My Sons - In My Life

#15 In My Life – The Beatles 1965

At 14, I probably couldn’t appreciate the full impact of The Beatles’ recording, “In My Life.” Released late in 1965 on the groundbreaking album, Rubber Soul, I probably asked for it as a Christmas or birthday present and then retreated into my room to play it over and over. It was my first year in high school, my parents had been divorced for a couple of years, and my happiest times were in my room, or playing my drums or the piano, or sitting in English class. My mother and I had reconciled after she left us, and we were developing the relationship I described yesterday in “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Things were about as stable as they could be in a teenager’s life.

According to the stories, both John Lennon and Paul McCartney were working individually on songs about their childhoods. Lennon had worked on something he ended up hating, noting people and places he used to pass on his usual bus route, and he decided to write about generalities. Eventually, both men would end this endeavor by writing “Penny Lane” and “Strawberry Fields.” But while recording Rubber Soul, Lennon wrote “In My Life.” There was some contention when Lennon was still alive about who wrote what in the tune. The lyrics sound more like Lennon, parts of the melody sound more like McCartney, and they asked their producer, George Martin, to play the bridge on the piano. They wanted a “Baroque sound,” but Martin couldn’t play as fast as the song’s tempo required, so they sped up the piano recording to sound more like a harpsichord. 

There are places I'll remember

All my life, though some have changed

Some forever, not for better

Some have gone, and some remain

All these places had their moments

With lovers and friends, I still can recall

Some are dead, and some are living

In my life, I've loved them all

Fast forward to 2007, and my youngest son, Jeremy, asked me to send him a list of songs that would be good for our mother-son dance at his wedding reception. I sent him several, and I don’t remember what they were now, except I know “In My Life” was one of them. I didn’t know which song he’d chosen until the DJ announced it was time for the mother-son dance, I walked to Jeremy waiting on the dance floor (probably as dressed up as I’d ever seen him, in his tuxedo), and I heard those opening guitar notes. I fought so hard not to cry, with Jeremy and I retreating to our usual sometimes caustic banter, probably because he was about to cry, too (although I know he was very happy to have just married the love of his life, Kelli). And now the song has so much more meaning.

But of all these friends and lovers

There is no one compares with you

And these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

His big brother was there, too, as best man, also all dolled-up in a tuxedo. Those two always

clean up real good. It was a happy day, which had begun with a beautiful beach sunrise and ended with a walk on the beach where we saw a couple green turtle (protected) nests. Kelli danced with Jeremy’s dad; her brother had given her away at the wedding; her beloved grandmother was there. It was a good day.

In three years, we’d lose John, and later, Jeremy would undergo the greatest struggle of his life. But he’s my hero, and he spends every day being the wonderful, caring man I always knew he would be. Kelli is a lovely person, who I love very much. Jeremy saved his life, his marriage, and makes a mean crème brulee. I couldn’t ask for more.

Though I know I'll never lose affection

For people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

In my life, I'll love you more

Spotify: In My Life - The Beatles