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In this episode, Robert and Richard explore mortality as experienced by the members of the Beatles: friends, family, acquaintances – the inner circle; and how it was reflected in their music. Songs include “Art of Dying,” “Deep Blue” and “Lonely Road.”
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If it’s true that George had problems with the extent of McCartney’s bass playing on “Something,” odd that he allowed Clapton to ‘Cream’ all over “Art of Dying.” If only he recorded it in 66, it might’ve gained from a Macca guitar solo.
Despite things John Lennon said in his solo music all 4 of the Beatles were religious in their lifetimes and I think death plays a big factor for that. If they did not believe that people were still in a good place when they died I bet they couldn’t bare it. George after John died said he believes his spirit is still alive which gives him peace. You can hear in “Let It Be” that Paul believes his mother’s spirit is still with him. Ringo lost George, John, his first wife I am sure he feels their spirit with him all the time because he is religious. Paul still dedicates “Maybe I’m Amazed” to Linda in concert which shows he believes her spirit is still alive. Believing their loved ones are still alive in spirit clearly gives them all comfort in life.
I’ve thought about them not commenting on the death of friends and collaborators.
As for George I can think of two reasons. First of all he was a very private person who never understood why anybody thought that he was important to ask about anything besides music. What could he say, that was of any importance? But he sang about it as you pointed out in your show. Secondly he hated the press and seldom gave interviews because he felt he was sure to be misquoted. And people dying is a very very private thing and nothin you talk about in public.
As for Pete Ham Olivia said (when Pete had a tribute held in his hometown), that George spoke of him with the love of a good friend.
A Halloween period appropriate subject. Good show and I enjoyed “Lonely Road” at the end. Easily the best song on “Driving Rain”. Should have been on the “Pure McCartney” box set.
It was a very interesting show, as usual, but kinda depressive too.
Richard Buskin,
one episode you say the killer “shall remain nameless” for a good cause in your heart, yet in this episode you do not hesitate to hurt Paul McCartney’s character. Contrary to the popular opinion, Paul’s reaction to John’s death showed perfectly clearly that Lennon was a part of him. People will expect that the wife be devastated, that the poor child will sadly be orphaned, that the friends will be in shock, that the fans will be grieving. But, Mr. Buskin, have you ever, really, considered Paul McCartney’s position? John and him were a Unit. Their life was like no other. Their bond was like no other; some people compared it to soldiers having been to war together then the war ends, but it is not that. John and Paul chose each other. They chose physical closeness. They created songs together, and they called their creations “their children”. And with their creations they roused the entire World like no one ever did. No one ever found out why they separated but when they were separated, John often had dreams about Paul (Yoko), Paul was desperate to write with John (Linda). They needed each other like mad (G.Martin). John looked at no one the way he looked at Paul (Cynthia). They did not need to speak, they had telepathy! (-Revolution In The Head, some Beatle entourage). Paul McCartney’s position in all this is, funny as it might sound, the one of the much-loved mistress, who cannot show more grief than the wife herself. To the World, Paul was far from John. But I beg of you, Mr. Buskin, consider the small chance that, perhaps, Paul was ravaged that day, as though he had been shot himself.
This was my first time listening to this podcast, and I decided to go with an episode with an intriguing topic that caught my eye. First let me say that Richard and Robert are clearly experienced broadcasters – their voices are nice and the conversation flows freely and a good clip. And there was some interesting information (although evidence of John’s affair with Alma Cogan is more tenuous than they get into on the podcast). However, as a longterm Beatles fan/amateur scholar, I was a bit turned off by the subtle pro-John narrative. This seemed less like an examination of how the deaths of family and friends affected the Fabs and their art, and more of a case for St. John’s suffering and how his grief was so much greater and more impactful than anyone else’s.
Although Richard makes a good attempt at putting Mary McCartney’s death in context, Robert seems to measure the death of Paul’s parents (and John’s death) only in how he can judge the inadequacy of Paul’s reactions. But you can only understand Paul’s reaction to the later deaths when you understand how the death of Mary McCartney was handled, with its secrecy (not being told what her illness was, why they were dressed up to visit her in the hospital, what her cause of death was, where her final resting place was) and the active encouragement from relatives, who – when confronted with the grief of children Paul and Mike – explicitly told them that they needed to buck up and put on a brave face for the sake of their father. While Richard and Robert mention Paul’s remark of concern about what they’d do without her income (self-reported by Paul to Hunter Davies) his follow-up comments to Davies in the same conversation in the same book – about begging God to bring his mother back, and subsequent bitter feelings about faith because of it – are almost never repeated. Nor are other accounts of that time, like his aunt Joan’s recollection of Paul not crying when being told of his mother’s death, but taking his young cousin’s teddy bear and tearing it front limb to limb, or Mike’s vivid, 1965 account of Paul’s extreme depression. This was the event that crucially turned Paul’s passing hobby of playing music into an all out obsession – the event that caused him to write his first song. Yet many Beatles scholars want to rush pass it in order to rehash Julia Lennon’s death.
How can we talk about the Beatles and death without also discussing the most significant loss of Paul’s adult life? Linda McCartney was Paul’s wife of 30 years, his biggest muse, his steady musical collaborator. Yet her death is a literal footnote in Richard and Robert’s conversation – more time is spent on the death of some random attorney unconnected to the Beatles and an unconfirmed relationship between John and Alma Cogan. Linda’s illness and death not only lead to personal devastation for Paul (including motivating him into a disastrous, brief second marriage) but arguably spurred him into a new era in his solo career. Beginning with Flaming Pie, Paul’s music started exploring more mature and fragile depths.
As for George, I think it’s important to put his reactions to death in context of his being the most religious Beatle. His devout Hinduism caused George to sometimes appear coldhearted and distant from death (as his faith told him that death is merely a passage on a soul’s journey). I always felt it ironic that so many fans have a problem with Paul’s reaction to John’s death, yet George’s description of getting the phone call that John had been murdered, then rolling over and going back to sleep, is hardly ever mentioned or damned as callous.
I have to say that I was really disappointed in this episode. It really brought me down, because you were so hard on Paul. This podcast in general seems to be biased against him a bit, but I was willing to let it go until this episode. Josee and Rose’s comments really hit it on the nose, so I don’t have too much more to add. However, I will say that as a woman, I observe that a lot of men view the relationship between Paul and John as some weird, 24/7, hate-filled wrestling match. There was far more affection and pleasure in their relationship than the press of the 1970’s was willing to let on, because what makes for a better story than two Beatles having a fight, right? But they didn’t hate each other ever, actually. They were angry for a time, it cooled off, they had some distance, they took their time, and at the end they were on the mend. I wish that were more emphasized than the bitterness. Male rock critics in particular seem to really almost fetishize the “rivalry” between them. It’s super gross and distasteful, not to mention disrespectful, in my opinion. I am not sure if I really want to continue listening after this one, and I know I’m late to the game because this was made a couple of years ago. I hope you’ve slowed your roll on the anti-Paul stuff a bit since then.
Agreed — George Martin, a first hand eye witness to their friendship, always referred to it as a friendship based on friendly competition that resulted in great works of art (my words, mostly, but that was the spirit of Sir George’s many comments on the matter).
So where exactly was Paul when the other 3 were interviewed on hearing of Brian’s death and why was he so quick off the marm? What was he doing? Was he just hiding from the cameras or did he suspect something which needed attending to?
Oh and btw I think ‘Yesterday’ is Paul writing about the death of his mother . The line ‘I said something wrong…’ may also be a reference to his ‘what about the money’ statement.