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whenrockwasyoung19 · 4 years ago

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It’s Time to Talk about a Bespectacled Elephant in the Room

I’ve been in the Beatles fandom for 8 and a half years. I have had a Beatles blog for the entirety of those 8 and a half years, and I have watched as discourse about these four men evolve. The discourse inside and outside the fandom has become so toxic that I don’t think I can engage with it in the same way that I could before. Let me explain.

When I entered this fandom 8 and a half years ago, it was in 2012, quite an infamous year in tumblr history. That was the pique of “”cringey”” fandom culture. The Beatles fandom was as steeped in fandom culture as any other fandom. I know this because I was part of two of the top of fandoms at the time, Doctor Who and Sherlock. Believe me, I have seen cringe.

The fandom at the time was totally aware of the John, Paul, George, and Ringo’s flaws as individuals, but most fans tended to simply enjoy Beatles fandom as if it were the 60s. Some might call it ignorant bliss. If you asked me at the time, I’d have said it was self-aware ignorant bliss--if that even makes sense. At the time, there wasn’t a person with a Beatles icon who hadn’t heard the line “John Lennon beat his wife.” Everyone knew it, but everyone also knew the real story, and so everyone just made peace with it. As a result, people didn’t think about every bad thing the Beatles ever did on a daily basis. It was more like a once-a-month kind of thing. Otherwise, fandom discourse was quite fun and relaxed. There were no shipping wars, no one fought over who was the best Beatle, everyone gushed over the Beatles wives, and we all just had fun with fics and fan art.

Of course, in this period, people engaged in conversations about one bespectacled Beatles problematic behavior. These conversations usually came from outside of the fandom. It was usually randos coming into the tags or into someone’s ask box and ranting about John Lennon’s violent behavior. Some of it came from within the fandom. Some people really didn’t like John and gave others shit if they listed John as their favorite Beatle. A lot of the discourse boiled down to: ‘hey, I see you like John Lennon. You should know that he beat his wife. And now that you know that, you should feel bad about ever liking him in the first place.’ And the response was often, ‘Actually, John Lennon didn’t beat his wife. They weren’t even married at the time. And also he didn’t beat her, he slapped her once in the face, and then never did it again.’ No one’s minds were changed. The fans had made their peace, and the antis came off as cynical and pretentious.

When Dashcon happened, and Tumblr took a hard look at its cringey fandom culture, the Beatles fandom evolved as well. The fandom became, frankly, less fun. It no longer felt like a group of people who found the Beatles decades after the 60s and were fangirling like it was 1965. There was still some of that left, but a lot of it kind of faded. So, most fandom interactions were reblogging pictures of the Beatles from the 60s and various interview clips and quotes. But the barrage of antis never really went away, and the response didn’t evolve.

Then, the advent of cancel culture came on. I always waited for the Beatles to get, like, officially canceled, but I also felt they were uncancel-able at the same time. Let me explain. I have been a Beatles fan primarily in an online space, rarely engaging with fans in real life. But I have met fans who are life-long Beatles fans, people who are a lot older than us and who’s fandom isn’t tied to the internet. They don’t give a shit about any of our discourse. They may or may not have heard it before, but they seem totally indifferent to all of it. I’m sure most of them have never heard ‘Mclennon’ before. These are the people that flock to see Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr in concert (and pay astronomical prices for it). These are the people who go to record shops and buy vinyl. These are the people I run into at flea markets who buy up all the Beatles merch before I can even arrive (true story). So, the Beatles will never be canceled because there will always be people who love the Beatles and don’t engage with online discourse. Rarely said, but thank god for Gen-X.

As cancel culture took over the internet, fandoms changed. It’s not as noticeable in fandoms without problematic favs. For instance, I’m also steeped in the Tom Holland fandom, and that boy is a little angel who has done no wrong. No one has discourse about the unproblematic boy who plays an equally unproblematic character. But in fandoms with ‘problematic favs’ the mood has shifted. I’m also in the Taron Egerton fandom. Taron Egerton, for those who only follow me for my Beatles stuff, is a genuinely sweet and kind person who has had zero scandals in his six year career. There were some rumblings when he was cast as Elton John, and some people took issue with the fact that he’s a straight man playing a gay man. This discourse seemed to die quickly as a whole lot of straight people played gay people in that same year (Olivia Coleman as queer Queen Anne, Emma Stone as her queer lover, Rami Malek as Freddie Mercury). Why jump on this boy who at the time was still technically on the rise. He’s not exactly the same target as someone like Scarlett Johansson who has her pick of roles. Taron doesn’t have quite that some power in Hollywood, and I think most people made peace with the fact that this was a big role for him, and it’s not really fair to take that away from him. So, all in all, the closest thing to a scandal was something that died pretty much on arrival.

That was until this summer when everything changed. When George Floyd was murdered, celebrities flocked to social media to mourn his loss. Taron’s social media account was silent. For weeks, Taron said nothing about Black Lives Matter or Floyd’s death. This caused outrage in the fandom. Many raced to defend him, starting a hashtage #IstandwithTaron. Others sought to tear him down and anyone who supported him. The kind of mania this one incident caused tore through an otherwise peaceful fandom. What I saw was two sides in a total panic. The antis were people who once had faith that Taron was a good person and were now questioning that. Andthe defenders were people who desperately wanted him to be a good person and were afraid that he wasn’t. In essence, both sides could feel Taron about to get canceled. The defenders wanted to stop it, the antis wanted to ride that wave.

What this long drawn out Taron example is meant to convey: is that cancel culture has put fandoms on edge. One’s fav has to be perfect, otherwise it can jeopardize the existence of the entire fandom. I’ll admit, I was afraid that I’d be some kind of pariah for standing by Taron through all of this. My actions were to basically reason with the antis but still defend Taron. I defend him mostly because I felt that his silence was the result of a needed social media absence and that trying to shame him back onto social media was an invasion of privacy. But I was genuinely afraid that he would get canceled, and the fun of the Taron fandom would be lost.

In the Beatles fandom, it often feels like the Beatles, mainly John, have already been canceled. I see this coming from two different sources: antis from outside of the fandom and antis within the fandom. The outside antis are just the same as the ones from 2012. These are people who like to drop in that John Lennon beat his wife, posting this in the tag (which violates an ancient tumblr real by the way--no hate in the tags).

The antis outside the fandom speak to a larger anti-John Lennon sentiment online. I see references to John Lennon ‘beating his wife’ on Tiktok and twitter. The tone of anti-John Lennon posts has shifted. Before, it felt like the antis were being smug but also argumentative. They wanted to have a conversation about this bit of info they read on Reddit with no context. Now, “John Lennon beating his wife” is practically a meme. It’s a running joke online that John Lennon was a wife beater. I can’t look on my instagram explore page because every so often a John Lennon beats his wife meme will pop up amongst the other, normal, memes.

This change in discourse suggests that the internet has just accepted this as fact now. I should note that back in 2012, it seemed as if few people knew this fact. The fandom knew it, and these random antis knew it, but few others did. Now, because of how common these memes are, it seems to be widespread knowledge.

Consequently, the Beatles fandom, who used to ward off attacks from antis, seems to have given in. I recently saw a post from a Beatles blog (had the URL and icon and everything) that confessed they felt guilty for listening to the Beatles, and I’ve seen similar sentiments expressed in the fandom. People tend to put disclaimers in posts about John or even all four that John is an ‘awful man.’ It seems like the self-aware ignorant bliss has completely gone away. Occasionally, I still see posts joyously talking about Mclennon or reblogs of old photos from the 60s. But the culture has shifted.

Online, it no longer feels comfortable to be a Beatles fan. It feels like you have to own up to 8 decades of mistakes by four men you’ve never met. And, I should note, this is kind of how it feels to be a fan of anything right now. Taron is not canceled today, but he could be tomorrow. It’s this pervasive feeling of guilt that the person you’re supporting may or definitely has or is doing something wrong.

I’ll admit this uncomfortable feeling has expanded into other parts of my fandom life. I listen to their music, and I feel elated--the way I always have. Then, I get these intrusive thoughts which sound like all the worst parts of Twitter combined. It wasn’t always like this. Back in 2012, when I knew almost nothing about them, I saw them as four young men who were full of happiness, love for another, and talent. Back then, listening to their music was exciting and joyous. Sometimes, I fear that I can never feel that way again. Next year, when I finally go to Liverpool, will I be filled with excitement or guilt?

I say all this for a few reasons. One, I love John Lennon. I appreciate all the good he did for the world not just as a musician and an artist but also his advocacy and charity work. I love him, and a part of me will always love him, but observing the change in discourse has enlightened me as a historian. Part of my job is to observe people’s legacies, and John’s is perhaps the most interesting legacy I’ve ever observed. When he died, he was hailed as a saint. But tall poppy syndrome set in, and the antis started. This culture grew and grew to the point where it seems to, at least among the younger generation, taken over the sainthood.

But as a historian and a fan, I have never seen the saint or the devil. I’ve only seen the man, the incredibly flawed man. The thing that these antis never understand is that John Lennon was painfully aware of his own flaws to the point where it made him all the more self-destructive. In essence, his past mistakes caused him to make additional mistakes. But John, aware of his own flaws, always tried to change and was often successful. I’ve talked about this before, but John demonstrated that he was capable of being a good person, like properly so, again and again. After he struck Cynthia, he never hit her again. His shortcomings as a father to Julian weren’t repeated with Sean. He worked on his drinking, his drug addiction, and his anger, trying to overcome those demons till the day he died. By all accounts, the John Lennon that died in 1980 is not the John Lennon who struck Cynthia Powell at school. That John Lennon was living a cleaner, healthier life. He was a better father to both his sons by that point, and was trying to repair his relationship with Julian. He was a good husband to Yoko and saw himself living a long and happy life.

John Lennon cannot and should not be boiled down to just his flaws. It’s one thing as a fan to acknowledge that John is a flawed human being (news flash: they all are), but he is also much bigger than that.

So once again, why am I writing this long, rambling post, once again talking about John Lennon’s virtues? Because if I can’t engage with healthy discourse about the Beatles and John Lennon, then I can’t engage with discourse on the topic at all. So, I probably will post less Beatles stuff because I find it hard to go through the tags or even my dash (well, I can’t really go through my dash anymore for other reasons I’m not going to get into right now). If any of my followers have noticed a lot of Taron posts lately, it’s not just because I love Taron, it’s because Taron’s tag is pretty much the only location on tumblr I feel 100% comfortable in. Any foray into John or the Beatles tags becomes uncomfortable and guilt-ridden quickly.

So, I probably will post less about the Beatles until I can find a blog or a tag that doesn’t give me bad vibes. My fandom will likely outgrow tumblr and the internet. I have a ton of Beatles books; maybe I’ll rely on those. I am doing official scholarly research on them now. Maybe that will be my outlet. I’m sorry if I post less about them now, but it’s really for my own well-being.

#John lennon #the beatles

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mithranqueersmusings · 4 years ago

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The Night Before IV

Chapter: 4/15

Rating: U

Summary: Ringo hangs around after the club closes and meets a stranger.

Tags: Smut, Slow Burn

Pairing: George Harrison/Ringo Starr (Background McLennon)

AO3 link here / Fic masterlist here

Daylight crept in through the crudely closed curtains of Ringo's bedroom, it took him a while to wake up fully and his thumping head wasn't helping. He could hardly remember getting into bed with George, yet there they both lay in his mismatched pyjamas. Turning over to his other side, Ringo reluctantly opened his eyes to find George looking right at him. It gave him a start to say the least, his eyes shot open which seemed to startle George too.

"Morning." George said hastily, his voice was a little croaky which somehow made it even more appealing.

"Morning." Ringo repeated with a smile "How long you been staring at me?"

George paused for a second, likely debating whether to lie his way out, but then said "Not long enough."

Ringo laughed "Talk about sappy."

"Honestly I've been dying for a piss but I can't get up unless you move your fat arse." George regained his composure quickly, Ringo figured he wouldn't be easy to catch out.

"Why didn't you just wake me?" Ringo asked, his voice so quiet despite nobody being around to hear them, the softness of the morning felt too fragile to break.

Another pause "Believe or not I do actually have some manners. Don't let last night fool you."

Ringo felt his cheeks flushing at the thought of what they indulged in, he only hoped it wouldn't be a solitary thing. He smiled at George then shifted out of the bed, stretching his arms upwards as George followed his lead. The flat felt considerably colder than the warmth of the bed, and Ringo suddenly regretted getting up and ending the intimate moment between himself and George.

"Actually... Do you mind if I have a quick shower? I'm still a little sticky, so to speak." George asked tentatively.

Ringo couldn't deny that George looked rather adorable in one of his old, baggy Rolling Stones shirts. He remembered how happy it made him when George picked it out from his vast array of ragged band shirts, far too many than he necessarily needed but they held fond memories of his youth and could never really part from them. Part of him suspected that he was going to see George again after today, but the last thing he wanted to do was get his hopes up only to be disappointed, he wished he hadn't experienced it so many times before in the past but that wasn't the case.

"Yeah, of course." Ringo answered "Let me see if I can find a clean towel."

Fortunately the bathroom was in considerably less of a state than the rest of the flat, he only fixed a couple of things like the overflowing clothes bin and the variety of towels strewn about the room. Managing to find at least one relatively dry and clean one, he hung it up on the back of the door and returned to his bedroom where George was scanning over his belongings inquisitively. He had a few photos of himself, John and Paul dotted about the space which seemed to pique George's interest. When the door shut George shot upright, clearly getting absorbed into some thought or another.

"Being nosey are we?" Ringo asked playfully, moving closer to see exactly what George had been looking at: a picture of the three of them at a festival, John looked completely manic with his shirt being discarded long ago, Paul's face was covered with glitter while Ringo was clinging onto the both of them for much-needed support.

"Cute friends." George replied a little coldly "Look like a lot of fun."

It warmed Ringo to think back on those fond memories "Yeah, it was a good time... Anyway, the shower's ready for you. Do you want a cup of tea or anything when you're done?"

"I'd love one." George smiled though his eyes seemed distant "Milk and two sugars, thanks."

Ringo nodded, returning the smile. George sauntered off into the bathroom, taking off the shirt as he went; Ringo couldn't deny himself the pleasure of watching him, his shoulder muscles tensing and his arse packed nicely into his tight boxers. With the door shut, Ringo headed into the kitchen to start work on the tea. If he wasn't feeling so rough, and if his fridge wasn't so barren, he'd probably try and cook something for the both of them but it was probably for the best, he didn't want to overstep and end up scaring George away. Waiting for the kettle to boil Ringo started tidying up his living room, picking up his discarded clothes and searching for his phone. It was always a relief to find that he hadn't recklessly broken it on a night out, the only negative being that it had depleted its battery some point in the night.

Heading into his bedroom in search of a charger, a familiar knock sounded on the door. Before Ringo could even straighten himself up a little, trying to conjure how he was going to explain the man in his shower, the door was swung open intrusively without a care.

"Your door's unlocked." Paul announced, stepping into the flat like it was his own and crashing down onto the sofa.

"Good thing you don't have anything worth stealing." John strut inside, clutching a bag of fast food "We got you breakfast."

"Correction, I got us breakfast." Paul stated firmly "Figured you could use it. What time did you even get in last night?"

Ringo took the bag from John eagerly, clutching a hash brown and digging into it. The sound of the shower running reminded him to save something for George.

"I don't know really..." Ringo started, sitting down next to Paul "But I, er- I've got company."

John threw himself down on the sofa "Good on you, Ringo lad! It's about bloody time."

"You didn't meet them at that dodgy place did you? What's it even called..." Paul couldn't mask the concern on his face.

"No, no. I met him outside the club actually, though I'm not sure if that's any better." Ringo chuckled, it didn't feel real trying to retrace his steps last night.

"Well we can get out of your hair if you'd like, don't wanna make things awkward." Paul offered, sipping on a milkshake.

John interjected immediately "Not before I get all the goss, I wanna know everything."

"Can it wait? He is literally in the shower right now, don't wanna risk-" Ringo began but was cut off by a voice behind him.

"Talking about me, are you?" George was standing with a towel wrapped around his waist, his chest bare and glistening with water.

All three of their heads spun around instantly, Ringo was feeling a little speechless at the sight. John got up from the sofa eagerly and approached him with a handshake, George looked at him suspiciously but accepted it nonetheless. Paul groaned in embarrassment, a sound Ringo had grown very accustomed to.

"Nice to meet you, Ringo's told us oh so much about you!" John was shaking his hand enthusiastically, George looked over at Ringo for some support.

"Am I meant to know who you are?" George asked, cocking his eyebrow as he managed to free his hand from John's grip.

"Ouch." John feigned an expression of sadness and took a step back.

"George, this is John and Paul." Ringo gestured his head respectively "John and Paul, this is George."

Paul nodded at George with a smile "Nice to meet you. You want some greasy breakfast?"

George seemed to relax as soon as Paul spoke, far from the first time he had to relax someone who had just been introduced to the character that was John Lennon.

"I'd love to, but I should probably get some clothes on." George chuckled shyly "Ringo, do you, um.... Know where they are?"

John snickered as Ringo leapt from the sofa to pick up the pile of George's clothes he'd left on a table in the corner. Paul slapped John playfully, although Ringo suspected there was an inkling of seriousness to the gesture. Getting closer to George, Ringo couldn't help feeling a little flustered again; his hair was pushed back, making the severity of his eyes stand out all the more.

"You gonna be alright in those trousers?" Ringo asked in a hushed tone, not wanting John to hear "I can lend you some of mine if you like."

"I'll be fine, thanks. Not the worst thing if the whole of Liverpool knows what a slut I am." George nudged Ringo lightly after taking the clothes, then shut the bedroom door behind him.

Ringo was thankful for the sudden exit because there was no way he'd be able to think of anything moderately appropriate to reply with. Turning back to his friends, John had a knowing grin on his face which could never mean anything good. Ringo slunk back to to savour another hash brown, the grease let him know just how bad it was for him but there's nothing else he'd rather eat with a hangover.

"Quite the looker." Paul commented casually, his face was hard to read but there was a glimmer in his eyes.

"Fucking hell, Rings. How'd you manage that?" John asked far louder than necessary.

"I dunno..." Ringo laughed "He came up to me actually, if you can believe it."

"Pft, not very likely." John retorted "You must've spun him a whopping lie to get him in bed with you."

"Thanks for the support, John, as always." Ringo smirked sarcastically.

John opened his mouth, likely for yet another comical remark, but was silent when George returned into the room. The marks on his trousers looked worse than they had the night before, Ringo only hoped that nobody would notice. Even looking this dishevelled, George still looked irresistible to him.

"I'll have to pass on the food, I'm afraid." George announced, his jacket was pulled on as his headphones were wrapped around his neck "Completely forgot I had plans today, so I best be off."

"Oh..." Ringo failed to hide the disappointment in his voice "Alright then, if you're sure."

"It was nice meeting you both." George smiled at John and Paul, already making his way to the door "I'll see you around, Ringo, yeah?"

"Yeah, see you around." Ringo's voice faded into quiet, but he still managed a relatively believable smile.

George just nodded his headed and ducked out of the flat, the door shutting behind him seemed to echo through the room. Nobody said anything for a while, Ringo found himself just staring at the door as though George was going to suddenly reappear. Paul just sat drinking his milkshake, unsure of what to say. John focused his attention on rustling around in the bag for some more food, waiting for his boyfriend to take the reigns. Had he done something wrong? Ringo wasn't sure, everything seemed to be going so well until Paul and John arrived. Had John scared him off? It was entirely possible, but it wasn't exactly plausible for Ringo to start seeing someone who couldn't put up with John's antics. Ringo let out a heavy sigh, there was no use dwelling on the fact, he supposed.

"Don't beat yourself up, Ringo." Paul broke the silence with his gentle voice "You probably will see him around, I don't think he was just saying that."

"I guess." Ringo huffed "I might head back to bed, you know... The hangover's really starting to settle in."

Paul looked over at John and gave him a small nod "Alright then, give us a ring if you need anything. Keep the food, I don't even need to look in your fridge to know it's empty."

Ringo let out a morose laugh "Thanks guys..."

The two of them said their goodbyes and before long Ringo was alone again in his flat, the silence feeling way more imposing than it ever had previously. Ringo finished off the coffee John had left behind then tossed the cup into his bin, which was in desperate need of emptying. Slinking into his bedroom, he pulled the curtains tighter together to stop even the smallest amount of sunlight from getting through. Letting out another heavy sigh, as though the air would expel the growing fatigue in his body, he pulled the covers over himself and reached for the water he'd left on the bedside table. Lifting his head, he noticed a small piece of paper with some scribblings on it, he had to turn on a lamp to even be able to read it:

call me (i mean it)

george x

Below the words were some hastily written digits, the sight of them filled him with a joy that shot right through his impending hangover. He searched for his phone charger desperately, the sooner he could put George's number into his phone, the better. Knowing when to call him would be a problem in itself, but for now Ringo could get some much-needed sleep knowing that he'd been right about George after all.

#the beatles #Beatles #beatles fanfiction #beatles fanfic #George Harrison/Ringo Starr #george harrisonxringo starr #ringo starr/george harrison #george harrisonxreader #starrison

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sgt-revolver · 4 years ago

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ULTIMATE Beatlemaniac Tag!

I was tagged by @ourladylennon and @johns-prince to complete this questionnaire. Thanks for the tags, I honestly really enjoyed answering these questions.

How long have you been a fan?: I’ve been a fan for as long as I can remember. I always loved hearing their music on the radio and my music teacher was a fan, so he’d regularly play their music in his lessons and on one occasion I saw like the first 30 minutes of A Hard Day’s Night. I think I only got as far as the scene with John in the bath before he turned it off. But it’s only been during the last 2 and a half years that I’ve listened to them more often, and I’ve finally listened to all the albums all the way through. Now I’m a huge fan and can’t live without their music.

Favorite Beatle: John. It’s always been John for me, even back when I was a kid he was my favourite.

Favorite era for music: I’ll always have a soft spot for their early-mid era music, around 64-66 is my absolute favourite.

Favorite era for lewks: Teddy boy and the whole of 1966 for me. They simply looked so fucking cool around those two eras. The teddy boy era was just hot with all the leather they wore and how they tried to make themselves look ‘tough’, and during 1966 that entire year seemed to be a huge transitional period which mixed with their earlier career and how they looked later on.

Favorite song: This changes, and I do not have only one favourite song. I’ll always love Strawberry Fields Forever, it is always up there as one of my favourites. Same with I am the Walrus. I also love If I Fell, Nowhere Man, In My Life, I’m Only Sleeping and Something. There’s more but this answer will be too long if I keep going.

Favorite album: Revolver, no question. My username is based off it too.

Unpopular/Controversial Beatles opinion: Not necessarily unpopular but I really don’t like Yoko Ono as a person. I wish she didn’t try to make herself part of the band, it’s actually really infuriating. I don’t like to talk about this sort of thing so I’ll leave it at that.

A song everyone loves but you dislike: Ok I don’t necessarily dislike these songs, but I think Hey Jude and Let it Be are overrated.

A song everyone dislikes but you love: Run for your Life, Blue Jay Way and Revolution 9. I’m not really sure why Blue Jay Way isn’t well liked its underrated imo.

Your fantasy involving The Beatles: Seeing them live in concert, before they become big and go to America, preferably in Hamburg or at the Cavern Club. It must have been amazing to be able to be where they started out before Beatlemania, the atmosphere omg yes please. After the show I’d try to do anything I can to meet them, but I suspect I’d end up being so starstruck it would be painfully awkward, but it would be so worth it.

Tell us about the moment you knew you were a fan: There is no one moment I knew I was a fan, but I guess I realised I was a big fan when I listened to their albums all the way through, and I enjoyed them. There’s also the time when I watched the Eight Days a Week documentary and I couldn’t help but love them so much.

Did you ever have a genuine ‘The Beatles suck!’ phase before becoming a fan?: Nearly. This was after I became a fan but a long time ago, I kept hearing constantly how they’re not that good from people I know irl and it almost got ingrained in me for no reason at all. I’m glad I didn’t have that phase, otherwise I would be beating myself up for it now.

Favorite Beatles book: I haven’t read any yet, but I really want to and I’m not sure where to buy any (I’m a bit iffy about buying off Amazon)

Thoughts on the old generation of fans: They can be a bit full of themselves, but I like hearing their stories and their preferences on their favourite albums. Most of the older generation of fans I personally know seem to love John and hate Paul, so I automatically think they’re all the same but I know that’s not true.

If Hollywood were to make a high budget Beatles biopic, what is one thing you desperately hope they include?: I’m personally unsure if I want a Beatles biopic as I know they’ll mess everything up but I want them to include the strong bonds formed with each other and that they never actually hated each other.

Do you read/write fanfic?: I read a lot of fanfic, but I’m not confident with my writing ability so I don’t write anything. Yet.

Are you the only one in your family/friend group to enjoy them?: Both my mum and my dad claim to be fans. My step dad loves them though, yet every time I bring it up with him when he mentions them he ignores me completely, and its painful. My friends either think they’re overrated (they’ve probably only listened to Hey Jude, All you need is love and Yesterday) or they just don’t care/don’t know who they are. And if anyone I know is interested in them, they just mansplain everything to me so I can’t really enjoy listening to them or talking about them with others irl.

Are you a shipper?: Yeah I am.

Favorite movie starring/made by them?: A Hard Day’s Night.

Do you believe in McLennon?: I believe they were soulmates, definitely.

General opinions on McLennon?: They loved each other, there is no doubt about it. The signs are obvious, like the eye fucking, how they were literally inseparable for years and their LSD trip they had together. I do think it was mostly platonic though, and that any romantic attraction was one sided from John. I think Paul was oblivious to some of John’s feelings for him during the 1960s and that upset him.

If you got to change ONE thing about their history, what would it be and why?: The break up, they hurt each other’s feelings so much from all the suing and fighting they were miserable. I would make sure they ended things more amicably and I’d make sure Allen Klein does not get a look in at all during 1969. Seeing Paul get hurt like that is awful.

What song has the best vocals?: This is a real hard one to answer, but I’d say Twist and Shout, Helter Skelter and Norwegian Wood.

What song do you feel had no effort put into it?: Wild Honey Pie.

What is a well talked about moment in Beatles history you genuinely believe to be false?: Yoko wasn’t fully responsible for the break up the Beatles. I believe it was everyone’s fault to some extent, some more so than others. I think John caused the most damage to the band as a result of him putting in nearly no effort and having Yoko on his shoulder every day. Ringo quitting for two weeks is when I believe things were really starting to fall apart, and they never really recovered from that.

What is something you KNOW to be true, but often gets erased in their history?: John was bisexual, he’s pretty much admitted it as well. It gets dismissed constantly though. All of the Beatles were nice, amicable men who had their flaws and did what they can to become better people. None of them were gods, and none of them were inherently terrible people. John and Yoko’s relationship was toxic and incredibly unhealthy. They weren’t as happy together as the books and the Lennon estate make them out to be.

Least favorite look from a Beatle(s): John’s Sgt Pepper moustache. It just didn’t suit him, but then there was his beard from 1969. The beard looked disgusting and way too messy. I don’t think he made any attempt to keep it clean and that he just didn’t give a fuck about it, he just left it there to get worse and worse each passing day.

Favorite look from a Beatle(s): Shea Stadium, on all of them. But when John’s sweaty and his hair is a mess, he just looks fantastic. I also love the suits all four of them wore in Cincinnati in 1966.

I’ll tag @princessleiaqueen @theliverpoolsoldier @underwallsandbridges and @latinxbeatles and anyone else who wants to do it. Don’t feel like you have to do this, but I love reading everyone’s answers :)

#tag games #the beatles

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alienoriana · 5 years ago

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Why Lonely Road is about John

1st Disclaimer: Approaching a Paul song is trickier than a John song IMO. Mainly because Paul seems to enjoy and embrace more the weirdness, the serendipity, the subconscious that can break in and subvert the creative process. John himself described Paul’s lyrics as surreal (maybe in oposition to his own lyrics, which are “real” real. For more insights about it, read this great post from @thecoleopterawithana). This is important because Paul usually prefer to highlight that aspect when he’s talking about one of his songs. That tendency may create the impression that he is more detached from his lyrics, when in fact he is trying to focus on that dimension that he considers to be an indispensable part of his identity as a songwriter. Sometimes its a dream, sometimes its a catchy line, sometimes its a mistake that works, sometimes its a minor event or a random person (or animal), or all these elements together. And thats what Paul will tell us later when ask about the song: that little thing that made the tune go and grow.

But when one tries to understand a song (emotional) motives, this tendency gets in the way -and probably that’s how Paul prefers it: just keep guessing, and more importantly, keep listening to the songs-.

2nd Disclaimer: As much as I believe that John and Paul were (are) soulmates, Im aware of the equal (and different) intensity of the bond they had with their spouses. The fact that I focus on J/P relationship, doesn't mean that I like to place their relationship over the others, as more important than the others. In this case (this song) in particular, I say this in relation to Paul and Linda's relationship. Even if I try to show why I think John's presence is strong in a song, it does not mean that I deny the possibility that Paul actually is alluding to Linda, or even both, sequentially or at the same time. Because the heart is that messy and complex, and big.

I feel that I tried to cover myself too much before I even started, but both issues are usually present almost always in my reflections about his (their) songs (my favorite McLennon topic), and I think this post is a good opportunity to express it.

And now, to the song... [finally, right?]

Lonely Road was included as opening track in the album “Driving Rain”, published in november 2001. The main themes of the album are influenced by the mixed feelings of grief over the recent death of his longtime partner, and of excitement over a new relationship. There’s longing and thankfulness, but also the wish to let go to be able to go on.

Some of the songs were written during a holiday in India, in early 2001, where Paul had not returned since the events of 1968 (!). I think this little fact is esential to read this song. We can ask ourselves: Could Paul have remained indifferent to that place so associated with John and The Beatles, and to the memories it could have awakened?

The lyrics...

I tried to get over you I tried to find something new But all I could ever do Was fill, my time With thoughts, of you

I tried to go somewhere old To search for my pot of gold But all I could ever hold Inside, my mind Were thoughts, of you

I hear your music And it's driving me wild Familiar rhythms In a different style I hear your music And it's driving me wild again

Don't want to let you take me down Don't want to get hurt second time around Don't want to walk that lonely road again

I hear your music And it's driving me wild Familiar rhythms In a different style I hear your music And it's driving me wild again

Don't want to let you take me down Don't want to get hurt second time around Don't want to walk that lonely road again

The analysis of the one who does not want to be analyzed...

When asked about this particular song, Paul was as usual nonchalant about its meaning.

In 2001, he was saying this:

‘Lonely Road’ was also written in Goa, where I was enjoying the beach and the sea and generally chilling out in the new century. Again, I had a few moments in the afternoon, which is always a good time for me, a quiet spell when it’s always cool for me to go off and fondle my guitar. The songs basically wrote itself in about an hour. It is what it is, this song, you can make of it what you want to make of it. To me it’s not particularly about anything other than not wanting to be brought down. It’s a sort of anti-being brought down song, which is for anyone and everyone. It’s ‘don’t want to get brought down again, don’t want to walk that lonely road’, it’s symbolic for anyone who’s been through any sort of problems. It’s a defiant song against loneliness, written in a hotel room in Goa. - Driving Rain Interview, 2001.

“It’s a defiant song against loneliness”, thats a fantastic little definition, which goes well with not only this song but many of Paul’s tunes.

In another quote, published much later, Paul speaks a little about the simple motivation for a certain rhyme:

‘Lonely Road’ was written in India, and that’s a bit… I don’t really know what I’m doing, just blues longing. I say I tried to go somewhere ‘old’, that’s India. ‘To search for my pot of gold’, well I wasn’t, I was on holiday. So it’s half imagination, half reality. If I’m looking for a rhyme for old, and pot of gold comes into my mind, then I don’t resist. ‘I try to go somewhere old cos I no longer need a pot of gold?’ Fuck that. Let’s go somewhere old to search for a pot of gold seems more like a song. - "Conversations With McCartney", by Paul Du Noyer, 2015.

In both quotes, its like he’s saying: “It’s nothing, it’s just this song I made up on a holiday, I didnt want to get brought down, ‘old’ just goes well with ‘gold’, the usual things in a songwriter life. Don’t pay that much attention to it, don’t think too much about it, I certainly didn’t”.

Interestingly, he makes reference in the 2001 interview to another song of the same album, and he once again tries to make it clear that the sources of inspiration were deeply rooted in free asociation.

‘About You’ was written in India, in Goa. We had such a relaxing start to an Indian holiday which was at the beginning of 2001. It was exciting, I hadn’t been back to India since the Mararishi days, which was 25 years or so ago. It was great to look around a bit more; I’d only seen Rishikesh, north of Delhi, before. We started off in Goa, relaxed beach time, and one afternoon I wrote ‘About You’ on a little travel guitar I’ve got which has it’s own amp in it. I picked some words out for the song after seeing a copy of The India Times which was lying around. - Driving Rain Interview, 2001.

“I read the news today, oh boy" kind of feeling... Hmmm... (I wonder what that newspaper was about)

IMO, every time Paul strives to asociate a certain song to something inexplicable, casual and without intermediation, he actually suggests that the motivation is very intimate and subconscious. At the same time, he refuses to analyse it. He wont talk about it, because he cant answer for himself at that moment, that place and time. And he probably believes that if he tries to grasp its meaning and set it in stone, sort to speak, he would kill the song. In this case, I think he tries to say there is no clear intention, but its also a strong feeling he can’t help to express.

And when he alludes to the specific lyrics, he carefully avoids the “middle eight” of the song: “I hear your music and it's driving me wild / Familiar rhythms in a different style / I hear your music and it's driving me wild again”.

“I hear your music"... Whose music?

Ok, Paul, you chose “gold” to rhyme with “old” (and I will not try to relate the “pot of gold” line with the famous twin dreams that John and Paul had after meeting for the first time). Fine.

But who is the person he is talking to throughout the song? Whose memory is the one “taking him down” there in India, in a supposedly happy holiday?

Yes, it can be Linda, but if so, wouldn't Paul say "our music"?. Im inclined to believe that this music he’s hearing (and its driving him “wild”... wild as “young and rebellious”? wild as “angry and mad”?) belongs or relates to someone different.

He sings: “Don't want to let you take me down / Don't want to get hurt second time around / Don't want to walk that lonely road again”.

Oh, this part I love. The reference to “second time” and “again” speak of a first time he was brought down and hurt, of a first time he walked “that lonely road”. Can this have to do only with his recent mourning, to which he’s saying in a way he’s done suffering? Or has to do with another, more distant, first departure, first great hurt? And even more, does this “first time” have something to do with India? (I remember now that Paul has another beautiful song that belongs to this period, maybe a little later, thats simply called “India”).

Why John, then?

The song transpires clearly a youthful rebellious spirit (”Fuck that”), expressing the need to shake off melancholy and nostalgia. And I think that in this way he suggests that he is more guarded in front of a process he already is familiar with. HE’S BEEN THERE. Because he has already gone through that lonely road, and it took him a long time to recover. This time, he feels the urge to recover faster (we'll know later that maybe it was too fast).

I dont know if the first mourning refers to his break-up with John or to John’s passing. Perhaps the proximity to India reinforces the first possibility.

Another thing to take into account is the fact that in the album Paul includes a song directly and explicitly related to Linda, Magic. On the contrary, in the case of Lonely Road, Paul decides to leave it orphan: it´s about noone, and nothing.

Lonely Road comes straight from the subconscious. It has a close, immediate trigger: probably another song that he hears and it makes him wild, and it brings him down, and it reminds him of another time when he was left alone.

And I think that song is a John’s song.

P.S.: Oh, not really related, but you definitely should watch the Lonely Road video.

#i formally submit this to the mclennon symposium #lonely road #i wanted to write about this song for a long time #paul mccartney #mclennon #john lennon #x

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flowersinmytimemachine · 5 years ago

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The German song that mentions Mclennon

Okay so as I've already said, there is a song in German that names John, Paul and also Yoko Ono. They are only mentioned in the chorus but concerning the topic of the song I think it is worth talking about.

The song is called "Kogong" by Mark Forster. (Sollten das hier deutschsprachige Leute lesen, bitte tötet mich nicht :D)

Here is the official music video:

youtube

1. About the singer

Mark Forster is a 35-year-old German Singer-Songwriter. He had his first major hit in 2014 and ever since has been able to become one of Germanys most famous pop singers. He is known for his catchy and easy-going tunes. Most of the songs talk about love, self-confidence or just having a good time.

Just like many people, I know a bunch of his songs without really being a fan. They just play his hits on the radio ALL THE TIME. Despite his fame, some people say that his songs literally sound more or less the same. (If you want to get a better idea of his usual sound, some of my favourites are: "Flash mich", "Au revoir", EFF- "Stimme")

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, "Kogong" is quite the opposite of that. Maybe you could hear that this song sounds rather melancholic and slow. And guess what? That piano that you can hear in the background? Yep, that's Pauls piano. Mark Forster literally flew to London just to record this song at Abbey Road Studios. He says:

"We recorded 'Kogong' at Abbey Road Studios, in Studio 2, where the Beatles made all their records. And the piano that you can hear in 'Kogong' is the same piano that Paul Mccartney played 'Let It Be' on. That was quite special for me and my band and I think you can hear that the old Beatles spirit somewhat comes through in it."

Kogong came out in 2017. It was released on the only album by Forster that has an overall more serious sound. So what exactly is "Kogong" about?

2. The lyrics

Here are two pictures, one with the German lyrics and one with a translation by me.

When you read the lyrics, you will probably see that it is kinda hard to understand, especially after only one listen. Quite a few phrases don't seem to make a lot of sense. Well German audiences were not so happy either with this piece. Some said that the melody is good even though nobody was used to this kind of song by Forster. But the comments online seem to share the same opinion on the text: Forster probably only wanted to show that he is also able to write more intellectual sounding songs. Many just view it as avantgardist crap. Then again the video has 20 Mio views on YouTube and is currently his 6th most listened to song on Spotify so 🤔

But now about the interesting stuff. How could ANYONE who knows at least the slightest bit about Mclennon not stumble across this line:

"I am fucking Yoko Ono. My heart is Paul and John."

My heart is Paul and John? Yes Mark, I couldn't have said it any better myself. So ever since this song came out, I was curious what all these confusing lyrics could mean. Where is the connection between this one line and the rest of the song? What did Mark Forster say about it?

3. Interpretation

Here is a statement by Forster:

"Kogong is the sound of the heart when it's listening. The song is about small and big things that my heart told me but that I kind of couldn't really hear. I really hope that I'll be able to pay more attention to it in the future, so maybe this song is my new start."

So the subject of the song is not really able to listen to its heart. Furthermore, the lyrics hint on multiple topics and problems that the person has to face:

Being not happy at all, maybe even depressed ("you're not fine, you're only half-way fine"), this could also suggest that the subject has to keep up a facade while suffering inside

Problems in a relationship, marriage or even having an affair ("what you still want from her", "you hug eachother for far too long")

Self-image, Self-acceptance ("Wherever you are, you will always be yourself", "you need your peace")

The above mentioned quote says that this is a personal song. Another time he said that he realised that he wanted to become a singer while walking on the Road to Santiago (hence the line about hiking).

In another interview he stated that he tries to write in the same way as he thinks minus the rhymes. Overall short phrases which came to his mind.

So in concern of listening to ones heart: The lyrics suggest that the subject is not only unable to listen to its heart but rather actively ignores it due to outer circumstances. ("I don't want to hear a thing and am beating my chest like King Kong.").

Seems like there is a constant dispute between the heart and the subject. Which finally leads us to the line:

"I am fucking Yoko Ono, my heart is Paul and John."

How could a seemingly average pop singer connect a song about inner conflicts, love and self-image to John, Paul and Yoko Ono??

Well Forster said that he literally grew up with the Beatles and that they influenced him deeply. But to connect specific names to this topic, he couldn't only have been enjoying their songs. He has to know about their history and especially about their break-up. I've read a few opinions that "John" is only in there because it rhymes with "Kogong". So if he came up with that name and him being a Beatles fan, maybe the association to John Lennon isn't that far off. But why "fucking Yoko Ono"? Mark says:

"Yoko Ono is often accused of breaking up* the Beatles. And sometimes that's how I feel about my heart: Yoko Ono brings me and my heart apart." (*literally bringing apart)

?Eh?

Tbh that's hella confusing. I think he was kinda joking tho since he also states that the "fucking" is in there because of that British town. Which obviously makes no sense. Since Forster is serious about the rest of the song, its almost like he doesn't really want to talk about the true meaning of that line.

I mean the "John" could have suited only as a filler word at first. But I just don't think that other songwriters would automatically then connect that to Yoko Ono and especially Paul. Furthermore John and Paul form an unity here in the symbol of the heart. Despite the songs topic that's just such an romantic association.

Of course the average listener could easily say that this is all random nonsense. But for me who is genuinely interested in the Beatles/ Mclennon, this line doesn't seem out of context.

So if we take the lyrics of Kogong seriously, Mark Forster connects difficult romantic relationships and listening to your heart with John and Paul. Btw I know that Yoko didn't break up the Beatles, but Mark Forster is only talking about the infamous accusation of such. And even if he's only referring to the rumored breakup, wouldn't it be Beatles VS Yoko or Beatles VS John and Yoko? No, Mark Forster has to put John and Paul on one side and due to the metaphor with the heart, they together are portrayed as something pure, something romantic.

4. Conclusion

Well I can't really break the song down to every little phrase and its possible meaning. I think this post is already long enough 😅

Nevertheless "Kogong" by Mark Forster talks about conflicts with the inner-self concering love or becoming the person that you really are. All of this is quite explicitely connected to John and Paul (and Yoko) in the peak line of the chorus. (Just the way Forster sings this part is so...honest and amazing..). In my opinion, Mark Forster implies a really close (possible even romantic) connection between Paul and John while being put up against Yoko.

Shipping Mclennon or viewing their relationship as very close/romantic is often connected with horny teenagers on social media who make up crazy theories to satisfy their own desires. But here we have a man in his 30s who seemingly hints on similar ideas concerning their relationship in one of his most famous songs. And I know that this is not the first time that pop culture mentions their connection in that way but its actually the first very serious approach that I know of.

And maybe I am really reading too much into all of this. ( I mean I'm a Mclennon shipper after all lol) But in the end we still have a man who flew all the way to London just to sing-scream "I am fucking Yoko Ono, my heart is Paul and John" at Abbey Road Studios and I think that's pretty cool.

If you finished this mess till the end, thank you so much and let me know your opinion on it! ☺️🙌

(Sorry for any writing mistakes and I also have the sources of the quotes at hand, but obviously they are in German)

#mclennon #john lennon #paul mccartney

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seromreven · 6 years ago

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title: here comes the solrock | chapter three.

pairing: mclennon, (paul mccartney/john lennon) | starrison, (ringo starr/george harrison).

summary: it’s the Monday after, aspiring pokémon trainer, Paul McCartney’s eighteenth birthday. It was today where he would get his first pokémon and start his journey to the regional Pokémon League. A journey which would prove itself to be filled with adventure, friendship, danger and romance.

author’s note: finally bought ultra moon and super mystery dungeon & there’s also detective pikachu soon for which pokémon go also have an event... wowsa, so expect a hike in pokémon related stuff, (possibly... we’ll see) | also !! new pairing rears its head as ringo finally appears in the story.

also on ao3!

Tuesday, June 21st,

It was early in the morning. Very early. George had slept over at Paul’s house and when they woke at the crack at dawn, they were quick to get out of the house and out into the summer morning. To just get the day and adventure started.

They both had lied to their parents about their plans. That it was just a recreational trip to Blackpool to belatedly celebrate Paul’s birthday. Paul knew he should have felt bad about it. Lying with such ease to his father but, he just didn’t. It was to help someone and, honestly it was exciting. He could feel the adrenaline pumping in his veins as he crossed the road towards the docks.

Traffic was stalled as a wild Snorlax had gotten lost on its way through the city and was now blocking traffic as it had fallen asleep on the slowly warming asphalt in the middle of a four-way road crossing. Both George and Paul had difficulties in hiding their laughter as police tried in vain to move the giant Pokémon.

It wasn’t uncommon for wild Pokémon to get into the city but rarely was it ever something as big as a Snorlax.

It was nearing their time to meet John but luckily as they turned a corner; they were met with the sights of clear weather and blue skies. It was the docks and since it was still early morning, loads of workers were running around carrying things that varied from clipboards to crates. Beside them were typical Pokémon like Machops or others that could handle heavy duty lifting.

They finally reached the arcade, only minutes before their meeting time, and saw that John was leaning against the wall of the old building. His arms were crossed as he looked to be talking to the Charmander by his side. He was wearing a tight white t-shirt with a leather jacket hanging around his waist. Paul swallowed and had to admit to himself; it looked great on the older boy.

The Charmander looked to the oncoming boys and immediately waddled its way over to Walton with squeaks which in turn Walton hissed at. “Be nice,” Paul quickly whispered down to his Snivy. Walton huffed in response.

John turned his head, his eyesight following his Pokémon until it then looked up to Paul and George with a nod in greeting, “finally decided to show up, eh?” He said with a curtate laugh and stepped away from the wall.

“We’re not late, are we,” George stated and it was clear that it wasn’t a question. John just shrugged in response and went past them and towards the road. Paul and George looked at each other, no words were spoken, before they then followed with the Pokémon in tow.

Paul stepped up the side of John and silently studied his new acquaintance. His quiff looked intricately worked on. With success as it looked better than the one ruined by rain yesterday. His drainpipe jeans fitted well around his thighs and Paul’s heart jumped at the sight.

Oh, he had to get it together. Sure, John was attractive. And Paul had noticed stares John had sent his way. And he was not the first man to interest Paul in this way either. But this was hardly the time or place for it. Nor could he jeopardise the… mission.

Luckily, John spoke which helped Paul take his mind away from that, “the trip to Blackpool will take two hours. The inn won’t be far from the station.”

He didn’t appear to have finished with handing out the information but stopped either way as they looked both ways of the road before crossing. It was almost deserted, strange for this time of day, aside from a van or two.

“I know the way to the inn. I’ve been there before. Absolute shite and not a place where I’ll be surprised to find Pokémon snatchers,” he sneered and Paul wondered about the history between the place and John that made him talk of it with such venom.

They reached the station grounds in silence, aside from the various sounds from their Pokémon. Who seemed to be getting along well, luckily. For Paul; he had been unsure of what to talk about with this new person. And George was usually very talkative but not around people he had just meet which explained his position in all of it.

The station was busy. Locals and tourists alike rushing from one point to another. Official places like this had a height limit for Pokémon so there was nothing taller than a, for example, Purugly. And, boy, was the name fitting Paul thought as the cat Pokémon waddled by. Paul poked George harshly in his side and nodded towards the Pokémon with a snicker. But as if it knew; it suddenly snapped its head towards with a frown, scaring the boys and they started to walk faster towards the platform they needed to go too.

John who had seen the interaction gave a bark of laughter as the boys power walked past him with Walton close behind them.

They quickly found the platform where the train already had arrived and where only waiting for passengers and for the time to be right. They got on board and found their seats for the trip; marked with numbers and a small picture of the train company’s logo. It was the Pokémon Emolga, and if Paul remembered correctly; their motto was something along the lines of ‘Powering your way forward’.

George had hurried his way to the window seat which left Paul squished in between him and George. It was cheap seats with not a lot of room for… anything really. Especially not your legs. Walton was nestled in George’s lap and was looking out the window too at the hurrying people out on the platform. Paul looked around for John’s Charmander and realised it was nowhere to be seen and that John instead had a Weedle in his lap.

“Hey… Where’s your Charmander?” Paul realised he had never been told its name.

“Wesley? … I put him back in his ball. The open flame is… risky in places like this.”

Paul nodded at the new information while looking down at the new Pokémon and couldn’t resist cooing as it stared back up at him, “and who’s this little fella?”

There was a beat of silence and Paul glanced at John. His facial expression was unreadable as he just looked down at the Weedle and Paul. He blinked, as if shook out of his train of thoughts, and answered; “that’s Prudence.”

“Oooh,” Paul looked back to the Weedle. He had never been quite fond of bug types but this one was somehow more adorable than any of the other Weedles than he had ever seen. He wasn’t sure of why. Couldn’t possibly have anything to do with its owner though… Right?

A jolt shot through the train and it started moving slowly out of the station. The journey would take three and a half hours, stuck tightly between his best friend and this (attractive) almost stranger. He knew from previous trips with this company that a cart of refreshment with roll by thirty minutes into the trip and he had to get something to drink, and something for Walton too.

The half an hour passed by quickly in silence as John stared into a book, George had been looking out the window at the landscape while Paul had fallen asleep fairly quickly into the ride.

He was awoken to a light stirring and the sound of wheels. It was the cart. But more importantly; he realised he had fallen asleep with his head on John’s shoulder and muttered his apologies as he looked over him towards the cart.

John didn’t comment on it and ordered a coffee as an old man arrived with a Chansey close behind. Paul ordered a water bottle and a small bag of mixed berries that he meant to share. George ordered something to drink too and a bag of crisps. Paul quickly tore open the bag and separated the berries into neat equal sizes and placed them on the small tables on the chairs in front of the Pokémon.

Walton grabbed a single berry with his tiny hands and gently nibbled on it. The Weedle stretched out and swallowed each berry in a single bite.

“So,” Paul started and looked to John who glanced up from his book somehow knowing it was meant for him and looked over to Paul. “You’ve been to Blackpool and this… club?”

He pulled a face as he gave an affirmative answer. He didn’t seem proud of having been there.

“Blackpool is… fine. Even fun. But this club has little going for it anymore since they changed management,” he sighed. “Don’t know who they are but they’re too willing to indulge in illegal activities when comes to Pokémon.”

Oh, that didn’t promise good.

“What… what kind of activities?” Paul couldn’t help but ask.

John looked down at him with furrowed brows. Not an angry look but more… pitying?

“You don’t want to know,” he then looked down back into his book as his Weedle had finished eating and was now cuddled up in his lap.

Paul blinked. Okay, so he supposed he would have to wait and see. He looked over to George, craving conversation, and saw that he had finished his crisps and was petting Walton while looking out the window. The morning sun shined through the window, highlighting the brow colours of George’s hair and making his cheekbones out to look much sharper.

“You seem to be getting along well with Walton,” Paul commented as he looked at the young Snivy curled up in George’s lap. He was glad for it. Paul had always imagined (and hoped) that once he got a Pokémon; it would care for George as much as he did.

George nodded and covered up a yawn with his free hand.

“D’you think he’ll know not to get on our laps once he’s fully evolved?” And before Paul could answer, Walton gave out a huff and looked up at George with a frown, seemingly offended at the question.

“...yeah,” he kept back a giggle, “he’s a smart boy, y’know.” Paul jested and patted the Pokémon on the head. And handed him one of the berries still left on the table. It eagerly grabbed it and turned to nibble on it while staring out the window. George and Paul shared a look, hiding their laughter.

“I’m gonna nap before we get to Blackpool,” George muttered before giving out yet another yawn.

Paul nodded when he suddenly felt a poking on his elbow from the other side and turned to find the Weedle, Prudence, trying to get his attention. He looked down at it; confused as to what she wanted. She nudged him again and he glanced at John, unsure of what to do because when Paul moved to pet her, she leaned away.

“John,” he called out.

“Yeah?”

“Uh, what does she… want?” He asked as she yet again leaned away from him when he tried to pet her.

John glanced down at him and down at the small Pokémon, “she likes to hide in and under jackets. You’re wearing one and I’m not so that’s probably what she wants.”

Paul ooh’d and looked back at Prudence. How was he supposed to go about this though? Deeming it worth trying, he lifted up his jacket by its ends and the Weedle gave out a small yelp and quickly slithered over on his lap and up under the soft material. It’s small feet tickled against his skin as his shirt rode with it up and he couldn’t help but emit a fit of giggling.

Time passed by quickly as John returned to his book and Paul cuddled up with the Weedle sharing its body heat underneath his shirt. It was careful in not accidentally stinging him with its barbed and pointed ends on its head and tail. Paul didn’t notice all the soft glances John cast his way as he whispered sweet nothings to Prudence as he looked down his jacket at her sleeping form.

It was nearing noon as their train settled into the station. The train ride hadn’t felt long but, boy, did Paul’s legs still feel tired from having to sit down for so long.

They hurried off the train. Paul was still carrying Prudence underneath his jacket while George had managed to get Walton to balance on his shoulder. It was impressive, though the Pokémon seemed to have a strong grip on the young boy’s hair; who didn’t seem to be bothered by it.

Stepping out of the station and into the summer sun was jarring for a second. It was warm, very much so, and Paul sighed as he realised he had the need to take his jacket off. He zipped it slightly down, still holding the small Weedle and looked down at it. “I’m gonna have you move you now,” he said as it looked up at him with its big eyes.

“Let me help you,” John stopped out in front of him and zipped down the jacket completely. Paul’s heart suddenly beat much faster and he prayed that it wouldn’t be obvious to the older man. Why was he feeling this way whenever John was close to him?

Prudence stuck to Paul the best she could before she was picked off by John who muttered something inaudible under his breath. He looked at Paul as he held the squirming bug, “she likes you,” he smirked.

Paul blushed, counting his lucky stars as John had turned his back to him again and was incapable of seeing the pink warmth across his cheeks. He wasn’t so lucky with George who looked at him with a snicker.

Blackpool was a seaside resort town and as they walked further away; it was incredibly obvious. Filled were the streets with shops catering to tourists and swimmers alike. Sunhats, sunscreens, sunglasses, Put the word sun in front of it and it was there. On the streets following the humans were a large variety of Pokémon; Paul saw Furfrous to Swoobats to Drampas. And the air was filled with screeching Wingulls as they reached closer to their destination at the south pier.

John suddenly stopped as they reached a corner. There was a clear view of the beach and Paul took in a deep breath and let the smell of salt water and sea air overtake him. John turned and looked at the young boys, though his eyes rested on Paul for a beat longer.

“We need to get our Pokémon back in their balls before we go into the inn,” he sighed, “they’re allowed inside but I wouldn’t trust anyone there as far as I can throw ‘em.”

George nodded and was handed Walton’s ball by Paul as John sorted away the one with Prudence in it. Soon they stood Pokémonless and looked at each other before Paul asked, “anything we should know beforehand?”

John’s eyes narrowed in thought, “just keep close to me and don’t talk to anyone.”

Paul nodded and followed John as he started walking again. It was really only a few steps before they stopped again outside a large building. Escavalier Inn stood in large letters over an old wooden door deep in a stone facade. It didn’t look near as seedy as Paul had expected it would from what he had been told and warned about from John. It looked… reputable, like the old inns typical of London. A wooden sign with a carving of the Escavalier mascot swang along with the slight breezes that came from the sea.

John glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowed for some reason, at Paul before stepping inside.

There was a small humming of music as they entered. It came from an old-timey jukebox that was light up in various neon colours as it played.

A banner hanged above the stage and said in a thick font; Rory Storm and The Hurricanes. And underneath it where a group of people, a band, who were positioned on the stage further in the room but they weren’t playing. It looked as if they were setting up their instruments to possibly play later that night, Paul assumed. It was five young looking men. Maybe around John’s age. Four of them wore matching outfits, suits in all black, and one who stood tall was separated by the rest in his all-white outfit paired with a bright gold jacket. At his feet rested a Dragonair. It was large and… stunning. Breathtaking. Paul had never seen such a Pokémon in person before and was especially fascinated by its beautiful vibrant blue colour. It looked towards Paul and his group as they entered the inn.

The Dragonair wasn’t the only Pokémon in the room. A rather intimidating looking man at the drums had an Octillery hanging off his arm as he tried to work on the set as it hanged tightly there. Paul could see the man’s mouth moving, talking and laughing, but he couldn’t hear what was said over the music.

The bartender was glaring at them and called out to John who stomped his way over to him. George poked Paul, who had been pretty distracted by the movements on the stage.

“John! Didn’t I tell you to never show your ugly mug here again?” the large man barked at John as they came closer to the bar. John laughed, much to Paul’s confusion. A Machoke stepped out into the room from an open door next to the barkeep and Paul suddenly felt nervous at the sight of the large Pokémon. Its arms were crossed as it glared down at the group.

“Thought I’d brighten up the place with my presence,” John smirked, aloof to the Machoke’s presence as he continued staring down the bartender. The large man suddenly bellowed out a laugh as he slapped his washcloth down on the bartop. “Of course! This place sure needs it,” and then looked at Paul and George who stood close next to each other, almost hiding behind John. “Who’s ye buddies?”

John stepped aside, not willing to hide the boys. It was silly anyway. Paul wasn’t scared!

“Paul,” he nodded towards him, “and George.” He repeated the previous action. The bartender looked over them, possibly studying them, and nodded. “Nice to meet ye, lads. I’m Alvin. John’s uncle.”

Paul glanced to John, his question was obvious. Who was this man exactly? Of all the talks of the place being seedy, criminal, disgusting… he had family here. Was he in on the scheme? To steal Pokémon, or was he here to help John?

John nodded with a sigh, “he knows why we here.”

“Yes, and you came at a good time. Brauer is along in the basement with the Pokémon. They’ve grown confident… cocky in their success and have relaxed their security. Thinking that no-one knows about them or if they did; would even dare to do anything about it.”

He pointed to the stage, “Ringo there will help you. They took his Mudkip so he’s more than willing to help.” It was the man with the Octillary that he was pointing towards, “he’s here with the band. Luckily, Epoch doesn’t know it’s his Mudkip.”

Paul stepped forward, “Epoch?” It sounded familiar. Had the police officer back when they first got to the Pokécenter yesterday mentioned them?

Alvin glanced to John with a raised brow, who shrugged and said; “it’s the gang Brauer and Hallard are part of. They fancy themselves on the same level of Team Rocket or Flare,” he rolled his eyes. “They really just a bunch of idiots.

Alvin chuckled, “now I wouldn’t underestimate them. They’ve grown since you last bumped into them, John. Change of leaders too.” John narrowed his eyes as he stared down Alvin, “really?” He sounded amused at the thought. He clearly sounded very unimpressed with the group.

“Yes,” his uncle nodded, “they practically worship some lady now. Named Kailli or something.” He glanced to Paul, “not someone to be messed with from what I’ve heard. Supposedly she got one mean Salazzle. Shiny too” John whistled at the thought but shrugged, “She’s not here though?”

“No,” Alvin responded and looked to the stage. Ringo was waving them over. Alvin looked back to the small group and smiled, “it’s time. Good luck.”

John quickly marched over the stage as Ringo hopped down from the lifted platform. He was leaning against the wood with his Octillery finally off his arm and sitting next to him on the stage. He didn’t look any less intimidating as they neared the stage. Sure, he had a soft look in his eyes but it was largely overshadowed by his curling quiff, a grey streak down its side, that was paired with a matching beard and moustache. Paul noticed as he stood in silence listening to John introduce themselves, that the eyebrow on the same side as grey streak was a visibly lighter colour too. Paul realised this; he was definitely staring too hard and long at the man.

But he soon found out he wasn’t the only one as he glanced to George, the younger man was too staring at the new addition to the group. And opposed to Paul; it looked like he was blushing. Paul smiled and bit back a snicker as he zoned back into the conversation.

“Nice to meet ye all,” Ringo said and reached out to shake Paul’s hand. The same was done with George who had know returned from whatever he had been thinking about. Paul nudged him gently in his side and wiggled his brows as soon as the younger boy looked at him. “Sod off,” he muttered but not without a small smile of his own.

In the meanwhile, John and Ringo had gone ahead and the young men quickly hurried to follow along with the pair. They entered a small backroom and down a rickety flight of stairs that made Paul’s inside turn as he looked down the occasionally broken steps. They reached a steel door that stood out from the otherwise prominent brick wall that surrounded him.

“This is it,” Ringo whispered and looked back and forth between them. John nodded and looked at the door over. “The idiot,” he muttered and opened the heavy door. It was unlocked! It was hiding stolen Pokémon and it was… unlocked.

They heard music as soon as they entered. Not something Paul thought was any good. And a small voice hummed along to it. John moved his finger to his mouth and indicated for them to be quiet. Easy.

Ringo placed the Octillery carefully on the floor and whispered, “you know what to do, Zak.” It looked to Ringo with a determined nod and crawled towards the figure of a sitting man further in the room. It was then Paul noticed what was in front of said man. Cages! There were two, not as many as he had admittedly expected. One was filled with the Professor’s stolen Pokémon. The Bulbasaur, the Squirtle, and the Charmander were huddled up in the corners, visibly frightened. The other cage right next to it was sparse. A single Mudkip, Ringo’s, lied around something that appeared to be an… egg? It was a stark white with blue and red triangles pattern all over it. The Mudkip appeared to be protecting it and glared silently at its captor.

Finally; the Octillery had reached the man and had its tentacles moved around the legs of the chair the stranger was sitting on. Suddenly, the Pokémon pulled it out from under him. He yelped and from the floor staring at the Pokémon with large widened eyes.

John darted into the room as Ringo yelled, “Now!”

Paul and George looked at each other in confusion. Clearly, they had missed out on some important information while they had been otherwise distracted earlier. Anyhow, they quickly followed after John.

The Octillery had squirted out a dark black liquid across the eyes of the captor. Ink, Paul realised. Of course. It had blinded the stranger who now laid writhing on the floor with his hands over his eyes. Effective, but (fortunately) the blinded effect wouldn’t be permanent.

Ringo hurried to the cage with the Mudkip inside while George and Paul ran to the other cage. The Pokémon was understandably frightened but quickly seemed to pick up the situation when the cage was unlocked. John was left by the moaning grunt. He had emptied the guy’s pockets and now held four Pokéballs. He didn’t move before he suddenly gave a large kick to the man’s stomach and the groaning ceased. John huffed and moved over the join Paul and George in letting out the Pokémon.

Ringo stepped over to them. He was carrying a large egg with his Octillery now again hanging off his arm. The Mudkip stood by his feet, looking pointedly up at the egg. Paul could see that the Mudkip must have mentally adopted the baby Pokémon and felt a possible paternal bond from their shared capture.

As John, Paul, and George each held a freed Pokémon; they were ready to leave again when a large slam erupted and their heads immediately snapped to the door from which they had entered. “Shit,” John muttered and called the starter Pokémons into their balls. “We’re not alone,” he whispered. But before any more could be said a robust, balding, man entered the room with a Stunky at his side.

“Cease your foolishness!” He yelled out and Paul choked back a snicker. What a thing to say.

“I am Clang and these are not your Pokémon to take!” It was continued in the same dramatic fashion as before. “They so are!” John yelled back and the stranger huffed at him as his Stunky stared furiously at them.

“Ahme!” He yelled and looked over his shoulder. “Get back the egg! Now!”

A rather pretty young woman entered the room. A Musharna floated by her head.

Paul felt an unease overtaking him and the world around him started to act… strange. It was as if he was drunk. Or on a boat. It floated and he felt lightheaded. John muttered a long line of profanities as he covered his mouth with his hand, but it was useless as he soon after passed out. “...What?” Paul blinked and looked to George and Ringo who were now laying on the ground too.

The last thing Paul saw before he went down too was a heavy feeling overtaking him. And the sight of a large overbearing pink mist that slowly swallowed him up as he watched the strangers. Their Pokémon were gone and their mouths covered with dark purple masks. And the Pokéballs rolling out of John’s open palms, towards Ahme and Clang.

#here comes the solrock #pokemon #the beatles #paul mccartney #john lennon #ringo starr #george harrison #starrison #mclennon #beatles fanfiction #fanfiction #fanfic #au #it's over four thousand words y'all

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musicrunsthroughmysoul · 8 years ago

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All of them then thank

YAAAAS, thanks, friend. :D

1. Have guitar lessons with John or have drum lessons with Ringo

I feel like Ringo would be the better teacher though quite honestly I’d prefer to learn how to play guitar than drums, but I’ma go with Ringo. (And no other biases there, wow! ...okay maybe a little.)

2. Date John, Paul, George, or Ringo

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH Okay wait, here’s a simple solution: I’ll tell you who I WON’T date, and that’s John or Paul. :)

3. Take LSD with George or smoke weed with John

Sorry but both. I feel like smoking weed with John would be fun and taking acid with George would be really...is meaningful too weird to say? I mean, god damn, just listen to “It’s All Too Much” and tell me you don’t wanna take acid with George Harrison.

4. Attend the Shea Stadium concert or watch the Rooftop concert

*chants* ROOFTOP, ROOFTOP, ROOFTOP. SEE/HEAR MY FAVE BEATLES SONG BE PERFORMED HELL YEAH

5. Meditate with George or spread peace and love with Ringo

Spread peace and love with Ringo. ♥ No offense to George, but it’s just that, for one thing, how useful is it to meditate with other people around? Would that not be slightly counterproductive to the whole point of meditation? I mean...I dunno, I just think it might be kind of a distraction. Also hi I can’t meditate, myself, or really know how, so there’s that, too. :)

6. Early 60s, mid 60s, or late 60s

I’m gonna believe this is music-wise in which case I’d say late ‘60s hell yeah.

7. Go to the hair salon with Maureen or get your nails done with Cynthia

I don’t even really like doing stuff like getting hair/makeup/nails done in the first place, but I’d go to a hair salon just to hang out with Mo. Fuck yeah I would. I love her. ♥

8. Eat dinner with Brian Epstein or eat dinner with Mal Evans

Oh, man...I wanna say both so bad! I appreciate both of them a lot and I find both of them to be so endearing, but maybe...for this I guess I’ll say eat dinner with Brian.

9. Listen to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band or listen to the White Album

Um................................................I guess the White Album...as long as it’s not on vinyl so I can skip a bunch of songs. LOL I’m the worst kind of Beatles fan in that am I really a Beatles fan if I don’t like all their songs? Haha, fuck you, that’s the answer. Anyway. If you’re gonna be up their ass at least make sure you can still see the sun-OKAY I’LL STOP

10. Spend your birthday with Paul or spend your Christmas with Ringo

Even though I don’t really celebrate Christmas I’LL SPEND IT WITH RINGO ARE YOU KIDDING ME OMG.

11. Go to Japan with Yoko or go to India with Pattie

JAPAN WITH YOKO, FUCK YEAH. I’d totally love to hang out with Yoko, anyway. Imagine hanging out with such an influential artist, singer-songwriter and feminist? BRO, I thought being in the same room as Angela Davis was cool as fuck, but YOKO ONO?!?!?! MY MIND IS NOT BREATHING

12. Read a McLennon fanfic or a Starrison fanfic

*COUGHS* I was gonna make that all I said about this but then I changed my mind. :) Starrison. Everything. Even the McLennon/Starrison ones but I skip the McLennon because I Really Don’t Care About McLennon. NOBODY KNOWS WHO I AM ANYWAY HAHAHA GOOD

13. McLennon or nah

Nah, man....nah..........okay how old am I who’s going to understand that one

14. Wear John’s iconic round glasses or wear Ringo’s St. Christopher Medal

Ringo’s medal or anything that Ringo wears wait what but especially a necklace WAIT WHAT or his rings okay yeah I can see that

15. Save John from dying or save George from dying

I hate this question and my immediate answer was just gonna be “FUCK THIS QUESTION” but suddenly I’m starting to feel coherent, so try...John. Because I desperately think that if John were still alive, or if he’d at least lived longer than he did, he could’ve done more. The idealist in me, somewhere, believes that really hard. Plus, George was able to live a longer life than John, so I’m just suggesting, George did what he wanted to (presumably) and was able to with the time he had, whereas I think John didn’t have that luxury (sorry to say that in that way, but if it supports my reasoning...). I’d just definitely save John. (While meaning no ill-will toward George.)

16. Meet old man Paul or old man Ringo

Ringo! Remember that dream I had about him, or did I tell you all about that? It was definitely old Ringo in my dream, though...and it was such a random dream, too. Ringo would probably approve of it and also laugh his ass off about it for fifteen minutes because WHY A GROCERY STORE-anyway...

17. Listen to Revolution 9 on repeat for 30 minutes straight or stare at John and Yoko’s nudes for 15 minutes straight

I don’t really care about either, to be honest. Which is not a neither answer, it’s an either answer. My feelings about either is just kinda “eh.” Wouldn’t really affect me either way. (Staring at people’s nudes would be weird and awkward at first but think about it - the shock would go away soon enough that you’re like ‘kay, when’s the next one coming up’ no pun intended I mean WHAT. I fully admit to being The Worst and that my mind makes its home in the gutter.)

18. Have Ringo’s adorable big nose or have George’s bushy eyebrows

I guess the eyebrows since I have a nice set of eyebrows, myself (or so some people have told me), though I have a really small nose already so maybe that’d be an interesting change? LOL I dunno.

19. Have Paul sing Till There Was You at your wedding or have John sing It’s Only Love at your wedding

I’m not really a fan of either but I guess I’ll go with “It’s Only Love”?

20. Wear Beatle boots or have a moptop

Beatle boots!!

21. Have John’s jawline or Paul’s puppy eyes

Uh...this is a weird question. Paul’s eyes, I guess?

22. Ride in John’s Rolls Royce or ride in George’s Mini Cooper

As long as John is not driving the Rolls Royce. LOL I’m already not the greatest passenger just ‘cause I get anxiety, so between John’s driving because he’s blind and George’s need for speed...

23. Punch Ringo or slap George

I’d slap George. Ringo hasn’t done anything to elicit a punch (as far as I know/am concerned with) so I’d give George an admonishing slap. Although wait I should also say, WE SHOULDN’T SOLVE OUR PROBLEMS WITH VIOLENCE, CHILDREN...maybe I should answer “spread peace and love with Ringo” here now instead. LOL Ya know if this question included John I think my answer would be a lot different.

24. Have Paul write a song about you or have George write a song about you

UM, GEORGE, FOR SURE. “For You Blue” always makes me SWOOOOOOOOOOOOON.

25. Listen to Wings or the Plastic Ono Band

Plastic Ono Band, actually. :)

26. Bungee jump with George Martin or skydive with Neil Aspinall

Egad, neither. LOL How about “hang out with George Martin or Neil Aspinall” in which case I guess George Martin?

27. Have a girl’s night with Cynthia, Olivia, Jane, Maureen, Linda, Yoko, Pattie, or Barbara

Look at me I added one because y’all forgot her. :) Okay I’m choosing three, though, and you can’t tell me otherwise: Olivia, Mo, and Yoko. :D

28. Make mashed potatoes with Paul or do a bit of light gardening with George

LOL “A bit of light gardening,” isn’t that the more proper term for cooking? Or wait...maybe my mind’s mixed up. Anyway, if Paul is gonna make mashed potatoes then I’ll go with Paul.

29. Be a vegetarian like Paul, George, and Ringo or still eat meat like John

I’m not currently a vegetarian and don’t really have plans to become one sorry so I’LL JUST HANG OUT AND EAT BACON WITH JOHN sorry if that was a cringe-worthy cliché like the only reason people aren’t vegetarians is because of bacon except

30. Sing with the Beatles or play an instrument with the Beatles

Oh my jesus, neither. ONE CANNOT DO THAT. ONE DOES NOT DO THAT...unless you’re Eric Clapton or Billy Preston. BUT SINCE I’M NEITHER, NO. Although in less seriousness (or is that more?) I can’t really play an instrument so I’d have to go with singing but I’d be way too fucking intimidated to sing with them so YEP.

#THANK YOU :')#that was interesting #justidling

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stonedlennon · 8 years ago

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y'know sometimes i think people in the 60s have actually..unconsciously shipped mclennon? or at least noticed something happening there. i was watching the shakespeare skit and when john said "my love my love" there were A LOT of girls shrieking. plus the Beatles cartoons where there's a lot of mclennon, and that one magazine article about why Paul is a favorite beatle and someone said "His looks at John". idk pretty interesting to think about

honestly? i agree. mclennon has been A Thing for the fans definitely since the 60s. unfortunately there’s little on the specific relationship between john/paul from a fan’s perspective, not only because we’ve got few sources, but also because the development of beatlemania was characterized as an adolescent phase, one that had implications of sexual maturity but was largely concentrated on romantic feelings (”i want to hold your hand” is implicitly romantic but mainly innocent), so in the “craze” of beatlemania its likely that any discussion around inter-beatles relationships would have been considered a by-product of female adulation, i.e. anything untoward can be “explained away” by beatlemania. there’s obviously been so much done on beatlemania (might i suggest this book though for some interesting breakdowns; and this book for queer coding in contemporary [60s] music). it’s hard if not impossibly to classify the fans in the 60s as a “fandom” although it’s undeniable that there were elements of beatlemania that are reflected in the way we conduct a fandom today. i’ll also just briefly say that i’m not totally sold with the word “ship” as it implies fiction - and john and paul were together - however within the context of fandom i suppose it’s appropriate.

with regards to the examples you cited.. yeah, it’s really interesting to think that the fans - even if they didn’t necessarily articulate it as such - might have considered a “something” between john and paul. it’s unfortunate because a great deal of beatles books have been written by the old guard of white, largely heterosexual men, so “the beatles myth” has been shaped by their interpretation. i’d be interested to know if there’s been work done by gender or queer academics or writers. i’d say that the shakespeare skit can probably be written off as excitement: the crowd bawls whenever they do anything. you have to remember that the way bands, especially boy bands, are constructed is that it’s all around promise. your favourite beatle singing about love is great, but if they sing it together, to each other? there’s the meaning of the song (it’s to you, the fan, the object of desire and affection) in addition to the act of singing (not one beatle, but two!). i would actually suggest that if you wanted to consider queer readings of the beatles in contemporary culture, i’d look at the french fans. the vast majority were male, and a good number were cited as being queer. it’s tempting to only look at fandom from a female perspective, but when you have male gay fans listening to and interpreting the beatles’ music in a way that resonates with them (man/man, not man/woman), you can ask the question, well, are they attracted to the idea of a beatle singing to them, a man, or are they attracted to the beatles as a homogeneous male group, singing to each other, and by proxy to the audience? i suggest having a look at this excerpt for a further analysis of the gay male fans in paris, 64. there’s a fair bit of evidence that underlines the beatles’ ambivalence towards their gay fan base. note that in a hard day’s night, there are boys as well as girls in the crowd running after them. the subliminal message here is that the beatles are for everyone; another message is that the crowd, which was characterized by the media as one with romantic intentions towards the band, exists in a state of adolescent desire, be it male or female. and all of this, of course, isn’t even going into their fan base in liverpool, where there were rumors about john and paul being together right from the beginning.

a lot of john and paul’s lyrics are ambiguous. their use of pronouns are especially ambiguous. take the “my friend” in can’t buy me love, “darling” in words of love, or even i want to hold your hand, which only says “let me be your man” - a promise of fidelity, but one that is gender nonspecific. THERE ARE SO MANY EXAMPLES. a cynic might say it’s to allow for greater audience reception, although i would suggest that in addition to musical fluidity, it’s also a way for john and paul to express themselves in a manner that is 1. professionally lucrative; and 2. nonthreatening. i’ve spoken before about the gender ambiguity of the early beatles songs, but i can make a bigger post about it if you like. on a general note, i would say that the early beatles career is harder to read than what happened later (apple scruffs) because of the reasons i cited earlier, however it’s obvious that there are undercurrents of gender and sexual ambiguity within the relationship between the beatles and their fans. as for whether the fans consciously thought there was something going on.. we don’t know. i would hesitate to say yes, completely, although i do think that on a subconscious level it’s highly probable. basically, i do agree with you. i think though that the framework of what constitutes a “fandom” and what is/not acceptable (then and now) is a complex one.

#mclennon #the beatles #john lennon #paul mccartney #*#answered #Anonymous

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