A song is a key for locked memory boxes. A song can transport you back through time, giving you a chance to relive moments and ideas that occurred back when you first heard that song. A song is not just a song; it is also a story.
The Beatles – “Hello, Goodbye”
After considerable thought, I decided to go with The Beatles “Hello, Goodbye”. Whenever I hear it, I immediately get reminded of the first time I really listened to The Beatles.
I think I was six years old. As far as I was concerned, my older sister was the tastemaker in the house when it came to all things cool. At the time, New Kids on the Block were generally regarded as the shit, so she played that tape constantly. Not knowing any better, I naturally assumed that if she liked NKOB it was because they were the coolest, most bitchin’ thing going.
I took this newfound knowledge to the playground only to be told by a friend of mine that a band I had never heard of before were far superior to NKOB. They were, as he phrased it, “The greatest band in the world!” to which I replied, “Who the hell are The Beatles?”
Later that day I searched through my mom and dad’s records and found a bunch of Beatles albums. I decided to listen to the one that had, in my opinion, the most interesting cover. It was a tough decision between Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt. Peppers. I went with Mystery Tour. I put the record on side two (not sure why), climbed into the armchair beside the stereo, threw on the headphones… and WHAM! I get my six-year-old ass kicked by the first verse of “Hello, Goodbye”. All those cool slide parts, the spaced out, panning backups. I didn’t know what any of those things were at the time, but damn it sounded cool. I listened to it over and over and would sing along whenever I managed to remember the words. Sitting in that old armchair with those gigantic headphones was total bliss.
I would eventually come to love the entire side of the album (especially the spooky part at the end of “Strawberry Fields”), but “Hello, Goodbye” was, and will always be my first real listening experience with music. For that reason alone, it’s a memory that still feels fresh, even twenty some years later.
- Alex Denike (guitar/vocals) of Whale Tooth
Photos 1, 2 & 5 by Ming Wu
