Episode 1: She was just 17 if you know what I mean

Love & Malice

Sex, love and romance in the 1960s

Produced by Blue Trumpet for Radio 2RRR, Love & Malice explores 1960s attitudes to sex, love, and romance through the music of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan.

Episode 1: She was just 17 if you know what I mean

In this episode we see how the Beatles early songs reflected prevailing attitudes to love, sex and marriage. As Hugh Hefner tells us, the whole 1950s notion was find the right girl, get married, and move to the suburbs. All the Beatles tunes were songs of devotion. Even when they were being raunchy, they stayed on message. She was just 17 – ‘if you know what I mean’ – and already she’s the one he’s going to marry. By the time From Me To You was released, the Beatles were becoming a phenomenon. This was the tune that started an almost unbroken string of 17 British top singles released over the next six years.

Credits…

Produced by Blue Trumpet for Radio 2RRR
Engineered by Chris Virtue
Written and realized by James Benn
In conversation with Ray Rose
Voices in order of appearance…

• Nadine Helmi
• Ray Rose
• James Benn
• Phil Coventry
• Will Scott
• Chris Virtue