While it is not surprising I have written an editorial on The Beatles and parenting for Green Spot Blue, it IS surprising that it took me a year to get around to doing it.

Here is the beginning of my article:

John, Paul, George, Ringo, and Your Children

When you think of The Beatles today, it’s hard not to get lost in the image of the innocent and sweetly sarcastic four moptops running around while “Can’t Buy Me Love” plays loudly.  Yet, The Beatles were more than that; they probably were the most important artists to come out of the last century.  In only ten years, they created a wealth of music and cultural influence that is still impacting and inspiring people today… Basically, I am not saying anything here we haven’t read or heard before since their break up almost forty years ago.

The fact is, because of all of this, who wouldn’t want their kids to grow up with an appreciation of their music?  Their music is a gateway to all of the different facets of popular and rock music.  The problem is there is also quite a dark side to their music.  From the drug references in “I’m Only Sleeping,” the one-night stand in “Norwegian Wood,” the suicide in “A Day in the Life,” and the references to violence in “Come Together” (John keeps repeating “shoot me” for those that don’t know; disturbing isn’t it?), the real Beatles and their music was never as innocent as our collective consciousness likes to remember…. Oh, and you’ll never listen to “Penny Lane” the same way again once you find out what “finger pies” are (Well, I did warn you, I didn’t force you to just Google it).

That’s okay, there is dark and light throughout life, but who doesn’t want their children to bask in the innocence for at least a little while?  And really there is enough in The Beatles catalogue to create a fun atmosphere around the playroom and backyard, without a worry about having to explain exactly what is leaking out of the dead dog’s eye in “I Am the Walrus.”  Here are four recommendations for introducing your children to the greatest musical artists of the last century:

You can read the rest of the article here.

“I’ve got blisters on my fingers!”