The Early Beatles
Some time ago I was watching a documentary about the Beatles and how they affected young people in other countries. It was spell-binding. Many cried as they talked about the Beatles’ music and what it meant to them. Even in countries we hated then–people still loved them.
When John Kennedy swept into office in 1960 with his beautiful, elegant, intelligent young wife, it was as if a cool breeze swept away all the old fogies to make room for these people who knew how to dress and who made Robert Frost Poet Laureate. Same with the Beatles–everything about them was new, different, fascinating. They wore impressive clothes, their hair was different, their accents intrigued us. To be young then was like spreading wings and flying over the Cathedral of Learning and the steel mills.
I Want To Hold Your Hand; She Loves you; And I Love Her; so many more early songs that I can’t even remember. I have a huge, thick piano book that has every Beatles song in “easy” piano and when I play them, Peter automatically begins to sing. It comes from our hearts.
When I came home in the morning after the night shift I would sing, every day, It’s Been A Hard Day’s Night.
Another song I always loved was “There are places I remember…” Sweet and pure.
“This Boy”–“I Don’t Want to Leave the Party but I’ll go”–“Love Me Do”–“If I Fell”-one of my favorites.
The Beatles set us free; the part of our hearts that was closed in responded to these working class young men who knew about love.
lgmwriting 