I was born about the time John and Paul first met. The first few vinyl albums I ever purchased were in 1970 at 13 years of age and included "Abby Road", "Bridge Over Troubled Waters", and a Tijuana Brass greatest hits album. Seems like they were around $3.50 each which was huge money for me at the time. I still have 'em though they sound like they were used as Frisbees on an asphalt parking lot.
Older cousins as well as older siblings of friends were cranking the Beatles when I was younger so I was well exposed to them before the album purchases. I recall as a kid that I thought that "Hey Jude" was being worn out on the radio and I was heartily sick of hearing it when it was popular. Later I've come to regard it almost as a thread that runs through my life and find it heartwarming anytime I hear it playing in the background in public. Of course it receives its due on the home stereo here.
I can't help but have a regard for John Lennon. Seemed a bit of a tortured soul who was finally growing up when he was cruelly removed from the world. I was one of those who felt like he'd only gotten in on the end of their career and the morning news there in December of 1980 was a gut punch to my dreams of them reuniting and continuing on. I remember hearing it on the news in the car on the way to the office. Upon arriving for the required morning loan officers' meeting, an older loan officer made some snide remark about Lennon's murder. Should have punched him right then. Still know the guy and still resent not punching him.
With a long held regard for the best of the Beatles' work, I've occasionally delved into narratives pertaining to their history. What a pressure cooker it must have been for what amounted to just kids who really never had opportunity to finish growing up.
