Published in 8 Davisville Road·PinnedA Foreign CountryI have to peer closely. Is that really us? “What have you in common with the child of five whose photograph your mother keeps on the mantelpiece? Nothing, except that you happen to be the same person.” George Orwell My mum’s cousin, Margie Beirne left us in December. Margie was…Family5 min read
Published in The Beatles FAQ·PinnedJohn, Yoko and the MonkeysEloping couple marry in Gibraltar Two days after Paul and Linda’s wedding, John and Yoko are in a car on their way to visit John’s Aunt Mimi. After a deep discussion on the back seat, they announce glad tidings to their driver. “We’ve decided to get married.” “Congratulations, sir. When’…Beatles4 min read
Published in The English Language: FAQ·PinnedWhat is Hogmanay?And why did January 1st become New Year’s Day? Hogmanay is the word used to describe the very distinctive Scottish celebration of New Years’s Eve. This includes the singing of Auld Lang Syne while linking arms — a tradition has spread across the world. Other famous customs include ‘first-footing’ —…New Year3 min read
Published in The Beatles FAQ·Jul 17Love Me DoThe Beatles insisted on recording a Lennon & McCartney original for their first single. George Martin was not convinced. Love Me Do’ is Paul’s song. He wrote it when he was a teenager. Let me think. I might have helped on the middle eight, but I couldn’t swear to it…Beatles3 min read
Published in The Beatles FAQ·Updated Jul 19Did The Beatles treat Pete Best badly?‘We were cowards when we sacked him’ August 1962 The Beatles are finally of a threshold of breaking in to the big time. …Beatles6 min read
Jul 3Most mawkish song of all time?The tragic tale of an heroically faithful sheep dog scoops Little Nell Award for shameless emotional manipulation “One must have a heart of stone to read the death of little Nell without laughing.” Oscar Wilde Strict eligibility criteria needed here. No ghoulish tributes to real people, however heartfelt, and no…Music4 min read
Published in The Beatles FAQ·Jun 30Two countries divided by a shared language?The Beatles began by trying to sound American. Soon they were exporting a very British vocabulary to a vast international audience. The Beatles first flew into New York in February 1964. They brought with them what to many American ears was a charmingly fresh approach to the English language. Interestingly…Beatles5 min read
Jun 20Day 24–31 Days of Reading 10 New Articles a day111Andy TaylorThanks so much for your very kind comments, Andy.Thanks so much for your very kind comments, Andy. I have added links to other posts that form of my 'sort of memoir'.1 min readThanks so much for your very kind comments, Andy. I have added links to other posts that form of my 'sort of memoir'.----
Published in The Beatles FAQ·Jun 12Remembered PlacesTwo teenagers meet at a drab bus terminus. Not the most promising song premise. Just memories really…pulled together and given a slightly poetic treatment Paul McCartney Lennon and McCartney approach the physical world of their past from different angles. For John ‘the places I remember’ are seen as part of…Beatles2 min read
Published in The English Language: FAQ·May 31The origin of the word jubilee?Biblical but it gets complicated Jubilee is an interesting example of a word that evolved to cover two distinct but connected meanings. The origin can be traced back to the Old Testament, where the hebrew word yobhel was used to mark the year of the emancipation of slaves. This was…Jubilee2 min read
