The Beatles were on Ed Sullivan last night.

Our collective heart went boom as the group rocked its way through five sounds from their now-classic album "Meet the Beatles." Students gathered around T.V. sets wherever they could be found, anticipating every word of the songs as they came over the air. A Humphrey-Bogart type in Quincy had an identity exists. Two 'Cliffies in Moors Hall turned down dates so they could listen to the Beatles in private homage instead.

The Beatles opened with a fast-moving "All My Lovin," and immediately afficionados sensed something wrong; Beatle George Harrison, down with laryngitis, wasn't singing. But Ringo Starr was making up for it with a superb performance on the sticks and cymbals.

The two best sounds were saved for the second appearance. When "I Saw Her Standing There" began, the fans went out of their minds:

She was just seventeen

And you knew what I mean;

And the way she looked

Was way beyond compare...

The last number was "I want to Hold Your Hand," but by that time most of us were too weak to clap. We just sat back and loved it. Too much.