Beatles are back
I heard that the new Beatles Rock Band game was on its way but it wasn’t until right before 9-9-09 that I found out that the entire Beatles album catalog was to be re-released, newly spruced up and remastered. Those who know me know that the Beatles are a major influence in my life and those of you who were, like me, teenagers in the mid-to-late sixties know how that feels. When a new Beatles single would come out it was so exciting for me - I would be on cloud nine for days! Hearing the songs always made me happy and so I would play them over and over. Although, I didn’t need to because Top-40 radio stations played them round the clock, too. Really, except for my kids and a few men in my life there isn’t much that surpasses the excitement I felt in those days when I heard a Beatles song.
Their influence on me cannot be measured because they permeated so much of what I was into. First off, as a member of a musical family I wanted everyone to love the music like I did and I was thrilled when my Dad, piano and guitar-playing arranger and excellent tenor, said, “That John Lennon is a genius” when Rubber Soul came out. My brother - the killer pianist and guitarist - loved them as much as I did and indulged me many times by playing to my singing. In fact, one year on my birthday I had a Beatles themed party and he played the whole afternoon while we sang as many Beatles songs as we could remember. And, yes, sadly, I have forgotten some of the words… But the new re-released albums will bring them all back to me!
It’s interesting that the Beatles went through many of the same things we did in our baby-boomer lives such as experimenting with drugs, embracing counterculture and exploring alternative religions. Post-Beatles, Paul, John and George have continued to influence me. I loved George from the first time I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He was quiet, good looking and seemed so Liverpudlian. That mattered to me because of being born in Wales not far from Liverpool. I couldn’t believe that the biggest group ever came from my little part of the world. Too much! So there are many reasons why I will always love them but most of all - the music still lifts me up and enhances my life. Even when I’m feeling low a Beatles song can snap me right out of it. I’m so glad they’re back and making new generations of fans just as happy as I’ve been. One of the students at work last week heard me talking about the new releases and she said, “Oh, are you talking about the Beatles? I love their songs. You know, really, everybody loves them.”




