BEATLES AT BOSTON´S LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT ON Aug 11,1966

John certainly had better months in his lifetime than August of 1966. He probably wasn’t expecting the level of widespread hatred he would endure after he infamously said about the Beatles in an Evening Standard interview: “We’re more popular than Jesus now — I don’t know which will go first, rock and roll or Christianity.”

That quote was part of a longer statement, but it inevitably boiled down to just “We’re bigger than Jesus”. John regretted the comment and admitted he essentially spoke without thinking, saying in a subsequent interview “It was just what came out of my mouth at the time,” according to the Telegraph. There was no agenda at play, just a young guy making a stupid remark that he could have (or should have) known would offend millions of people.

John definitely had a massive amount of detractors over the comment, but it barely fazed the Beatles’ most ardent followers. Above is a photo of a group of fans at Logan Airport in Boston on August 11, 1966, just days after Lennon’s quote hit the presses, waiting for the band to arrive while flaunting signs like “We support John” and “All is well with J.W.L.”.

The guys were really just flying to Logan so they could transfer to another flight that took them to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, where they played the first gig of their 1966 tour. But, like everywhere the Beatles went in the mid-’60s, they had to get to their next flight through police escort.

Part of the crowd of 600 that showed up at Boston’s Logan International Airport on Thursday, August 11, 1966, to greet the Beatles, many holding signs showing they support John. Lennon had been criticized for statements he made regarding Christianity. (AP Photo)

Boston wasn’t the only city that drew a flock of Beatles supporters that day – the London Airport also had fans arrive in droves just to catch a glimpse of the band before they left for America. Here are five more photos from that day:

John is shown as a state trooper aids him through a crowd of newsmen at Logan International Airport in Boston, Aug. 11, 1966 as he and other members transferred planes after a flight from London. The Beatles are en route to Chicago where they will start their third tour of American cities. It was Lennon who was quoted as saying the group is more popular than Jesus, setting off a ban by numerous U.S. radio stations on playing their records. (AP Photo)

 

The Beatles are pictured in the rain waving at the airport in London, England, August 11, 1966, prior to their departure to Boston, USA, for their tour of Canadian and American cities. (AP Photo/Harris)

Teenage girl Beatles fans, wearing shirts covered with Beatles slogans, scream and clop from the spectators’ gallery at the airport in London, England, August 11, 1966, at the band’s departure to Boston, USA, for their tour of Canadian and American cities. (AP Photo/Harris)

Hundreds of teenage girls, many with banner, line the spectators’ gallery at London Airport, England to see The Beatles who are flying to Canada and America for their third US tour on August 11, 1966. Many of the girls had waited all night to get the best places to see the band. (AP Photo/Harris)