Genius of a Foursome

Today would have been John Lennon's 60th birthday, so I decided to commemorate this event (and my 50th epinion) with a review of this incredible Beatles compilation. So many superlatives have been written about this band--younger listeners may not be familiar with some of the material from this era, which is often called The Beatles' psychedelic experimentation. Here's my take on the tracks I like best:

When "Strawberry Fields Forever" was a hit, I was five going on six. I actually thought it was about an endless field--I took at at face value, since I was unaware of the notion of psychedelia. This song always takes me away--it lets me imagine things and takes me back to the time when I was a child. songs like this let me forego the stifling tendencies of my peer group for a while. The instrumentation displays an angst--a need to get away from it all.

When I was young, I thought "Penny Lane" was about a girl named Penny. The lyrics of this song are those that a five or six-year old can relate to. These lyrics paint a vivid picture of life on this street when the writer was the same age I was when the song was a hit.

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was our first peek into the most critically acclaimed album of all time. This 33 1/3 masterpiece was released, strangely enough, 33 1/3 years ago this month, in June 1967. The brassy fanfare of this song gives it the quality of an overture--a sneak preview of a fascinating experience ahead of us. We are encouraged to forget our cares and pretensions and come inside.

"With a Little Help from My Friends" is a song that most of us can relate to. The lyrics speak of an urgent need to feel connected to someone else--the need to be liked and understood. I had that need, even at age six, in 1967. The most haunting lyrics for me remain:

Do you need any-body
I just need somebody to love

Lennon and McCartney nail that emotion and crystallize it for all of us.

The next track was a song I never actually heard until Elton John covered it in 1974. This song tells of an acid trip, though John insisted the song's lyrics be taken at face value. I liked the lyrics about cellophane--it reminded me of using this paper in art class, especially the red. The kaleidoscope eye lyric dovetailed with the popularity of kaleidoscopes among my peer group back then.

"A Day in the Life" was a stark song that spoke of a man who suffered an overdose. This was brought home in brutally honest terms:

And though the holes were rather small
they had to count them all...

This song builds as time goes by. There's a wild variety of emotions explored, from euphoria to the crash. The tension seems to parallel an addict's need for more and more to satisfy his craving. The song explodes like a volcano at the end.

In August 1967 the Beatles reached #1 on the pop chart with their take on the Summer of Love. This song seemed to yearn for a simpler time, namely 1964, as the fadeout sees the group singing, "She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah." A lot had changed in the world from spring of 1964 to the summer of 1967, including the Vietnam War.

"I Am the Walrus" is another delightful journey into the mind, with offbeat lyrics. It always reminded me of the eggman coming to our house every Thursday morning, as well as Chumley, the walrus in the 1960s cartoon, Tennessee Tuxedo. Tears for Fears' 1989 hit, "Sowing the Seeds of Love" had a very similar melody. I've always enjoyed the distortion in this song--you don't need drugs to take a mental trip--you can almost feel the waves of this song.

"Hello Goodbye" was one of those songs that I actually remember hearing as a six-year-old. The lyrics talk about a couple's inability to communicate with each other.It also seems to discuss mankind's inability to relate to other people. Often, the love of "normality" or "sophistication" can get in the way of our ability to understand others. The instrumentation had the marching-band quality that children like, along with a vital message.

"Fool on the Hill" was a song from 1968. I actually recall hearing the Sergio Mendes version frequently on MOR radio that summer. The Beatles' version is a bit more psychedelic. It has the amusement-park feel to it, but the lyrics talk of an outcast with a cynical attitude toward society. The song, however, seems to be from the mainstream point of view, as was the 1966 hit, "Nowhere Man," another song about an alienated person.

"Magical Mystery Tour" was one of those songs that had that spring-fever feel to it. It is a song that I like to play during the first warm Saturday of March or April. The lyrics have that circus atmosphere to them, and it is a record that must be heard outdoors.

"Lady Madonna" seems to take a sardonic look at a nun. As a Roman Catholic, I was a bit uneasy with the Beatles' sarcastic attitude toward this unpretentious sister.It is apparent that this nun was hurting for money.

"Hey Jude" was the biggest hit The Beatles ever had, spending nine weeks at#1 in the fall of 1968. When I was young, I thought they were singing to St. Jude. Later on, I found out the song was about Lennon's son, Julian. There's been a lot of speculation about the lyrics toward the end--many believe it is about heroin. Who knows. This marathon song was seven minutes long and had an incredible chart run.

"Revolution" was The Beatles' social commentary. It was about the extremism of the leftist movements of the time. They seem to be telling the movements that there was a fine line between progressivism and dogmatic radicalism, which is only a stone's throw from Communism. The song seem to be foretelling the fragmentation and demise of the American Left of the 1960s. While this song was a hit, Richard Nixon, a Republican, was elected President.

"Back in the USSR" had a driving, Chuck Berry-esque beat to it. It was a straight-ahead rocker that was sort of a throwback to some of their early cover versions of 1950s rockers.

"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" was my favorite track off the White Album. It was one of George Harrison's best compositions, and his guitar work made the song a memorable one. I enjoyed the nonsensical lyrics juxtaposed with more serious ones.

"Ob La Di, Ob La Da" was another childlike painting of a typical day in working-class Briatain. The quaint nature of the lyrics made it a good singalong. The song was actually released as a single in American in late 1976. At first, I thought they were saying, "Ob la di, ob la da, like your song" until a 1976 classmate named Sue revealed the actual lyrics.

"Get Back" was the Fab Four's biggest hit of 1969, spending a month at #1 in late spring. The guitar work made this song an accessible classic rock number. This was probably the band's first single with a '70s flavor to it. Guitar solos were becoming more prominent, and the early groundwork for '70s classic rock/AOR were being laid down. R&B singer Billy Preston sang backup on this record.

"Here Comes the Sun" was one of those songs that brings to mind the first of March (or late February). It is the kind of song you like to hear when the harshness of winter begins to let up and the first signs of spring arrive. This song reminds me of a 40-degree day when the ice turns to slush. Ironically, the winter of 1969-70 was a severe one in the Northeast, and this song was apropos for that year. Folk singer Richie Havens had a top 20 hit with this song in the spring of 1971, after another long, cold winter.

"Come Together" was the band's foray into hard rock. The intrigue of the verses kicks into an unforgettable chorus. The lyrics of the song remain a mystery to me--I still wonder what they are singing about.

"Something" was an unpretentious love song, written by George Harrison. This ballad quickly became a pop standard, covered by many middle-of-the-road artists. Jazz singer Shirley Bassey had a moderate hit with it in 1971.

"Octopus's Garden," a Ringo Starr composition, had that whimsical quality that was present in many of The Beatles' hits. The song is sung with a kid's imagination, unfettered by the strictures of adult normalophilia. The song takes you right down underneath the ocean.

"Let It Be" reminded me of two events: Kent State, which I vaguely remember, and First Communion practice, which I remember quite well. By the end of that week, the nun almost convinced me I was headed for somewhere other than heaven or purgatory. However, this song helped ease the pain. At first, I thought Pasul McCartney was singing about the Virgin Mary. However, he is singing about his mother, Mary. My mom's name is Mary as well, and she, a big Beatle fan, has often echoed this song.

"Across the Universe" is a spacious-sounding number that takes you away. It can be a cure for insomnia ina a relaxing way.

"The Long and Winding Road" was probably a popular prom song in 1970--it peaked in June of that year and was The Beatles' last #1 hit. It was a simple, poignant record that had that melancholy quality you often come across in June ballads. It was a fitting end to the disc.

When I received the record version of this album, for my 19th birthday in 1980, I was fascinated by the blue vinyl. Simply looking at the disc was enough to spellbind you. And the songs--wow!