The Beatles-Vultures in the Jungle Book

I haven't seen the Jungle Book in years and definitely before my obsession with the Beatles started. So, I had absolutely no idea who or what these vultures in the movie were supposed to be. Recently, my dad told me they were supposed to be the Beatles. Then I basically freaked out. So I looked up the history of it and thought I'd share it. The Jungle Book, which came out in 1967, was the last movie Walt Disney worked on before he passed away in 1966. The period in which the animators were working on this was at the very end of the Beatles touring period, their last concert taking place at San Francisco's Candlestick Park in 1966. Thus, Beatlemania was still in full swing. Disney asked the Beatles and their manager, Brian Epstein, if they would volunteer their voices to a group of four vultures that happened to have Liverpool accents and mop-tops. I'm not entirely sure if it was the boys who said no or Epstein, but either way, some random British guys were used for their voices instead. I was instantly infuriated. The Jungle Book, had they said yes, would have instantly become the most legendary of Disney classics!! WHY did someone say no?! Man, I'm getting worked up. This is the clip in which John, Paul, George, and Ringo would have been in had they been a part of the movie.

"I'm Down" at Shea Stadium 1965

This is the Beatles' last song of the Shea Stadium concert in Queens, New York in 1965. Yesterday was the 47th anniversary of this legendary rock concert, which I posted about earlier. I mentioned John playing the keyboard with his elbow in this song, so I thought I'd post it so you could see for yourself. Sorry about the so-so quality, but it was one of the only videos I could find that specifically had this song on there.

47th Anniversary of the Beatles' Performance at Shea Stadium

      Today is the 47th anniversary of the Beatles' performance at Shea Stadium in Queens, New York. On August 15, 1965, the Beatles performed to a record-breaking audience of 55,600 in the middle of a baseball diamond. The legendary concert, the first of its kind for a pop group, saw the peak of the superstardom of the band. The Beatles, already worn out from incessant touring during the past two to three years, have cited the Shea Stadium concert as one of the main reasons why they were so eager to stop the touring schedule, especially to the United States. Paul has said in numerous interviews, specifically The Beatles Anthology that if you were to really look hard at the footage of the performance, that you can seen John "crack" a bit. I mean, it's a bit weird when he starts playing the keyboard with his elbow during Paul's number, "I'm Down."
       Despite this, the concert remains one of the lasting testaments to the Beatles' extraordinary performance skills. Even though virtually 55, 600 teenage girls were screaming the entire duration of the concert, they never lapsed in the quality of their performance.
        In addition, Shea Stadium also can be pointed to the advancement (somewhat) of the Civil Rights Movement that was currently taking place in the United States. Unlike their homeland of England, segregation between African Americans and white Americans was still implemented strongly in the US. When the Beatles were told that they were to play to a segregated audience, they refused. It's a stretch to say that the Beatles are responsible for furthering the Civil Rights Movement, which was already well under way in the late 1940s, but the fact that the Beatles were so influential in the superstardom surrounding them adds to the significance of this concert.
       Unfortunately, Shea Stadium no longer exists. It was replaced rather recently. But, in 2009, Paul performed his "Good Evening New York City" concert in the same place, his first time since he played with his three friends in 1965.