Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Love Me Do" (The Beatles)

Welcome to another Tuesday in the month of L O V E ! ! !  This week's "Love"ly edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes comes to you live (well, as live as an email and blog can get), from our palatial 2nd story office in the heart of the US!!!  Happy Valentine's Day!!!

It's a historic week this week with the Sochi Olympics (click here please "Bugler's Dream" - Olympic Fanfare) and the 50th anniversary of The Beatles arriving in the United States (again...click   "The Beatles Arrive In New York City" - Universal - International News Newsreel).  No doubt you have seen something about both of these events this past week online or on air.  Tuesday's Musical Notes admits to some fascination regarding the Olympics, however, the 50 year anniversary of The Beatles coming to America is a particularly important musical event worthy of further exploration by your weekly voyage into the land of tunes and truth.

For a majority of Americans, John, Paul, George, and Ringo, represent the quintessential musical success.  "Love Me Do" was the first single released by the band.  It would be a simple introduction to what undoubtedly would become the most iconic musical group the world has ever experienced.  From October of 1962, here are The Beatles with this week's Tuesday's Musical Notes feature song:

"Love Me Do" - The Beatles

You may know the story surrounding the fact that Ringo was not the first Beatles drummer.  Pete Best was the original drummer for the band when they originated as The Quarrymen. Best went on to tour with them for 2 years prior to their recording success.  One of his last official acts as the drummer for The Beatles would be to record the first version of "Love Me Do" for an EMI artist test on June of 1962.  His studio work is noted as one of the reasons George, Paul, and John, along with their producer George Martin would let Best go from the band.  The 1st principle recording of "Love Me Do" would feature Ringo as the principal drummer.  There would be a second principle recording of the single with Ringo playing only the tambourine and session drummer Andy White handling the trap set.  All three recordings are available on separate albums by The Beatles (Anthology 1 featuring Pete Best, Rarities and Past Masters featuring Ringo Starr, and Please, Please Me, The Beatles Hits, and 1962-1966 (Red album) featuring Andy White).

 

What does it mean to "love" someone?  Dictionary.com defines it thusly...(is that even a word?)


1.a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

2.a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for a parent, child, or friend.

3.sexual passion or desire.

According to another British band, The Bee Gees,  "Love is,higher than a mountain, love is, thicker than water."  The Notes confesses to not really understanding what either of these definitions truly means...(How thick is water after all?).  we do, however, see tangible evidence around us of love demonstrated on a daily basis.  We are the beneficiaries of these demonstrations as we go about our lives.  Repeatedly, Tuesday's Musical Notes has attempted to pontificate that the most meaningful things in our lives are the smallest, sometimes even the unnoticeable, activities that others may do for us.  In fact, a best selling book was written just by detailing random acts of kindness.  How we relate to others, even those in which we have the least commonalities, displays our capacity for love.  Jesus exemplified that time and again in The Bible.

Before His ultimate expression of love on the cross, Jesus took the opportunity of the Passover to teach His disciples about what true love is:

John 13:1-17 The Message 

This poignant display of servant-hood would be a continual reminder to the disciples that their lives should no longer be about themselves but others.  This story should remind us that our lives as followers of Jesus are dedicated to serving others.  We serve Him by serving others..."in as much as you've done it to the very least of my children, you've done it unto me"...  We are instructed to look past our own wants, desires, and yes, even our own needs and ensure that we see to the needs of those around us.  Love is all we need if it is driven by an intense desire to see others elevated...if we have the attitude and the context of service....someone to love...someone like you...regardless of who that "you" might be.  Love is all we need...

"Love Take Me Over" - Stephen Curtis Chapman

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving you,

Randy