There was an interesting piece for Beatles fans in this week’s Catholic Herald, basically identifying Catholic themes behind some of the Beatles’ songs.
Is ‘Let It Be’ a tribute to the Virgin Mary? Or just a gentle plea for peace? Is ‘Eleanor Rigby’ better regarded as a requiem? And is ‘Help!’ a plea for a deeper meaning to life?
There is no doubt about the moral stance which underlies many of the group’s lyrics, particularly their frequent reference to peace. Or was that just a sign of the times? As Liverpudlians of their generation, the Beatles will most certainly have been exposed to a lot of religion, much of it of the Catholic variety. So maybe.
It is a nice idea, but I wonder if the article is trying just a little too hard? With perhaps a little bit of wishful thinking? But it is a sympathetic piece, and a great way to celebrate Paul McCartney’s amazing 83 years, with his birthday coming up Wednesday this week, June 18th.
So well worth reading.
And perhaps it is true: you can take the man out of Catholicism but you cannot take Catholicism out of the man!
Read the full article in the Catholic Herald here.
Picture: English musician Paul McCartney performing at The O2 Arena in London, England, on 19 December 2024 as part of his Got Back Tour, by Raph_PH, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons