Lennon & McCartney

A Reason To Smile

Credit: Getty Images

Sixty-seven years ago this weekend, two teenagers met at a church gathering and changed the course of history. That meeting is this week’s reason to smile.

John Lennon and his band the Quarrymen were playing for a church garden party in his hometown of Liverpool, England, when Paul McCartney showed up. A mutual friend introduced the aspiring singer-songwriters. After Lennon performed, they talked about music, and McCartney showed Lennon what he could do on the guitar. A few weeks later, McCartney joined the band. A few years later, the Beatles were born.

For eight years, from 1962 to 1970, the two men wrote approximately 180 jointly credited songs, many of which went to number one, and most of which you can probably sing along to. With that many songs, it’s hard to choose one to showcase. We decided on “I Want To Hold Your Hand.” It’s catchy and iconic and was their first number one hit.

Lennon and McCartney became master songwriters. Their early influences were American rock-and-roll pioneers like the Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, and Elvis Presley. Very quickly the Beatles surpassed their muses and became the most influential musical act of all time. 

I want to leave you with one more video to make you smile on this summer Sunday. If you have never seen it, you are in for a treat. In June 2018, late night talk show host James Corden interviewed McCartney as part of his Carpool Karaoke series. Rather than driving around Los Angeles, the two toured Liverpool and ended the day in a proper British pub, where McCartney surprised the locals with an impromptu concert. The video has been viewed 72 million times. It is a true delight.

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Stay Steady,
Dan