Let’s talk about four old dudes, but not just any four old dudes. The greatest four old dudes the world has ever come to know…. Are you ready for it? The Beatles.
The Beatles are probably the greatest band….ever. And now they are getting a movie, about what the world would look like if everyone, except one guy, forgot about them. (Yesterday, check out the trailer (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uqvgPm8U4c). I cried.) Along with that, Peter Jackson (The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings) is directing a new documentary about them. (Petition for it to be called Lord of the Ringos, in my honest opinion). The Beatles are getting some massive hype. So, I’m here to tell you that The Beatles have always been, as the kids these days say, a slap.
Now I know what you’re thinking, “What? A 20 year old girl likes a band from 38 years before she was alive, even before her parents were around?” Why yes, yes I do like a band from 38 years before my time. Actually, I like music starting in the 50s and stretching to now, but let’s not get into that.
The story of why I like The Beatles may not sound very personal or touching. It’s not like I listened to The Beatles after my great uncle was assassinated in New York right outside his house (AKA John Lennon), but it is still a pretty good story.
Every since I was a wee little girl I have loved music. I had CDs stacked a mile high, and I would listen to them and sing and dance to them. One of those CDs was “The Beatles for Kids” and it was one of those weird, tribute bands that sang Beatles songs with little kids. When I was that young I didn’t appreciate the songs as much as I do now. Years went by and the CD sat in the middle of my pile collecting dust, until one day in middle school. I was sitting in my room after a super crappy day and I pulled out this weird, tribute band Beatles CD. I was listening to it and then the miracle happened, that miracle happened to be called “Here Comes the Sun”. I played that song on repeat for a solid two hours. That was the day “Here Comes the Sun” became my favorite song.
Flash forward to the end of my eighth grade year and I am sitting in band class. Mr. Rose, one half to the infamous Rose Brothers, explained to my class that the high school marching band show, which we would all proudly be apart of, was Beatlemania. I was so excited, not knowing that there were more Beatles songs than just the ones on my measly little 13 track CD. In June I went to Casper to get my haircut with my mom and grandma. After we all got our haircut, colored, and styled, like true women, we went to the mall. In Target I was shopping around when a gray t-shirt caught my eye. I begged and begged for my mom to buy it for me, finally she caved and bought it. I was now a proud owner of a Beatles t-shirt. At that time I had no idea that the album cover was “A Hard Day’s Night,” or anything about The Beatles really, but damn it our marching band show was The Beatles and I now owned a Beatles t-shirt.
The day of marching band camp came, and I was excited. We sat in the band room that hot August day, and I sat in the far back, so proud of my Beatles knowledge. Mr. Chad Rose started playing the show music. Panic set in as I realized that I knew none of these songs. Anger rose from me afterwards. When we were all getting our instruments my friend, Bridget, was conversing with Mr. Rose about the songs, which ones were their best ones and which ones weren’t. Embarrassment set in as I realized I wasn’t the all knowing Beatles fan that I thought I was. I became determined to know more.
Marching season passed and I had added a Beatles station to my Pandora radio and had acquired a magazine that was full of Beatles pictures. The next year my knowledge grew to who the Beatles married, who they were, and which one was my favorite. (It’s Ringo Starr if you were wondering). 2014 marked the 50th anniversary of when the Beatles arrived in America, and I proudly watched the two hour tribute to them, including the reunion of Paul and Ringo. I have gathered 2 more magazines, a calendar, a deck of playing cards, and a new t-shirt with the Abbey Road cover. I haven’t just faked my major fangirlness; I have all the songs basically memorized, and don’t claim a favorite. They are all my favorites, some more than others. I proudly own a book of all their songs and their stories. (They have more than 200 songs just to give some perspective. I can tell you what year the song came out, on what album, and who wrote it. Not trying to brag or anything. I can even tell you when is the first time they tried LSD, something they were infamous for. In high school we had to do a project to become “experts” in a chosen topic. I bet you can’t guess what mine was. IF you can’t, it was The Beatles.
I guess what I’m trying to say is the Beatles have done a lot for me, even if they don’t know it. They have always being there for me when I’ve had a bad day, and I think that’s who these new movies are for, the fans. (Obviously me that’s who all movies are for, duh). The fans of all ages. The ones who saw them in concert, to the ones who are just now discovering them. Basically it’s like the world’s tribute to them.
Personally, this little article is like my tribute to them. To the men that never broke my heart, except when I learned that I could never be with George Harrison. I’m awful at closing these things out, so let’s just use the infamous words of John, Paul, George, and Ringo. “Some are dead and some are living. In my life I’ve loved them all. But of all these friends and lovers. There is no one compares to you. In my life, I love you more.”
* Most of this is from an essay that I had to write for my Junior Year AP English Class. Just stating this here so it’s not like I plagiarized myself or whatever.I have a lot of little tributes for these guys and there will be more to come.