Somehow in the middle of the 8th grade, I became really popular (in the band). I developed a couple really great friendships with a few of the 7th grade girls, notably Erica T. and Missy G. Since my sister and I had been living with our dad since I was in 3rd grade, we didn't have a lot of sleepovers or after school friends coming over. My dad would only host a sleepover if there was a female babysitter present, which was smart thinking on his part. It didn't mean I felt any less left out of things. 8th grade changed everything and I was suddenly invited to lots of sleepovers and going over to Erica or Missy's houses after school.
Missy had recently "discovered" the Beatles and was listening to them obsessively. Oh Darling! was her favorite and I had to agree that it was an amazing song. I love all the emotion and rasp in Paul McCartney's voice. I told my dad about them and he showed me that he actually had several of the records from his college days. I had one of those all-in-one cassette/record player combos so I promptly absconded into my room with the records where I listened to them obsessively. Abbey Road was my favorite. I liked Side A better than Side B, even though I thought (I Want You) She's So Heavy was really strange and I just didn't get the abrupt, noisy ending. Then moving on to Side B, the first 2 tracks are great, but then it moves again into some strange songs that didn't resonate with me at all. What on earth is does Polythene Pam mean?? Something is still my all time favorite Beatles song. I have a piano version and I have spent a lot of time trying to get it just right. It's musically complicated, beautiful lyrics, just lovely and brilliant.
I recently watched a retrospective commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Ed Sullivan performance. The Beatles themselves have never evoked the kind of emotions in me that they did for teenage girls of the 60s. Let's face it, they were old and the hairstyles and clothing on the Abbey Road album were hideous to me. They couldn't come close to the awesome acid washed denim and ducktailed dos of the fainting-inducing New Kids. However I do think it's funny that listening to them today reminds me of passing notes, slumber parties, Ouija Boards, boys-boys-boys, and everything else that goes along with being 13. The Beatles truly resonate across the generations.
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