In the Whats that Source box on pp. 158-159, the last paragraph of Britain Exports a Mania accounts for the secrets of the Beatles success as timing and uniqueness (musical ability goes unmentioned). What are some arguments for this point of view? What are some arguments against? Were the Beatles simply sporting strange haircuts in the right place at the right time? Or is their music timeless, capable of success regardless of when it appears?

WHAT'S THAT SOURCE? Music business professionals took notice when the Beatles arrived on American soil in February 1964 to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show and perform several concerts in the United States. These three articles appeared simultaneously on the cover of Variety magazine shortly after "Beatlemania" came to New York City. They offer contrasting perspectives on the implications of the Beatles' newfound popularity in the United States: "Britain Exports a Mania" provides an overview of the Beatlemania phenomenon from the perspective of the "Pincus Swings" tells the story of a music publisher who is pleased with the Beatles' success; and "Promoter Fears" explains why concert promoters do not see much financial potential in organizing Beatles performances. music press; "Britain Exports a Mania" Yank showmen knifed their memories this week to recall a parallel to the four mad youths from Liverpool , England, the Beatles. None came to mind. Elvis Presley is the nearest comparison during the first orgiastic hysteric reaction to his unique swivel-hip brand of song. More moderate examples of teenage madness were connected with Frank Sinatra in his Dorsey era, with Dean Martin-Jerry Lewis when they hit the kids with a rare blend of sexy lullaby and uninhibited adolescent showoff comicking. It hardly makes sense to go back to Rudy Vallee, circa 1931, with his heigh-ho megaphoning since teenagers were then more or less under parental control The Beatles are being much explained, but none of the explanations quite suffice. They are creatures of the phonograph boom, of the Brittanicized rock 'n'roll. There is some of the wild young thing exuberance of Jerry Lewis and more than a trace of precocious sex thrust. Their mad hair dos are symbolic both of youth's rebellion against barbers and love of "fad." If there was some surprise after the Ed Sullivan telecast Sunday night that the boys are really something new in rock 'nroll, this in no way slowed the momentum of their whirlwind tour of the United States. Their press conference Monday morning at the Plaza Hotel bore the classic marks of a White House press conference. There were ground rules. Each reporter had to raise his hand, rise and identify himself and medium, confine himself to a single question What accounts for their sudden burst to prominence, which has, among other things, given them just about the fastest selling disks in history with the exception of Vaughan Meader's "First Family? Timing, the boys said. They were just in the right place at the right time. Any advice for would-be stars? 'Be unique