In case you haven’t heard, The Beatles Channel launched on Sirius XM this past Thursday, May 18, 2017, at 9:09 A.M. (If you are a Beatles fan, you will know why that particular time was selected for the launch.) I was listening with rapt attention, even making a video of the car radio as The Beatles Channel launched. (I know, I know.) My instant review: my life is now complete.
I
have resisted parodying Beatles’ songs on this blog out of a matter of
reverence; the songs are all so important in my life that it borders on
sacrilege to utilize them for humorous purposes. I have parodied one Beatles song written by George
Harrison, see While My Tee Ball Gently Leaks here.
But
my most important Beatles reference in The Golf Album Blog is not a parody, it
is used in an ode to my father who passed away on St. Patrick’s Eve, 2012. The
post is entitled, I Want to Hold Your Hand, Again. It can be read in its entirety here, but, to
the point, it revolves around a story I
read concerning Paul and Ringo’ visit to George when he was dying of cancer (my
father died of cancer as well.) The
story in the New York newspaper reported that:
Paul and Ringo went to visit him at the hospital on Staten Island in
New York City where he was being treated. After the visit, Paul and Ringo
spoke to reporters. One of the things that Paul said was that they each
held George’s hand as they spoke to him. Paul observed that it was the
first time he could remember that he ever held George’s hand.
As
I wrote then, and still feel today, the story was incredibly poignant to me.
The
Fab Four had been through so much, for so many
years, and never held each other's hand. Not that men do a lot of
that, but still. The story brought
a tear to my eye, and I haven’t thought about saying goodbye the same way
since.
So,
enjoy The Beatles Channel if you are a subscriber to Sirius XM and sign up immediately
if you are not. It is remarkable to hear
their music played in one format, together, forever. The Beatles have not broken up; in one visionary
masterstroke it is now assured that they
will live on forever.
The
first song played on The Beatles Channel at 9:09 on March 18, 2017 was “All You
Need Is Love”. (You can look it
up.) It is a message that is timeless, perhaps
more important today than when it was recorded 40 years ago. If I may be allowed a certain liberty, the message
from my prior post is important as well:
Paul and Ringo will never hold George’s hand again. I
will never hold my father’s hand again. So, here’s a tribute to the great
George Harrison, and the even greater Gene Kelly. Let’s try to be happy
and sing one of the Beatles’ greatest songs, as joy-inspiring as any song ever
written, with lyrics which now resonate with new meaning for me, and perhaps
for Paul and Ringo, too. And, please, sometime today, hold the hand
of someone that you love, and feel happy inside.
 |
| Love You, Geno! |
AMDG
Copyright R.E. Kelly 2012 - 2021
Copyright R.E. Kelly 2012 - 2021
