Apropos nothing

My sons are big Beatles fans. They've been listening to it since birth, but it really clicked for them when I picked up the movie Yellow Submarine. The weird thing is, I always found that movie unspeakably dull. It's slow with lots of "psychedelic" animation. I freely admit I am part of the MTV generation. But my boys just love it.

My mother was a teenager when the Beatles invaded. She regretted throwing all of her memorabilia away when she left home; she had no idea that when I was fifteen I would be mad about the Beatles too. I had all their records and Beatle posters all over my room. The idea that her grandchildren love the Beatles too is amazing. The music just never sounds old.

So I was thinking back and there is a definite pattern to my love of the Beatles. When I was a teenager, John was my favorite Beatle. He is the god of angry teenagers, though, isn't it? But after I had read every book about the Beatles I could get my hands on, I quickly realized that John was a bit of a prick. I've mellowed with age, I would now say John had a truckload of issues, but I've never gotten around to forgiving him for the way he treated his son Julian. With everything he went through, he should have known better. I'm not judging or blaming really, I've never met the man, but he was no longer my favorite Beatle.

So my twenties were all about Paul. From talking to people, one almost gets the impression one would get more respect for saying Ringo was your favorite Beatle. John was edgy, Paul is milquetoast (is the usual argument), to which I say: Helter Skelter. The guy has a gift for melody, and I love that his love songs seem to be all about his wife. Writing about the unatainable, unrequited love is easy. Writing about love in a decades-long monogamous relationship? That takes talent.

So far, my thirties have been about George. His last album, made after he knew he was dying, is one of the most beautiful, most optimistic things I've heard. It's so cool and so George. I don't listen to whole records back-to-front much anymore, I usually randomize my iTunes and listen to whatever, but George's record is a back-to-front listen.

Which leaves me wondering, are my forties going to be the decade of Ringo? I saw him on tour with his All-Starr Band. I think my forties are going to be a lot of fun.