Photo via American LiveWire
50 years ago, on a brisk February night in New York City, a four-piece from Britain made their U.S. television debut on The Ed Sullivan Show. An unprecedented 60% of American TV sets tuned in to witness the moment. It may have been the first major display of an era known as Beatlemania; a period in which four young lads from Liverpool changed the trajectory of popular music forever.
This might not come as a surprise to those who have experienced similar loss in their lives, but the morning I was informed of my mother’s death was one that was filled with their music. I’ve thought about it a lot since then. Why did I only listen to The Beatles that week? It’s true that Paul McCartney lost his mother, Mary, at the tender age of 15. And that Julia, mother of John Lennon, departed from this world when he was merely 17. But I think the consolation I felt from their work goes a bit deeper than just the ability to relate to the real-life experiences of its members.
Because the thing is, The Beatles used the word “love” 613 times in their songs—making it their 8th most popular word. But it’s their single, most favoured expression that really gave me an insight into the band’s seemingly everlasting appeal and greatness. That expression is “you”. The three letter word can be heard on 2262 occasions throughout their discography, and the subject of almost every Beatles song is another human being. A significant other. A friend. A mother.
It’s not a characteristic that’s unique to The Beatles, but it’s certainly what makes them special to me. That feeling of loving, longing and caring for someone else isn’t an isolated phenomenon; it’s what defines the human experience. It’s the barometer of our success in this life and if we happen to love someone with all our heart, we should wear it like a badge of honour. Like The Beatles did. I’ve been trying to do more of that lately, in memory of a mum whose favourite member was Ringo Starr, because “He didn’t get enough attention.”
So here’s to the greatest band of all time—to four people who turned love into song for generations past, and generations to come.
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