It's hard to believe but I did not watch the streaming, or whatever they call it, of The Beatles on Disney. Honestly, I'm so glad now that I did not send a dime to that woke organization. I did catch a few promo clips, though, and it sounded too much like stuff I saw before.
My Beatles story is probably similar to yours. I bought their Mono & Stereo LPs, Reel to Reel Tapes, 8-track cartridges, cassettes and, more recently, on digital. (In my opinion, “Paperback Writer” sounds better on my old 45 than the digital super clean version. Maybe I’m just a fan of 45s and that AM radio that we grew up listening to.)
The Beatles broke up this week in 1970. Nixon was President, and the Kent State shooting and the incursion into Cambodia were in the news.
It started with Paul McCartney officially leaving the group but the guys had not played together for about a year. In other words, the Beatles had not really been a group since they recorded Abbey Road in the spring and summer of 1969.
This is what Rob Sheffield wrote:
Like everyone else, John, Paul, George, and Ringo watched the Beatles’ disintegration with shock and disbelief, with no idea how to apply the brakes.
I remember back in 1970-72, many fans thought that the band would be put back together. It was strange listening to the radio without our favorite band. It did not happen.
One guy said that George and Ringo would eventually realize that they just didn’t have enough of their material to survive as solo artists. By the way, it turned out to be true. George and Ringo were out of the radio by the mid-1970s. Sadly, it took John Lennon’s death to put a Harrison song (“All those years ago”) back on the charts.
Another guy said that Lennon & McCartney would eventually work together or write more of those wonderful songs. It did not happen because Paul’s solo success was huge, while John went into hiding after 1974.
Another guy said that a record company would overwhelm the guys with a bundle of money. I’m sure that such offers were made but never signed.
So, The Beatles ended their amazing run this week in 1970, and "Let it be" was # 1 on the charts.
Two months after the official breakup, McCartney released a solo album. It was so “solo” that he played every instrument. The most popular song was “Maybe I’m amazed,” although it was never released as a 45 in the U.S.
It happened 52 years ago and I really thought that they'd get back together eventually. Well, it did not happen and maybe it was meant to be that way. They look so young on those LP and 45 covers. Let's remember them that way rather than watching them grow old like Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.
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