Today I watched Across the Universe on DVD. While it's stylistically fun and the soundtrack is great (it is the Beatles after all...) the actual plot wasn't anything to shout about. The plot was a typical late 60's story and the themes have become cliche and somewhat boring. The best part of the movie was listening to Beatles tunes.
I've recently ripped my Beatles CD's onto my laptop and mp3 player. Rediscovery is always a neat thing. Aside from wondering why you ever stopped enjoying something, you also recall the times and events that surrounded you when you first discovered something. The Beatles was one of the first CD's I bought when I got my own CD player. (cutting edge back in 1986!) They released them slowly and one at a time, so as soon as the next one was available I went out to the Sam Goody and bought it. (I believe Peter Gabriel's So album and Sting's 1st solo album were also out at the same time.)
The Beatles early pop tunes are good stuff but Revolver and Rubber Soul was the beginning of something really special. I know Sgt Pepper and the White Album get tossed around as critical masterpieces (and they should) but if you get some time this week, go back and play these 2 albums. You won't be disappointed. Songs like Norwegian Wood, In My Life, Nowhere Man, Eleanor Rigby, Tomorrow Never Knows, and And Your Bird Can Sing are all beautiful and classic.
Of course, this being Valentine's Day, I would be remiss to not mention that the main theme of almost all Beatles songs is love. While certainly songs today have this theme, you just don't see it as often or with such poetry. Maybe I'm being one of those crotchety people who don't think things are as good as they used to be (and also complain about how hard they had it!) but pop music seems so manufactured nowadays and doesn't come from the heart or soul.
So dust off your old albums or cd's and play some Beatles during your romantic dinner tonight, I bet you'll thank me tomorrow.
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