Beneath Blue Suburban Skies

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I am enjoying the sunshine in London. It brings back memories of my childhood summers, when the weather of course was always glorious (but not as hot). It also reminds me of  "Strawberry Fields Forever” and "Penny Lane" (w. John Lennon & Paul McCartney) put out by EMI as a double A-side single. I do not think there is another Beatles' 45 that boasts two better songs. Without doubt Lennon and McCartney were at the very height of their powers. If this is what fans had to look forward to in 1967, then it certainly vindicated the band's decision to quit touring. 

 In "Strawberry Fields" John recalls playing in the garden of this Salvation Army children's home in Liverpool during the summer as a boy. So he invites the listener to go back there with him ("Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to..). Lennon remembers what its like to be young with no cares, no responsibilities ("Nothing is real and nothing to get hung about") and somewhere inside this most definitely connected with me. That is how I like to think most kids look back on their childhood summers. Certainly I do. Well, up until the age of 12 or 13 that is. 

 I enjoy "Penny Lane" for an entirely different set of reasons. Again the childhood theme is there as Paul harks back to that area of Liverpool which is still  "in my eyes and in my ears". But when I first heard the song on the radio it was the sunny optimism of the melody that grabbed my attention. What struck me when I heard it next time was how the words conjured up a little film in my head with the barber, banker, fireman and pretty nurse ("selling poppies from a tray") as the principle characters.  "Penny Lane`' is certainly up there as one of the best examples of McCartney's innate talent for writing story songs in the vein of "Paperback Writer", "Eleanor Rigby" and "She's Leaving Home". Indeed up until "Penny Lane” I don't think I ever paid much attention to the words. It was mostly the sound or feel of the recording that appealed to me.

 Aside from “ Sunny Afternoon” ( w. Ray Davies), which was the big summer hit of ‘66, “Strawberry Fields/ Penny Lane” are without doubt two of the greatest summer songs ever recorded despite the fact the 45 was released in the winter.

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