November is just adding to its reputation of being a crappy, crappy month. With the exception of my birthday and Thanksgiving, bad things happen in November. And with the death yesterday of George Harrison, November's reputation is just getting worse.
It's so bizarre. Why do I love the Beatles so much? I was born eight years after they broke up. I was only two years old when John Lennon was shot, so pretty much for as long as I can remember, there were only three Beatles. And now there are only two.
The Beatles were really the embodiment of their generation. We saw them go from the nice boys in suits to a bunch of hippies. They were only together for 10 years. Less, really. They didn't hit big in England until 1962; they made it in America in 1964. They broke up in 1970. Yet they had 27 number one hits. They influenced basically every musician since.
George was definitely the most talented Beatle, musically. He wrote some really great songs, and John, Paul, and Ringo benefited from his prowess. The legacy of the Beatles is thanks in large part to George. He might have been the "quiet Beatle"; he was certainly the most spiritual one. And that comforts me. He's been battling so much for so long; throat cancer, brain cancer, the attack a few years back. But he was at peace when he went. And the message throughout his life was simply to love each other. That's all he wanted. And it really depresses me that this man who was devoted to peace and love left the world when it was in such turmoil.
Plus, George did lead vocals on "Do You Want to Know a Secret?" which is one of my favorite early Beatles songs. Also "This Boy."
Since I'm having problems with the thinking and the writing, here's the article from The Washington Post, which is pretty good. You should read it.
Anyway, George, you rock. And you'll be missed.
George Harrison
1943-2001