The Beatles have been in my life forever, it seems.
I have told this story before – perhaps it is only a myth – about the time when I was a baby – a mere toddler – when I used to dance to the Beatles (why am I thinking Twist and Shout?!) playing on the radio. I must have been one or two years old and we were in the US for a short while, before returning to India.
Then there was the time we got the new stereo system in our home in Chennai. I got my proper introduction to the boys.
It was all brought back to mind by Get Back, the new Peter Jackson documentary about the Beatles that is now available on the Disney Streaming Channel. The documentary is about the making of the last album that The Beatles produced, Let It Be. This documentary is probably only for the diehard Beatles fans. It is in three parts, and it is quite long. It is basically a collection of videos captured (officially!) during the recording of Let It Be. The documentary has no commentary. It basically shows the hard work that goes into the whole process of creating a new album. It captures the setting for the rehearsals and recordings, including the personalities, the egos, the interactions, the conflicts, the brilliance, the playfulness, the creative process, etc.. of the Fab 4. The documentary is raw, and often seems to be repetitive, in its presentation. It looked like a train-wreck about to happen, but it all came together somehow. There was a lot that was happening.
And then there is the book that I am reading – In Their Lives. It is an anthology of essays from twenty-nine people, recognized in their fields, talking about their favorite Beatles songs.
All of this inspired me to listen to Abbey Road once again after a very long time and rediscover this brilliant piece of work.
It feels like the Beatles have been in my life all my life.
Splattered Brains 