Thursday , March 28 2024
Through the past, darkly...

Verse Chorus Verse: The Beatles – “Here Comes The Sun”

09/09/09: It's the British Invasion, one more time. Here they are: The Beatles! In case you've been under a rock, The Beatles catalog has been remastered and is being re-released today. Generations of fans are getting ready to fall in love with the amazing sounds of John, Paul, George, and Ringo one more time. In their honor, today's Verse Chorus Verse comes from The Fab 4.

Abbey Road and "Here Comes The Sun" played a different role in my college years than for my parents. I know I've told this before but I worked the weekend overnight shift at a classic rock station as a DJ in college. My shift ended at 6 a.m. and the last song I'd play before leaving was "Here Comes the Sun."

Harrison's ability to say a lot in a small space is only one thing that makes "Here Comes The Sun" the classic it is. George and Ringo were often pushed to the background and by Abbey Road they perfected the art of making the most of the small spaces in a song. My favorite part is the "middle 8" ("sun, sun, sun here it comes) where George plays this nifty guitar lick and Ringo adds some great drum fills.

I know it wasn't the most original idea but I loved doing it. It felt like good radio and had the added benefit of being a great song. Even if no one else enjoyed that, it put a smile on my face that carried me all the way back to my dorm where I'd crash. "Here Comes The Sun" probably wasn't conceived of as a lullaby but that's what it became for me for a few years. Maybe it appealed to my contrarian nature. Maybe it was just me looking for an excuse to play one of my favorite songs.

I don't think I was cheeky enough to make jokes about The Beatles being my classic rock to folks older than me. If I did then, I wouldn't now. My college years are growing more faint in time's rearview mirror and my music is becoming some kid's oldies. You never think it will happen until it does. I'm unfazed by this most days, but even I have my moments where I can't believe how much of my life has been used up. Some of it has been put to good pursuits, like staying up all night as a DJ at a radio station. I'm glad "Here Comes The Sun" is part of that for me.

About Josh Hathaway

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