16 Comments
Dec 5, 2021Liked by Greg Olear

Beautifully worded, Greg. I was born the year the Beatles got together and they provided the music of my young life. Watching this gift from Peter Jackson filled in so many little "what was that about" questions, and left me laughing, crying and singing along with these guys once more.

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Thanks!

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I saw them perform on their first US tour in Atlantic City. I was very young. Pandemonium! Screaming from the audience the whole time. Got their autograph and later in life someone stole it.

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I tell ya, you've been in close proximity of some very big names!

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I’m dating myself, but I went to college with Joe ‘JellyBean’ Bryant…!

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Dec 5, 2021Liked by Greg Olear

Funny, as I sit here reading your column this morning, my radio is on in the background. It's tuned to 93.1 WXRT and my music mentor, Terri Hemmert is on. She does a weekly show called "Breakfast with the Beatles" for two hours each week. TWO HOURS each week of nothing but Beatles music and anecdotes. Amazing that she has enough material to fill up that amount of time.

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Sure. There's just so much. It's an embarrassment of riches.

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Dec 5, 2021Liked by Greg Olear

Random thoughts about the Beatles because they were integral part of my childhood. I saw them on Ed Sullivan when I was a freshman in high school. I had "Meet The Beatles" because my dad worked for a Top 40 radio station in St. Paul, Minnesota and got a free copy. His station hosted the Beatles concert in Minneapolis, and when a co worker excitedly informed him they had a chance to meet Paul McCartney he said he thought Paul McCartney should want to meet him (so no autographs for me!) My father was a musical snob. I adored the movie Hard Days Night and I think it has held up very well.

My favorite Beatles albums are Rubber Soul and Abbey Road and my favorite songs on Abbey Road are Something and Here Comes The Sun. I like George's music the best. My brother, a Beatles fan, is a drummer and he thinks Ringo Starr is underrated as a drummer. I saw the movie Eight Days A Week and for the first time I really appreciated the Beatles as a stand up kick ass rock and roll band. I wasn't interested in seeing Get Back but now I am thanks to your article.

Thanks for providing a path for my walk down memory lane.

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Thanks for sharing. My favorite Beatles song is "Norwegian Wood." And Ringo is indeed underrated!

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Dec 5, 2021Liked by Greg Olear

I've been on a reading kick for a while now and my TV remains off most of the time. I really appreciate this wonderful review because the Beatles hold a special place in my heart and history. I will definitely catch "Get Back" thanks to you!

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I am jealous of your reading kick. The film is almost like reading a book, in a way...you can stop it whenever you like, as with a book, and pick it up no problem, and there's a LOT of stuff in there, more than movies usually include.

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Before I went to Kindergarten the Beatles had split, leaving some longing for their reunion (never happened) Meanwhile, I became a long-haired boy dancing to Led Zeppelin. Thanks, Greg 😎

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Have you read the 33 1/3 book about LZ IV? I enjoyed reading that so much it was almost embarrassing.

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Ah, no! Thanks 4 the tip

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My husband and I have 1 1/2 segments to go in watching this masterpiece. It just takes my breath away! I was in 8th grade when they became popular. I contracted German Measles and had to stay in bed. In those days, you had to stay in a darkened room or you could go blind, according to my parents and doctors. I was miserable until…my dad walked in with the “Meet The Beatles” album! It definitely helped me heal and I still have it to this day.

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I savoured GetBack like a box of chocolates because I knew the ending would bring tears as I reflected on my relationship to them. The Beatles are family. Although too young to attend their infamous record stomping concert at The MidSouth Coliseum in Mphs where John became spooked by his reception, I had already heard them on local radio which was top notch at the time. My father, who had played standup bass in the 1950’s Greenwich Village Jazz scene & played classical piano every night, bought me my first Beatle album, Rubber Soul because he was fascinated by Martin’s string arrangement on Eleanor Rigby. Thus began a lifelong passion for all things Beatle including a Yellow Submarine John bank. We moved into a modern house my dad designed in ‘68, & he had centered it around a massive built in audio system/bar which my younger sister & I danced around on a plush Moroccan rug everyday after school listening to Sgt. Pepper’s, Abbey Rd, The White Album & finally Let It Be. I was traumatized by their breakup but bolstered by their solo-releases & begged Mother to buy me The Last Cocktail Party by Richard DiLello released yrs after their breakup on Playboy Press in ‘73. To say I was shattered by John’s death is an understatement. I’ve played their music in bands & saw Paul at the top of his game a few yrs ago at the FedEx forum. We had decent seats & when I finally caught his eye & he started singing “I’ve Just Seen a Face”, I swooned. God Bless Peter Jackson this could not have come at a better time & was happy to watch it semi simultaneously w my daughter & her bass playing bf who are in Chicago. Lastly, discovering & doing a deep dive into Michael Lindsay-Hogg was an extra welcome pleasure. Genius.

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