Saturday, July 18, 2009

Holes

One of my favorite Beatles' songs has always been "Fixing A Hole" from Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, their seminal 1967 album released when I was 15 years old. My friends and I spent day after day listening to it, deciphering the lyrics, exploring the musical overlay of tracks and sound that made this album unique. I loved this song because I thought the tune was beautiful and the lyric poignant. Popular conjecture made it about shooting heroin, doing drugs, etc. But I took it to mean filling a void in one's life and making time for the little things.

"I'm taking the time for a number of things
That weren't important yesterday"

This song came to mind last night when I heard Walter Cronkite had died. I thought of my father in law and my son's close friend, dying the same week. Great gaping holes are left in our hearts and souls when someone close to us dies. Holes are left in our culture and world when an icon of import, particularly someone who made a lasting contribution, dies.

So what do we do? We go about filling the holes, trying to find a way to ease the pain and emptiness. We try to replace what has been lost. And maybe, we start taking the time for things that "weren't important yesterday."

15 comments:

Peaches said...

Well said. And thanks for the music.

Pop and Ice said...

"I'm taking the time for a number of things
That weren't important yesterday"

I fear that many of us leave such things until it is too late. Myself included.

Patsy said...

This is a very good reminder. Thank you for it, and thank you for finding the song. :-)

~Lorna
____________________________________

Lindsay said...

Although I'm familiar with many Beatles songs, I had never heard this one before...loved the song and your message!

California Girl said...

Hello All: Glad I could share a sweet song with you. Still love it.

Peaches: Thank you back. Just read your latest post.

Pop: it's twoo it's twoo.

Lorna: I feel my family's lives have been full of holes lately that will need fixing.

Anne: glad I could share it with you.

Ruth said...

I used to iron my dad's handkerchiefs and boxer shorts to this album (and the pillowcases and t-shirts too). I loved this song, still do.

The hole I felt this morning when I heard about Walter Cronkite was like losing part of my country. I grew up hearing about world events from him, watched the Watergate hearings with him, listened to the death toll in Vietnam through his voice. Every single evening at 6:30. A person like that is a part of your life even without ever meeting.

Peaches said...

Thanks for stopping by my spot, CG. Hey, you make the third Peaches, not including me, that I have met. I had a friend in college who dated a guy named Peach, who happened to have the same birthday as me, and I worked with a woman at one of my many college jobs who was also named Peaches...we had to go by our last names there. Nice the meet another.

Marguerite said...

Great song! My girlfriends and I used to do the same thing with Sergeant Peppers, one of my favorite albums of all time! Each day really is a gift. Thanks for sharing.

Coffee Messiah said...

That song always seemed so positive even back then.

Lyrics and the sheets of images to look at, those were the days ; )

Susan said...

Filling the holes...that's exactly what it's like. Thank you for this post. I hope all your blog friends will help you fill the hole left by your recent loss. We will sure try.

Blessings and peace to you, dear.

Stella Jones said...

I love that song too and yes, it does bring back many memories. Thank you for reminding me of it. I found Sergeant Pepper very perplexing when it first came out. It seemed so different to all the other albums at the time and so very enjoyable too. I still have my copy of it.
Blessings, Star

California Girl said...

Ruth: that is a nice memory. I remember my mom ironed our sheets and pillowcases when I was young and then she had an "ironing lady".

My husband seemed a bit miffed so much was being made of Cronkite's death but I think that's his own grief coming out. I see it as the loss of a type of newsperson who will never come again...one with integrity who told the news as it was without personal embellishment or opinion. I miss that.

Peaches: just left you a lengthy note on your blog.

Marguerite: glad you like it too. every day is indeed a gift. I just have to remember that.

CM: It is a positive song and those were the days. Alot of fun back then. No worries was definitely the mantra (til the draft anyway).

Susan: You're welcome and thanks for the kind thought. xo

Star: It is still my favorite Beatle album and that includes Revolver, Abbey Road.

Ima Wizer said...

very nice post, very nice

Reya Mellicker said...

It's a great song! Haven't listened to it in awhile (even though Sgt. Pepper is one of my fav albums of all time).

Somehow I don't believe it was about drugs. It has that Paul McCartney old vaudville music melody and feeling to it, like "When I'm 64." I think your take on it is accurate.

Walter! We trusted you. And now you're gone. Guide us from the heavenly realms, please! Thanks.

California Girl said...

Ima: thank you, ma'am.

haris: thank you.

Reya: Yes. I looked up a couple of takes on the song but they sounded very old hat. I imagine if I went back through old Rolling Stone archives there would be much more interesting critiques. I doubt this song was widely discussed as it's comparatively simplistic vs "A Day in the Life".

Christina

Christina
by Cole Scott