Life According to the Beatles

I have written several articles in the past reflecting upon the influence the Beatles had on my life. In many ways they were the quintessential voices of our generation, singing the words we all felt in our souls. As life progressed through those wondrous and often tumultuous years of the 60s, we always had the Fab Four speaking our thoughts….our feelings…our fears…and our hopes.

But enough from me! I think I’ll let the Lads from Liverpool entertain you now in this reflection about life. I hope you won’t have any problem discerning my thinly-veiled references to their music. Enjoy!

Good day, sunshine, and welcome to the world. Hello little girl. Wake up there. There is so much to be seen and so much to experience. Any time at all you can ask me why and I’ll tell you what I know about life. If it’s all too much for you now, never fear. It won’t be long before you feel the happiness, little child, and then, like dreamers do, you will begin your journey down that long and winding road.

In my life I have found great wonders, and I wish that for you as well. Just remember that all you need is love. Now, all together now, let’s begin your magical mystery tour called life.

Listen! Can you hear it? The blackbird is singing his song, and it’s your song as well, and here comes the sun, shining down upon you as you take your first tentative steps. Break free of your chains and follow me. There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done, and there’s nothing you can sing that can’t be sung.

Life ain’t easy, young one. A day in the life can be joyous, but there are some tough times ahead. Every little thing is there to learn from. Fixing a hole just means another hole will need fixing shortly, but here’s a secret, from me to you: a hard day’s night will be followed by a good day, sunshine, and you can bet the farm on that truth.

There will be times that you’ll need help. There will be times that you will look here, there, and everywhere for answers. I don’t want to spoil the party with these thoughts, but I should have known better when I was your age, and now I want to share learned lessons with you. If I fell long ago…if I needed someone…there was always love to pull me through, just as there will always be love for you. All my loving, and all of your loving, combined it is enough for us all, for all we really need is love. Some will tell you that happiness is a warm gun, but don’t you believe them. It’s only love that will pull you through when baby’s in black and the hard times fall upon you. Those who love you will speak words of wisdom, so listen carefully, little one.

Love can’t be purchased. Remember that, little one. Listen not to the fool on the hill who will tell you that life is just a glass onion preparing to make you cry. That is so much nonsense. Life is love, and love is life, and that fact makes me glad all over, as it will you.

There will come a day when you will meet someone, and you will think you got to get him into your life, and oh, my, it will make you feel glad all over. Your heart will flutter helter skelter, and you’ll do the hippy hippy shakes, and you’ll ask him to hold you tight. He’ll call you honey pie, and you will go through your days saying I feel fine with a big old smile upon your face. He will look you in the eyes and say I’m happy just to dance with you, and those lonesome tears in your eyes will go bye bye, bye bye, bye bye.

There will be the mean Mr. Mustards in your life, the piggies and the polythene Pams, those who would rain on your parade, but don’t you listen to them. They don’t have valid points of view, they know not where they’re going to. Run for your life away from them, run as fast as you can to the strawberry fields forever, where a taste of honey awaits you, and the sun king serves savoy truffles to those who are faithful to the decree that we can all thrive with a little help from our friends. Ignore the Mr. Kites of this world, and remember that with a little help from your friends, you’ll be singing the blue jay way across the universe of life.

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see, so open those baby blues and see it all.

Just act naturally and your inner bird can sing as well. Today is your birthday, so rejoice because baby, it’s you, you’ve got a ticket to ride this train called life, and if the train breaks down you can drive my car today, tomorrow, and eight days a week. These words are from me to you, for no one else, with love, from me, to you. Now close your eyes. Golden slumbers await you, and when you wake you’ll feel glad all over, and the world will be singing good morning, good morning, hallelujah, we love her so.

I’m sure the remaining two members of the Beatles won’t mind that I had fun with their song titles and lyrics. I hope you enjoyed this journey through their body of work. I know I had a blast writing it.

2014 William D. Holland (aka billybuc)