So, here we go. This is a tricky post; at the
risk of raising the wrath, ire, shock and indignation of most Beatles fans and
commentators, let me say up front: Yoko Ono did not break up the Beatles. The
Beatles (in Dylan language) were a-breaking up, anyway. So, you’d like to at least agree she was
an accelerator/catalyst of the process? Nah-I don’t think so.
It’s the nature of us humans to look for a
cause, a reason. A nice, big simple cause like ‘that frustrating woman’ Yoko Ono
is an ideal one. But it doesn’t stack up. The Beatles broke up through 100%
organic, natural causes: it’s known as growing up. Take a look at those first
wonderful early pictures of the lads : you can hardly tell them apart. Matching
cheeky grins on all of them. They
work as a group, think like a group and live as a group. Fast forward a bit: different jackets,
faces maturing. Fast forward again: different hair styles, partying separately.
Fast forward once more: different
homes, lives, views: their own identities appearing. John was having a slow but sure series of life crises, Paul
had enough on his plate quite literally trying to keep the band on the road. George
knew there was a deeper side to Life and Ringo wanted to enjoy his girl and his
money.
No, Yoko didn’t break up the Beatles any more
than Paul did; it may well have been Paul who got a couple more albums out of
the - by then - more than motley
crew. The Beatles were evolving at light speed and a point came where lift-off
was reached: they all wanted to go different ways. And for three of them that
was not on the road. For Paul, that was the only place, he believed, where they
could really be stretched. Yoko Ono probably saved Lennon from early burn up
and self-destruction. Here he found another soul who thought as he did; who wasn’t
with him just because he was a Beatle. No, there was no tragedy when John found
Yoko and Yoko found John. No tragedy when the Beatles finally split: after all
they have left us the most mind-boggling collection of gorgeous and incredible tracks.
The only tragedy was when the world lost John a whole lot earlier than it need
have done.
No: the incredible legacy is what's there to be remembered.
That's another reason we love The Beatles.