The Beatles (band)/Heartwarming

The Beatles did their share of WAFF-worthy work. Here's a list:

• "Hey Jude", written by Paul for Julian Lennon in the middle of his father's messy divorce.
• George's support of "Octopus's Garden", only the second song Ringo had ever written, because Paul and John were so dismissive of the drummer's work.
  • "Octopus's Garden" is an example in itself. "Knowing they're happy and they're safe...."
• And "Here Comes The Sun." Quite a few of their songs will give you the warm fuzzies, really.
• John managed at least two with "In My Life" and "Julia".
• You can't forget "Honey Pie," "Something," "Do You Want To Know a Secret," or "All You Need is Love." Really, the list could go on and on...
• Solo example, but definitely related: "Walk With You" from Ringo's 2010 album Y Not. Ringo and Paul, the last two surviving Beatles, harmonizing on a song about The Power of Friendship? Excuse me, I have something in my eye...
• During the recording of The White Album, Ringo got fed up with being dismissed and temporarily quit the band. After two weeks, he was convinced to return. When he came back to the Abbey Road studio, he found his drum kit had been decorated with flowers, along with a note from George reading "Welcome home."
• A lot of these seem to center on Ringo for some reason. The day after the rooftop concert, Ringo, who was famously self-deprecating about his skills, received a postcard from one of his bandmates. It read: "You are the greatest drummer in the world. Really." This was from Paul, who was notoriously hard to please. Ringo published that postcard, along with many others from fellow Beatles, in the book Postcards from the Boys.
  • This may have also been an in-joke; some time earlier, when an interviewer asked "Is Ringo the best drummer in the world?", John answered "He's not the best drummer in the Beatles."
  • He may not have been the "Best" drummer, but he was the "Starr" drummer...
• "Dear Prudence" was written for a real girl (Mia Farrow's sister), because John was saddened by how reserved and shy she was. That's right. One of the biggest musicians of all time took the time to write a beautiful ballad just to get a girl he had just met to cheer up. All I'll say is, if the freaking Beatles write a song just for you to get you to cheer up and you don't feel better, there's no hope for you.
• George Harrison's cover of "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea", from the last album he recorded before he died, is, while slightly lacking in lyrical depth (though it's by no means shallow), one of the most cheery, heartwarming songs this troper has ever heard.
• When the Beatles were on tour, they still took time to celebrate Brian Epstein's birthday. Actually, considering how often people hear about cold, corrupt managers, the close relationship between Epstein and the Beatles in general fit this trope. It made his possible suicide even more tragic (it was rules as accidental and none of the Beatles ever disputed it.
• "With A Little Help From My Friends" is arguably this.
  • If the song itself somehow doesn't qualify, this home recording of a young Sean Lennon singing it to his father and giggling over the "I need somebody to love" lyric certainly does. What makes it especially heartwarming is that in his 1980 interviews, John liked to boast that Sean had no idea that his father was a Beatle and didn't even know who the Beatles were, and that they didn't play Beatles records in the house... and yet here Sean not only has a favorite Beatles song, but he apparently knows who Paul and Ringo are along with his dad. Oh, John...
• "Let It Be". Written by Paul during a period of high tension between the band members. The song itself was inspired by a dream in which Paul was visited by his long deceased Mother telling him to 'Let It Be.'
• While listening to "All You Need is Love" from the "Love" album, this troper was given specific instructions to not listen until she was about to fall asleep, was in a completely dark room, and to have headphones in. The song is segued wonderfully with the beginning instrumentals of "Good Night" and just as the music is fading out one then gets to Listen to the boys goof around in the studio for a few seconds and then hear John say "good night to you's all, and God bless ya!" Warm fuzzy feelings abound.

---

Back to The Beatles (band)