Where does one start with The Beatles. I mean its the bloody Beatles. I could write a whole blog on my favourite Beatles songs. But I won't
She's Leaving Home is, believe it or not, a song which has come to my attention only recently. Sgt Pepper, for all its acclaim, never came into my possession until fairly recently. The quality of the CD (until the recent remasters) really put me off. It sounded tinny and while it was good, it just didn't sound right. When I actually listened to the album properly was actually in the middle of a 12 hour flight to Shanghai on my way to Ireland. I am a pretty bad flyer and while going through some equator-crossing turbulence I happened upon Sgt Peppers on the in flight entertainment. My heart was racing, the plane was jolting about, and then She's leaving home came on. I'm not sure if it was the Rescue Remedy kicking in, but I was immediately calm. Serene. Stress free. Cheers Nothern Songs Ltd.
It's a thing of pure beauty. McCartney's lead vocal. Lennon's refrain. The strings. The melancholic lyrics of a parents sadness about their growing up and leaving. The final Bye bye. Its all there. And its not even my favourite Beatle song. Sgt Pepper isn't even my favourite Beatle album (that goes to Rubber Soul, which I will get to in the future)
The ability for music to change emotions in the human mind has always fascinated me. How can a piece of music evoke such feelings? I guess its what separates us from the animals.
In any case I'm not Freud so I will keep believing that the mystery of it all is the best part.
Enjoy the song, preferably with headphones on, and listening to the mono version.*
And a nice little doco here on the making of it:
*I have just recently come into posession of the Beatles albums in mono. And wow, they are amazing. Don't be like me and think that the stereo version is automtically better. They are not. The mono versions are how the Beatles themselves wanted the songs. More here.
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