TWO WEEKS AFTER THE IMAGE OF A BLUE PLANET was beamed home from three men on the moon, three others recorded one of Abbey Road’s most far-reaching songs. Sung by John, Paul and George, Because summons up the possibilities of that lunar-obsessed summer, spilling over with wonder, thrill and the futuristic gleam of Harrison’s Moog. “Because the world is round”, the boys dreamily harmonise, “It turns me on.”
Because took the three original Beatles’ story full circle. It reminded us of their incredible facility for harmony from early on, power-loading their first Number 1s Please Please Me and She Loves You. It also connected them to an influential figure from their final days. Lennon’s lyric for Because is full of Yoko Ono’s poetry: 1963’s Earth Piece (“listen to the sound of the earth turning”), and her interest in the wind and sky throughout her art feel like inspirations (her playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata in the studio informed its opening arpeggios). Because sounds full of love, sent out into the universe in the last days of The Beatles’ precious time together. “Love is old, love is new”, they sing, perfectly. “Love is all, love is you.”
(written by Jude Rodgers for Mojo; the Abbey Road remasters will be out next Friday)