the Beatles first appeared here. (Our experience was a little different on the
Continent—England might have been a bit more like the U.S.) The whole experience
surrounding the Ed Sullivan Show and the stadium
concert was unknown to me until after I got back to the States for the start of
college in 1965! (I didn't even see TV
while I was at school in Geneva.) I was
an immediate fan of the British Invasion (we had radios, of course), but I
missed all the hysteria Pat describes (and was caught up in).
[I really love this. It's sweet and nostalgic—remember, I missed
most of this—and so strange to hear Pat discovering the fan facts about the Beatles
for the first time. We think today of everyone’s
always having known them from the start. I'm just sorry I can't tell Pat how much fun
she's given me just now. Rock on, Pat!]
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