By Louie Ferrera

I have yet to fully mine the depths of my love for the music of The Beatles. Since I was six years old, The Beatles have been an integral part of my life. I was there from the beginning. My older brother Ray and I bought every Beatles record as soon as it came out. Our mom would take us to the Caldwell Studio of Music where we’d plunk down the 50 cents or so for the latest 45RPM by the Fab Four. The first record I remember owning was She Loves You ( the B side, I’ll Get You). When Meet The Beatles came out that was the first album we bought. Ray still has this copy, collecting dust and memories somewhere in the depths of his archives. In January of 1964, Ray and I watched The Beatles first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. We squealed with delight while our parents looked on with bemusement, wondering what all the fuss was about. I can’t begin to imagine what my life would be like or how much poorer the world would be had The Beatles never existed.

These thoughts came to me today while I was listening to Penny Lane. Trying to pick my favorite Beatles song is like trying to say which Hawaiian sunset is the best I’ve ever seen. They’re all fantastic and unique in their right. However, if I really had to make a choice I can say with confidence that my favorite Beatles song is Penny Lane.

Penny Lane, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. I know the word “great” is a relative term and totally subjective but by any definition, Penny Lane is simply a great song. I mean, c’mon there just aren’t enough superlatives to adequately describe it. In case you didn’t know, Penny Lane is a real street in Liverpool, England. This song is about the everyday sights and sounds that Paul McCartney observed while he was there. But where mere mortals like you and I would just see the daily goings on of average people on an average street on an average day, McCartney saw poetry in motion; the interconnectedness of people, place, sights and sounds woven into a unique and unforgettable tapestry, a portrait as perfectly rendered as the Mona Lisa. I listen to Penny Lane and I’m right there with Paul in 1967: the barber showing off photographs of all the different haircuts he’s done, the stuffy banker being made fun of behind his back by little kids, the fireman who carries a photo of Queen Elizabeth around with him, the nurse in the roundabout selling poppies. I can almost smell the aroma of fish and finger pies as it wafts through the air on that rare blue sky summer day in Liverpool. Throughout this song comes the refrain, “Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes.” Paul was taking it all in. He probably had the song written in his head before he got home to the piano.

Musically, Penny Lane is a masterstroke. The alchemy of The Beatles and producer George Martin created an enduring and beloved classic of popular music. If I were to teach a college level class on songwriting, this is the song I’d choose. This tune has it all; strong lead vocals, tight harmonies, clever and whimsical lyrics, Paul’s trademark walking bass line, Ringo’s spot on drumming, that unforgettable piccolo trumpet solo and if that’s not enough there’s even a key modulation leading into the final chorus to add a little extra emotional oomph. 

Often when I’m listening to Penny Lane I find myself getting choked up. This isn’t a sad or sentimental song, I think I just get overwhelmed by the simple beauty of it all. How Paul McCartney and The Beatles could say so much over the course of 3:00 is nothing short of divine. Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes, indeed.