The View From Here – Remembering The Legend
I just finished watching the Beatles documentary – Get Back. And I’m not afraid to say I had tears in my eyes as the final credits ran. Mixed in with some out takes from the filming that was over three weeks long. I’m not sure if you’ve watched it or not, but I highly recommend it. The Beatles. Coming together for the recording of what would be their final album. Let It Be.
I went into as a fan of the Beatles already. John Lennon my favourite Beatle. Followed by Paul McCartney. But I leave with a deep appreciation for all four.
At first it was a bit slow. Just cameras and microphones listening in as they came together to work on one more album, possibly a tv show or movie or documentary about the making of the album. And you can tell they don’t REALLY want to be there. It’s been a while since they worked together. They were all feeling a bit frustrated. Paul was trying his best to manage the work, but his suggestions weren’t taken to eagerly. George is trying to bring his own music to the group, his own ideas, but nobody seems to want to listen or think it’s worth pursuing. At one point he up and quits. Just like that. But that’s when you see, this group is so much more than the music. You see them as friends. You see how they value each other and how much the group and the music mean to them. And they don’t or won’t go on without one. Ringo might be “just the drummer” but you get to see him more as a person. You realize just how young they were as well. The pressure they were under to be the best.
Yoko One a constant in this. Always by John’s side. Not saying anything or interrupting, like you might think, like we’ve been made to believe. Just. There. You always get a feel for how the others in the band feel about it. At one point she DOES ask a question about the performance, and you can tell by Paul’s answer and response that they DON’T want her there. At least, that’s how I felt about it.
You see their personality. You see how talented they really were. How they could sit and create a song out of nothing. You could see the “work” of the group.
I can honestly say I don’t LOVE every Beatles song. But I sure have my favourites. And to see some of those songs come to be was pretty amazing to watch. Get Back. Just a few strums on a guitar and some words thrown together became a huge song. To see the playfulness of the group. John Lennon was an incredibly funny man.
And I think what struck me the most was knowing what would happen to him. The sadness felt. Seeing him as this funny, caring human being, knowing his life would be cut short.
That performance in the documentary would be their last as a band.
Today marks the anniversary of the shooting of John Lennon. Gunned down in the streets of New York that he called home. By a “fan”. Hard to imagine. Rolling Stone sat down with him for nine hours for an interview just days before he was killed. So unfair. So tragic. So unbelievably sad.
So today, I think of the impact John Lennon and the Beatles, had on the world. On music. I feel sad for the what the world lost. For Yoko and his boys left behind. What could have been. And I’ll listen to the music and be thankful I was introduced to their music so long ago. I’ll watch YouTube videos of the music, past interviews, and remember. Reading comments on how much his music made an impact. Caught up in pictures and videos.
Do you have a favourite Beatles song? A favourite Beatle? Do you consider yourself a fan of the music?
My heart goes out to those who knew him and are remembering him in a different way today.
Thank you for the music John. Your legend lives on.
