Summary
- The Beatles were banned from an entire country after declining an invitation to have breakfast with the First Lady, which caused a mob to attack the hotel they were staying in.
- The band never returned to the Philippines after the incident, likely due to the traumatic experience of being chased away by an angry mob.
- Although the Beatles still loved the people in the Philippines, they had an issue with only a few individuals who caused them to be banned from the country.
The Beatles are without a doubt the biggest band of all time, and though decades have passed since they split up, their legacy has continued to endure. The members of the band made millions of dollars, and released a number of timeless albums that remain in listener rotation every single day.
While they were a global force (during their peak years), the band was rarely free from controversy, and John Lennon especially was no stranger to controversy during his life. At one point, a seemingly benign situation escalated to a point where the group was banned from an entire country.
Let’s look back and how The Beatles managed to offend and entire country – and get attacked by an angry group of people.
Updated September 2023: Sixty years after The Beatles' pop culture changing 1964 world tour, drummer Ringo Starr was quoted in a September 28 Associated Press article, discussing topics ranging from artificial intelligence (AI) in songwriting to the band's massive legacy. The AP said that to "call [Ringo Starr] prolific would almost shortchange his accomplishments ... but it also feels right."
Starr kicked off a brief tour on September 17th, with its first date in Ontario and its final date in Oklahoma in October. He acknowledged his tendency to keep touring, and joked that his "children and my wife are fed up with" his regular performances. Just a few days before Starr's interview was published, the BBC reported that a guitar string "believed to have been used" by fellow Beatle Sir Paul McCartney fetched £1,600 at auction.
The Beatles Turned Down Breakfast At The Presidential Palace In Manila In 1966
It’s not often that you hear of a celebrity or a group of famous musicians getting banned from an entire country, but the the 1960s were a wild time in rock music. Even a group as popular as The Beatles was subjected a fair share of controversy, and at one point, their antics led to the Fab Four getting banned from the Philippines.
At the height of their popularity, it seemed like every person in the world was susceptible to "Beatlemania," and this included royals and political figures. During their time in Manila for live performances, The Beatles were invited to the Presidential Palace for breakfast. First Lady of the day Imelda Marcos wanted the group to come to the palace for a large gathering.
Instead of accepting the invitation and having breakfast with the First Lady, the band turned down her invitation. They were under no obligation to show up to the breakfast, but they probably didn't anticipate the situation becoming a diplomatic kerfuffle. Not only was the First Lady upset, but so were many of the locals.
A Mob Breaks Out ... And The Boys Get Banned
After news broke that the group snubbed a head of state, all hell was about to break loose. The locals weren’t happy with the band's decision, and turned their anger toward the hotel where the band was staying.
Ringo Starr talked about the mob attack, providing a firsthand account of the outcry and aftermath: “We didn’t understand it. We came with 25 outriders getting us to the hotel. I was sharing a room with John (Lennon). We put the TV on in the morning and it was like, what the hell’s going on? They didn’t like us. They showed pictures of all the children. Someone with the TV camera going past these kids being miserable because we didn’t turn up.”
“And we’ve told them. We are not turning up. Anyway, we left back to the airport with one motorbike and we did get pushed around. But we got on the plane and were off to the next round. We were young lads. We came, we played. That’s all we’re there for. There was a hassle," he continued.
Thankfully, the group was able to get to their aircraft without further incident.
As for McCartney's recollection of the brouhaha, he said: “When we got on the plane, we were all kissing the seats. It was a feeling as if we’d found sanctuary. We had definitely been in a foreign country where all the rules had changed, and they carried guns. So we weren’t too gung-ho about it at all.”
Did The Group Ever Return?
In light of that disastrous visit, people might assume that over the decades, cooler heads would prevail – and that the band would have eventually made a triumphant return to play in the Philippines once again. Unfortunately for that country's fans, that was not the case, and the band never made a return to the Philippines.
Of course, the group ended up separating from one another and going their own direction musically, but to date, none of the members of the band wound up going back to the Philippines for a show after their harrowing experience. Clearly, they were put through a traumatic experience when they were attacked by an angry mob, and they have made sure to stay away. The band didn’t have an issue with everyone there – just the people who chased them away the first time.
“Though it didn’t mean we didn’t still love the people in the Philippines. It was just a couple of them we didn’t love. So that’s my story,” said Ringo.
The Beatles may be the biggest band ever, but even they weren’t big enough to avoid getting banned from an entire country.
Sources: thevintagenews.com, philstar.com
