The Beatles have formed the Soundscape of my life, beginning with their arrival to New York in '64, where I was visting my older cousin. I was 6 at the time.

Even today, when I play my guitar/sing, I work my way backwards through my songbook ... Neil Young, Doors, Stones, Dylan, always ending up with The Beatles. In that way, I've had a chance to warm-up my voice and get the kinks out of my playing, before giving my all to recreating the beauty, which is Beatles music.

Here are some comments about the videos (most links have now been deleted, due to apparent copyright issues):

- I Feel Fine: It's interesting to note, like many early music "videos," this one was lip-synced. Note the absence of mics and guitar cords. The lead-in riff is played by John, instead of George. At the end, everyone stops playing, before the song's over.

- All You Need Is Love (not listed): There's Mick Jagger, along with Donovan (anybody see someone else they recognize?) Paul's playing a Rickenabcker bass guitar, which later appears in the video, "I Am The Walrus" (first time I see this instrument in a Beatles music vid.)

- A Day In The Life: Besides Mick's appearance in the film, it was interesting to see Michael Nesmith sitting side-by-side with John. Despite his association with The Monkees, Michael (yes, he could actually play his guitar) was esteemed as a credible songwriter with his Texas upbringing influencing much of his music, including "What Am I Doing Hanging 'Round?", which is viewed by many music critics as [hold on Gram Parsons fans!] the first country-rock song of the 60's.

- Hey Bulldog: Fun video from an instrumentation standpoint. First one I've seen that has George playing a Gibson SG. Also has Ringo playing cloth-covered drumheads, which, as I've read, was an attempt by many drummers of the time to recreate the unique sound of Levon Helm's (The Band) antique wooden drum kit. I also enjoy watching the evolution of John's hair and beard. In this case, we see him with mutton chops, which appears to put this video in the timeframe between MMT and the White Album, which is also evidenced by Ringo's psychedelic bass drumhead found on the "I Am The Walrus" film.

- Hey Jude: Unarguably, THE Greatest music video of all-time!! STILL gives me goosebumps after all these years. When I see the cross-section of the audience, I see my generation in a nutshell - still in our innocence, on the cusp of entering the disillusionment of what became of the drop-out-years of the early 70's. This video instills in me both a deep sense of joy and sadness at what was yet to come.

- The Long And Winding Road: If "Hey Jude" is the Geatest music vidoe of all-time, then this one is by far the most Intimate. The Beatles, particularly Paul, are vulnerable to excrutiating detail. The effects of drugs and fast-paced lifestyles show under every eye, in every wrinkle, and the general bedraggled appearance of Paul's unkempt beard and hair. Gone is the colorful clothing from the Summer of Love, replaced with denim blue, black, and white. It is the autumn of OUR disillusionment. I realize that this song was played at the culmination of many high school proms that followed, but I see it more aptly applied as the closing song of a funeral.

- Get Back: It's simply and universally known as, The Rooftop Concert. These guys had HUGE balls! Playing a Live concert in the middle of the buttondown neighborhood of Saville Row was genius. Their last concert - God, how wonderful and depressing all at the same time.

- Don't Let Me Down: It's funny to see the faces of some of the tight-assed people walking past Apple Corp, noses in the air. It was all too much for some of them, but I guarantee today that these same people are telling their grandkids, "I was there!" I like what one critic said about the album, Get Back: "Derided as the weakest of The Beatles efforts, it still stands head and shoulders above even the greatest album of any band to follow." While hyperbole like that could launch a world war among music fans, it does have it's merits.

- Something: What can one say about this song? When asked, I usually defer to something I remember hearing that Frank Sinatra considererd Tony Bennett's rendition of "Something" to be the greatest song he'd ever heard. Tony Bennett - Frank Sinatra - George Harrison, all in one breath? That's quite a breath!

Here's a bonus video, which was not listed:
Google "Yer Blues": Here's a treat - Lennon, Clapton, (Keith) Richards (on bass), and Mitch Mitchell (Hendrix's drummer) all playing in an ad hoc band, called The Dirty Mac. If you google the right video, you'll also get the pre-song interview between Jagger and Lennon, where Mick calls John, "Winston" (John's middle name), and where John calls Mick, "Michael." I particualrly like John's line, after Mick says it's been a long time since they've had a chance to be together. John replies, "It's not been my fault, Mike." John later introduces himself as "Winston Leg-thigh." Funny guy to the end.