I've really taken my time to make a remark in this thread, haven't I? Which, I suspect, is as a result of focusing on railway-related threads but never mind.
Oh well, here I am now...
It's difficult to say quite how long I've known about The Beatles but Ringo Starr was definately the first I can remember. Then in came John Lennon & Paul McCartney, two of the most fantastic musicians the world has ever known.
John Lennon, who wrote up all the lyrics and continued to display his talent long after the band split in half. He was also the first of the four to pass on, shot dead in New York some 28 years ago...
Sir Paul McCartney, who, I think, should be better remembered for his singing voice and contribution to both James Bond and elements of Scottish culture (
Mull Of Kintyre), rather than his legal battles with Heather Mills.
*Sceptical* Controversy these days!!
Then there was George Harrison, also sadly deceased, who came up with some of the more gentle songs (
Here Comes The Sun to name one). Listening to it now, on this peaceful December evening, with Christmas now 25 days away, I can easily see why it's so popular.
But there was so much more to The Beatles than just songs that brightened an otherwise wet day. There were loud boisterous anti-Communist songs from the demise of BR Steam (
Revolution strikes me as being one). There were songs that appealed to emotions and panicky situations (
Help! seems ideal to play when something's getting one wound up!
).
There were songs that seemed almost unhappy (
Ticket To Ride being one, although you can easily picture the contrast between Liverpool and Ryde on the Isle Of Wight when you listen to it). There were busy active songs that made one think of things like the Travelling Post Office (
A Hard Day's Night anyone?).
There were illustrious depictions of life with imagery from other parts of the world (Norwegian Wood in particular). There were songs that bubbled with boisterous romance and passion (
I Want To Hold Your Hand), there were jazzy classics that spoke of promise and good things to come (
Drive My Car), witty depictions of personalities that, unusually, seem a bit blank (
Nowhere Man) and even the odd song that, to judge by the music, seemed almost a bit tipsy (
Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds appears to have been one!).
There were deep, puzzling songs whose lyrics gave off more images than you knew what to do with (
I Am The Walrus definately sparks contradiction and unease). Some of the songs in fact will have given some of us sufficient inspiration to become authors (is anyone on this forum a
Paperback Writer?).
And finally, of course, there was that internationally famous hit that we all remember by the resounding title
Yellow Submarine. Not so much "Where Eagles Dare" as the positive aspects of TUGS combined with a country that war veternas were proud of.
But of course even Ringo Starr, much as we remember him for his narratives of Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends, had to put his drumming kit forward for the audience's approval. Inspiring many a great artist today with his talent and not being so much an Octopus on dry land but someone in an
Octopus's Garden now that his fame had been so well earned.
In fact, in cross-reference to Mike O'Donnel and Junior Campbell, I can see now that they must have been inspired by a blend of Ringo Starr and Barry Gray!
Anyway, after a long tangent to wander along
, with four amazing musicians, a portfolio of songs that still amaze me to this day and goodness knows how much else, The Beatles are without doubt some of the best rock bands I've ever known!
As ChrisTheXelent will have mentioned earlier in this thread, long may its legacy live on!
Warm Regards,
MRHloco
P.S. I can think of a fair few clips of trains at work in the 1990s that would go well with
Eight Days A Week. Such a delight to listen to - that's classic romance in the making. ;D Fits in well with one's interests as well...