𝙃𝘼𝙐𝙉𝙏𝙀𝘿 𝘽𝙔 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝘽𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙇𝙀𝙎 "𝙉𝙀𝙒" 𝙍𝙀𝙇𝙀𝘼𝙎𝙀 ```````````````` "𝙉𝙊𝙒 𝘼𝙉𝘿 𝙏𝙃𝙀𝙉"

 

The latest Beatles release, "Now and Then," the song rescued from a 46 year old John Lennon cassette tape, keeps going through my head.

Even as a self-described "backsliding agnostic," my favorite version of the song is above, as performed by the Forest Grove United Church choir of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

I have no Beatles or other albums in my possession now, but all the songs are still in my head.

Nearly 54 years ago, Tom Robinson gave us the White Album as a wedding gift, then came over that same night to listen to it.

When my late mother picked out a song she wanted to hear from some albums scattered on the floor, we got out our record player, made of stiff, paper-covered cardboard, the kind where the speakers are connected by hinges to the player, and played for her "Your Mother Should Know" as she snapped her fingers to the beat.

Somehow, that was embarrassing, but it shouldn't have been.

Back then, the play quality was dependent on the caliber of the needle and good replacement needles weren't cheap in the scheme of things.

I remember being fascinated with how the needle arm knew exactly where to land for 45's or 33's, but even that technology was beyond my pay grade.

Like other kids born in the 40's I purchased vinyl records, then 8-tracks, cassettes, mini-cassettes, VCR tapes and then vinyl again.

Taylor Swift

Other than sold out concert venues and YouTube, I'm not totally sure how the Taylor Swift's of the world make their money, although performance royalties are still a thing, along with air play.

Swift won't need social services anytime soon, but neither will Paul McCartney.