In the bed, in the room, in the house, in the street, in the hood, in the city, in the district, in the country, in the universe…you are never alone. The Beatles are everywhere, keeping you company.
When we were little kids, we were taught not to color outside the lines. We learn what we can expect from others. Everything we expect will be used against us. We need to be more imaginative. Imagination means breaking the boundaries of the real world. That is the message The Beatles have for all of us. Some people are like an open book, and some people are like post-it. But we are all the same, we all have imagination.
More than half a century ago, Love Me Do was played on the radio for the very first time. I obviously wasn’t born when the course of the history shifted. No one could suspect what a big impact this band is going to have on pop music and global culture. Everyone interested in music has opinion about whether The Beatles are the best band of all time. I am not so sure about that. Choosing between The Beatles and The Rolling Stones is like asking someone to choose between ass and boobs. It does not make much sense. What I am sure about, though, is that they are definitely the most influential music band. With their appearance, the world was simply changed forever.
Contribution that United Kingdom gave to the art could be compared only to the one that came with Shakespeare’s pieces. When The Beatles split up, the fans were shocked. They were praying it was not a definite end. Unfortunately, with Lennon’s death, it was the end. On the other hand, their cult just became bigger.The Beatles continued to exist posthumously. They spread the filleo, the lovely feelings of brotherhood and unity. Either If you were a communist, a capitalist, a negro, white or yellow, The Beatles perceived you as the same, as brothers.
When I bought my first guitar, my neighbor from the 7th floor gave me a guide called Guitar accords and the book Next Fifty Beatles Hits (I have never learned the first 50). I didn’t know how to read notes so I had to listen to the songs before trying to play them. That is why I’ve decided to get cassettes of The Beatles albums. It was love at first listen. I have especially fond memories of winter afternoons at Belgrade’s retro cinema Kinoteka where I was watching Let it Be and Hard day’s night. Every once a while, I remember how John Lennon is not with us anymore. Contemplating about his death makes me wonder If the world we live in today is darker than it ever was.
The most important thing The Beatles have taught me is to be free with my own creativity. Imagination is one big television screen; we just keep forgetting how to turn it on. It is a privilege given to modern man who is obsessed with actions, plans and social climbing. It is very important to nurture your imagination, because it pours sense into our lives and allows us to stay in contact with our emotions. It makes us free.
Many fans try to capture that free, hippie spirit by buying stuff carved with The Beatles sentiment. I never understood the passion people nurture towards the objects related to The Beatles. It seemed to me like it is some kind of product placement dedicated to stupid people. If you want to pay 40.000$ for the watch that Lennon was wearing for only two months, go ahead and be an aristocrat. I have always appreciated those who became famous because they are smart and talented, but I really don’t care about their guitars or toasters or autographs. Music is what is valuable. The only thing that’s left is the essence. And random encounters.
Anyhow, I have my own The Beatles antique object. I am keeping it in my heart. I was walking in the London’s Reagent park with my godfather and his family, which I was visiting at that time. It was sunny, innocent day. Suddenly, I heard a command in the tone of the order to get in the rescue boat before it is too late – ‘’Look to the left’’. There was Paul McCartney, standing with some little girl. ‘’Very discreetly done’’, he said and smiled at me. I said ‘’Cheers’’. I didn’t return as the same person afte that trip.
You can feel the same way every time you play any of The Beatles songs.
