Posted on by Phil Strawn

“Maybe It’s Time For The Beatles to Just, Let It Be”


The Mop Tops, photo by Mick Jagger

I am a Beatles fan from the night I saw them on Ed Sullivan back in February of 1964. I bought all of their albums, and when I played in a rock band starting in 1965, I played their music with a vengeance. Loud amplifiers and crunching electric guitars, that’s what the lads inspired us to do. They also taught me that there are more than three guitar chords as well as diminished and augmented ones to boot. The poor Beach Boys never figured that out until Brian Wilson wrote and engineered Pet Sounds. The boys from Liverpool gave them a lesson or two.

I watched the trailer for the upcoming Beatles documentary by Peter Jackson a few nights ago. “Let It Be” is and will be a huge hit and seen by millions if not more. Beautiful cinematography and soundtrack make this the best rock music movie ever made. Hats off to Peter for his effort and talent.

The Beatles, as a band, hasn’t played a lick together since 1970, and then it was an unpleasant experience from what I have read. The movie gives us a glimpse of their shared acrimony, but we will never know the sordid details, nor should we.

Recently, Sir Paul, the fossilized bass player said it was John that killed the band, not he. I can see that being true, but at this point, there are not many who still care who’s fault it was, or is. John and his muse, Yoko, or was it the other way around? drove a stone wedge into the heart of the lad’s kindred spirits ending the greatest musical act ever known to humans of my generation and perhaps a few after.

Paul also said a few days ago that the Rolling Stones were basically a blues cover band. Well, that is true, that is what they were and still are. Their music pales to the catalog of the Beatles. It’s almost amateurish in comparison, and if you have seen the Stones live in the last 10 years, you wonder who keeps digging up their graves and reanimating them, although Charlie Watts checked out with some class the others will never have. And that is what brings me to this next observation.

The Beatles had their time in history and used it well. Their legacy and music will be around for centuries in one form or another, the two remaining members will not. Ringo Starr has throttled it back and enjoys being in his late 70s, playing a gig here and there, and enjoying what few years he has left. Paul McCartney, the cute one, the mop-top lovable narcissist can’t seem to let it go. Once the “old man” voice sets in, then it’s curtains. Paul has it bad. Time to pay the valet and get the hell home, drink your Ovaltine, and hit the sack. It’s a bit embarrassing to see an old geezer jumping around on stage flicking his hair about like he is 20 years old. Come to think of it, that’s exactly what Mick the Jagger does, but only a bit better, and he is more agile and thinner because he hasn’t eaten a cheeseburger in 50 years and lives on good booze, spring water, and replacement organs.

I find as the years have slipped by, I am less a Beatles fan than I was in the 80s, 90s, or even the early 2000s. I still have all the albums, but rarely spin them. I guess one could say I suffer from Beatles fatigue, or misplaced envy, or even old age, of which I am, at 72. One thing good is that I am still a musician and singer, and can play most of their tunes if I wished to. The trouble is, I don’t wish to now. I’m not hating on the boys, and I hope Peter Jackson makes a zillion bucks with his film, and it wins an Oscar or some trophy.

I am only suggesting that maybe after 57 years, maybe the Beatles should just say goodnight, and Let It Be.

11 Replies to ““Maybe It’s Time For The Beatles to Just, Let It Be””

  2. Everybody has favorite Beatles songs and I do as well, but I guess I never really saw the fascination. Not that they were bad. At first, their music seemed so simple anyone could have written it (I wanna Hold your Hand?) and they seemed more a crazy fad than really talented people. They were novel and different and maybe that was enough. They were at first a teeny bopper type band and all my friends were in love with Paul while I was still enamored with Elvis. As time went on, they displayed more talent but their music, especially the lyrics, never really moved me much. Not a single song makes my all times favorites list. But my daughter loves them. At least the Stones were able to convey some emotion at times. Give me the Eagles any day for music and lyrics. Oh well. I have a wide range of taste in music, rock and otherwise, but somehow the Beatles just didn’t seem to move my soul. I’m glad you loved the movie, though. . I may very well like it as well And I know you have some expertise in music. But I think Sir Paul’s comment was a bit low class and unnecessary, true or not. Why be that hurtful at such a late date for heaven’s sake? It was annoying to see it spread across the newsfeed. Yes, the Stones loved Muddy Waters and the blues — so do I. Cover band? Did they only do other peoples’ music? I am not sure who wrote their stuff. Oh well, you are funny and a great writer and I suspect a great musician so maybe I’ll give them another chance and watch the movie. 🙂

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    1. I believe the movie will be a hit and by default will give the lads another 10 years or so of popularity. My son and I saw the Stones at AT&T stadium when their last tour in Texas stopped by. I wasn’t as impressed as I should have been for what we paid for the tickets. I have had a few chances to see Sir Paul, but declined. My wife and I have seen the Eagles twice and they were well worth the cost. Thanks for the well thought reply.

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  3. Well of course I have to disagree- I wasn’t there in the 60’s when it happened but after ‘discovering’ The Beatles nearly 50 years ago I am still an obsessed fan and can’t get enough. …. as far as who broke up The Beatles- of course it was John BUT it was a brilliant move in my opinion. Perfect timing and also brilliant move never reuniting during the 70’s. Why mess with perfection. They knew when to walk away. [So did Led Zeppelin… The Who- well they didn’t and neither have The Stones-]

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    1. Good one! I’m still a fan, how could I not be. My grand daughter made it quiet clear to me that she thought I was a bit old for standing up there and playing rock music. Yep, the Beatles made a smart move.

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      1. I do wonder when it will all die down. I can’t recall the last time I went to a bookstore and in the music magazine section- there wasn’t a mag with The Beatles on the cover or a new book on them. ,,,,, na you’re not too old- as long as Mick is still out there jumping around.

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  4. I had the chance to spend 11 hours with May Pang (Lennon’s girlfriend during the Lost Weekend that lasted years). She blamed the Beatles breakup on Yoko & John. She said Yoko had a mesmerizing & manipulative hold on John. Pang worked for them as a secretary type position at The Dakota when Yoko suggested she date John (Yoko was sneaking off with another musician).
    It was a fun day to spend with her and I learned a good deal. I even laid on the bed she & John shared. Enduring memories of the best band ever.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. If I would have grown up with them I could have felt different but I was 3 in 1970 and I never could find another band that measures up to them. The Who were the closest to me…certainly not the Stones. I am listening to the White Album as I write this lol.
    What excites me about this Get Back project is seeing this footage… since reading about it when I was 8 years old. The way the members described it…they had a good time once they moved the filming to Apple….everyone else concentrated on the filming in Twickenham studios where it was miserable.

    Personally I’m glad it ended when it did looking back…without them releasing a bad album like the Stones did with Dirty Work and a few more…and the Who should have ended with Keith Moon. The Beatles are contained to the sixties forever and disco, new wave, or anything else never entered their picture collectively. I think they had one or two more great albums left but I’m glad they didn’t do it.

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