Take a Sad Song and Make it Better

Beatles Philosophy Again...


Today I heard "Hey Jude" on the radio and realized, as I seem to do so often with songs now, that the meaning has changed. But the message fits.  I've been trying to find a way to put all of this in perspective, but there is no view that will ever make this right. You tried every thing you could to fix your pain, to help heal your wounds. You asked for help, you worked hard when it was offered. You also covered your pain with your humor. But we could see through much of it. I so wanted to believe that you really were happier and doing better that spring. You started wearing beautiful bright colors, you cooked amazing meals, you started writing again. I just wanted to believe you were healing in some measure and I think you wanted me to believe it as well. What changed? What happened? I know the physical pain was unbearable. I could see it in your face, in your eyes. I heard it in the moans while you tried to sleep. I felt it when you fell and I lay down on the floor next to you and we cried. When the wounds became too deep and no healing seemed in sight, you chose not to live in the pain. What courage that took and yet, even then, you choose to leave us with messages of love. What strength that must have taken when you were so alone. I hope our love for you was there as was your love for us.
And I know we all tried to help, and yet, we failed you. But I now realize in order to move forward, to survive, to celebrate you, we can't live in this state of guilt anymore. We all said we would take on your pain if we could relieve you of it, but I don't think think this pain is what you thought we were praying for. You know we all loved and still love and always will love you. And in order to honor you, to celebrate you, to be able to share our deep, never ending love for you, we have to let go of the what ifs. We have to stop trying to right what was wrong because it can never be now. We can't change any of it anymore, no matter how much we ache to do so. We have to own the pain you suffered and just accept that you are no longer suffering. We know your spirit was broken here in this life. But I feel your spirit with me every minute so I know that you have moved on. And now so will we, with you by our side. There has to be something bigger that this because I want you to be free again, I want it to "be easy to be you" again. When I heard this song, I thought of the boys "carrying the world on their shoulders" and it seemed clear that this is what we have to do...go out and get you, let you under our skin, just as we did when you were alive. Then maybe,  just maybe, we can start to make it a little better. It may seem too simple, this Beatles philosophy I've embraced, but I just know we all have to start letting go of the guilt, the regrets, the mistakes that we can't change, now or ever. I want all of us to celebrate you, your spirit, your courage, your great generosity, your sarcasm, your humor, your stubbornness, your unending love. I want us to let you into our hearts with full understanding and accepting so we can start to make it better. 




Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

Hey Jude, don't be afraid
You were made to go out and get her
The minute you let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better

And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder
Na na na, na na, na na na na

Hey Jude, don't let me down
You have found her, now go and get her
Remember to let her into your heart
Then you can start to make it better

So let it out and let it in, hey Jude, begin
You're waiting for someone to perform with
And don't you know that it's just you? Hey Jude, you'll do
The movement you need is on your shoulder
Na na na, na na, na na na na, yeah

Hey Jude, don't make it bad
Take a sad song and make it better
Remember to let her under your skin
Then you begin to make it better
Better, better, better, better, better, oh!





The Beatles Live "Hey Jude"

Tears in Heaven

I thought the only thing Eric Clapton and I had in common was the belief that Layla is the best song ever written and performed. Now we belong to a club no one should have membership in, ever. I'm sorry, Eric. I'm sorry, Snoozie.

Unplugged/Eric Clapton Live