In case you haven’t noticed The Beatles are once again in the limelight. The fab four are now featured on a new video game as part of the RockBand franchise. Coinciding with this release is the re-mastered versions of there albums on the same day. It suddenly seems cool to like The Beatles again. I now have a reason to upgrade my gaming console. I think this is major testimony to the strength of there staying power. Even though they broke up close to forty years ago they still have the ability to be in the limelight.
I was born in the mid sixties when they were in there hey day and still producing music. Obviously I was born a little to late to enjoy them when were still together. I’ve often wished I was born about ten years earlier so I could have enjoyed them a bit more. Growing up in the seventies The Beatles music was still played on the airwaves along with there solo stuff that was more current. It seemed like they were always around just in the background. It was until later in the seventies to early eighties that I paid more serious attention to them.
In middle school music class we learned about The Beatle’s. We examined the lyric’s and meaning behind “Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”, “Penny Lane”, “Eleanor Rigby” , “With a little help from my friends” and probably others I don’t remember.
It seemed just as I was getting into them was about the time John Lennon was shot. I was shocked and felt like I had been robbed. This shook the music world like I’ve not seen since that time.
I think after that it was the twilight of other remaining Beatle’s career’s. Sir Paul McCartney put out some stuff but, it almost didn’t compare to his earlier solo stuff. George and Ringo had some solo stuff that was OK but after the eighties they all just seem to fade out. Not completely gone but, not center stage.
We fast forward to 2009 and in that time George Harrison has passed away along with Paul’s first wife Linda and he’s already divorced the second. He still tours from time to time. I’m not exactly sure what Ringo’s up to these days. You would think that for a pop/rock band from forty years prior would just be a faded memory. It seems just the opposite is happening. A recent example is when the anniversary of just taking the famous photo of The Beatles crossing the now famous “Abbey Road” attracted large crowds that authorities weren’t prepared for. The popular game franchise Rockband is set to release “The Beatles” version and there music catalog is again being re-released.
Personally though I may have put The Beatles in the back of my musical interests they have now gotten my attention once again. My favorite song now is “Hey Bulldog” from the “Yellow Submarine” soundtrack. What got my attention is the video for it. A rare studio take them performing the song together. I feel like I’ve discovered a new song that I now can’t get enough of. What makes this one a bit different is that they look like there having fun. In bit’s of later footage they seem a bit too serious. Many reports tell this was the pinnacle of The Beatles and that they never performed together quite the same after this one. Perhaps this is the way I want to remember them playing together.
It’s certainly nice to see Beatles once again be cool to like again. Now I’ve got to go watch the video again. Thank you John, Paul, George and Ringo for all you’ve done. What are your thoughts and memories of The Beatle’s?
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